Get to know Amy Popovich, RHHD’s Outstanding Woman!

Posted on by amberpadilla

On Feb. 1, YWCA Richmond announced its 2024 Class of Outstanding Women Awards Honorees. This award recognizes leaders who “have made significant contributions to our community through their exceptional leadership, sustained dedication, and inspiring achievements.”

RHHD’s own Community Health Nurse Manager, Amy Popovich, was included among these 2024 Honorees. She joins the more than 300 leaders the program has recognized since 1980.
Amy is the Nurse Manager of the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD). During her 14-year career in public health, she has championed the need for a more innovative and equity-driven approach to improving our region’s health. Her work has focused on bringing health and education directly into communities by building relationships with residents and families and inspiring public and private partners to work strategically together towards realizing RHHD’s vision of a thriving, healthy region for all.

RHHD staff concurs with YWCA’s assessment! They offer their own justifications for Amy’s Outstanding Woman Award:

  • “Amy is always able to zoom on the issue at hand and zoom in even faster on the solution. She won’t take “no” for an answer when it stands between her and helping the community. When everyone is thinking about what could be done, Amy is doing it and pulling in all the right people on her team to get it done thoughtfully and equitably—definitely not ‘one day’ but when it’s needed.” Stephanie Mbengue, STI/HIV Prevention Supervisor
  • “Amy is an inspirational leader who shines in her ability to work with partners to support meaningful and equitable change around public health issues. An example of this is her work on school-aged children’s health, where she collaborates with safety-net partners, RHHD team members, other organizations to address evidence-based needs, such as childhood immunizations and physicals.” Virginia Slattum, Community Health Nurse Supervisor
  • “Amy is one of the most compassionate women I have ever worked with. She is truly the best person for this award because she has embodied the true definition of community health, compassion, and care.” Dr. Qadira Stewart, Community Health Worker Supervisor
  • “Amy is human first—she starts most meetings off with a “hey, how are you?” (which is partly why she’s always running late!) Her personal life reflects her passion for investment in people. She’s HIGHLY involved in her East End community, in her church/faith, and in her kiddos. She takes the time to get to know all RHHD staff by name and since she’s been here since 2009, she has decade-long friendships through RHHD and partner organizations. Her projects are about connection and expansion; right now, she’s expanding refugee funding and care by connecting community-based organizations with state agencies and building pathways to permanent care in the East End.” Alex Williams, Clinical and Community Health Services Project Manager

Congratulations to Amy on this well-deserved honor. The RHHD team is grateful for all you do and can’t wait to see what your work accomplishes next!