Since 2015, Governor’s Citizenship Medals have been presented to five extraordinary citizens each year to recognize their community contributions. But this unprecedented year warranted extra recognition: the addition of the COVID-19 Hero Medal.

Dr. Rachel Herlihy, State Epidemiologist and face of Colorado’s COVID-19 response, is one of the first recipients of this medal; however, she says the honor is reserved for all Coloradans.

“The successes that Colorado has had in this pandemic, the way we’ve been able to flatten the curve and decrease the number of cases, depends on the actions of Coloradans,” Herlihy said. “(This award) is recognizing all of the sacrifices and efforts that Coloradans have made in the last year.”

Herlihy leads Colorado’s COVID-19 surveillance, case investigation and outbreak response activities. A preventive medicine physician, she has worked in disease control for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment since 2011.

Herlihy first became interested in public health after reading about the HIV epidemic in high school. A year later, she went to college to study bacteriology, medical microbiology and immunology, eventually earning her MD and a master’s degree.

Throughout her career, Herlihy has worked as Utah’s Deputy State Epidemiologist, the Deputy Director for the Department of Defense’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program and at multiple universities.

“I’m really dedicated to protecting the public,” Herlihy said. “That’s why I went into public health and that’s what inspires me to do the work every day, to make sure we’re doing right by Colorado.”

When COVID-19 first began spreading in China, Herlihy and her team watched with curiosity, which quickly turned into anxiety and concern. Herlihy was faced with preparing for a pandemic with a virus the world knew very little about – but she faced the challenge head-on.

Dr. Casey Wolf, the governor’s advisor for COVID-19 response, said Herlihy “elevated” the state’s response to the pandemic.

“Rachel really exhibits grace under fire,” Wolf said. “She has led the scientific response with incredible integrity, amidst a constantly changing picture where new data and evidence are constantly being developed.”

Herlihy said the state had to immediately expand their response team to meet the demand for testing, contact tracing and case investigation. Herlihy said she is proud of how the response team is so cohesive, close-knit and hard-working, regularly working 12-14 hour days for the last year.

Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander for the CDPHE, said Herlihy’s quick action and expertise established her as the leader in the state’s COVID-19 response very quickly.

Besides just her leadership within the response team, Bookman said Herlihy’s communication skills allowed the state to reach the public in an essential way.

“She has allowed our state to respond to COVID-19 based on scientific principles and policy because of her ability to communicate these complex concepts in a way that everybody can understand,” Bookman said.

This was one of the things that Herlihy said she found most challenging while responding to the pandemic.

“Trying to help the public understand that the actions they’re taking and the sacrifices they’re making are about public health has been difficult,” Herlihy said. “Trying to convey the importance of our work and that our goal is to protect them.”

Herlihy said, though it has been challenging, Coloradans have done so much for the community throughout the year, making immeasurable sacrifices to keep one another safe.

Herlihy’s colleagues hope that her compassion and dedication for her community will be remembered from this year.

Nisha Alden, respiratory disease and COVID-19 surveillance program manager at CDPHE, said once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, she wants Herlihy to be remembered as a “good public health physician who really cares about the people.”

“She’s a scientist, she’s a physician, but she’s also a citizen of Colorado,” Alden said. “She really thought about how this would affect people.”

Now, passing the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Herlihy describes the experience as “exciting and stressful and confusing and chaotic,” filled with incredible lows and highs.

Herlihy hopes that one of the highs from this year will be inspiring other women to enter the public health field.

“I’ve heard stories of record numbers of applications to medical school and people who are interested in public health,” Herlihy said. “If I’ve helped in any way in sharing the story of public health, that would be a lasting impact that I would love to have come out of this work.”