The AGS created the David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award in 2002 to honor David H. Solomon, MD, AGSF, for his commitment to community service and the advancement of knowledge in caring for older adults. Dr. Solomon was the founding Director of the Center on Aging at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. He will forever be remembered for his excellence in research, teaching, patient care, and administration.
2025 Recipient: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky is this year's David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award recipient in recognition of her unwavering commitment to geriatrics and improving healthcare for older Americans. Throughout her distinguished career, Congresswoman Schakowsky has been a steadfast advocate for policies that strengthen the geriatrics workforce and enhance the quality of care for all Americans as they age.
A long-standing champion of the importance of health professionals having the knowledge and skills to care for older Americans, Congresswoman Schakowsky has spearheaded multiple legislative efforts to address the shortage of healthcare professionals with training in geriatrics and gerontology. In the 115th Congress (2017-2018), she introduced the Geriatrics Workforce and Caregiver Enhancement Act (H.R. 3713) to reauthorize key workforce training programs under Title VII of the Public Health Service Act. In the 116th Congress, she introduced the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act of 2019 (H.R. 2781) and then successfully advocated for its inclusion in the COVID-19 stimulus package that was passed in 2020. That legislation extended authorization of the GWEP and GACA programs through 2025. Due to her efforts, these critical programs, offered through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), continue to provide essential support for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and clinician-educators who are dedicated to ensuring the health care workforce is prepared to care for older Americans.
Past Recipients of the David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award
2024 The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
2023 Alan Lazaroff, MD, AGSF
2022 West Health
2019 Arti Hurria, MD
2018 John R. Burton, MD, AGSF
George W. Drach, MD, AGSF
2017 Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, AGSF
2016 Thomas T. Yoshikawa, MD, AGSF
2015 Jennie Chin Hansen, RN, MSN, FAAN
2014 Corinne H. Rieder, EdD
2013 Joanne G. Schwartzberg, MD
2011 Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI)
2010 Meghan Gerety, MD
2008 William D. Novelli
2007 Nora Gibson, MSW
2006 Donna I. Regenstreif, PhD
2005 Charlotte Maguire, MD
2004 Donald W. Reynolds Foundation
2003 The John A. Hartford Foundation
2002 Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev)