AHCJ thanks volunteer contest judges; sign-ups open for 2025 contest
For more than 20 years, the Association of Health Care Journalists’ annual Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism has spotlighted the vital role of health care reporting. Selecting the most compelling, impactful and effective stories from hundreds of submissions requires remarkable time, care and commitment. We are sincerely grateful to the many volunteer judges who make this possible.
The 2024 contest drew more than 400 entries across 14 categories, with winners announced at the annual conference in Los Angeles, held May 29 through June 1. Judges worked in pairs over two rounds to evaluate the entries — a task many describe as both rewarding and inspiring. Some judges have generously contributed their time for years, while others offered their expertise for the first time this year.
Whether active journalists, retired professionals or journalism educators, each volunteer judge plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and independence of the awards. Those who opted to be publicly recognized are listed below. To all our volunteers, thank you for your invaluable contributions.
- Reed Abelson, The New York Times
- Farrah Anderson, WFYI, Side Effects Public Media
- Drew Armstrong, Endpoints News
- Rita Baron-Faust, Independent Journalist
- Tony Bartelme, The Post and Courier
- Madelyn Beck, Independent Journalist
- Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor and BenefitsPRO at ALM
- Lizeth (Liz) Beltran, The Wall Street Journal
- Aria Bendix, NBC News Digital
- Karen Blum, Independent Journalist
- Stephanie Bouchard, Independent Journalist
- Harriet Brown, Syracuse University
- Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest
- Barbara Burgower Hordern, Retired
- Lola Butcher, Independent Journalist
- Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone
- Jo Craven McGinty, The Wall Street Journal
- Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest
- Dennis Dailey, mHealth Times
- Laura Dattaro, Independent Journalist
- Meryl Davids, Independent Journalist
- Jonathan Davis, THE JOURNAL podcast
- April Dembosky, KQED public radio
- Rebekah Denn, Independent Journalist
- Dené K. Dryden, Rochester Post Bulletin
- Mari Edlin, Independent Journalist
- Jon Fahey, Associated Press
- Barbara Feder Ostrov, Medscape/WebMD
- Jennifer L. W. Fink, Independent Journalist
- Hannah Furfaro, The Seattle Times
- Barbara Gastel, Texas A&M University
- Carol Gentry, Academy of Retired Professionals at Eckerd College
- Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
- Anastassia Gliadkovskaya, Fierce Healthcare
- Maya Goldman, Axios
- David Gorn, Independent Journalist
- Barbara Gray, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
- Katti Gray, Independent Journalist
- Luz Elena Grisales González, Independent Journalist
- Celeste Hamilton Dennis, Independent Journalist
- Ariel Hart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Lila Hassan, Independent Journalist
- Emily Hays, Illinois Public Media
- Anita Hofschneider, Grist Magazine
- Toni Hope, Retired Health Director
- Charlotte Huff, Independent Journalist
- Erica Hunzinger, The Associated Press
- Kris Husted, The Midwest Newsroom
- Christopher Intagliata, NPR
- Gina Jiménez, Public Health Watch
- Brian C. Jones, Retired reporter Providence Journal
- Debbie Kaplan, Independent Journalist
- Erin Keane, Salon
- Thomas Koetting, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio
- Sarah Kwon, Independent Journalist
- Tony Leys, KFF Health News
- John Loeppky, Independent Journalist
- Ed Mahon, Spotlight PA
- Linda Marsa, Independent Journalist
- Marilynn Mastroianni, Retired
- Kat McGowan, Independent Journalist
- Patrick McGroarty, The Wall Street Journal
- Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal
- Calli McMurray, The Transmitter
- Rosie Mestel, Knowable Magazine
- Naseem Miller, The Journalist’s Resource
- Rachel Nania, AARP
- Ivan Oransky, The Transmitter; New York University; Retraction Watch
- Charles Ornstein, ProPublica
- Candace Page, Seven Days
- Alison Palkhivala, Independent Journalist
- Daniel Payne, Politico
- Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
- Natalie Rahhal, Yahoo Life
- Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, Endpoints News
- Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar
- Wendy Ruderman, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Bram Sable-Smith, KFF Health News
- Anne Saker, Independent Journalist
- Anna Savchenko, WBEZ Chicago
- Dorey Scheimer, On Point (WBUR)
- Ariel Schwartz, Business Insider
- Liz Seegert, Independent Journalist
- Donna Shaw, The College of New Jersey (retired)
- Brett A Sholtis, LNP | LancasterOnline
- Joanne Silberner, Independent Journalist
- Natalie Skowlund, Independent Journalist
- Letitia Stein, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Zachary Tracer, STAT
- Richard Van Noorden, Nature
- Michael Vitez, Retired
- Jessica Wehrman, CQ Roll Call
- Irene Wielawski, Independent Journalist
- Ron Winslow, Independent Journalist
- Emily Woodruff, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate
- Jeffrey Young, Modern Healthcare/Crain Communications
- Farah Yousry, Side Effects Public Media/ WFYI
- Aparna Zalani, CBS News
Interested in serving as a judge for the 2025 Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism? Sign up here.
