2018 WINNERS OF THE NPHF/PROCTER & GAMBLE ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Community Service

Nadia Al-Lami is completing the Masters of Science and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at the University of California, San Francisco, where she balances her clinical and academic responsibilities while also working and volunteering for community-based childhood obesity prevention efforts.  She has established relationships with local produce and farm delivery programs to encourage them to partner with Head Start schools to provide access to healthy and affordable food.  Demonstrating cultural sensitivity by working with diverse and under-resourced communities on a variety of projects, she has traveled to Ecuador as a UCSF Global Health Fellow, sharing nutrition resources and educational tools in urban and rural community healthcare settings.  Nadia also participated in the development of an evidence-based, nationally recognized obesity prevention program at Stanford Children's Health. 

With a passion for reducing childhood obesity rates in underdeveloped communities, Nadia's plans after graduation include working in a Federally Qualified Health Clinic in the San Francisco area, setting up obesity prevention and health advocacy programs to help low-income families meet their living and health needs.  Nadia also plans to continue to advocate at the health policy level to highlight disparities and find solutions for more equitable health care delivery.

The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation is pleased to award the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Community Scholarship to a woman who is certain to be a future NP leader.  

Gastroenterology

Aaron Skiles, MSN, FNP is enrolled in the Clinical Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of New Mexico, where he is an outstanding student, maintaining a 3.9 GPA.  Aaron's work has been primarily focused on developing an integrated primary care program and consultative service for patients with Chronic Hepatitis C in an underserved country in New Mexico.  With the goals of shortening the time between diagnosis and treatment and reducing barriers to participating in clinic visits, Aaron has conducted community outreach and educational programs which have expanded his ability to provide treatment to this vulnerable population.  He provides outstanding care and coordinated services to the LGBTQ community, having obtained specialized education to serve this marginalized population.  Aaron collects, reviews and interprets data on best practice treatment of Hepatitis C and HIV and is an instrumental resource for developing guidelines for New Mexico.  

Aaron's future plans involve developing an effective model of care that other PCPs can replicate to help with the HCV epidemic.  As part of this plan, Aaron will utilize his leadership skills by mentoring NP and PA students to become involved in the care of this underserved, stigmatized population.

Exemplifying extraordinary leadership as well as a commitment to serve his community, Aaron is well-deserving of the NPHF/Proctor & Gamble Gastroenterology Scholarship Award.