Honoring Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Men’s Health:
Celebrating the Inaugural Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award
A special edition MHN blog honoring Jimmy Boyd’s legacy and recognizing friend and leader Derek Griffith, PhD….
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, leaders, advocates, researchers, and public health professionals gathered at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Men’s Health Caucus Men’s and Boys’ Health Summit for a milestone moment in the men’s health movement.
The event marked the presentation of the Inaugural Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award for Leadership in Men’s and Boys’ Health, an honor created by the APHA Men’s Health Caucus to recognize exceptional leadership in shaping and advancing the field.
The creation of this award is deeply meaningful to Men’s Health Network (MHN). Jimmy Boyd, its namesake, was a former Executive Director of MHN’s Washington, D.C. office and one of the earliest, strongest, and most strategic voices in men’s health policy.
His influence helped spark the national and global momentum that continues to drive men’s health advocacy today.
This year’s inaugural award was presented to Derek M. Griffith, PhD, a distinguished scholar, researcher, and global leader whose contributions to men’s and boys’ health continue to shape policy, practice, and international discourse. Derek’s groundbreaking work and sustained leadership reflect the same passion, integrity, and drive that Jimmy Boyd brought to the movement decades earlier.
As we celebrate Derek’s achievements, we also honor Jimmy’s extraordinary legacy, a legacy that continues to guide, inspire, and energize Men’s Health Network and partners across the world.
Derek Griffith Receives the First Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award
The Men’s Health Caucus selected Derek Griffith as the first-ever recipient of the award, an honor that recognizes his powerful contributions to the advancement of men’s and boys’ health and his influence across research, advocacy, community engagement, and public health policy.
Derek shared the following statement about receiving the award:
“On Saturday, November 1st at the American Public Health Association Men’s Health Caucus Men’s and Boys’ Health Summit, I was honored to receive the Inaugural Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award for Leadership in Men’s and Boys’ Health. Jimmy worked with the Men’s Health Network and was a tireless advocate for men’s health. He was instrumental in the US government establishing the week leading up to Father’s Day as Men’s Health Week, which was the precursor to June being recognized nationally and globally as Men’s Health Month. I was fortunate to have worked with Jimmy on several occasions. He was always a kind, generous, warm, and wise man who made space for those who came behind him to learn the politics of men’s health, share their insights, and grow in ways that have helped many be the men’s health policy advocates we and they are today. Thanks again to the Men’s Health Caucus for this tremendous honor.”
Derek M. Griffith, PhD, is the Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as a Fellow and Senior Advisor on Health Equity and Anti-Racism at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. He is the Director of the Program for Men’s Health Equity at Penn, leading research and initiatives focused on improving the health and well-being of men and boys. Dr. Griffith is the Chair of Global Action on Men’s Health and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Men’s Social & Community Health. He is also the Co-Editor of Racism: Science & Tools for the Public Health Professional, 2nd Edition.
Derek’s decades of scholarship and leadership have elevated the field of men’s health globally. His work has driven critical conversations on race, masculinity, community health, social factors that shape men’s lives, and the systems that support, or fail to support, them. His commitment to helping people understand men’s lived experiences and the barriers they face aligns with the empathy-driven approach that MHN champions.
Global Action on Men’s Health: Celebrating a Leader
As Chair of Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH), Derek also received recognition from the international men’s health community. GAMH issued the following official statement:
Global Action on Men’s Health is proud to recognise the leadership, vision, and global impact of our Chair, Professor Derek Griffith.
At the APHA Men’s Health Caucus Men’s and Boys’ Health Summit on November 1st, Derek was honoured with the Inaugural Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award for Leadership in Men’s and Boys’ Health – a profoundly significant recognition that celebrates Jimmy’s lifelong contribution to advancing men’s and boys’ health, wellbeing, and equality.
Jimmy Boyd, a driving force behind the establishment of Men’s Health Week in the U.S. (and, more recently in the U.S. and Canada, Men’s Health Month), now celebrated around the world. Derek’s recognition through this award honours both Jimmy’s enduring legacy and Derek’s continued leadership in shaping the field of men’s health globally.
Reflecting on the honour, Derek said:
“Jimmy was always a kind, generous, warm, and wise man who made space for those who came behind him to learn the politics of men’s health, share their insights, and grow in ways that have helped many be the men’s health policy advocates we and they are today.”
