Rowe-West receives national immunization award

Congratulations are in order as Immunization Branch Head, Beth Rowe-West, R.N., B.S.N. was named the recipient of the Natalie J. Smith Immunization Champion Award at the National Immunization Conference in Atlanta in early March.

This award, presented annually by the Association of Immunization Manager (AIM), is the highest form of recognition for Immunization Program Managers. It was created in 2003 to recognize outstanding contributions in immunization and honor the dedicated service, leadership, and legacy of Natalie Smith, MD, MPH, and Deputy Director for the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The award recognizes an individual, project, team or organization that has made a specific and significant contribution to the field of immunization, demonstrated exceptional leadership and worked diligently to foster partnerships to support immunization program efforts.

Rowe-West’s role in the implementation of the North Carolina Immunization Registry, her dedication to reducing the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases, and her quest to promote universal vaccine coverage for every child in NC are just three of the many reasons why she was honored with this award.

A native of Wilson County, Rowe-West graduated from the UNC-Greensboro School of Nursing and worked at Thomasville’s Community General Hospital and the Davidson County Health Department before moving to the state’s Immunization Branch of the Division of Public Health in the Department of Health and Human Services in 1994. She has been Head of the Immunization Branch since 1998.

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Last Modified: April 7, 2006