Established in 1976, the Joan Shaw Herman Award for Distinguished Service is presented annually to a member of the CA community — the school’s only award recognizes the work of CA graduates who have demonstrated dedication to service in either a professional or volunteer capacity.
We are proud to announce that Anne Pfitzer ’85 has been chosen by the selection committee for her contributions to international public health, in particular in the areas of family planning, maternal-newborn health and survival, and HIV/AIDS prevention. A recognized public health leader, Anne has worked tirelessly to improve the health of women and girls, newborns, and children across the globe, exemplifying commitment and dedication to a cause greater than oneself.
Anne leads the family planning team for USAID’s Global Momentum (Global Leadership and Targeted Technical Assistance) project led by Jhpiego, a nonprofit affiliate of Johns Hopkins University. Earlier in her career, she directed the Jhpiego office in Ethiopia and partnered with local organizations and universities to expand training, research, and public health programs. With colleagues at Jhpiego, USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and many others, she has devoted energy to a signature global initiative to address the needs of women and girls for accurate information about the return to fertility and pregnancy prevention after childbirth and access to more choices for contraception. Anne has authored peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to the World Health Organization’s Programming Strategies for Postpartum Family Planning, and convened global meetings, playing a central role in mainstreaming the issue of postpartum and postabortion family planning in policies, programs, and health systems for low and middle-income countries around the world.
Anne’s dedication to empowering women and girls, families, communities, and countries in some of the poorest areas in the world brings CA’s mission to life. Her commitment to serving others embodies the spirit of CA and the values we hold close as a community.
The #CACares Campaign
Join us to honor Anne, past JSH award recipients, and all those in the CA community who care and serve others by participating in the #CACares campaign during the month of April. Over the coming weeks, we will share stories that reveal the many ways CA alumnae/i, students, faculty, and staff serve and demonstrate care for others in the community, and the world at large. We ask you to help shine a light on CA’s mission by sharing a story about serving others, or submit your thoughts about a classmate or friend. Share your story here.