Karen Rotondo Award for Outstanding Service

The Karen Rotondo Award for Outstanding Service honors the memory and legacy of Karen Rotondo, RN, the “Founding Mother” of the HCH Clinicians’ Network. It is awarded to one exemplary clinician in the HCH field annually at the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference*.

Nominations for the 2021 award must be received by March 31, 2021.

Award Criteria

The award recognizes clinicians who provide culturally appropriate, high quality hands-on care to people experiencing homelessness. Clinicians may come from a broad array of disciplines—nurses, social workers, outreach workers, oral health providers, physicians, case managers, substance abuse specialists, mental health providers, health educators, and many more!

• Current HCH Clinicians’ Network Steering Committee members are not eligible.
• Any clinician may nominate his or her colleague, but self-nominations are not accepted.
• The nominee must be a hands-on caregiver who has advanced the goals of ending and preventing homelessness.
• The nominee must demonstrate vision and creativity in his or her work to improve the health and quality of life of homeless people.
• The nominee must go above and beyond his or her job description requirements.

Selection Process

• The Clinicians’ Network Membership Committee will review all nominations and select the award recipient based on the stated criteria.
• Clinicians’ Network staff will notify all nominators of selection results in April 2021.

Nomination Materials

• Nomination form completed by the candidate’s supervisor, colleague, or other professional associate
• Resume or curriculum vitae for the nominee
• Letter from a patient of the nominee describing how the nominee had a positive impact on his/her life
• Letter of support from a peer or coworker of the nominee
• Digital photograph of the nominee that will be used to promote the awards presentation and displayed during the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference

Please email all nomination materials to Lily Catalano by March 31, 2021. Incomplete nominations will not be considered.

*The Clinicians’ Network will provide support to the award recipient to attend the National Health Care for the Homeless Conference and receive the award.

Previous Karen Rotondo Award Recipients

2020 — Teresa Savino, RN
2019 — Deb Borne, MSW, MD
2018 — Asma Inge-Hanif, RN, CNM, ANP
2017 — Charita McCollers, MSW
2016 — Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, MD
2015 — Matias Vega, MD
2014 — Rachel Solotaroff, MD, MPH MSW 

Network Award Recipients Since 1996