Last week, Alliance members, partners, decision-makers, and community leaders got together to celebrate the 2025 Transformative Change Award recipients during the Alliance’s annual conference. Transformative Change Awards recognize individuals, teams and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to improving the health and wellbeing of people and communities in Ontario. This year’s recipients demonstrate the many ways they are working to deliver equitable, low-barrier, wraparound primary health care services to underserved and marginalized communities across the province. Join us in celebrating the 2025 Transformative Change Award recipients.
# Community Health Champion Award: Consumption and Treatment Services and Supervised Consumption Services sites for Harm Reduction Advocacy
Community Health Champion award honours organizations and individuals within the health, social and community services sectors that work alongside the Alliance and Alliance members to advance equitable health and wellbeing for everyone in Ontario. This year, the Board conferred a joint award for Harm Reduction Advocacy to the Supervised Consumption Services and Consumption and Treatment Services sites run by both Alliance members and non-member organizations, including those that were forced to close and those that continue to operate. The Board recognized the outstanding leadership of these organizations working to support their clients in a changing harm reduction environment, as well as advocating for evidence-based substance use policy and integrated primary health care services that are rooted in health equity and harm reduction.
# Research for Health Equity Award: Dr. Jennifer Rayner, Director of Research and Policy, Alliance for Healthier Communities
This year, the Alliance introduced a new Research for Health Equity Award. This award aims to celebrate a researcher or research team that has made significant contributions to advancing health equity and team-based primary health care. The inaugural award was presented to Dr. Jennifer Rayner who has been instrumental in building the Alliance’s research program and EPIC Learning Health System. Jen has been working with the Alliance for Healthier Communities for almost ten years now, most recently as a Director of Research and Policy, but her involvement with the Alliance and community health sector started long before that. Jen’s work has helped establish the Alliance for Healthier Communities as one of the leading voices in health equity and interprofessional, team-based primary health care not only in Ontario but across Canada and around the world. Going forward, the award will be named Jennifer Rayner Research for Health Equity Award.
# Transformative Change Awards (teams/organizations)
The Transformative Change Awards celebrate exceptional examples of the Model of Health and Wellbeing (MHWB) or the Model of Wholistic Health and Wellbeing (MWHWB) (for Indigenous organizations) in action.
Mission United Program (CMHA Durham)
The Mission United Program, run by Canadian Mental Health Association Durham in partnership with Back Door Mission, offers primary care, mental health and substance use, social services, housing and peer support to people experiencing homelessness in a centralized, low-barrier hub. To learn more about the program, check out this video.
The Lower Limb Wound Prevention and Treatment Clinic (Windsor FHT)
The Lower Limb Wound Prevention & Treatment Clinic, led by Windsor Family Health Team, delivers transformative care through a patient-centered, interprofessional approach aimed at preventing amputations in high-risk populations, including those living with diabetes, vascular disease, or experiencing homelessness. Watch the video to learn more.
Care Bus (NorWest CHCs)
The Care Bus, run by NorWest Community Health Centres in partnership with Indigenous organizations, like the Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre and Ontario Native Women’s Association, offers warmth, safety, food, harm reduction supplies, referrals, emergency supports and therapeutic listening for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, mental health and substance use issues. To learn more, watch the video.
# Adrianna Tetley Legacy Award: Melissa Kwiatkowski, CEO, Guelph CHC
Named after the Alliance’s former CEO, who left a deep imprint not only on the Alliance for Healthier Communities but also Ontario’s health care system, this award celebrates emerging leaders in the sector.
This year’s recipient, Melissa Kwiatkowski, has demonstrated unwavering commitment to addressing systemic barriers to equitable health and wellbeing, innovative approach to program development, ability to foster collaborations, ongoing involvement in advocacy and dedication to championing solutions that empower people and communities and strengthen primary health care in Ontario.
# Denise Brooks Health Equity Champion Award: Dr. Sandy Ezepue, ED, Hamilton Urban Core CHC
The Denise Brooks Award, named after a former ED of Hamilton Urban Core CHC, celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to poverty reduction, advancing health equity and social justice, and show a strong commitment to anti-oppression and anti-racism.
This year’s recipient, Dr. Sandy Ezepue, also comes from Hamilton Urban Core CHC. Just like Denise Brooks, Sandy consistently demonstrates commitment to social justice and health equity through her leadership in advancing impactful programs and advocacy efforts.
# Joe Leonard Award: Liben Gebremikael, CEO, TAIBU CHC
Joe Leonard Award is the highest honour given by the Alliance for Healthier Communities. Named after the first executive director of LAMP CHC, this award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, commitment and support for creative solutions to accessible, high quality and affordable health care.
The 2025 Joe Leonard Award recipient is Liben Gebremikael who has been the CEO of TAIBU Community Health Centre since its establishment in 2008. With the help of dedicated staff and a clear vision, he has grown TAIBU into a household name throughout the Malvern community and beyond. He has brought awareness about the disparities in health care for the Black community through his advocacy, and commitment to the vision of empowerment and elimination of systemic racism.
Congratulations to all award recipients and nominees!