The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Environmental Health & Engineering is proud to highlight the accomplishments of its staff in receiving all three available Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Uniformed Service Awards for the U.S. Public Health Service for 2025. These prestigious national awards were presented on May 21 in Portland, Oregon at the Society Ball & Awards Gala of the Joint Engineer Training Conference.
Green Medal – Lt. Ashley Martinez, P.E., Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction
Lt. Martinez is recognized for her outstanding technical expertise, innovation, and leadership in advancing public health for Tribal communities across Oregon and Washington as a Field Engineer for the Portland Area, Olympic District. She managed a diverse and complex project portfolio, including a $5.1 million sanitation project serving five Tribes and a critical $901,000 stabilization project that protects community infrastructure from environmental threats. Her initiative in modernizing construction standards and transforming the national recruitment campaign for IHS speaks highly of her leadership abilities and future potential.
Hollis Medal – Cmdr. Louis Bernasconi, P.E., Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction
Cmdr. Bernasconi is recognized for his outstanding leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing and protecting the public health of American Indian communities as the District Engineer for the Phoenix Area, Reno District. Under his leadership, the Reno District has achieved exceptional growth in the delivery of critical sanitation infrastructure, managing 58 active projects valued at $44.7 million across four states. His exceptional ability to guide his team resulted in a 160% increase in completed projects in FY 2024, despite operating at a 65% staffing level.
Cumming Award – Facilities Project Management Application Workgroup, Division of Engineering Services
The Facilities Project Management Application (FPMA) Workgroup is recognized for its visionary leadership and technical excellence in fundamentally reshaping how the Indian Health Service (IHS) plans, funds, and delivers healthcare facilities. The team’s development of a comprehensive, web-based platform unified disparate data systems, enabling near-real-time visibility into project performance, enhancing funding justifications, and significantly improving responsiveness to congressional inquiries. This forward-looking initiative strengthens the foundation upon which essential medical services are delivered to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Cmdr. Adam Hughes, P.E., accepted the Cumming Award on the FPMA Workgroup’s behalf.
Capt. Samuel Russell, P.E., MSCE, MPH, Assistant Director, Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction, presented the awards on behalf of Rear Adm. Emil Wang, JD, Assistant Surgeon General and Engineer Chief Professional Officer, of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
For more information on the Society and the history of these awards, please visit https://www.same.org.
