Skip to content

Denise Brooks Health Equity Champion Award 2027

Denise Brooks Health Equity Champion Award

The award is named after Denise Brooks who was the Executive Director of Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre for more than 25 years. Denise had a long history of social advocacy, community service and development in the city of Hamilton. She worked relentlessly to bring about change in the pursuit of social justice. Denise is remembered for her commitment to health equity.

The Denise Brooks Health Equity Champion Award celebrates exceptional examples of the Health Equity Charter in action. The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates outstanding contributions to dismantling barriers to equitable health and championing policies and interventions that challenge discrimination and oppression and address social conditions causing health inequities. Additionally, the award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to poverty reduction, advancing social justice and shows a strong commitment to anti-oppression, including commitment to addressing racism against Black and Indigenous people.

For more information, please visit www.allianceON.org/transformative-change-awards

All nominations should be submitted by 12:00 pm, on Thursday, December 24, 2026. Supporting documents can be sent by email to the attention of:

Lisa Tisdel, Administrative Assistant
Alliance for Healthier Communities
E-mail: lisa.tisdel@allianceON.org

Questions should be directed to Oleksandra Budna, Communications and Member Relations Lead at oleksandra.budna@allianceON.org or 647-278-7926.
Nominee Information
1.Name and title
2.Organization
3.Mailing address
4.Telephone
5.Email
Nominated by
6.Name and title
7.Organization
8.Mailing address
9.Telephone
10.Email
11.How does the nominee demonstrate commitment to advancing health equity? (100 words maximum)
12.Provide specific examples of how the nominee meets one or more of the following criteria:  (200 words maximum)
- Shows commitment to social justice in their work;
- Leads development and implementation of activities, programs, services or research to understand, document and/or address the causes and impacts of health inequities;
- Champions strategies and practices that support awareness, education, advocacy and policy development to reduce poverty and health inequities;
- Champions anti-racism and anti-oppression in their work, and demonstrates a commitment to addressing racism, especially against Black and Indigenous people, and the health inequities it produces;
- Collaborates with partners, clients and community groups, especially those that have been traditionally marginalized and disadvantaged by the system;
- Shares best practices and lessons learned in achieving health equity results.