Most people do not know that Judy was an award winning journalist who graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism.
100 Years of Newspapering
Honors and Awards
CAHME is Now Accepting Nominations for the 2021 Awards
The sixth annual CAHME awards are NOW open to all CAHME-accredited programs and Certified Healthcare Quality and Safety programs. We are grateful to our partners for their support of CAHME’s mission to advance the quality of healthcare management education.
Once again we are proud to sponsor The CAHME/Judy Baar Topinka Foundation Scholarship for Health Policy is named in memory Judy Baar Topinka, who dedicated herself to a lifetime of public service to the people of the State of Illinois. This year, the award recognizes a student who served the community around COVID-19. The winning student will receive $2,000.
Other scholarships include
- The CAHME/Canon Solutions America for Sustainability in Healthcare Management Education recognizes programs that incorporate the ideals of sustainability and social responsibility in healthcare management education and practice. The winning program receives a $5,000 award.
- The CAHME/Tim Campbell Scholarship is in memory of Tim Campbell. The scholarship is targeted to supporting student leaders who selflessly act to help others in the process of advancing the quality of healthcare. The winning student will receive $3,000.
- The CAHME/Dawn Gideon Foundation Scholarship honors Dawn Gideon. The scholarship is targeted to supporting women pursuing advanced education in healthcare management and who have demonstrated a commitment to communities in need. The winning student will receive $2,500.
- The CAHME/Pristine Home Care Student Essay Contest encourages students to address barriers to healthcare in the current environment with a focus on home care. The winning student will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and the runner-up will receive $500.
Winners will be announced in coordination with ACHE at their annual Congress on March 21, 2021, and will be featured in Modern Healthcare magazine (our exclusive media partner) in a full page placement. The deadline for applications is November 12, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST. Send completed applications to Dana Alexander, CAHME Administrative Resident, at dalexander@cahme.org.
Judy Baar Topinka to be Honored by Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame
Judy Baar Topinka to be named “Friend of the Community” (Posthumous) in Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Virtual 2020 Ceremony on October 13, 2020
The late Judy Baar Topinka was there for the LGBTQ community when that community was only a blip on the political radar screen. She supported the LGBTQ causes when it was politically risky for anyone…Democrat or Republican or whomever…to be associated with the movement. The fact that she did so as a Republican showed an incredible amount of political courage. During an interview she even stated “I will put my LGBT credentials up against ANYBODY – I was supporting this before it was fashionable. And as a Republican, when we have a whole sector of our party that doesn’t really care for this stuff….”
Judy Baar Topinka was not only supportive in words, she was supportive in her actions. For example, she supported the Illinois’ Marriage Equality Bill. During a November 20, 2013 ceremony at the University of Illinois at Chicago where the state’s marriage equality bill was signed into law, Judy Baar Topinka — the only Republican speaker at the event — delivered a moving speech and even stated that “it takes both parties to make something happen and when we work together, look what we can do!”
During the speech, she further stated that she would offer to be a flower girl “and will even waive the fee” at any upcoming same-sex weddings. Another example was how she opened her office to Equality Illinois’ delegation on the groups annual Springfield lobbying days. Still another example was her perennial attendance at Chicago’s Pride Parade and Equality Illinois’ annual galas.
In summary, one longtime LGBT rights activist put it best when he said Judy Baar Topinka was “a consistent and firm supporter of gay rights. Even when attacked by members of her own party for her gay-rights support, she never wavered.”
She was truly a friend of the LGBTQ community.
