Distinguished Alumni23

Health Administration and Policy

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Clay Franklin, MHA

Clay Franklin

Clay Franklin, MHA, 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient!

Meet Mr. Clay Franklin, the 2023 Recipient of the Department of Health Administration and Policy's Distinguished Alumni Award. Clay's remarkable journey from his days as an administrative resident at OU Medical Center to his current role as the President and CEO of Oklahoma Complete Health has been nothing short of inspiring.

A Foundation of Excellence
Clay Franklin's journey in the healthcare industry began as a young and eager administrative resident at OU Medical Center. This pivotal moment in his career laid the foundation for what would become an extraordinary path of leadership and service. Clay's time at OU was not only academically enriching but also instilled in him a profound commitment to the field of health administration. [Read More]

2023 Young Alumni Professional Award Recipient: Whitney J. Dockrey, JD, MHA

Whitney Dockrey

Whitney Dockrey, MHA, 2023 Young Alumni Professional Award Recipient!

Meet Whitney J. Dockrey, a shining example of dedication, achievement, and impactful contributions to our community. She is the proud recipient of the 2023 Young Alumni Professional Award from the Department of Health Administration and Policy.
Whitney holds an impressive academic record, graduating in 2019 with a JD/MHA from the prestigious OU College of Law and Hudson College of Public Health. Her commitment to both law and healthcare set the stage for her remarkable career. [Read More]

Health Promotion Sciences

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Russell Brewer, MPH, DrPH

Russell Brewer

Russell Brewer, MPH, DrPH, 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient!

In the world of public health, few individuals can boast a career as distinguished and impactful as Dr. Russell Brewer. With an extensive background in public health program development, implementation, and evaluation, his journey began with his academic pursuits, earning him the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award from the Department of Health Promotion Sciences.

In 1998, Dr. Brewer earned his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, setting the stage for a remarkable career. He went on to receive his Doctorate degree in Public Health (DrPH) from the OUHSC Hudson College of Public Health in 2005, demonstrating his commitment to furthering his knowledge and expertise in the field. [Read More]

2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient: Elizabeth Suddath, MPH

Elizabeth Suddath

Elizabeth Suddath, MPH, 2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient!

Elizabeth Suddath, a 2015 Master of Public Health (MPH) alumna, embodies the spirit of a passionate young professional dedicated to improving the well-being of students and communities. Her outstanding contributions have earned her the Young Alumni Professional Award for the Department of Health Promotion Sciences, and her journey is a remarkable testament to the transformative power of public health in education.

From the outset, Elizabeth's career has been marked by her unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of young people. As the Executive Director of Health Promotion and Wellness and Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Student Support at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, she has had the privilege of spearheading initiatives that have left an indelible mark on the state's education system. [Read More]

Biostatistics and Epidemiology

2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient: Wenxue Lin, PhD, MS

Wenxue Lin

Wenxue Lin, PhD, MS, 2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient!

We are pleased to announce the 2023 Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology's Young Alumni Professional Award recipient, Dr. Wenxue Lin. Dr. Lin's journey in the field of epidemiology has been nothing short of extraordinary, marked by exceptional academic achievements, groundbreaking research contributions, and a commitment to mentoring future epidemiologists.

Wenxue Lin embarked on his academic journey at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, where he pursued a PhD degree in epidemiology, graduating in 2022 with an impressive GPA of 3.9/4.0. Prior to this, he earned his MS degree in epidemiology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2019, achieving a perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0. [Read More]

Occupational and Environmental Health

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Deborah Imel Nelson, PhD, CIH, FAIHA

Deborah Nelson

Deborah Imel Nelson, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient!

Deborah Imel Nelson, PhD, CIH, FAIHA, earned her B.S.in Environmental Science and M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering, in Norman, Oklahoma, and her Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and Ph.D. in Environmental Health from the Hudson College of Public Health. Her trailblazing professional career began at OSHA in 1975, “very likely as the first woman industrial hygienist in Oklahoma”.

She recently earned the Certificate in Total Worker Health® from the Colorado School of Public Health. Deborah has been certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) in the comprehensive practice of industrial hygiene since 1981. Deborah has served as a US Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) industrial hygiene compliance officer and as a professor of environmental science at the University of Oklahoma. For two years she was an Occupational Health Scientist with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where she conducted exposure assessments for the Global Burden of Occupational Injury and Illness. In 2017 she retired as the Safety and Occupational Health Manager for the US Department of Agriculture, Veterinary Services, which was heavily involved in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in 2015 and 2016. [Read More]

2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient: Blake Henry, CIH, CSP

Henry Blake

Blake Henry, CIH, CSP, 2023 Young Alumni Award Recipient!

J. Blake Henry, CIH, CSP earned his MS in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Health Sciences in 2016. A native of Altus, Oklahoma, Blake received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from OU Norman.

Blake became interested in a career in industrial hygiene because it appealed to his desire to engage both his mind and his hands and to keep people safe. His master’s thesis titled “Investigating the Impact of Facial Hair Length on Respirator Fit”, under the mentorship of Dr. Evan Floyd, was the basis for a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. [Read More]