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Each year, the Alliance holds the Annual Awards Dinner to honor individuals and companies making great strides to further aging research and innovation in aging. The Awards also have a deeper purpose: to remind lawmakers of the nation’s bipartisan commitment to advance medical research to improve the lives of millions of Americans.

Most recently, the Annual Awards Dinner featured the following awards:

  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: presented each year to a Democratic member of Congress who is leading the way for policies encouraging medical research, innovation, and care to benefit Americans as they grow older.
  • Distinguished Public Service Award: presented each year to a Republican member of Congress who is leading the way for policies encouraging medical research, innovation, and care to benefit Americans as they grow older.
  • Silver Innovator Award: presented to an individual who anticipates and embraces the evolution of high-quality research aligned with the needs of older patients.
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: presented to an individual or group who is helping to change the paradigm of how we view aging and well-being as we age.
  • Perennial Hero Award: presented each year to honor an older individual who is actively contributing to create positive societal change and serves as a role model for people of all ages.

Below are some of the most recent honorees.

2023

30th Annual Awards Dinner

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Henry Buchwald, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: Chad Worz, PharmD, BCGP
  • Perennial Hero Award: Edwin L. Walker, J.D.

2022

29th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: Congresswoman Nanette Barragan (D-CA)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: Gary Puckrein, Ph.D.
  • Perennial Hero Award: Janet Woodcock, M.D.

2021

28th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration (virtual)

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Ph.D.
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: President Jonathan Nez and Jill Jim, Ph.D., MPH, MHA on behalf of the Navajo Nation
  • Perennial Hero Award: Phyllis Greenberger, MSW

2020

27th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration (virtual)

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Representative Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Reverend Dr. Derrick C. DeWitt Sr., on behalf of the Maryland Baptist Aged Home
  • Excellence in Leadership for Older Adults: Governor Larry Hogan (R-MD)
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: Jack M. Guralnik, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
  • Perennial Hero Award: Geri and Jim Taylor
  • Champion of Science: Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.

2019

26th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC)
  • Silver Innovator Award: John F. Tisdale, M.D.
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: VADM Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H.
  • Perennial Hero Award: Beverlye Hyman Fead

2018

25th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Dr. Patricia E. Bath
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: Dr. Dilip V. Jeste
  • Perennial Hero Award: U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

2017

24th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn and Dr. Elissa Epel
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: The Honorable Tony Coelho

2016

23rd Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-43)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Dr. Laura Carstensen
  • Daniel Perry Founder’s Award: Dr. Robert Temple, CDER

2015

22nd Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO-1)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Dr. Rudolph Tanzi
  • Indispensable Person of the Year Award: Scott Simon, National Public Radio

2014

21st Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

Guests enjoy the 2014 Award Dinner
  • Distinguished Public Service Award: Mitch Daniels, Purdue University
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
  • Silver Innovator Award: TEDMED’s Jay Walker
  • Indispensable Person of the Year Award: Human Longevity Inc.’s J. Craig Venter

2013

20th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Martha Stewart
  • MetLife Foundation Silver Scholar Award: David A. Wise, PhD, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
  • Indispensable Person of the Year Award: Richard Hodes, MD, National Institute on Aging

2012

19th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Distinguished Public Service Award: U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI)
  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging: U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz (D-PA)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Neil Resnick, MD, University of Pittsburgh
  • MetLife Foundation Silver Scholar Award: Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Columbia University
  • Indispensable Person of the Year Award: Jeremy Bloom, Wish of a Lifetime

2011

18th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration
Alliance for Aging Research 25th Anniversary Gala

  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging through Research: U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
  • Connie Mack Award for Advancing Healthy Aging through Research: U.S. Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY)
  • Silver Innovator Award: Linda P. Fried, MD, Columbia University School of Public Health
  • MetLife Foundation Silver Scholar Awards: David M. Cutler, PhD, Harvard University and Dana P. Goldman, PhD, University of Southern California

2010

17th Annual Bipartisan Congressional Awards Celebration

  • Claude Pepper Award for Advancing Healthy Aging through Research: U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA)
  • Connie Mack Award for Advancing Healthy Aging through Research: U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
  • Indispensable Partnership of the Year Award: Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Dr. Francis S. Collins, National Institutes of Health