Welcome >> Awards

Awards

Improving outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest is work that can’t be done by a single person. Part of the Citizen CPR Foundation’s focus is to recognize and amplify lifesaving work that’s happening in communities around the world and to celebrate the people doing that work. Explore this page to learn more about our awards and honorees, including CCPRF’s 40 Under 40 class, the Hans Dahll Award recipient, the William H. Montgomery Award winner and the Cardiac Arrest Survival video contest.

The nomination period, criteria, and submission process are shared every two years during CASSummit, so stay tuned for updates here.

40 Under 40

Empowering Innovators in Sudden Cardiac Arrest Response

Our 40 Under 40 program celebrates 40 exceptional individuals under 40 who are transforming the landscape of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival. By recognizing these innovators, we aim to cultivate a vibrant community focused on enhancing training, response and outcomes in SCA.

Program Criteria

Candidates are evaluated based on their impactful contributions to SCA survival in various settings, including:

  1. Life-saving actions
  2. Community training and preparedness initiatives
  3. Raising awareness at local, regional, or national levels
  4. Advancements in cardiac arrest science, practice, or research
  5. Innovations in products or services related to SCA

Nomination Process

The nomination period, criteria, and submission process are shared every two years during CASSummit, so stay tuned for updates.

Who Can Be Nominated?

We welcome nominees from a variety of inspiring backgrounds, including:

  • Everyday citizens
  • Educators and community activists
  • Science and research professionals
  • Technology innovators
  • Emergency responders
  • Business leaders

Selection and Recognition

A dedicated committee will evaluate submissions based on preparedness, implementation, and impact. Selected nominees will receive:

  • A national press release highlighting their achievements
  • Feature stories on citizencpr.org
  • An official recognition award
  • Celebration on CCPRF’s social channels and a digital toolkit, including social media image and content templates, for additional self-promotion
  • Promotion through our partner organizations

40 Under 40 - Class of 2025

Our 40 Under 40 program celebrates 40 exceptional individuals under 40 who are transforming the landscape of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival. By recognizing these innovators, we aim to cultivate a vibrant community focused on enhancing training, response and outcomes in SCA.

Alyssa Fillmore

Amanda Goucher

Senior Program Manager, Registry Research
American Heart Association

Amanda O'Halloran

Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania

Ania Aliev

CEO
Life Support Systems

Anne Clarke

Founder
Empowered Futures Africa

Anne Juul Grabmayr

MD, PhD
Emergency Medical Services Capital Region of Denmark

Aubi Nemeth

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, WOSB
Sixth City CPR

Bentley Curry

Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Carolina Snypes

EMS Coordinator
Alameda County EMS Agency

Chris Postill

Police Support Volunteer
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Hertfordshire Police

Cody Dunne

Dr.
University of Calgary

Dana Evans

Revive and Thrive LLC

EB Keime
Evan Ernst

Executive Director
Who We Play For

Grace Firestone

Dr.
UCLA Health

Halle Price

Emergency Response Mental Health Researcher
PulsePoint Foundation

Jacob Hutton

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of British Columbia

James Salio

EMS Supervisor
San Manuel Emergency Services Department

Jeff Forbes

Captain
Detroit Fire Department

Julieta Valdes De la Garza

Surviving SCA

Kathryn Graham

Program Manager
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Katie Hagood

Senior Director of School Aged Childcare
Greater Kingsport Family YMCA

Kenneth Cugle

Captain
Howard County Fire & Rescue

Kevin Omohundro

President/Founder
CavsCARE

Kuldeep Yadav
Laura Mantella

Resident Physician (Dr.)
University of Toronto

Megan S.
Mike Papale

President & CEO
In A Heartbeat

Nathaniel Balch

PAD Program Associate/EMT
San Diego Project Heart Beat

Priyansh Shah

Dr
World Youth Heart Federation

Robby Klaber

Portfolio Manager
Parnassus Investments

Ryan Reece

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Hurley Medical Center; University of Michigan

Sara Stephens

Instructor, Department of Pediatric Cardiology
Baylor College of Medicine

Shannon Wolf

Nursing Professional Development Specialist
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Tegan Hampton

Director of Engagement
Resuscitation Academy Foundation

Thomas Lowe

Community Impact Director
American Heart Association

Usman Jamal

Founder and CEO
Reflex

Vishwa Reddy Gankidi

Dr
Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research

Walter Watts

Community Ambassador
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

Zicheng Lin

Senior Team Lead
Singapore Heart Foundation

The Hans Dahll Award

Honoring Excellence in CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

The Hans H. Dahll Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC). Established in 1988 in honor of Hans H. Dahll, a founding director of the Citizen CPR Foundation, this prestigious award celebrates individuals who have made significant impacts in research, education and innovation.

