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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Rosy Noguchi, coordinator of Alexandria's Medical Reserve Corps, will receive the 2026 Flora K. Casey Public Health Award, the city's Public Health Advisory Commission announced Monday.
The award, named for the late Flora K. Casey, honors individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to advancing public health and wellbeing in Alexandria.
Noguchi, an Alexandria native and Alexandria City High School graduate, manages hundreds of active Medical Reserve Corps volunteers through the Alexandria Health Department's Office of Public Health Emergency Management. Her volunteers — a mix of medical and non-medical residents — complete hundreds of hours of public health service annually, including providing immunizations, promoting health initiatives and participating in emergency preparedness exercises.
Noguchi came to the role through an unconventional path, beginning as a parkour coach for older adults before pivoting to help coordinate vaccine clinics when COVID-19 reached Alexandria. She later took over the MRC volunteer program, adding trainings in Stop the Bleed and hands-only CPR and leading broad outreach efforts to recruit volunteers of all ages and backgrounds.
"Talk to anyone who volunteers for public health in Alexandria, and Rosy's name will probably come up," said Cassandra Walter, chair of the Public Health Advisory Commission. "She's personally invested in the public health of this city, and her efforts have given back to our community's health tenfold through the volunteers she supports."
The award ceremony will be held Tuesday, June 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, 4850 Mark Center Drive. The event is open to the public.
More information is available on the Casey Award website.
