Trammell and Hanks honored with community health leadership awards

The Mobile Medical Museum hosted the first Mobile Community Health Leadership Awards on Aug. 6. Presented via Zoom and Facebook Live broadcast, the museum recognized local leaders in education, awareness and action around Mobile's most urgent community health issues.

“Healthcare professionals have partnered with grassroots community leaders to confront some of the most urgent and challenging public health crises in history,” said Daryn Glassbrook, Ph.D, executive director of the Mobile Medical Museum. “This event honored the work of extraordinary individuals and organizations who recognized an unmet health need in our community and charted a path forward for others to follow.”

Katrina Roberson-Trammell, M.D.

Among the 2020 honorees were Katrina Roberson-Trammell, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and a pediatrician with USA Health; and Roma Stovall Hanks, Ph.D., co-director of the Community Engagement Core at the USA Center for Healthy Communities.

As a clinical faculty member, Trammell teaches and supervises medical students, nurse practitioner students and physician assistant students. Since 2013, she has served as medical director for several regional Medicaid programs, including the Alabama Coordinated Health Network and Gulf Coast TotalCare. Known affectionately by her patients as "Dr. T.," Trammell uses community platforms to discuss topics such as childhood obesity, adolescent health issues, the doctor-patient relationship, preventive screenings and well child visits. She is also a state liaison coordinating communication between pediatricians and school nurses.

"It is truly an honor for me to be one of the recipients of the Mobile Community Health Leadership Award. I have always had a passion to give back to my community, and I strive to be a mentor to others and promote health wellness and awareness," Trammell said. "My pediatric practice at USA Health for over 20 years has allowed me to stay engaged with community activities, teach students, as well as provide leadership in our regional Medicaid-managed care program. I am truly grateful that I can play a fundamental role in the children of our future. Receiving recognition for my contributions in the Mobile medical community is very rewarding."

Roma Stovall Hanks, Ph.D.

In addition to her work with the USA College of Medicine’s Center for Healthy Communities, Hanks is professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work at the University of South Alabama. Her research has been funded by the Administration on Aging; the Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities; the Alabama Department of Public Health; the Community Foundation of South Alabama; and the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission-Area Agency on Aging.

"I am so grateful to be recognized by the Mobile Medical Museum as a Community Health Leader and for the privilege of working with healthcare educators, researchers, providers and advocates to address health inequities in our community," Hanks said.

"The current pandemic has made us keenly aware of the disparities that result in poorer health outcomes for black and brown communities and communities with high rates of poverty," Hanks added. "But broader current events have also shown that it is possible for people from all backgrounds to come together in support of justice. Committed individuals like the Community Health Advocates of the USA Center for Healthy Communities are creating change. They are the true leaders."