Celebration and Awards Dinner

Philadelphia Citizen of the Year

Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at CHOP, is arguably the foremost expert on vaccines in the world. In the face of federal attacks on our children’s health and well-being, Offit refuses to be silent. For his courage and candor — which has resulted in death threats to his family — The Citizen is proud to hold him up as a model of how we can all use our voices to protect those who are vulnerable, and protect our democracy in the process.

Read his full profile here.

(profile published in Philadelphia magazine)

The Edward G. Rendell Lifetime Achievement Award

Jane Golden is the founder and executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. Under her visionary leadership for the last four-plus decades, Mural Arts has created more than 4,000 works of public art, setting the gold standard for cities around the world.

Read her full profile here.

Lewis Katz Corporate Citizen of the Year

The Middletons are owners of the Phillies and generous supporters of social services like Project HOME. And in honor of America’s 250th celebration this year, they are sharing their breathtaking art collection at both the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Academy of Fine Arts through the exhibition “A Nation of Artists.”

Read their full profile here.

Youth Citizen of the Year

Yuva Gambhir, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, grew up with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a severe muscle-wasting genetic disorder that affects roughly 300,000 people worldwide. He has educated, fundraised, and advocated for the DMD community — raising more than $3 million for research — while refusing to let the disease define him.

Read his full profile here.

A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Social Justice Champion

The Defender Association of Philadelphia’s Chief Defender, Keisha Hudson, is widely heralded as a champion of the people. This past year, Hudson has gone ever deeper into the fray with 11 additional staffers dedicated to protecting immigrants targeted by the federal government for possible deportation.

Read her full profile here.

Educator of the Year

Charlie McGeehan is a social studies teacher at Academy at Palumbo who doesn’t just teach students about history – he emboldens them to be a part of changing its trajectory. His hands-on curriculum includes opportunities for his students to speak at City Hall, hosting elected officials for Q&As in the classroom and influencing policy proposals.

Read his full profile here.

Block Captain of the Year

Mekia Elizabeth is a Block Captain in Germantown who has converted her front porch into a cafe — staffed by the teens in her community — organized community plantings and parties, cleanups and childcare, camps and gardens.

Read her full profile here.

Disruptors of the Year (with Dr. Carl June)

With the launch of biotech company Dispatch Biotherapeutics, poised to create a universal treatment for cancer tumors  — Dr. Carl June of Penn Medicine and entrepreneur Jeff Marrazzo are proving that the best of Philly’s Cellicon Valley is yet to come.

Disruptors of the Year (with Jeffrey D. Marrazzo)

With the launch of biotech company Dispatch Biotherapeutics, poised to create a universal treatment for cancer tumors  — Dr. Carl June of Penn Medicine and entrepreneur Jeff Marrazzo are proving that the best of Philly’s Cellicon Valley is yet to come.