2009-J1864
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Karen M. Jemmott upon the occasion of
her designation as recipient of the Community Service Award by the Fort
Greene Senior Citizens Council, Inc.
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those individ-
uals who would devote themselves to the welfare of the community and its
citizenry; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Karen M.
Jemmott upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the Commu-
nity Service Award by the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Council, Inc., to
be celebrated on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at the Brooklyn Botanical
Gardens; and
WHEREAS, As an innovator, community leader, health and wellness advo-
cate, researcher and editor, Karen Jemmott is dedicated to promoting
disease prevention and health education; through her role as Director of
Physician Outreach at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, she has spearheaded
numerous successful health symposiums known as "Dine & Learn", collec-
tively drawing an attendance of over 4,000 participants and raising
significant amounts in sponsorship; and
WHEREAS, Karen Jemmott's health outreach endeavors have focused on
many major health concerns affecting youth, women, men, and seniors,
such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, obesity and violence;
she has created health resource guides, "The Life Saver", "Through The
Grapevine", "Turning Point", and "Daily Living In Brooklyn", that offer
important information needed to help make better health decisions; and
WHEREAS, These collaborative efforts have gained the recognition of
leaders in health care, faith-based organizations, schools, colleges,
national, federal, and city agencies, along with the pharmaceutical
industry and national and local businesses; and
WHEREAS, For the past decade, Karen Jemmott has worked closely with
more than 5,000 Brooklyn-based primary care physicians and specialists;
as Director of Physician Outreach at Downstate, she has developed strong
ties to community-based private physicians to recruit new faculty,
educate community physicians about new or existing hospital services,
and serve as liaison between clinical departments and community physi-
cians; and
WHEREAS, As these fruitful relationships with physicians developed,
Karen Jemmott ventured into entrepreneurship; in 1998, she formed
Medical Information Services, Inc. which provided growth driven
solutions to increase the independent medical practitioner's revenue and
offered services to the community that promoted health awareness; she
also created in 1998, Personal Access to Healthcare (PATH), a first-of-
its kind referral directory of over 200 African American medical practi-
tioners; and
WHEREAS, The PATH directory became a valuable resource for the minori-
ty physician community, providing photos and in-depth physician
profiles, as a means to foster fellowship and networking among them;
Karen Jemmott's proven skill at networking and organizing events has led
physician groups, such as Provident Clinical Society, the Association of
Haitian Physicians, Doc Tee Time and Overseas Medical Assistance Team,
to seek her expertise; and
WHEREAS, Karen Jemmott received her Bachelor of Arts degree in
Psychology from Pace University, and her Masters degree in Public Admin-
istration, with a concentration in Health Management, from New York
University; her passion is to supply every desiring mind in Brooklyn
with the latest health information until prevention is what they crave
and treatment is their last desire; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the life in their community and have shown a long and sustained
commitment to excellence certainly have earned recognition and applause;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Karen M. Jemmott upon the occasion of her designation as recipient
of the Community Service Award by the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Coun-
cil, Inc.; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Karen M. Jemmott.