GAMH Chief Executive, Peter Baker added:
“This Award is great news – it recognises both Jimmy Boyd’s legacy but also Derek’s enormous and continuing contribution to the field of men’s health in the U.S. and globally.”
Derek’s dedication continues to inspire our collective mission to improve men’s health outcomes worldwide through research, advocacy, collaboration, and evidence-based action.
This powerful recognition underscores how far Jimmy Boyd’s foundational work has carried the movement, and how leaders like Derek continue to widen that path.
Honoring Jimmy Boyd: A Pioneer of Men’s Health Advocacy
Jimmy Boyd’s story is woven into the fabric of the men’s health movement. A public relations and lobbying professional with a deep sense of mission, he brought skill, authenticity, and a bold vision to a field that was still finding its voice.
The award honoring his name is not just symbolic, it is a recognition of a man whose work changed national policy, influenced global health observances, and sparked a generation of advocates who continue to carry the torch.
To fully honor the meaning of this award, Men’s Health Network shares its official statement on Jimmy Boyd’s passing:
Men’s Health Network’s Official Statement of Jimmy Boyd’s Passing
Jimmy Boyd was a great man to a great many people.
There are powerful memories in the halls he frequented, the doors he knocked on, and the seats he brought to the table. There are powerful memories of Jimmy Boyd in the very spirit of the men’s health movement. He didn’t just show up; he showed others how to lead with conviction, clarity, and purpose.
Jimmy Boyd was a great man who became the heart of men’s health, beating for change, compassion, and advocacy for men and boys and the many challenges they face. He inspired a generation to be passionate about men’s health, to care about policy, and to find their voice on Capitol Hill. Jimmy understood that improving men’s lives meant lifting families, communities, and futures.
Jimmy Boyd was a great man with a big personality and a no-nonsense outlook. He used his PR and lobbying experience for good. He shaped the field, built meaningful relationships, and mentored the next generation of men’s health advocates. His wisdom, humor, and tenacity left an impression on everyone lucky enough to work alongside him.
Jimmy Boyd was a great man who embraced the spotlight when the mission called for it. He preferred to focus on impact, on moving the ball down the field for men’s health. A proud Texan, Jimmy, carried himself with the grit and grace that made him unmistakably Jimmy. He didn’t shy away from the spotlight; he used it to amplify the mission and make sure men’s health couldn’t be ignored.
Jimmy Boyd was a great man, and his legacy lives on, in the hearts of those he inspired, the minds he challenged, and the institutions he helped move toward something better. His impact echoes in every step the men’s health movement takes today, and in every advocate who carries the torch forward.
He gave nearly 30 years of his life to Men’s Health Network, an organization that will forever be shaped by his voice, his vision, and his unwavering fight for men and boys.
Thank you, Jimmy Boyd.
Why This Award Matters
The creation of the Jimmy Boyd Memorial Award signifies far more than recognition for an individual. It reflects:
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The longevity and maturity of the men’s health movement
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The importance of mentorship and legacy
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The deepening emphasis on leadership, policy, and community impact
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The growing collaboration across global networks and institutions
That the inaugural award went to a leader who knew, worked with, and was shaped by Jimmy Boyd adds to its significance.
It represents a symbolic passing of the torch, an acknowledgment that the work Jimmy invested in continues not only through institutions but through the leaders he inspired.
Looking Ahead: Carrying the Legacy Forward
The men’s health movement is entering a new era, one defined by broader public health coordination, global partnerships, and a strengthened focus on empathy, understanding, and supporting men where they are.
Derek Griffith’s leadership, scholarship, and advocacy reflect the kind of forward-looking direction needed at this stage.
And Jimmy Boyd’s legacy reminds us that this movement is built on the work of individuals who were willing to push forward before men’s health had a place at the table.
As MHN continues its mission to reach men, boys, and families where they live, work, play, and pray, we honor both men:
- Jimmy Boyd, a pioneer whose voice helped shape the national and global recognition of men’s health
- Derek Griffith, a modern leader advancing the field with integrity, insight, and global impact
Their stories remind us of the leadership needed in the men’s health movement, that it is not solely about policy, but at the heart of all things, it is about people. It is about compassion, mentorship, understanding, and building a culture where men and boys feel seen, supported, and valued.
