Dr. J. David Dunn Public Health Impact Award

The Public Health Impact Award is named in honor of Dr. J. David Dunn, who has made an indelible impact on public health in the Commonwealth as a practitioner, educator, mentor, leader, and visionary. Dr. J David Dunn began his public health career in 1960 serving as Senior County Sanitarian in Grayson, Edmonson Hart and Breckenridge counties in Kentucky after graduating from Western Kentucky University. In 1964 he received a U. S. Public Health Service Traineeship to attend Tulane University, School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine where he earned the MPH & doctoral degrees. From 1967 to 1970 he was Assistant Professor of public health at Ball State University. In 1970 he returned to his alma mater as Assistant Professor of public health and Head of the Department of Health and Safety (later changed to Department of Public Health).  During the 31 years he served as Department Head, the Department experienced substantial growth in terms of faculty, students served, majors and minors, and degree programs. Noteworthy programs developed during his tenure as Department Head were undergraduate and graduate degrees in school health education, health care administration, and  public health. All were accredited by the appropriate accrediting agency.  The MPH degree program was the first CEPH accredited program in Kentucky. Following Dr. Dunn’s tenure as Department Head  and Professor of Public Health, he was named Director of the newly created School of Health and Human Services consisting of seven academic departments and some additional centers. The following year the designation of this academic unit was changed to the College of Health and Human Services and he was named Interim Dean for one year. During his tenure at WKU Dr. Dunn was the recipient of several grants and contracts and engaged in applied research leading to scholarly publications and presentations at professional meetings. He has served on numerous university, community, state  and national committees and councils. He has been active in local, state, and national professional organizations including the American Public Health Association (APHA), the Kentucky Public Health Association (KPHA) and the Kentucky Association of Milk Food and Environmental Sanitarians (KAMFES), serving as board member, Treasurer, Vice-President and President of KPHA. He was awarded life-time member status of KPHA and KAMFES. He is currently Professor Emeritus in the Department of Public Health, and his current professional activities include member of the advisory committee for the MPH program at WKU, AHEC Advisory Committee, Kentucky Partnership for Farm Family Health and Safety Board Member, and Kentucky State Preventive Health Block Grant Advisory Committee.

Award Recipients

2018: Irma Kocer, MPH