Pediatric Award & Honors | WIAAP

A Chapter That Achieves

The Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is proud to represent the best of pediatrics in Wisconsin. Together, we have achieved great things through dedication to the profession, continuous self-evaluation, and hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our members that opportunity to grow and develop both professionally and personally through networking, open forums, and a focus on quality improvement. Our greatest accomplishments, by far, are the improvements in care stemming from these programs. We are honored that these services have been recognized on a national level by the American Academy of Pediatrics. WIAAP has received the following awards:

Award of Chapter Excellence

This award recognizes excellence in programs that advance the welfare of children. These awards are given to chapters that are nominated for Outstanding Chapter Awards

2020-Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2019- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2018- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2016- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2015- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2014- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2012- Wisconsin-Large Chapter
2011- Wisconsin-Large Chapter

Outstanding Chapter Award

Outstanding Chapter Awards recognize AAP chapters for excellence in programs that promote the health and welfare of children. Winners were announced at the Annual Chapter Forum in September, and the awards are presented at the Annual Business Luncheon during the AAP Annual Meeting. Outstanding Chapter Awards are made possible by an educational grant from Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines and Pediatrics. These awards are presented in four categories: small chapter, medium chapter, large chapter, and very large chapter.

1984 – Wisconsin Chapter – Medium Chapter
1997 – Wisconsin Chapter – Medium Chapter

Awards and Accolades

The Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics presents three yearly awards to honor those who have advanced children’s healthcare and well-being through unmatched service, community involvement, advocacy and chapter engagement. These distinguished WIAAP members are actively involved with the chapter, show excellence in clinical areas, are involved in advocacy and special projects or programs that serve the needs of children, and are well-respected in both medical and local communities.

Chapter Members

Pediatrician of the Year

The WIAAP Pediatrician of the Year award is given to an outstanding pediatrician who has contributed to the improvement of child health care at the chapter level. It can also be given for either a special project or for years of service on behalf of children.

2019 WIAAP Pediatrician of the Year
Jeffrey Britton, MD, FAAP

Nominated by Dr. Mala Mathur and Dr. James Meyer

Dr. Jeff Britton, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is a well-respected pediatrician who has served many children through his busy clinical practice and engagement through multiple local, statewide and national organizations. He is a source of inspiration to rising physicians, instilling a passion for pediatrics and public health, all while engaging those around him with a sense of humor and dedication to his patients and their families’ well-being.

After graduating from UW Madison, Dr. Britton completed his residency at the Navy Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. He worked for four years in a Naval Hospital in North Carolina, where he served as Head of the Department of Pediatrics and President of the Medical Staff. Returning to Wisconsin to work at the Aurora Sheboygan Clinic in 1994, Dr. Britton continues to practice general pediatrics, taking on organization leadership roles. He has served on the Aurora Sheboygan Clinic’s Management Committee and currently serves on the By-Laws Committee and the Children’s Health Council.

He has been active on regional and statewide committees such as the State of Wisconsin Newborn Screening Program Review Task Force and was a founding member of the Sheboygan County Chapter of the Wisconsin Safe Kids Coalition. He served as the co-chairman of both the Maternal-Child Health Committee and the Childhood Injury Prevention Committee for Healthy Sheboygan County for many years.

As WIAAP President (2014-2017), Dr. Britton forged connections with other child health advocates in the state to more effectively advocate for policies that affect child health. Under his leadership, quality improvement became a strategic priority, including the first Pediatric Quality Improvement Collaborative on HPV vaccine rate improvement.

He advocated for connecting primary care pediatrics with poverty issues by bringing information about statewide community resources and immigrant and refugee health. He has been active at the national level with the American Academy of Pediatrics and currently serves in AAP’s District VI as the Chapter Forum Management Committee. He was recently elected to the AAP National Nominating Committee and has partnered with peers to share his musical talents.

We congratulate Jeff for this well-deserved recognition and continued dedication to pediatrics.

