WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce that Dr. Sarah Ruiz will be awarded the M. Elaine Auld Horizon Award during the 2025 Annual Conference in Long Beach, April 16-18.
“Receiving the M. Elaine Auld Horizon Award is an incredible honor,” said Ruiz, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care specialist in El Paso, TX. “It reaffirms my commitment to advancing public health through culturally relevant, evidence-based nutrition interventions. SOPHE has played such an important role in shaping the field of health education, and over time, I feel that I have found a happy home within this organization.”
This award recognizes early-career health educators who have distinguished themselves through leadership, creativity, involvement in the profession, and health education practice.
“My focus has always been on bridging the gap between research and real-world application,” said Ruiz, who also holds a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, a PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and is currently an Assistant Professor at NMSU. “This recognition reinforces the importance of that work. Whether through teaching, mentoring, or developing programs, my goal is to create sustainable change and empower individuals and communities to take charge of their health.”
Ruiz also is the owner of Sun City Dietitians, a private practice founded in 2019, which provides medical nutrition therapy and diabetes education, accredited by the American Diabetes Association.
“This award reflects the core values of my work – to ensure that nutrition education is not only evidence-based but also practical, inclusive, and accessible to the communities that need it most.”
In addition to this recognition, Dr. Ruiz has actively participated in SOPHE conferences, sharing her expertise on community health initiatives. At the SOPHE 2020 Annual Conference, she presented on Leveraging Partnerships to Improve our Community Food Environment: Lessons Learned from a Healthy Restaurant Initiative, highlighting her work in enhancing nutritional options through collaborative efforts.
Dr. Ruiz’s involvement with SOPHE underscores her commitment to advancing public health education and promoting health equity within communities.
“What stands out most to me about this award is its emphasis on leadership and innovation in health education,” Ruiz said. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked to develop nutrition-related programs and initiatives that address immediate health concerns while also creating long-term sustainable solutions. To be recognized for those efforts by SOPHE, a society that has long been at the forefront of health promotion and education, is incredibly humbling and motivating.”
SOPHE will present all awards and scholarships to public health professionals, health education researchers, faculty, programs, practitioners at the annual conference. These awards and scholarships recognize significant advancements in the profession of health education and health promotion and outstanding contributions of veterans and rising stars to improving the public’s health.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.