Sister Gail Waring, vice president for mission services at St. Peter’s Health Care Service in Albany, New York, is the New York State Public Health Association’s choice for its 2009 Community Leadership Award. Gail was selected because of her accomplishments in expanding charity care and other health programs for the neediest in the community.
The annual Community Leadership Award gives the New York State Public Health Association (NYSPHA) the opportunity to recognize an outstanding New Yorker who has demonstrated proven excellence in mobilizing the community toward the prevention of disease and promotion of public health.
“Sister Gail is a shining example of how one person makes a difference in a whole community’s public health system,” said Martha Pofit, executive director of the NYSPHA.
The award was presented at the NYSPHA’s annual meeting on April 3 in Colonie, New York.
Gail was honored for her support of community-health planning at St. Peter’s Health Services, along with the Neighborhood Based Alliance, the Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI) and other organizations. Her work has resulted in the creation of numerous new or expanded health
services including school-based dental programs, enrollment programs for public health insurance applicants, neighborhood-based addiction recovery services, pediatric care and dental services.
With the support of the leadership of St. Peter’s Health Care Services, Gail has also protected vulnerable populations by developing St. Peter’s Charity Care program which enables more than one thousand St. Peter’s patients to receive free or subsidized health services each year.
Kevin Jobin-Davis, executive director the HCDI, said “Sister Gail’s commitment to understanding and addressing the health needs of the most vulnerable populations in our community has improved thousands of lives and honors the legacy of Sister Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy.”
