Dr. Chris Vandenhouten, Chair of Nursing & Health Studies, Receives United Way Recognition

vandenhouten 3-18 United Way Community Imapact Award

UW-Green Bay Associate Prof. Chris Vandenhouten was recognized with the Brown County United Way Community Impact Award, March 1, 2018. She is the fourth individual winner to receive this prestigious award given to an individual or organization “demonstrating leadership and innovation to address priority human services needs on a community-wide scale” in partnership with the Brown County United Way. The award has been given seven times in the organization’s history, and was presented to Vandenhouten at the 2017 Annual Meeting and Campaign Celebration, at the KI Convention Center.

Vandenhouten (center of photo flanked by United Way President and CEO Robyn Davis and 2017 Board Chair Dennis Grusnick) has contributed to community improvement in numerous ways over 20 years. Most notable has been her contributions to the Health and Wellness Impact Council of Brown County United Way (two terms as chairperson), Brown County Community Health Improvement Project–Oral Health Action Team, Brown County United Way Community Investment Committee, Community Partnership for Children Executive Committee, and Achieve Brown County.

Vandenhouten is especially proud of initiating a fluoride varnish program through the Brown County Women’s, Infants and Children (WIC) programs to provide oral health education and services to family receiving WIC services sustained through the support of nursing students. The fluoride varnish program is still going strong today, under the auspices of the Oral Health Partnership — an organization she has also supported since its inception and on whose board of directors she has served.

Currently she is consulting with the United Way to identify outcome indicators to establish baseline scores for the Brown County United Way Common Outcomes Framework.