Special Achievement Awards

The Special Achievement Award is awarded by the AAP and is given to individuals for their work on a new and innovative project in the past year or for their lifetime achievement in pediatric work.

2018
Emilia Arana, MD, FAAP

2018
Dipesh Navsaria, MD, MSLIS, MPH, FAAP

2018
Margaret Hennessy, MD, FAAP

2017
Raj Naik, MD, FAAP

2017
David Bernhardt, MD, FAAP

2017
Kevin Walter, MD, FAAP

Advocates

Legislator of the Year Award

The WIAAP Legislator of the Year award is presented to a Wisconsin legislator responsible for outstanding work as an advocate for children and children’s healthcare.

2016 Legislator of the Year Award
Joan Ballweg

Currently, Joan is the Co-Chair of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform. She is also a member of the following committees: Mental Health, Children and Families, Rules, Jobs and the Economy, International Affairs and Commerce, Tourism, Joint Legislative Council, Colleges and Universities, and the Speaker’s Task Force on Foster Care. Recently, Joan was re-appointed as a commissioner to the Midwestern Higher Education Compact and elected into the leadership rotation of the Council of State Governments, a national organization serving all three branches of government.

Community Service Award

The WIAAP Community Service Award is presented to a state resident who has contributed outstanding work as an advocate for children and children’s healthcare.

2019 WIAAP Community Service Award
Stephanie Long, AuD, FAAA

Nominated by Colleen Van Rooy

In January 2017, Dr. Stephanie Long co-founded the non-profit organization Hear in the Fox Cities. At Fox Valley Hearing in Appleton, Stephanie has seen many people who decide to go without hearing aids because no matter how much they scrimp and save, they cannot afford them. She didn’t want this to happen to children.

Since 2017, Hear in the Fox Cities has helped eleven children with the purchase of hearing aids, fundraising to help provide kids with the gift of hearing.

Right after Dr. Long helped launch Hear in the Fox Cities in 2017, three other hearing aid providers heard about her initiative and wanted to help. Even though these businesses are competitors, they were all motivated to come together and move the mission forward, which showed great passion for the cause.

They want to come together to help with Hear’s mission. Together, they make hearing a reality for children, donating their time performing hearing tests, hearing aid fittings, and follow-up visits for these children.

Stephanie is a thoughtful and giving person and takes every opportunity to help others. At one HearStrong event, a patient said, “Too often hearing care professionals are seen as someone who sells hearing aids, but not Stephanie. She contributes to the big picture; she helps reduce the extent and the impact of hearing loss with her compassionate care, education, and hearing loss prevention. Stephanie contributes not only with hearing technology but also helps her patients move forward and continue to live well with hearing loss.”

There are many motivators when it comes to having a successful career. For over twenty years as an audiologist, Stephanie has maintained the same passion and desire to serve in her community. Through values such as leadership, enthusiasm, positivity, and strong community ties, it has helped Stephanie reach her full potential in her audiology practice and her life.

Jonathan Kohler, MD, MA, FAAP, FACS (UW Health, Madison), for his work on the pediatric surgery ECHO and lawnmower safety project.

Mala Mathur, MD, MPH, FAAP (UW Health, Madison), for her significant time and dedication advocating for firearm safety.

Lynn Sheets, MD, FAAP (Children’s Wisconsin, Milwaukee), for her research and practice work around sentinel injuries and protections for victims of child abuse and neglect.

Past Award Winners

See Past Recipients

Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations for the AAP Special Achievement Award, Pediatrician of the Year, Community Service Award, Legislator of the Year, Rising Star Award and Pan of Brownies Award are accepted from the chapter membership and are presented at the chapter annual meeting.

Click here to download the full criteria for all awards.

Nomination Form

*** The number of recipients per award fluctuates each year depending on nominations and eligibility – some years there are multiple recipients and rarely, the award is not given out.

Awards & Honors