Staff report
Casey Baker-Romans of the Northern Kentucky Health Department has been named to the 2026 class of Healthy Kentucky Champions by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.
The designation recognizes individuals dedicated to improving the health of Kentuckians at a community or state level; they are finalists for a statewide award to be announced later this year.
The 10 Healthy Kentucky Champions are nominees for the 2026 Gil Friedell Memorial Health Policy Champion Award, which comes with a $5,000 grant from the foundation to a Kentucky-based nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
The nine other 2026 Healthy Kentucky Champions are Lorie Brown of Paducah, Abeni El-Amin of Lexington, Lynn Hulsey of Bowling Green, Megan Moore of Lexington, Dr. Suzanne Pica of Winchester, Olivia Raley of Louisville, Triton Smith of Lexington, Corenza Townsend of Louisville and Kamari Wooten of Louisville.
Baker-Romans is a substance use prevention health educator with the Northern Kentucky Health Department who is working to address youth nicotine and THC use across Northern Kentucky.
She designed a vape disposal program that has expanded to more than two dozen schools, preventing nearly 6.7 million puffs of nicotine and THC exposure and safely removing 75.5 pounds of hazardous vape products.
The innovative program serves as a national model for statewide adoption. Baker-Romans also assists with the development and enforcement of smoke-free policies across four Kentucky counties, and works with communities, treatment centers and other partners to expand cessation resources.
Lorie Brown is the district WIC coordinator for the Purchase District, where she works to improve the health of pregnant and postpartum women, infants and families across five counties in Western Kentucky.
Abeni El-Amin is president of Project Ricochet, where she leads community-centered health equity, prevention, behavioral health and family wellness initiatives reaching more than 30,000 Kentuckians.
Lynn Hulsey has devoted her career to improving the health and well-being of children, families and vulnerable Kentuckians. During her 20 years with the Family Enrichment Center, Hulsey’s efforts have helped expand the organization’s programs and resources, increasing its capacity to serve children and families through prevention, education, support and crisis services.
Megan Moore is senior director of Innovation and Impact at KVC Behavioral HealthCare Kentucky, where she works to improve behavioral health outcomes and strengthen families across the commonwealth. Through her leadership, KVC Kentucky has expanded access to trauma-informed behavioral health services, family preservation programs, substance use treatment and community-based supports for children and families facing significant barriers to care.
Dr. Suzanne Pica has dedicated her time, expertise and compassion to providing free medical care to uninsured Kentuckians through Rapha Ministries in Winchester for two decades. A physician specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics, Pica continues to give generously of her personal time as both a physician and the clinic’s medical director.
Olivia Raley works to improve behavioral health, housing stability and community safety for vulnerable Kentuckians. During her time as a police social worker with the Bardstown Police Department, she developed a model that integrated behavioral health and crisis intervention into law enforcement response, while connecting more than 400 people experiencing homelessness, substance use and other crises with housing, treatment and other resources.
Triton Smith is an engagement specialist with Wayspring, where he works with Kentuckians experiencing substance use disorder and severe mental illness, helping them overcome the practical barriers that can stand in the way of recovery.
Corenza Townsend is a healthcare leader whose vision and advocacy helped transform access to care for residents of West Louisville. Years before Norton West Louisville Hospital opened in 2024, Townsend advocated for bringing a hospital to a community that had not seen one in more than 150 years.
Kamari Wooten is the chief growth officer for Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, where he is dedicated to improving health outcomes and strengthening community connection in West Louisville. For the last five years, he has led the Black Men’s Wellness Day, an event to which he has devoted significant personal time outside of his professional roles.