Each year, the contest welcomes new volunteer judges. Participating as a judge does not disqualify you from entering the contest, and our team takes care to avoid conflicts of interest involving judges and entries from their news organizations.
If you have questions about judging — or if you’re an AHCJ member interested in joining the contest committee — please reach out to AHCJ Membership Manager Tina England at [email protected].
The Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism are guided and supported by the AHCJ Contest Committee, co-chaired by board members Christine Herman and Jonathan Rockoff. The committee also includes board members Randy Dotinga, Renuka Rayasam, Carrie Feibel, and Joyce Frieden, along with member volunteers Sabriya Rice, Lauren Bavis, Pauline Arrillaga, Mia de Graaf, Mat Edelson, Sarah Kwon and Jason Kane.
The post AHCJ thanks volunteer contest judges; sign-ups open for 2025 contest appeared first on Association of Health Care Journalists.
Information Courtesy By: AHCJ Board of Directors, HealthcareNews, Global | Feeds
For more than 20 years, the Association of Health Care Journalists’ annual Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism has spotlighted the vital role of health care reporting. Selecting the most compelling, impactful and effective stories from hundreds of submissions requires remarkable time, care and commitment. We are sincerely grateful to the many volunteer judges who make this possible.
The 2024 contest drew more than 400 entries across 14 categories, with winners announced at the annual conference in Los Angeles, held May 29 through June 1. Judges worked in pairs over two rounds to evaluate the entries — a task many describe as both rewarding and inspiring. Some judges have generously contributed their time for years, while others offered their expertise for the first time this year.
Whether active journalists, retired professionals or journalism educators, each volunteer judge plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity and independence of the awards. Those who opted to be publicly recognized are listed below. To all our volunteers, thank you for your invaluable contributions.
- Reed Abelson, The New York Times
- Farrah Anderson, WFYI, Side Effects Public Media
- Drew Armstrong, Endpoints News
- Rita Baron-Faust, Independent Journalist
- Tony Bartelme, The Post and Courier
- Madelyn Beck, Independent Journalist
- Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor and BenefitsPRO at ALM
- Lizeth (Liz) Beltran, The Wall Street Journal
- Aria Bendix, NBC News Digital
- Karen Blum, Independent Journalist
- Stephanie Bouchard, Independent Journalist
- Harriet Brown, Syracuse University
- Whitney Bryen, InvestigateWest
- Barbara Burgower Hordern, Retired
- Lola Butcher, Independent Journalist
- Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone
- Jo Craven McGinty, The Wall Street Journal
- Wilson Criscione, InvestigateWest
- Dennis Dailey, mHealth Times
- Laura Dattaro, Independent Journalist
- Meryl Davids, Independent Journalist
- Jonathan Davis, THE JOURNAL podcast
- April Dembosky, KQED public radio
- Rebekah Denn, Independent Journalist
- Dené K. Dryden, Rochester Post Bulletin
- Mari Edlin, Independent Journalist
- Jon Fahey, Associated Press
- Barbara Feder Ostrov, Medscape/WebMD
- Jennifer L. W. Fink, Independent Journalist
- Hannah Furfaro, The Seattle Times
- Barbara Gastel, Texas A&M University
- Carol Gentry, Academy of Retired Professionals at Eckerd College
- Jessica Glenza, The Guardian
- Anastassia Gliadkovskaya, Fierce Healthcare
- Maya Goldman, Axios
- David Gorn, Independent Journalist
- Barbara Gray, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
