Soaring Eagle Award

The Soaring Eagle Award is distributed annually by the Strategic Advisory Board of the Center for Military Health. The awardee is an individual who has made significant contributions to the health of our nation’s Veterans and active duty military members through innovation and advances in clinical care, research, education, or public advocacy.

AWARDEES

2019

KIMBERLY SULLIVAN, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Environmental Health at BU School of Public Health
Former Associate Scientific Director for the congressionally directed VA Research Advisory Committee (RAC) on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses

She served as the Associate Scientific Director for the congressionally directed VA RAC-GWVI from 2008-15, co-chaired the joint VA/DOD Common Data Elements Working Group for GWI in 2018 and currently serves on multiple VA executive advisory committees for GWI research.

She is a behavioral neuroscientist and currently leads two large multi-site consortia studies for GWI research funded by the Department of Defense. She is Principal Investigator (PI) and Director of the Boston Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC) which includes nine study sites and was designed to determine the pathobiology of GWI. Through the GWIC studies multiple key new avenues for diagnostic markers and treatments for GWI have been identified. She also serves as PI and leads the large 10-site Boston Biorepository and Integrative Network (BBRAIN) for GWI, which was designed to share biospecimens and foster collaboration within the GWI research community. In addition, Dr. Sullivan serves as site PI for multiple treatment trials including intranasal insulin, Co-enzyme Q10 and multiple phase I/II trials of the multi-site GWI Clinical Trials Consortium (GWICTIC) to treat the cognitive, fatigue and other chronic health problems in veterans with GWI.

2017

hohlerANNA HOHLER, MD, FAAN
Founding Director, Boston University Center for Military and Post Deployment Health
Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Neurology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Dr. Hohler served as Founding Director for the Boston University Center for Military and Post Deployment Health, creating a hub for military health related research, clinical care, education, and outreach activities university-wide. She led efforts to connect BU researchers and clinicians with external academic, philanthropic, and industry partners, securing funding and creating collaborations to advance the health and wellness of our Veterans and military members.

Under her leadership, Boston University became one of the original participants in the Joining Forces Conference, an initiative launched by then First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden in 2011. Hohler organized the conference annually at BU in collaboration with the VA Boston Healthcare System, bringing together hundreds of faculty members, community partners, and corporate supporters for a day of presentations on military health innovations.

Dr. Hohler is an Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs for Boston University and now serves as the Chair of Neurology at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and the Director for Medical Student Education for the Steward Healthcare System.

2016

WoodsonJONATHAN WOODSON, MD
Faculty Director, BU Institute for Health System Innovation
Professor, BU Questrom School of Business; BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine; and BU School of Public Health
Brigadier General in the US Army Reserves

Dr. Woodson leads the university-wide Institute for Health System Innovation as Faculty Director. The Institute for Health System Innovation focuses on expanding health system research initiatives across Boston University, deepening connections between scholars, policy-makers and corporations, and advancing curricular activities at Questrom and across BU’s schools and colleges. The Institute focuses on bringing together world-class academic, regulatory and industry resources to address important national and global health care challenges. From 2010-2016, Dr. Woodson served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs in the United States Department of Defense. He was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for all health and force health protection related issues and ensured the effective execution of the DoD medical mission. His organization provided and maintained medical readiness for the medical services including during military operations, those held in control of the military services and those entitled to Tricare. Prior to serving as Assistant Secretary of Defense, Dr. Woodson was Associate Dean for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and Professor of Surgery at BUSM. Dr. Woodson is a Brigadier General in the US Army Reserves.