- The 2025 Kudos Award recipients, from left to right: Lareina La Flair PhD, MPH, Adam Bartley, MPH, Cara Whalen Smith, PT, DPT, MPH, CHES, Dan Shaw, Allie Stevens, MPH, and Rachel Mauk, PhD -

Honoring Our Values

The Kudos Awards are more than accolades; they are a testament to the culture the GRC strives to build every day. Nominations are peer-driven, and staff are invited to describe how their colleagues embody excellence, offer concrete examples of impact, and share stories that bring each value to life.

The 2025 Awardees

This year’s exceptional recipients represent the very best of the GRC’s mission-driven work:

Research Driven: Adam Bartley, MPH, Research Consultant

This award recognizes an individual who demonstrates excellence in applying research-based approaches to advance mission-focused solutions that improve the health of all Ohioans. Adam’s commitment to research-based approaches has advanced mission-focused solutions that improve health outcomes for Ohioans. His approach to data is both rigorous and imaginative. His expertise in study design, evaluation, and data analysis has set a high bar for excellence and innovation. Adam’s nominator shares this:

[pull-out quote] “What sets Adam apart is his ability to connect the dots between operational data and the broader goals of quality improvement science. He doesn’t just analyze data, he interrogates it, contextualizes it, and transforms it into actionable insights that inform longitudinal research and sustainable change.”

Quality: Rachel Mauk, PHD, Assistant Director, Applied Research & Analysis

This award recognizes a staff member who consistently upholds and exceeds high standards of excellence in their work. Rachel’s meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to high standards have elevated her team’s performance and ensured that GRC’s products and services consistently exceed expectations.

Rachel received five unique nominations - a record number of nominations ever received for a single category. One nominator shares,

“Rachel goes above and beyond to ensure that GRC produces quality work that is detailed, reliable, and informative. They have improved data processes and workflow so that data users can efficiently produce key metrics and data outputs for GRC’s sponsors and partners. The effort that this entails, and the difference that it makes, should not be underestimated. Their projects are marked by careful planning, proactive problem-solving, and quality work delivered on tight timelines. They have consistently delivered high-caliber work even under the pressure of tight deadlines, achieving speed and accuracy while retaining the bandwidth to focus on improving processes.”

Partnership: Dan Shaw, Communication & Marketing Consultant

The recipient of this award demonstrates initiative in growing strategic partnerships with state agencies, colleges of medicine, academic departments, national organizations, or other states. Dan’s initiative in building strategic partnerships with state agencies, academic departments, and national organizations has expanded GRC’s reach and strengthened its collective capacity to serve the public good. Dan’s nominator’s share, [pull-out quote] “Through his mentorship, leadership on web development, and commitment to accessibility and professional growth, Dan exemplifies the Partner award criteria. He is fostering connections, delivering high-impact work, expanding organizational capacity, and advancing the GRC strategic plan in meaningful and lasting ways.”

When asked Dan said,

“I'm humbled to be this year's Partnership Kudos Award recipient, especially when surrounded by the other Kudos recipients and having heard what they've accomplished this past year. The GRC is a special place and any success that I've had is because I have such strong supports, both within the Communications team and the project teams that I've worked with.  It truly is their award as much as mine. Thank you to all of you!"

Service: Allie Stevens, MPH, Research Consultant

This award recognizes a staff member who delivers exceptional service to partners, sponsors, and the community. Allison’s dedication to service is evident in her strong relationships with partners, sponsors, and the community. Her professionalism and care have made a meaningful difference in how others experience GRC’s work. Her nominator says,

“Allie is a dynamite contributor to the GRC, performing valuable work in service of increasing our reputation, project portfolio, and connections with key public health stakeholders throughout Ohio and the nation. She consistently provides exceptional service to clinical and community partners, sponsors, and the community. She communicates with groups independently, but also collectively, organizing communication and messages and strategies for quality improvement.”

Fostering Innovation: Cara Whalen Smith, PT, DPT, MPH, CHES, Disability Inclusion & Accessibility Consultant

This award recognizes a staff member who brings creative thinking and bold ideas to today’s rapidly evolving environment. Cara’s creative thinking and bold ideas have helped GRC adapt to a rapidly evolving environment. Her work with emerging technologies and universal design has challenged the status quo and inspired others to think differently. Her nominators share,

“Cara consistently demonstrates a forward-looking mindset, exploring emerging solutions and trends to enhance our organization’s efficiency and impact. She champions best practices that ensure our services and communications are accessible to all members of our community. Her work has led to tangible improvements in how we design digital content, access content, and user experiences.”

The Heather Reed Robinson Supportive Culture Award – Lareina La Flair, PhD, MPH, Research Consultant

In 2025, this award category was named in honor of Heather Reed Robinson, who devoted more than 30 years of her professional career to improving the health of Ohioans. Heather held leadership positions at the GRC for over a decade, where her commitment to fostering a supportive culture left a lasting impact.

The supportive culture award recognizes a staff member who develops and sustains a collaborative and welcoming professional environment. By breaking down silos and encouraging open communication, Lareina has helped foster psychological safety and professional growth across teams. Lareina’s nominators share this about her exceptional contributions:

“Lareina embodies OSU’s Leadership Framework philosophy: Care for people. Respect each other. Achieve excellence. She consistently offers support to her project teams. In terms of day-to-day support, she always has a note of encouragement for others and checks in with her colleagues about their capacity. She has stepped in for project team members at all levels - researchers, PMs, and even PIs, who have needed to be absent on short term or extended leaves. The confidence boost we feel when learning Lareina will be on any one of our project teams is palpable, which is a true sign of someone’s contributions to supportive culture."

The Ceremony

The awards ceremony was a moment of pride and joy, capturing the spirit of camaraderie and achievement that defines the GRC.

In addition to their recognition, Kudos award recipients will have their names added to the Kudos Awardees plaque located in the GRC lobby, ensuring their achievements are celebrated and remembered by all who visit.

As in previous years, the Kudos Awards serve as a reminder of the power of recognition and the importance of living our values. They highlight not only individual achievement but also the collective strength of a team committed to service, innovation, and excellence. The stories behind each award inspire all of us to reach higher and support one another in pursuit of the GRC’s mission and improve health for all Ohioans.