Leading by Example: Dr. Keri Griffin Wins Prestigious Public Health Award

ASPPH Riegelman Award highlights her impact on students and community health initiatives.

Keri Griffin, PhD, MPH, MPA, MCHES, Professor of Public Health and Dean of the Center for Research and Discovery at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), has been named the recipient of the 2025 ASPPH (Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health) Riegelman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Public Health Education. The award, presented annually, honors a full-time faculty member for their sustained excellence in public health education and their continued efforts to inspire the next generation of public health professionals.

"Being honored with the ASPPH Riegelman Award is a humbling experience," Dr. Griffin said. "The work that my colleagues do daily to protect and preserve health and prepare the next generation of public health researchers and educators is nothing short of extraordinary. It’s an incredible honor to receive this recognition."

For the past 12 years, Dr. Griffin has played a pivotal role in expanding the Bachelor of Science in Public Health program at MCPHS, incorporating community-engaged learning opportunities that enable students to collaborate directly with local organizations, and mentoring students in research. She is also the founder of the Women Leaders Networking Event and organized the inaugural Summer Public Health Immersion Program, aimed at introducing high school students to careers in public health. Her work at the Center for Research and Discovery focuses on advancing student knowledge, strengthening research skills, and connecting students with faculty mentors in their academic areas of interest.

Dr. Griffin’s career spans both public health practice and research. Early in her career, she worked with the Georgia Department of Public Health in various roles, including positions in communicable disease prevention and tobacco cessation. Later, as a training coordinator in the Emergency Preparedness/Bioterrorism Program, she developed partnerships with fire departments, police, EMS, and the Red Cross to enhance coordination among public health first responders. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, she played a key role in mobilizing resources and assisting evacuees with access to shelter, food, water, and healthcare services.

Her research background includes time as a researcher with the NASA Space Medicine and Life Sciences Research Center at Morehouse School of Medicine, where she and her colleagues developed a laboratory assay method to identify salt-sensitive individuals—work with implications for cardiovascular health and space medicine.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Griffin has spearheaded initiatives like "Operation Elder Connect," which pairs MCPHS students with older adults in the Greater Boston area to improve technology literacy and combat social isolation. She contributes to public health beyond her academic role through volunteer work with the Biomedical Science Careers program at Harvard Medical School and by serving on the boards of the Center for Community Health Education Research and Service (CCHERS) and the Community Conversations Women’s Health Initiative.

Dr. Griffin was nominated for the award by Assistant Professor of Public Health Dr. Devan Hawkins and will be recognized at the ASPPH Undergraduate Conference for Public Health Education on March 20 in Arlington, VA.

"My path in public health has been shaped by many incredible mentors who have given their time and talent to assist me with achieving my goals. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to pour into my own students in a similar manner. Their dedication to learning and the trust they have placed in me continue to fuel my passion for higher education," Dr. Griffin said.