AHA Honors Two Federal Health Care Leaders With 2025 Federal Health Care Executive Recognition Awards

WASHINGTON (May 5, 2025) – The American Hospital Association (AHA) today presented two federal hospital leaders with awards recognizing their outstanding service to the health care field. These awards recognize uniformed and non-uniformed federal health care leaders who have distinguished themselves through singularly significant or innovative achievements and leadership that have contributed substantially to the mission of the federal health system. The awardees were honored at the AHA’s 2025 Annual Membership Meeting.

“Our federal health systems and health care workers play a pivotal role in the hospital field, continually advancing care to better serve patients across both the federal and private sectors,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “We are honored to recognize Patricia Hastings and Trina Morrisette for their exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to their patients and communities.”

2025 Award for Excellence – Patricia Hastings, Chief Consultant and Executive Director for Health Outcomes of Military Exposures, Department of Veterans Affairs – Washington, D.C.

Since 2017, Patricia Hastings has overseen the Health Outcomes Military Exposures program, which is the VA’s national hub serving Veterans with military environmental exposures. During the past year, Hastings established two new Centers for Excellence, which include the Women’s Operational Military Exposure Network as well as the Complex Exposure Threats. In addition, Hastings led the team that redesigned the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, a research and operational database that helps the VA better understand, research and treat the health challenges faced by Veterans exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits during their service.

Prior to joining the VA, Hastings retired from the Army after 33 years of service at the rank of Colonel. She was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal for contributions to military medicine in the areas of trauma, combat medic training, medical ethics and global health policy issues. 

2025 Special Achievement Award – Trina Morrisette, Chief of Information Management, Defense Health Agency, Hearing Center for Excellence, Falls Church, Virginia

As the Chief of Information Management at the Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE), Trina Morrisette’s leadership and commitment to Service members and Veterans has resulted in technological and process improvements in the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA audiology health care systems. These improvements include efficiency in better capturing clinical outcomes, data critical for research and development and better continuity of care for hearing injured service members as they transition to VA health care.

Morrisette has helped increase the public’s understanding of the technological requirements and advances in the DoD and VA audiology communities. During her time at HCE, Morrisette has helped the organization overcome significant barriers, including funding constraints, risk management challenges and working with two government agencies. 

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About the American Hospital Association (AHA)
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA advocates on behalf of our nearly 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, our clinician partners – including more than 270,000 affiliated physicians, 2 million nurses and other caregivers – and the 43,000 health care leaders who belong to our professional membership groups. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides insight and education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.