To promote long-standing partnerships, increase cost savings, and enlarge the peer-exchange forum, the MCHEP/ DRH/CDC, MCHB/HRSA, and CityMatCH agreed, in 2012, to fully integrate their conferences (referenced as ‘the Conference’) [1]. The aim of the integrated Conference, advancing data, practice, and policy, was supported by a dynamic keynote from Michael Lu, MD, MS, MPH, Associate Administrator, MCHB/HRSA, four plenary sessions, multiple workshops, symposia, pre-Conference trainings, and a dual scientific and program/policy track for concurrent oral presentations and posters [2]. More than 650 local, tribal, state, federal, and international MCH professionals attended the Conference in San Antonio, Texas, December 12–14, 2012. Other unique contributions the co-hosted event offered were the focus on scientific analysis and data translation at the local, state, and national levels; career mentoring and peer exchange for students and early career professionals; pre-Conference workshops on epidemiologic methodologies and leadership development; and skills-sharing sessions to advance best practices, novel approaches, and dissemination of knowledge on important MCH topics.

The three articles associated with the Conference, and included in this issue of the journal, highlight the keynote address, one noteworthy plenary session, and evaluation of the Conference. The keynote address, entitled, ‘‘A New Way Forward: Improving MCH in America,’’ underscores the need for the field of MCH to embrace the opportunities and challenges offered by the current political, economic, and social climate. The vision of Dr. Lu includes understanding how MCH can be further advanced by improving access, quality, integration, accountability, and equity in science, programs, and policies. The plenary, ‘‘Using the Principles of Complex Systems Thinking and Implementation Science to Enhance MCH Program Planning and Delivery,’’ describes two innovative approaches that can be utilized by MCH professionals when planning, implementing and evaluating new MCH programs. Finally, the Conference evaluation describes the impact of Conference-related activities as applied by MCH professionals 6 months post-Conference. As a whole, including this summate, these four articles describe the impact of the co-hosted Conference and attendee experiences, and highlight innovative approaches for epidemiologic use and priority issues for the MCH field.

Dr. Laura Schieve currently works for the CDC and has scientifically contributed to multiple MCH surveillance and research projects, including numerous studies on pre-pregnancy body mass index and pre-pregnancy weight gain. Six of her published studies were referenced in the 2009 Institute of Medicine Report on Pregnancy Weight Gain. Further, her study of low and very low birth weight Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) deliveries was identified as a Top 100 Science Story of 2002 by Discover Magazine. The leadership of Dr. Schieve in the field of ART has continued to provide foundational research results including maximum success rates among ART subgroups with decreased embryo transfer, and identified a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among ART singletons compared with naturally conceived singletons. This body of work, plus more recent contributions to the field of MCH in the areas of developmental disabilities and autism identify her as more than deserving of the Greg Alexander Award for Advancing Knowledge.

Dr. Matthew Gillman is Professor and Director of the Obesity Prevention Program in the Department of Population Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, and Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. One of his major contributions to the field of MCH is Project Viva, a longitudinal pre-birth cohort study using a life course epidemiology framework to follow women, children, and their offspring forward in time. The project has been used to research a multitude of MCH issues among this multigenerational cohort, including mercury exposure, gestational weight gain, Vitamin D deficiency, and asthma. In 2012, Dr. Gillman co-edited and published a hallmark book on adverse effects of maternal obesity. In addition to his contributions to science, Dr. Gillman has advanced the field of MCH research through his influential work as an educator. His work in the field of MCH exemplifies the definition of the Greg Alexander Award for Advancing Knowledge.

Dr. Christina Bethell is a Professor of Pediatrics at Oregon Health and Sciences University and founding Director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. A strong advocate for MCH populations, Dr. Bethell has devoted her career to improving the quality of MCH measurement and increasing access to MCH data. Her leadership has led to the development of the screener for children with special health care needs (CSHCN), as well as National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsement of over 45 measures related to children’s health care quality, and the development of direct-to-parent engagement tools. As Director of the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, she has dramatically increased access to MCH data through the provision of online data, resulting in more than 38 million web visits. The commitment of Dr. Bethell to release data in a timely manner and her innovative efforts in measurement design support her receipt of the Outstanding Leadership Award.

Dr. Michelle Williams is the Stephen B. Kay Family Professor of Public Health and Chair of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. With more than 20 years faculty experience, her development of courses and teaching in the field of MCH is surpassed only by her mentoring of early career professionals. In 1993, Dr. Williams developed the Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) Program as faculty at the University of Washington. The program targets students from low-income and minority backgrounds for careers in public health through public health practice among MCH populations in the developing world. In 2011, Dr. Williams received the Presidential Award for Mentoring for the MIRT Program. To date, her teaching and mentoring achievements of early career professionals have enabled a new generation of MCH epidemiologists to enter the workforce better prepared and well-trained.

Dr. Donald Hayes is a senior MCH epidemiologist assigned from the CDC to the State of Hawaii and, since 2007, has provided expertise in development of scientific tools and reports critical to state programs. His scientific contributions have influenced essential services in the state of Hawaii by building the evidence base for MCH programs. Dr. Hayes has improved the analytic capacity for the State of Hawaii through focused efforts to analyze data from state surveillance systems. He has published more than 23 peer-reviewed manuscripts, over 25 state-specific reports, 25 fact sheets, and has provided nearly 100 presentations to various stakeholder audiences. He is also an Associate Editor for the Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health. Based on these accomplishments and contributions to the Hawaii Department of Health, Dr. Hayes is more than deserving of the Effective Practice at the State Level Award.

Dr. Lisa Bodnar is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh. She has significantly contributed to MCH epidemiology through her work on post-partum anemia, gestational weight gain, and Vitamin D levels and pregnancy outcomes. She is currently the Principal Investigator on three National Institutes of Health grants, has published 62 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and has chaired scientific symposia for the American Society for Nutrition and the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER). She has received the Public Health Service Award from the University of North Carolina, School of Public Health; the Abraham Lilienfield Student Prize Award from SER; and the New Investigator Award from the National Institutes of Mental Health and the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Her achievements exemplify the Young Professional Achievement Award.

The Coalition for Excellence in MCH Epidemiology has convened and selected the recipients for the 2014 awards. To continue increased recognition of outstanding contributions by MCH professionals, the Coalition strongly urges readers to consider nomination of colleagues and peers to highlight their important accomplishments during the next award cycle for 2016. For more information, go to http://www.citymatch.org/conference/citymatch-conference/2014/mch-eipdemiology-awards. The 2014 awardees will be announced at the National MCH Epidemiology Awards Luncheon during the Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 18, 2014.