About Hans H. Dahll

Hans H. Dahll played a crucial role in the creation of the Citizen CPR Foundation, serving as treasurer and driving initiatives such as the Currents newsletter in partnership with the American Heart Association. His dedication to advancing CPR and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC) on national and international levels has left a lasting legacy in the field.

Award Criteria

The Hans H. Dahll Award is presented biennially at the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit based on the following criteria:

  1. Ongoing contribution and impact (or potential impact) to CPR and ECC over time.
  2. Substantial contribution to ECC programs and materials.
  3. Authorship of articles, books, education and teaching materials related to CPR and ECC.
  4. Landmark contributions to the science of CPR and ECC.
  5. Development of new and innovative technological breakthroughs.
  6. Positive influence on movement toward goals of ECC programs.
  7. Have made CPR and ECC prominent aspects of their careers.
  8. Nomination of candidates from diverse backgrounds (e.g. gender, race, ethnicity, geography and discipline) are encouraged.
  9. Received national and international recognition for contributions to ECC.
  10. Recognition of individuals who have not previously received this award.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Ongoing contribution and impact (or potential impact) to CPR and ECC over time.

Substantial contribution to ECC programs and materials.

Authorship of articles, books, education and teaching materials related to CPR and ECC.

Landmark contributions to the science of CPR and ECC.

Development of new and innovative technological breakthroughs.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Positive influence on movement toward goals of ECC programs.

Have made CPR and ECC prominent aspects of their careers.

Nomination of candidates from diverse backgrounds (e.g. gender, race, ethnicity, geography and discipline) are encouraged.

Received national and international recognition for contributions to ECC.

Recognition of individuals who have not previously received this award.

2023 Award Recipient: Karl B. Kern, MD

Before retiring as a professor emeritus in July 2022, Karl B. Kern, MD was the Gordon A. Ewy, MD Distinguished Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, chair of the Sarver Heart Center Resuscitation Research Group, and professor of medicine at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson. He graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University and attended Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia, where he graduated Alpha Omega Alpha. His postgraduate education and cardiac fellowship training were conducted at the University of Arizona.

Previous Recipients

Vinay Nadkarni, MD & Tom Aufderheide, MD, 2021

Mary Fran Hazinski, RN, 2019

Tore Laerdal, 2017

Gordon Ewy, 2015

Joe Ornato, 2014

Lance Becker, 2012

Guy Knickerbocker, James Jude & William Kouwenhoven (posthumously), 2010

Max Harry Weil, 2008

Peter Baskett, 2006

Roger White, 2004

Richard Cummins, 2002

Mickey Eisenberg, 2000

Douglas Chamberlain, 1998

Leonard Cobb, 1996

Leon Chameides, 1994

Peter Safar, 1992

Bill Montgomery, 1990

William H. Montgomery Award

William H. Montgomery, MD, Excellence in Education

The William H. Montgomery, MD, Excellence in Education Award is named in honor of Dr. Montgomery, who co-founded the Citizen CPR Foundation and served as its president for over 15 years. He currently holds an emeritus position on the CCPRF Board. This award aims to promote the highest level of educational excellence at the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit.

About William H. Montgomery

Dr. William H. Montgomery was instrumental in advancing resuscitation science and education. His commitment to improving outcomes in cardiac arrest scenarios has had a lasting impact on the field. As a leader in the Citizen CPR Foundation, Dr. Montgomery dedicated his career to fostering educational initiatives and promoting community awareness about CPR and resuscitation techniques. His legacy continues to inspire educators and healthcare professionals committed to saving lives through effective training and awareness programs.

