Delaware Public Health Association
 

Lewis B. Flinn President’s Award

The Lewis B. Flinn President’s Award is made in the name of Lewis B. Flinn, M.D., a founder and the first President of the Delaware Academy of Medicine. It is awarded to an individual or organization that has achieved distinction by substantive contributions to the well being of our community through education, leadership, philanthropy, or service.

The 2023 recipient of the Lewis B. Flinn President’s award is

Lolita A. Lopez, F.A.C.H.E.

CEO, Westside Healthcare

Ms. Lopez is the President & CEO of Westside Family Healthcare, a non-profit community health system with a mission to provide equal access to quality healthcare, regardless of ability to pay. Since coming to Westside in August of 1990, Ms. Lopez has successfully grown the organization from a small, one provider center with 3.5 employees, to today’s Joint Commission accredited Primary Care Medical Home (PCMH) with five comprehensive health center locations and one mobile medical unit providing services statewide. Today, the organization employs a workforce of over 260 professionals. Since opening its doors in 1988, Westside Family Healthcare has continued to meet the healthcare needs of underserved communities in Delaware. In 2018, Westside provided care for over 30,000 low-income persons, including migrant and seasonal agricultural workers.

Ms. Lopez is a Trustee and member of the Board of Christiana Care Health System, the Delaware Technical Community College Board of Trustees, the Delaware Center for Health Innovation Board of Directors, and the Wilmington Alliance Board of Directors. Ms. Lopez is also a member of the Delaware Healthy Mother and Infant Consortium, and the Governor’s appointee to the 2020 Complete Count Commission and the 2020 Pandemic Resurgence Advisory Committee.

Ms. Lopez achieved status as a Diplomate of the American College of Healthcare Executives in 2004 and was honored by the same organization with the Senior Level Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award in April 2005. In 2006 she was honored as the first Hispanic inductee into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame and received the Distinguished Hispanic Delawarean Award for her efforts to improve the health of the Hispanic community. In 2010, Ms. Lopez was honored with the Health Advocacy Award from the Wilmington, Delaware Branch of the NAACP and the 2010 Trailblazer Award by the YWCA of Delaware. Also in 2010, Ms. Lopez was honored by Westside’s Board of Directors with the establishment of the Lopez-Jesse Endowment Fund for Westside Family Healthcare. In 2013, she was honored by the Delaware Horsemen’s Assistance Fund, Inc. (DHAF) which highlighted Westside’s eight year partnership to provide DHAF workers with access to dental and medical care. Ms. Lopez was the recipient of the 2013 Public Service Award from the Delaware Association of Public Administration, and in 2014 she was inducted into the National Association of Community Health Centers Grassroots Advocacy Hall of Fame. Most recently, Ms. Lopez received the 2018 Charles J. Harrington Trustee Award for lifetime achievement of distinguished service and leadership to the community.

Ms. Lopez is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. A native Delawarean, Ms. Lopez and her husband, Don Jesse, reside in Lewes, Delaware.

Previous Recipients of the Lewis B. Flinn President’s Award

 2008:     Victor F. Battaglia, Sr., Esq.

2009:     Robert W. Frelick, M.D.

2010:     Leslie W. Whitney, M.D.

2011:     Robert B. Flinn, M.D.

2012:     Edwin L. Granite, D.M.D

2013:     Katherine L. Esterly, M.D.

2014:     LTG(DE) William H. Duncan, M.D.

2015:     Joseph A. Kuhn, M.D.

2016:     J. Kent Riegel, Esq.

2017:     The Honorable Susan C. Del Pesco, Esq.

2018:     Nicholas J. Petrelli, M.D., F.A.C.S.

2019:     Sherman L. Townsend

2020-2021:     Governor John C. Carney and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney

2022: Verna Wilkins Hensley