News

The 2023 LiveWell Douglas County Sexual Violence Prevention Culture of Health Champion is Margot Self. Margot serves as the community advocacy program manager in Douglas County at the Willow Domestic Violence Center. Her knowledge of community contexts, connections, and her dedication to creating a future free of violence have been instrumental in our efforts. She joined the workgroup in early 2023 and has already made a significant impact in our housing-related efforts, playing a large role in both the development and distribution of the workgroup’s Tenant Experience Survey. Her partnership is invaluable and our work would not be nearly as equitable nor effective without her at the table. 

LiveWell Douglas County and the Douglas County Community Foundation gathered to celebrate community partners working to improve health and well-being in Douglas County on November 17, 2023. LiveWell Douglas County Interim Chair, Aftan Jameson, welcomed over seventy-five guests, organizational leaders and elected officials. “We had a room full of people because we work closely with community stakeholders to improve health outcomes by addressing the social determinants of health,” said Jameson after the event. Community engagement was evident as each LiveWell Work Group honored an individual or organization with a “Culture of Health Champion” award. This year’s awardees were: 

•    Healthy Built Environment – USD 348 (Baldwin City) and Glenn Rodden, Baldwin City Administrator

•    Healthy Food for All – Emily Lysen, Lawrence Farmers’ Market Director of Development

•    Healthy Kids – Pantaleon Florez, USD 497 Experiential Learning Specialist and Farm 2 School Coordinator

•    Sexual Violence Prevention – Margo Self, Willow Domestic Violence Center Community Advocacy Program Manager 

•    Tobacco-Free Living – Lawrence Douglas County Public Health

•    WorkWell – Douglas County Human Services and Administration

The celebration also included fifteen DCCF LiveWell Community Wellness Grant awards to support projects focused on improving the health of youth through policy, systems, and environmental changes.