University of Michigan School of Public Health (U-M SPH) Professor and Detroit URC Co-Director Richard Lichtenstein has been selected for the 2015 Gary L. Filerman Prize for Educational Leadership.

The Prize recognizes individuals from Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)-member programs who have made outstanding contributions to the field of health administration education; exhibited leadership in the field; and enriched their institutions, students, and field through their work.

"Please join me in congratulating Rich for this prestigious and well-deserved award for his outstanding contributions to educational leadership in health administration," said Detroit URC Director and U-M SPH Professor Barbara Israel. "As anyone who has been fortunate enough to take a course from Rich, or see him make a presentation, he indeed exemplifies the best that educators can accomplish, and he has thousands of students who have benefited from his teaching. I so value his knowledge, teaching style, and approach to students and colleagues alike." 

Prof. Lichtenstein, who received both his MPH and PhD from U-M, is the S. J. Axelrod Collegiate Professor of Health Management and Policy. His research interests include: Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR); Racial and ethnic disparities in health; Barriers to health insurance coverage for low-income children; The effects of discrimination on access to health care; and, efforts to increase diversity in the health workforce.

Prof. Lichtenstein is the director of the U-M SPH Summer Enrichment Program in Health Management, an internship program for undergraduate students interested in eliminating health disparities. Dr. Lichtenstein is also on the Board of Directors of the Neighborhood Service Organization in Detroit and of the Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti, MI. He is also a trustee of two Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Associations (VEBAs), which provide health benefits to groups of retirees. Dr. Lichtenstein formerly was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

The Prize will be awarded at the AUPHA Annual Meeting in June 2015.