Purpose

The Leon L. Haley, Jr. Award for Excellence in Access, Belonging, & Community recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution in to ensure equal access to health care for all and equal opportunity to practice emergency medicine for all.

2025 Recipient

Lynne D. Richardson, MD, FACEP

Award

The award features the recipient’s name and the ACEP logo. The recipient’s name will be inscribed on a master plaque at ACEP Headquarters.

Past Recipients

2023    Omar Guzman, MD, FACEP
2024    Ugo Ezenkwele, MD, FACEP
2025    Lynne D. Richardson, MD, FACEP

Eligibility

Any member of the College, or any chapter, section, or committee may nominate a member for this award. The nominee must be a regular member of the College who has made an outstanding contribution in advancing access to quality care, belonging, and community by:

• Significantly helped to advance quality care and opportunities for equal access, belonging, and community locally, statewide, or nationally.
• Developed or supported a program that addresses equal access to quality care, belonging, and community within the context of emergency medicine or primary or secondary health care within the community.
• Has performed community outreach regarding equal access to quality care, belonging, and community programs, rigorous evaluation, and/or dissemination of effective initiatives or established programs.

Criteria

The Access, Belonging, & Community Committee and leaders of the Access, Belonging, & Community Section will evaluate all nominations submitted by the deadline. Activities that are appropriate for evaluating nominees include but are not limited to:

• Advancing equal access to quality care, belonging, and community in emergency medicine initiatives locally.
• Support of a community effort that enhances access to emergency medicine and/or health care for under-represented minorities and seeks to eliminate health disparities.
• Contribution to equal access to quality care, belonging, and community in emergency medicine through research and publications.
• Service to organizations that support addressing equal access to quality care, belonging, and community in emergency medicine.
• Teaching and/or leadership activities supporting equal access to quality care, belonging, and community in emergency medicine.
• Advocacy/legislative efforts for serving the most vulnerable and promoting equal access to quality care, belonging, and community in emergency medicine.

Entry Procedures and Selection Process

Any member who wishes to nominate a candidate should complete a nomination form. Submit the nomination form, nominee’s curriculum vitae, and up to three letters of support to through the online nomination form located on the ACEP website. Letters of support are greatly encouraged and are at the discretion of the nominator. Additionally, a nominee should have only one nomination from an individual, chapter, section, or committee. All entries must be submitted for consideration no later than the publicized deadline. Receipt of each nomination will be confirmed by email. Please follow up if you do not receive a confirmation.

Judging

The Access, Belonging, & Community Committee and leaders of the Access, Belonging, & Community Section will judge the entries, with its recommendations subject to review by the ACEP Board of Directors. The decision of the Board is final, and the Board reserves the right to make no award if there are no nominees of sufficient merit. The Board may also decide to grant the award to more than one individual.