Award Criteria

Sponsored by the Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine, this award includes a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium for the lead presenter at each Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit, based on the following criteria:

  1. Value of the content to the CASSummit audience
  2. Quality of teaching methodology
  3. Innovation
  4. Presenter’s knowledge of the subject matter
  5. Degree to which the objectives of the presentation were achieved

2023 Award Recipients

1st Place

Psychological Distress After a CPR Response: PulsePoint Findings and Resources

Recipient: Halle Price

2nd Place

Statewide Pilot of Community-Centric Approach to CPR and AED Education for the Public with Specific Focus on Underserved Populations

Recipient: John C. Perkins, Jr., Board Certified in Emergency and Internal Medicine

3rd Place

New Technology That Will Finally Close the Current Survival Gaps and Status Quo for OHSCA Survival Rates

Recipient: John Haines, ADH Sc, MICA Flight Cert

Previous Recipients

1st Place

Optimizing AED Placement and 24/7 Access to AEDs in HEARTSafe Communities​

Recipient: Christopher Sun, PhD and Mark Link, MD

2nd Place

The Future is Here! How Drones Can Improve Outcomes in Rural and Private Locales​

Recipient: Paul Snobelen and Sheldon Cheskes, MD

3rd Place

Caught on Camera: Teamwork Saves the Chief of Police​

Recipient: Sarah Lamb

Earlier

Tom Greenhalgh, Jr., LICSW, NRP, 2019

Mark Sawdon, MICP, NRP and Kelly Boardley, BSN, RN, CEN, 2019

Craig Goolsby, MD, Med, 2019

Nicole Kupchik, MN, RN, CCNS, CCRN, PCCN, CMC, 2017

Benjamin Abella, MD, MPhil, 2015

Ted Crites and Steve Barnett, 2014

Mark Liao, NREMT, 2012

Keith Lurie, MD; Charles Lick, MD; Robert Niskanen, 2010

Cardiac Arrest Survival video contest

The Citizen CPR Foundation and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation have created a Cardiac Arrest Survival Video Contest as part of the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit (CASSummit). The contest is to recognize the best videos aimed at increasing awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and/or recognition of a heart attack, the importance of citizen CPR, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs.)

Videos are reviewed, scored and ranked. The five top-ranked submissions are played for CASSummit attendees during plenary sessions. The winner of the top ranked video is awarded an AED to recognize their efforts and accomplishment.

Contest Rules

  1. Videos must begin with a title and may be no longer than 90 seconds in length.
  2. File size must be less than 500 MB.
  3. The following formats are accepted: AVI, MPEG, WMV, MOV (Quicktime).
  4. Entrants set up a YouTube account and upload the video here.
  5. Emails are sent to info@sca-aware.org with the following information: Title of the video, name of the submitting organization, a name, phone number and email for the primary contact person, and a link to the video.

2023 PSA/Video Minute Contest Winners:

1st Place

HeartCharged and Greg Page​

2nd Place

Maurice Trosclair​

3rd Place

Maurice Trosclair​

Previous PSA/Video Minute Contest Winners:

2021

First Place: Salem Fire Foundation, When Seconds Count, Whose Life Will You Save?

Second Place: Heart Shield, Practice CPR with 3 Household Items

Third Place: AHA Training Center Buenos Aires, Chain of Love

2019

First Place: LA County Fire Department, Can’t Stop Compressing

Second Place: Call Push Shock, You Can Save a Life 

Third Place: SaveStation, The Power is in Your Hands

Fourth Place: Heartbeat NOLA, YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Fifth Place: Salem Fire Foundation, Whose Life Will You Save Today?

2017

First Place: Parent Heart Watch, What Would You Miss Most?

Second Place: Parent Heart Watch, The Shocking Truth About AEDs, Part One

Third Place: Parent Heart Watch, The Shocking Truth About AEDs, Part Two

Fourth Place: PulsePoint AED Meet and Greet

Fifth Place: Project S A V E,  High School Volleyball Player Saved by AED

2014

First Place: HEARTSafe Coon Rapids, Meet Tim…Don’t Wait for the Help, BE the Help

Second Place: Father-Son Productions, How to Use an AED

Third Place: Simon’s Fund, Ronny Turiaf’s Story

Other top-ranked entries that were played at the 2014 ECCU Plenary:

2012

First Place: Magnus and Wilmer, Stayin’ Alive

Second Place (tie): Max Schweitz Foundation, CPR Hero

Second Place (tie): Hawaii Heart Foundation, Super Hero

See all of the top-ranked videos for 2012 here.