FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 20, 2020
MAG HONORS COLUMBUS HEALTH DIRECTOR WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
ATLANTA – Beverley Ann Townsend, M.D., M.S., MBA, FAAFP – the district public health director for the West Central Health District in Columbus – is the recipient of the Medical Association of Georgia’s (MAG) Physician’s Award for Community Service for 2020. The award recognizes physicians who demonstrate a love for the community outside of the regular scope of practice.
In nominating her for the award, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) President Jeff Stone, M.D., emphasized that, “Dr. Townsend is a leader who has always put her community first. She is an asset to her local community, her GAFP community, and our medical profession.”
He pointed out that, “In her role at the West Central Health District, Dr. Townsend has the opportunity to effect change by implementing community programming, overseeing health objectives, and maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Georgia Department of Public Health and other state agencies.”
And Dr. Stone explained that, “Dr. Townsend has organized community health fairs, created clinical protocols, established community liaisons, served on local health boards, provided volunteer medical services, conducted workshops on healthy living and HIV prevention, and performed house calls for elderly and debilitated patients.”
Dr. Townsend has received numerous honors, including the Rosa Parks Women of Courage Award in Medicine, the Milton & Ruth Roemer Prize for Creative Local Public Health Work, the Mt. Mariah Baptist Church History Maker Award, and the Georgia State University School of Nursing Clinical Preceptor Appreciation Award.
It is also worth noting that she received a grant from the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance – which is GAFP’s philanthropic arm – for a Clay County diabetes management project in 2019 and a grant to provide food and transportation to HIV patients during this year’s pandemic.
Dr. Townsend has been a GAFP member for more than 35 years, and she has served in several GAFP committee and leadership roles, including being GAFP’s treasurer and a member of its Board of Directors. She is a charter member of the Columbus-Ft. Benning Medical Association, and she has a degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
Dr. Townsend lives in Midland. She has two adult sons, Fondrae’ and Isaiah, and two granddaughters, Nia and T’ia.
With more than 8,400 members, MAG is the leading voice for physicians in Georgia. MAG is an advocate for physicians in every practice setting and specialty. Go to www.mag.org for additional information.
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