Dr. Chilton Wins Award for Vision and Creativity in Health Education

Dr. Mariana Chilton, an associate professor and director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities at the Drexel University School of Public Health, was recently awarded the 2012 Hod Ogden Medal by the Directors of Health Promotion and Education for her vision, passion, and creativity in helping women living in poverty to speak and be heard in the national dialogue on hunger and poverty. In the accompanying acceptance video, Chilton speaks about her "Witnesses to Hunger" study and exhibit of 40 mothers in Philadelphia living in poverty and shares her award with these women, calling them the “true heroes” for being willing to share their lives and experiences through their photographs.

The medal is awarded annually to a person who has demonstrated imaginative and creative efforts to positively influence the advancement of health education and health promotion in his/her state or the nation. The award honors the late Hod Ogden, whose distinguished career in health education and leadership provided the groundwork for many of the chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs currently funding state and local health departments today.