The Society for Public Health Education will bestow its 2026 Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity Award to Elizabeth England-Kennedy of New Mexico State University’s Department of Public Health Sciences.
England-Kennedy, an assistant professor who joined NMSU’s College of Health, Education and Social Transformation in 2020, will receive the award during SOPHE’s annual conference April 22-24 in Portland, Oregon.
The award recognizes individuals or groups that embody and promote health equity through research, practice and teaching. Dorothy Nyswander was an American health educator who pioneered health education and mentored many public health leaders over a career spanning more than six decades.
England-Kennedy has dedicated her career to addressing systemic health care injustices through research and education. Her professional specialties include the intersections of health and culture, health equity, social and environmental justice, behavioral health, suicide and suicidality, and homelessness.
“To me, core responsibilities of public health professionals are to ensure health equity for all and to eliminate marginalization of any groups when we provide health care and support, and health and general education,” England-Kennedy said. “As one of many who are steadfastly working toward these goals, I am honored and humbled to be selected for this year's SOPHE Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity Award. Thank you for this award and to everyone in public health for the work you do.”
England-Kennedy’s research and outreach efforts at NMSU are community-based and focus on “overlooked” populations, such as unhoused people, individuals with mental health illnesses and difficulties, dairy workers, first-generation college students, and members of the LGBTQ+ communities, among others.
England-Kennedy said she aims to educate students on the practical ways to effectively enhance health equity in health promotion, policy and practice. Her work also involves suicide prevention, vaccination education and outreach, and grant-writing training. Outside the classroom, she leads projects with a community-based health center, Amador Health Center, and a transitional living facility for unhoused individuals, Camp Hope. She is also part of a statewide team developing a plan to ensure the state’s ability to comprehensively and rapidly respond to emergent health risks that impact the health of animals, plants, humans and the environment.
“Dr. England-Kennedy epitomizes the principles and practice of health equity for students, colleagues, and community members alike,” said Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at NMSU who nominated England-Kennedy for the award.
England-Kennedy has a doctoral degree in medical anthropology from the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in public health from NMSU. Before returning to NMSU, she was an assistant professor and program coordinator at Rhode Island College.
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Cutline: Elizabeth England-Kennedy, an assistant professor of public health sciences at New Mexico State University, will receive the 2026 Dorothy Nyswander Health Equity. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)