Dr. Marian Levy Receives Ruby Wharton Award

Dr. Marian Levy, associate professor and director of the Master of Public Health program at the University of Memphis, received the Ruby R. Wharton Outstanding Woman Award in the area of race relations. The award was presented February 10 at an event hosted by Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton and his wife, Ruby.

Levy has led numerous initiatives to reduce pediatric obesity and health disparities and to increase access to healthcare. Her research interests include the promotion of school-based health, cultural competence, Latino health, and community-based participatory research. She is most noted for her focus in ensuring that the Hispanic community has a gateway to suitable, quality healthcare.

Levy came to the U of M from the University of Tennessee, where she supervised a competence training program designed to train healthcare professionals in Latino values, health beliefs, and culture in order to facilitate their access to healthcare. Current initiatives through the U of M's MPH program include a health care interpreter certificate program and an advanced interpreter training workshop.

Levy was recognized for "building a bridge to ensure health parity for the Hispanic community." In accepting the award, she said, "The goal of my work in public health has been to promote health and quality of life for us all, because what happens to each of us affects all of us."