2024 Principal Investigator of the Year
Marlene Melzer-Lange, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine)
Medical College of Wisconsin
Past President (2021-2023), Injury Free Coalition for Kids
Dr. Marlene Melzer-Lange has dedicated an extraordinary 45-year career to improving the health, safety, and well-being of Milwaukee’s children, with a special focus on the city’s most vulnerable youth. A Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a Pediatric Emergency Medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Dr. Melzer-Lange has been a pioneer in the field of violence prevention and adolescent health. She has served Milwaukee with a deep-rooted commitment, not only as a physician but also as a tireless advocate and a compassionate mentor to many, including her favorite mentee, Dr. Michael Levas.
In the early 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Melzer-Lange founded and directed the Teen Pregnancy Service of Milwaukee, a comprehensive program for pregnant adolescents and their children that provided crucial support and medical care for teenage mothers. Recognizing the complex needs of youth impacted by violence, she was also instrumental in the founding of Project Ujima in 1996 and served as its Medical Director from 2001 to 2020. This program, which she built in partnership with Children’s Hospital, the Medical College of Wisconsin, local law enforcement, and community organizations, is the longest-standing hospital-based violence prevention initiative in the country and is widely regarded as a gold standard in violence prevention. Project Ujima serves over 300 youth and 500 adults each year, with documented improvements in quality of life, peer relations, and mental health for participating youth.
Dr. Melzer-Lange’s impact on violence intervention extends nationally. Through her leadership, Project Ujima helped anchor the National Hospital Alliance for Violence Intervention, a network advancing policy and research in violence prevention. Locally, she has been equally dedicated, launching the Parklawn Peace Coalition to support violence prevention among young children and their families, as well as developing Project Staying Alive, an anti-violence curriculum for Milwaukee Public Schools. Additionally, she founded the Family Violence Program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, which offers essential training and education for healthcare providers on violence intervention.
Her advocacy extends to serving on various boards and councils dedicated to injury and violence prevention, including past service as President of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids and as a member of the Governor’s Council on Domestic Violence Prevention. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Department of Justice’s National Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Michael Shannon Humanitarian Award, the MCW President’s Community Engagement Award, and the Wisconsin Medical Society Superhero of Medicine Award.
When not working, Dr. Melzer-Lange enjoys traveling with her husband, George, spending time with her grandchildren, and relaxing at her cabin in northern Wisconsin. Her life’s work is a testament to her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of Milwaukee’s youth, and her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of healthcare providers and community advocates.
2024 Program Coordinator of the Year
Pam Hoogerwerf, BA
Program Manager for Pediatric Injury Prevention and Community Outreach
University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital
Pam Hoogerwerf is a remarkable individual whose contributions to pediatric injury prevention and safety have had a profound and lasting impact on her community, the hospital, and the state of Iowa. She has developed invaluable programs where she has educated thousands of children and families on various injury prevention topics: car passenger safety, bike safety, lawnmower injuries and many more. Pam’s enthusiasm and commitment to childhood injury prevention is the reason SFCH is an Injury Free Coalition for Kids site.
One of Pam’s very first endeavors was the implementation of the Safety Store which has served as a model for other institutions interested in launching their own safety store. She also serves on the Children’s Hospital Association Safety Store Advisory Team where she shares her expertise and insights with other hospital programs. Pam established a safe sleep program that has expanded into the Statewide Safe Sleep Task force. She was instrumental in launching and leading several other injury prevention task forces including the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Task Force, the Firearm Safety Task Force, and the Lawnmower Safety Task Force, each focusing on educating the public and advocating for safety changes in their respective areas. Pam’s leadership has been key to the success of these groups, each of which has made significant strides in raising awareness and reducing preventable injuries in Iowa.
Pam has also been instrumental in ensuring the sustainability of SFCH’s injury prevention programs. She works tirelessly to secure grant funding for both existing programs and new initiatives, including substantial grants from organizations like Kohl’s Cares for Kids, Children’s Miracle Network, and Grinnell Mutual Insurance. Her ability to build lasting relationships with donors, foundations, and corporate partners has been critical in maintaining and expanding SFCH’s injury prevention efforts.
In addition to her programmatic work, Pam has been an active pediatric injury prevention researcher. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and contributed to studies focused on improving safety practices and reducing pediatric injuries. Pam regularly presents her findings at national, regional, and local conferences, sharing insights on the programs she has led and the research she’s been involved with. Her research continues to influence policy and practice in the field of pediatric injury prevention.
Pam’s legacy is defined by her ability to transform ideas into action, build effective programs from the ground up, and lead with a vision that serves both the immediate needs of her community and the long-term goals of injury prevention. She has educated thousands of children, forged invaluable partnerships, and advanced the work of injury prevention through tireless advocacy, all while serving as an exemplary leader, mentor, and friend.