Congressman Hal Rogers Beacon Of Hope Award

About the Beacon of Hope Award

The ongoing effort to combat drug addiction requires a multidisciplinary approach involving stakeholders from all aspects of society. Many leaders have emerged in this movement, and in 2018 the Rx Summit decided to annually recognize a change maker tackling this epidemic. The inaugural award was presented to Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentucky.

From Kentucky’s Fifth District to the entire United States and now to the international stage, Congressman Rogers continues to push for a safer and cleaner society. His efforts to implement prescription drug monitoring programs, provide access to effective and affordable treatment, and remove dangerous drugs from the streets have benefited communities from coast to coast. His vision led to the founding of Operation UNITE, which not only serves 32 counties in Eastern Kentucky but spreads a message of hope and perseverance across the United States. It was Congressman Rogers’ leadership and Operation UNITE’s initiative that led to the first Rx Summit in 2012.

After presenting the award to Congressman Rogers in 2018, the Rx Summit announced that the award would subsequently be known as the Congressman Hal Rogers Beacon of Hope Award. There are countless leaders and champions in this fight who have taken glimmers of hope and have turned them into brilliant beacons for their communities, and annually the Rx Summit will shine a spotlight on one of these heroes. 

Award Recipients

2018: Congressman Hal Rogers (Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District)

2019: John L. Eadie, Coordinator, Public Health and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Project, National Emerging Threats Initiative, National HIDTA Assistance Center

2021: Karen Perry, Co-founder and Executive Director, NOPE Task Force

2022: Tim Robinson, Founder and CEO, Addiction Recovery Care

2023: April Rovero, Founder and Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (NCAPDA)

2024: Chauncey Parker, Deputy Commissioner Collaborative Policing, NYPD

Beacon of Hope

Operation UNITE President and CEO Tom Vicini (center) and Karen Kelly, Chief of Staff for Congressman Hal Rogers (left) present the Beacon of Hope Award to Chauncey Parker (right) at the 2024 Rx Summit. 

Nomination Process

Please complete the form below to submit your nomination for the 2025 Beacon of Hope Award. Nominations are due on January 31, 2025. For questions, please email dedwards@hmpglobal.com

Submit Your Nomination