Alexis Charpentier, HIV transmission reduction coordinator in the Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Harm Reduction Services Branch, has been recognized as one of the nation’s rising leaders in public health. She was recently named as one of the de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 public health leaders for 2021.
The de Beaumont Foundation is the first organization that recognizes public health professionals for this special honor. The first group of honorees were recognized in May 2019. This second group of honorees were selected for strengthening the public health system and for their impact in their communities through creative problem-solving and innovative solutions. A distinguished panel of public health leaders evaluated this year’s candidates. This year’s honorees are from 27 states representing a diverse range of backgrounds and roles.
Alexis oversees HIV prevention, intervention, and care activities to reduce the number of new HIV transmissions in Hawai‘i. She is responsible for managing, implementing, and evaluating essential activities to ensure those living with HIV/AIDS receive the support and medical attention they need.
“I want to support others who have no voice. I want to stand up and represent minorities who are traditionally stigmatized and defend their right to receive quality health care,” Charpentier said.
“We are proud of Alexis and her accomplishments in HIV prevention and transmission reduction,” said Timothy McCormick, interim chief of the health department’s Harm Reduction Services Branch. “She is an inspiration to all of us as well as the next generation of public health professionals.”
Glenn Wasserman, chief of the health department’s Communicable Disease & Public Health Nursing Division, concurs: “Public health professionals are making a difference in communities across the nation, but often operate out of the limelight. We’re glad Alexis is being recognized for her deep commitment to health equity, her compassion for others, and her relentless efforts to eliminate disparities and barriers to care.”
Charpentier was part of a team that won the prestigious Governor’s Hawai‘i State Team of the Year award in 2015 for their work in addressing people who live with HIV/AIDS who have fallen out of HIV medical care.
The Kāne‘ohe resident received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Portland in Oregon and is a Master of Public Health candidate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellowship. When not working, she enjoys playing beach volleyball, singing karaoke, playing the violin, and spending time with family and friends.
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