The School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Nevada, Reno established the Kevin Dick Public Health Scholarship to celebrate Kevin Dick’s career and dedication to public health. Kevin, who has officially retired from his role as District Health Officer for Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH), formerly known as Washoe County Health District, served as the county’s district health officer for more than 11 years. During his tenure, Kevin dedicated his time, expertise and leadership to implementing and advancing community-wide health improvement initiatives.
“Kevin led Northern Nevada’s COVID-19 response with innovative strategies and unwavering determination,” said Dr. Wei Yang, foundation professor and senior associate dean for SPH. “Following the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Nevada, Kevin and his team worked with SPH to become one of the first groups in the United States to conduct community-based serum-antibody testing and investigate disease burdens and distributions at a community level. Kevin also collaborated with SPH to implement a COVID-19 contact tracing program. In addition, Kevin was instrumental in the establishment of NNPH and SPH’s academic health department partnership, which enhances public health education, research and practice.”
Kevin directed NNPH to national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board in 2019, a program considered the national standard for public health in the United States. Among his many achievements, he was notably recognized as 2022 Administrator of the Year – Human Services Network, honored with the 2021 – W. Clark Santini Cup – Community Service Award through Effective Communication, and presented with the Nevada Public Health Association’s 2020 Public Health Hero Award
Prior to Kevin’s appointment as District Health Officer in 2013, he served as the director of the Air Quality Management Division. Previously, he served as director of the University of Nevada, Reno’s statewide Business Environmental Program and worked as an environmental engineer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco. He received a bachelor’s of science degree from the College of Engineering at Cornell University.
The Kevin Dick Public Health Scholarship will support first generation students who are pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. The Nevada Public Health Foundation, which aims to build a healthy future for Nevadans through statewide partnerships that address public health needs, provided the first gift to honor Kevin’s career and service to the Northern Nevada community. Kevin served on the board of the Nevada Public Health Foundation and served on SPH’s Community Advisory Board where he offered his time, knowledge and expertise to enhance the school’s mission and vision.
“This scholarship will provide crucial financial support and opportunities for our students, empowering them to pursue their academic goals in the field of public health,” said School of Public Health Dean Muge Akpinar-Elci. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kevin and all the supporters for their incredible generosity and commitment to the future of public health education.”
To support the Kevin Dick Public Health Scholarship, you .
