Laura Palombi, PharmD, MPH ’15, MAT, assistant professor of pharmacy practice and pharmaceutical sciences in the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy in Duluth, received a St. Louis County Public Health Achievement Award for her work to improve health in the region. She was presented with the award during the St. Louis County Board meeting on April 2.

Palombi was recognized for her work in the area of substance abuse prevention and intervention, and for her leadership in training people on how to use naloxone to save people experiencing an opioid overdose. She’s also played a key role in distributing naloxone kits in rural areas.

“It is an honor and privilege for me to work with St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services and to receive this award,” says Palombi. “Working with St. Louis County and other local public health professionals from across the state has taught me a great deal about substance use and mental health, which has ultimately improved the education and experience that I’m able to share with our students and with other practicing pharmacists across the state.”

Other award recipients this year included the Ely Community Care Team, Dementia Friendly Duluth, and Ashley Grimm.

“We are so impressed with and thankful for the work of this year’s honorees,” said Amy Westbrook, director of public health for St. Louis County. “We had an especially strong group of nominees this year and it really highlights the variety of health needs faced by our county residents that can only be addressed with the help of great community partners.”

The Public Health Achievement Awards are given out as part of National Public Health Week, which is April 1-7. This is the fourth year St. Louis County has presented these awards as a way to highlight the broad role of its public health nurses and educators, and the importance of the many partners they work with to improve the health of both individuals and larger groups as they seek to create community- or system-wide change.