Spotlight of 2025 JHNAA Awardees
Distinguished Alumna Award: Marni Sommer exemplifies excellence and humanitarian service, advancing global health, education, and gender equity. After earning a master’s in public health and nursing from Johns Hopkins in 2001 and a doctorate in public health from Columbia in 2008, she dedicated her career to addressing disparities affecting adolescents worldwide. Inspired by her Peace Corps experience in Eritrea, she focused on how menstruation and puberty disrupt girls’ education, leading to her doctoral research in Tanzania and the creation of the Girls’ Puberty Book Project. This project grew into Grow and Know, which has distributed over 2 million culturally tailored puberty books across seven countries, reaching both girls and boys. Dr. Sommer’s impact extends through global partnerships with organizations like UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund, as well as her leadership of the GATE Program at Columbia University. There she develops interventions, trains future public health leaders, and provides critical resources such as a menstrual hygiene management toolkit for humanitarian settings.
Community Champion Award: Alicia Wilson is a member of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Advisory Board and serves as vice president for civic engagement and opportunity at Johns Hopkins University and Health System. In this role, she leads strategies to strengthen partnerships with local, national, and global communities, advancing economic development, education, health equity, and community investment. Previously, as managing director and global head of philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase in North America, she oversaw local strategies across more than 40 markets and guided the firm’s $2 billion Racial Equity Commitment. Before that, Alicia served as vice president for economic development and community partnerships at Johns Hopkins, leading programs in neighborhood revitalization, education, and health care. Her achievements have earned national recognition in Forbes and the National Business Journal for her leadership in creating economic opportunity. She also serves as board chair of the CollegeBound Foundation, helping numerous Baltimore City students pursue higher education.
Global Achievement Award: Jacqueline Brysacz is a nurse practitioner and public health specialist. Since 2014, Jacqueline has worked in primary care with Federally Qualified Heath Centers. Jacqueline got her start in international work when she served as an agriculture volunteer in the Chaco region of Bolivia with the Peace Corps from 2007-08. Her experience led her to a career focused on reducing barriers to health and well-being for low-resource populations. She currently works as a family nurse practitioner in a community health center. Jacqueline embodies what it means to be a global contributor through her work with the Chaco Fund. With colleagues she met in the Peace Corps, Jacqueline started the Chaco Fund which, in addition to financial support, provides the scholarship awardees with mentorship as well as technological and emotional support to provide a holistic support system for these pioneers.
Heritage Award: Alison Smith served as a member of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Advisory Board from 2014-24, providing insight to Deans Patricia Davidson and Sarah Szanton. Alison has provided invaluable guidance on key initiatives at the School of Nursing, including the development of Neighborhood Nursing, the Institute for Policy Solutions, and launching the first cohort to complete all clinicals in community settings. Her thoughtful advisement has been instrumental in shaping the future of nursing and connecting resources to sustain the Neighborhood Nursing program. Following her tenure on the board, Alison joined the Education to Practice Dean’s Working Group, where she contributed critical feedback and advice on school initiatives. Alison serves in a jointly held position with the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association as program director for the AHA-AMA Initiative to Control Blood Pressure. She has 25 years of experience in the health care industry, ranging from the bedside to the boardroom. For the last decade, she has worked as a vice president of strategic initiatives and a consultant to C-Change, a national not-for-profit focused on research, practice, and policy issues
in cancer.
Outstanding Recent Graduate: Molly Cook has consistently leveraged her education to serve her community in innovative and impactful ways. As an emergency department nurse, Molly dedicated herself to providing compassionate care to patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. Her work in the ED exposed her to the broader social determinants of health, which inspired her to pursue public health advocacy and grassroots organizing. Molly’s leadership was instrumental in passing a citizen-driven amendment to the Houston City Charter and she was recognized by the Houston Chronicle as one of the city’s transportation leaders. Molly’s commitment to public service reached new heights when she transitioned into politics. She recently became the first openly bisexual member of the Texas Senate, representing Senate District 15, a position previously held by a single individual for four decades. Her victory in a highly competitive special election was a testament to her grassroots organizing skills and ability to connect with constituents. Molly’s leadership extends beyond her professional achievements. She has inspired countless individuals through her advocacy for health equity, reproductive rights, and community-driven solutions.
In Memoriam
Patricia Peterson Colt, ’56