ASHRM Healthcare Risk Professional of the Year Award
This award honors an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation, and service in the healthcare risk profession.
Congratulations to the 2026 Healthcare Risk Professional of the Year!

S. Linda Habibi, JD, MBA, CPPS, CPHRM, FASHRM
Director, Patient Safety, Risk Mgmt, Patient Relations
BILH Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
Eligibility
- Anyone who currently practices healthcare risk management for a healthcare organization, financial institution, government entity, risk management consultation, insurance industry, or legal practice.
- Must be a current ASHRM member
- Demonstrated leadership through one of the following criteria:
- CPHRM
- Past ASHRM or State/Regional Chapter committee member or chair
- Speaker at ASHRM Annual Conference, webinar or State/Regional Chapter Conference
- Past member of ASHRM or State/Regional Chapter Board
- Serve as ASHRM faculty
- FASHRM
- DFASHRM
- Self-nominations are allowed.
Criteria
- Work as an effective collaborator to produce positive results
- Deeply committed to risk management and contributes to the advancement and service to the risk management community
- Shows outstanding innovation through creativity when confronted with challenges, issues or a need or desire for improvement
- Strong leadership skills through the ability to guide and inspire others
- Demonstration of value creation through the implementation of a risk program
What Do the Recipients Get?
- Engraved prestigious crystal award.
- One complimentary registration to ASHRM's annual conference.
- A spotlight in the following year's HRM Week.
- Will be honored during the ASHRM in-person annual conference.
Past Award Recipients
2025: Poonam M. Panicker
2024: Joann Wortham-Moody, RN, DNP, JD, CPHRM
2023: Tracy L. Melina, DFASHRM
2022: Paul John D'Aquila, RN, JD, CPHRM
2021: Jean B. Hood, RN, MSN, CPHRM, CPPS, FASHRM
2020: Barbara McCarthy, RN, MPH, CIC, CPHQ, CPHRM, FASHRM
2019: Karen Garvey, DFASHRM, CPHRM, CPPS
2018: Rebecca Cady, Esq., BSN, CPHRM, DFASHRM, FACHE
