Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is pleased to announce Mark Constantine, Senior Vice President of Community Investment at the Dogwood Health Trust in North Carolina, as the 2026 recipient of the Terrance Keenan Leadership Award in Health, and Gladys Vega, President and CEO of La Colaborativa in Massachusetts, as the 2026 recipient of the Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy for community-centered leaders.

“We are pleased to recognize Mark Constantine and Gladys Vega, two individuals who center community in their work, with this year’s GIH awards,” said GIH President and CEO Cara V. James. “Mark has been a mainstay of health philanthropy for many years, and he has served as a tireless advocate for health across the country with a particular focus on the South. Similarly, Gladys has spent more than three decades of her career lifting up and supporting immigrant communities in Massachusetts, work that has become especially challenging in the current moment.”

Dr. Constantine has been with Dogwood Health Trust since 2023, following seven years as President and CEO of Richmond Memorial Health Foundation in Virginia.  He leads Dogwood’s community investment team in the visioning, development, and implementation of ambitious program strategies —advancing innovative approaches to collaboration, policy, and investment that promote health equity, support comprehensive rural community development, and enable rapid, community-centered responses to dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of all people in Western North Carolina. In selecting Dr. Constantine, this year’s selection committee was particularly impressed with his work ‘out of the spotlight’—both creatively fostering deep connections with local communities and intentionally linking community-centered leaders with one another to advance the field.

Ms. Vega has been with La Colaborativa since 1990, becoming CEO in 2006 and distinguishing herself as one of Chelsea, Massachusetts’ most trusted and effective community leaders. Today, the impact of her leadership extends well beyond Chelsea, influencing how public health institutions and funders approach community-based care. Ms. Vega has been the central architect of La Colaborativa’s programs, initiatives, and community organizing campaigns—advancing a model of advocacy that is described as both deeply pragmatic and structurally transformative. In selecting Ms. Vega, this year’s selection committee commended the extensive results of her advocacy work, including expanded rights for immigrants, low-income families, tenants, workers, youth, and people of color across the state.

Read the full article about Grantmakers In Health's 2026 award winners at Grantmakers In Health.