Our Honorees

THE BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD

The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) is the longest continuously-operating health department in the United States, formed in 1793. BCHD is an agency with a $130 million annual budget and 1,000 employees committed to improving well-being and combatting disparities through education, policy/advocacy, and direct service delivery. BCHD’s wide-ranging responsibilities include maternal and child health, youth wellness, school health, senior services, animal control, restaurant inspections, emergency preparedness, STI/HIV treatment, and acute and chronic disease prevention.

Facing an unprecedented number of people dying from opioid overdose, Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen issued a blanket prescription for the opioid antidote, naloxone, to all 620,000 residents of Baltimore. Since 2015, this program has saved over 1,800 lives.

Under her direction, the Baltimore City Health Department leads the country in health innovations, including: B’More for Healthy Babies, a collective impact strategy resulting in a 38 percent reduction of infant mortality in just seven years; Vision for Baltimore, an initiative to provide glasses to every child who needs them; Safe Streets, a program to engage returning citizens and hospitals in treating gun violence as a contagious disease; and Healthy Baltimore 2020, a blueprint for health and well-being that enlists all sectors to achieve the ambitious goal of cutting disparities in half in ten years.

The Baltimore City Health Department is being honored at the Charm Ball with the Community Partner Award. Since our founding in 1978, they’ve supported us through grants and financial means, but also served to help us reach those in need through our earliest days as an volunteer-run gay men’s health clinic to the earliest years on the front lines against HIV and AIDS to now as we look to ensure every person in every community has access to quality, affordable health care.

JOANNE FRITZ KRAUS
LIFETIME VOLUNTEER AWARD

Joanne Fritz Kraus is a master's prepared Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical who has been employed at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center on the Neurosciences Service since 1984.  She currently is vice-chair of the Medical Center’s Ethics Committee. Seeing patients admitted there who have not been able to receive preventive health services, she is passionate about access to quality health care for all persons. Nominated by Dr. Jeremy Walston, she joined the Board of Chase Brexton Health Care around the turn of the millennium and served for 15 years, with terms as a committee vice chair, chair, board officer and as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008.  Her past leadership activities have been shared with Chizuk Amuno Congregation, which she served as a board member and officer.

We are grateful for the dedication of all our Board of Directors through the years, particularly of Joanne Kraus’ service on the Board who served on the Board for 15 years, with terms as a committee vice chair, board officer, and two terms as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2008. We are pleased to honor Joanne with the Lifetime Volunteer Award and to recognize her as Chase Brexton Health Care’s longest serving Board member.

FRANKLIN N. MCNEIL, JR.
LEGACY AWARD

Franklin N. McNeil, Jr., a Community Consultant with PNC Bank's Greater Maryland Community Development Banking Team, served on the Chase Brexton Board of Directors from 1992 to 2002, and was awarded Chase Brexton's inaugural Spirit Award.

Mr. McNeil is a 1983 graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy. Originally from Memphis, Tenn., he served in the Marine Corps for eight years as an artillery officer until 1991. He then worked for the Baltimore Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond for 16 years, where the majority of his career was spent in the Community Affairs Department working in the community economic development arena throughout Maryland, West Virginia and the metropolitan D.C. areas.

In February of 2008, Mr. McNeil became a charter member of the Greater Maryland Community Development Banking team, where his job includes outreach to the community; writing and presenting grants and sponsorships; providing and teaching financial education and materials to the community; partnering with non-profit organizations and agencies to find creative financial solutions to community needs through services and resources; identifying lending and investing opportunities; and participating in strategic development and support of PNC's low- and moderate-income (LMI) branches.

Mr. McNeil is also very active in his community and either currently serves or has served in leadership roles with several non-profit organizations that provide health and human services or other related services to the LMI population including the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, Community Law Center, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Baltimore Station, Iron Crow Theater and Station North Arts and Entertainment District. He is also very active in his faith community at First and Franklin Presbyterian Church where he met his husband, Paul Fowler in 1995.

Frank is being honored with the Legacy Award because of his devotion to Chase Brexton's mission. Frank served on the Chase Brexton Board from 1993 to 2001.  Together with his husband Paul Fowler, they hosted the annual Tulips and Juleps fundraiser, benefiting Chase Brexton, at their home for many years.  Frank is well known and respected for service to his community, and he continues to support Chase Brexton and raise awareness about the cause.  We are proud to honor Franklin N. McNeil with the Legacy Award.

DAVID H. SHIPPEE
LEADERSHIP AWARD

David Shippee has over 30 years of healthcare management experience and is currently the President and CEO of Whitney Young Health.  Whitney Young Health is the oldest and largest federally qualified health center in the Capital Region. Mr. Shippee came back to New York’s Capital Region in 2011 after spending 20 years as the CEO of Chase Brexton Health Care.  While in Maryland, he served on a number of boards that focused on strengthening the safety net for Maryland’s most vulnerable populations, including being a founding board member of Priority Partners MCO.  Prior to his 20-year stint in Maryland, Mr. Shippee was the Administrative Director of the AIDS Treatment Center at Albany Medical Center.   He has also served as a consultant to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the past 24 years.

He received his Bachelors of Arts from Binghamton University and his MBA in Health Systems Administration from Union College.   In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Union Graduate College.  He is also a 1997 graduate of the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Leadership program. 

He is currently on the board of The Community Health Center Association of NY State (CHCANYS), HealthEfficient (formerly the Health Center Network of NY), Hixny (Northeastern NY’s Regional Health Information Exchange), and the Healthy Capital District Initiative.  

As a life-long New York Mets fan, he has great empathy and respect for all Orioles fans, as he so relates to the years of hope, anticipation and joy that comes with knowing next year, we will really have a great shot at being a contender.

 We are excited to recognize David for his 20 year tenure as CEO of Chase Brexton Health Care by honoring him with our Leadership Award.  From 1991 to 2011, David led Chase Brexton from a volunteer-run organization to an incorporated, non-profit organization. Former Board President Merle McCann says, “David turned the tide for the organization.”  Merle credits Chase Brexton’s financial security to David when the two pursued the FQHC accreditation.  In 1999, Chase Brexton became a FQHC and – to this day – continues to provide compassionate, quality health care for all.

MICHAEL SHILLING
DR. RONALD TAYLOR AWARD

Scheduling Analyst
Columbia and Randallstown Centers

A crucial link between our medical staff and administrative team, Michael goes above and beyond to ensure our patients receive the best service possible.

From ensuring all provider productivity numbers are accurate, to using his knowledge of five languages to help interpret during patient visits, to even sorting mail when other staff are busy, Michael is a responsive and hard-working member of the Chase Brexton team. A former Patient Service Representative, his input has helped improve and streamline front desk operations and improve patient service.