- Katti Gray, Independent Journalist
- Luz Elena Grisales González, Independent Journalist
- Celeste Hamilton Dennis, Independent Journalist
- Ariel Hart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Lila Hassan, Independent Journalist
- Emily Hays, Illinois Public Media
- Anita Hofschneider, Grist Magazine
- Toni Hope, Retired Health Director
- Charlotte Huff, Independent Journalist
- Erica Hunzinger, The Associated Press
- Kris Husted, The Midwest Newsroom
- Christopher Intagliata, NPR
- Gina Jiménez, Public Health Watch
- Brian C. Jones, Retired reporter Providence Journal
- Debbie Kaplan, Independent Journalist
- Erin Keane, Salon
- Thomas Koetting, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio
- Sarah Kwon, Independent Journalist
- Tony Leys, KFF Health News
- John Loeppky, Independent Journalist
- Ed Mahon, Spotlight PA
- Linda Marsa, Independent Journalist
- Marilynn Mastroianni, Retired
- Kat McGowan, Independent Journalist
- Patrick McGroarty, The Wall Street Journal
- Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal
- Calli McMurray, The Transmitter
- Rosie Mestel, Knowable Magazine
- Naseem Miller, The Journalist’s Resource
- Rachel Nania, AARP
- Ivan Oransky, The Transmitter; New York University; Retraction Watch
- Charles Ornstein, ProPublica
- Candace Page, Seven Days
- Alison Palkhivala, Independent Journalist
- Daniel Payne, Politico
- Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
- Natalie Rahhal, Yahoo Life
- Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, Endpoints News
- Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar
- Wendy Ruderman, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Bram Sable-Smith, KFF Health News
- Anne Saker, Independent Journalist
- Anna Savchenko, WBEZ Chicago
- Dorey Scheimer, On Point (WBUR)
- Ariel Schwartz, Business Insider
- Liz Seegert, Independent Journalist
- Donna Shaw, The College of New Jersey (retired)
- Brett A Sholtis, LNP | LancasterOnline
- Joanne Silberner, Independent Journalist
- Natalie Skowlund, Independent Journalist
- Letitia Stein, The Philadelphia Inquirer
- Zachary Tracer, STAT
- Richard Van Noorden, Nature
- Michael Vitez, Retired
- Jessica Wehrman, CQ Roll Call
- Irene Wielawski, Independent Journalist
- Ron Winslow, Independent Journalist
- Emily Woodruff, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate
- Jeffrey Young, Modern Healthcare/Crain Communications
- Farah Yousry, Side Effects Public Media/ WFYI
- Aparna Zalani, CBS News
Interested in serving as a judge for the 2025 Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism? Sign up here.
Each year, the contest welcomes new volunteer judges. Participating as a judge does not disqualify you from entering the contest, and our team takes care to avoid conflicts of interest involving judges and entries from their news organizations.
If you have questions about judging — or if you’re an AHCJ member interested in joining the contest committee — please reach out to AHCJ Membership Manager Tina England at [email protected].
The Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism are guided and supported by the AHCJ Contest Committee, co-chaired by board members Christine Herman and Jonathan Rockoff. The committee also includes board members Randy Dotinga, Renuka Rayasam, Carrie Feibel, and Joyce Frieden, along with member volunteers Sabriya Rice, Lauren Bavis, Pauline Arrillaga, Mia de Graaf, Mat Edelson, Sarah Kwon and Jason Kane.
The post AHCJ thanks volunteer contest judges; sign-ups open for 2025 contest appeared first on Association of Health Care Journalists.
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