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Derksen looks back on the experience of volunteering at an orphanage in rural Mexico between high school and college — and the enduring value of pausing to take stock of one’s life.

Dr. Derksen was awarded AzPHA The Senator Andy Nichols Award at the 2026 Arizona Public Health Association Awards celebration in Tempe on October 29th. The award honors those who have made outstanding contributions to public health throughout their career. The award is primarily for contributions to public health in Arizona.

University of Arizona College of Public Health faculty interviewed for in-depth look at maternal health challenges along the border and rural Arizona.

The healthcare industry accounted for more than half of the state’s overall job gains. The numbers reflect the rising demand for care in Arizona, but meeting that demand requires enough people willing and able to do the work.  

Arizona was awarded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, $167 million a year for five years for their Rural Health Transformation Program back in January. During the interview, Dr. Derksen said, “The Rural Health Transformation Program is a very good provision... helping improve access, expanding the reach to the hardest-to-reach populations in rural areas — this is a real, unprecedented opportunity, and I hope we take full advantage."

The Health Resources and Services Administration and State of Arizona awarded the center five-year competing continuation funding of $973,640 to support its Arizona State Office of Rural Health. The center also received a non-competing continuation award of $970,003 for year three of a five-year cycle to extend Arizona's Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program and Flex EMS Supplement initiative.