Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice Honored with Healthcare Champions Lifetime Achievement Award for Advancing Health Equity

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice has been awarded the 2025 Healthcare Champions Lifetime Achievement Award by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to healthcare and unwavering commitment to health equity. As the first woman to lead the Morehouse School of Medicine, Montgomery Rice has distinguished herself as a visionary leader dedicated to addressing systemic healthcare challenges faced by underserved and minority populations worldwide.

The award highlights Montgomery Rice's significant impact on medical education, research, and global health strategies. Her career has been characterized by a persistent focus on developing innovative approaches to healthcare that specifically target marginalized communities, both domestically and internationally.

In addition to her leadership at Morehouse School of Medicine, Montgomery Rice has expanded her influence through her role as a Special Advisor to GeoVax Labs' Chairman, CEO, and Board of Directors. This collaboration allows her to directly contribute to developing vaccines and immunotherapies that address critical health needs in vulnerable populations.

GeoVax's current product pipeline reflects the mission of addressing healthcare disparities, featuring developments such as a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised individuals, an Mpox/Smallpox vaccine, and Gedeptin®, an innovative immunotherapy for treating solid tumors that disproportionately impact minority communities.

David Dodd, GeoVax Chairman and CEO, praised Montgomery Rice's strategic insight and dedication to health equity, emphasizing how her work aligns with the company's mission to serve the most vulnerable populations. Her recognition underscores the critical importance of targeted healthcare research and interventions that can dramatically improve health outcomes for marginalized groups.

Montgomery Rice will be formally honored at the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Health Care Champion Awards ceremony on March 20, 2025, celebrating her remarkable achievements in advancing global health access and equity.