Trudy Stein-Hart Named Rural Health Worker of the Year
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | 05:27am
NASHVILLE – Trudy Stein-Hart has been named 2008 Rural Health Worker of the Year by the Rural Health Association of Tennessee. Stein-Hart works for the Department of Health and serves as director of the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Program. The award was announced in late November during the association’s 14th annual conference, and honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution of major significance to rural health.
“Trudy is dedicated to serving the people of Tennessee and has devoted her career to improving the health of our neighbors,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN, who presented Stein-Hart with her award. “She has earned this honor and we are pleased to have her as a member of our team.”
Stein-Hart has worked with TDOH for 14 years, and has spent the last three years in the Office of Cancer Surveillance as director of the TCCCP. She has been instrumental in the growth and accomplishments of the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition, which has just published its second data and outcome driven plan to reduce the burden of cancer in Tennessee. The 2009-2012 State Cancer Plan is now available online athttp://health.state.tn.us/CCCP/TCCC_Plan.pdf .
“I am proud to be recognized for this honor, but also humbled,” said Stein-Hart. “As program manager for a cancer coalition with 407 volunteers working to reduce the burden of cancer in Tennessee, I know one person can make a difference, but many of us together can do what none of us could alone.”
Stein-Hart began her career in public health in 1994 in Montgomery County, where she worked as a nutrition educator at the local health department. During her tenure there, she became the driving force behind several public health initiatives. She founded and helped facilitate the Losers’ Club, a free weekly weight loss program designed to pair diet and exercise education for homeless persons and staff members at the Salvation Army Shelter in Clarksville, and launched Summer Meltdown, an intensive diet and exercise program for overweight teenage girls.
Stein-Hart earned a Master’s of Science in Public and Community Health with honors from Austin Peay State University and a Graduate Certificate in epidemiology from East Tennessee State University through the Tennessee Public Health Workforce Development Consortium.
“The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is very pleased to acknowledge Ms. Stein-Hart for her community efforts and work with the Tennessee Cancer Coalition,” said Susan Veale, executive assistant of the Rural Health Association of Tennessee. “She is very well deserving of this award.”
The Rural Health Association of Tennessee is a not-for-profit organization of individuals and organizations committed to improving the health of rural Tennesseans by providing leadership on rural issues through advocacy, communication, education and legislation. For more information, visit www.rhat.org.