“The IHP Awards celebrate the people whose knowledge, heart, transformation, and leadership strengthen the IHP Community.”

The IHP Awards recognize Health Coaches whose service, knowledge, transformation, and leadership are creating meaningful change within IHPI, in their communities, and across the field of integrative health. These peer-nominated honors celebrate practitioners who lead by example and reflect the spirit of For IHPs, By IHPs.

The inaugural awards debuted at the Reimagining Health Summit in 2025. Fellow practitioners nominated the finalists, cast their votes, and selected five IHP Health Coaches as the first recipients.

Now, the IHP Awards are returning to RHS 2026.

Before looking ahead to this year’s celebration, we are honoring the inaugural winners and exploring what each category represents.

Who Won the 2025 IHP Awards?

Five practitioners made IHPI history as the inaugural award recipients at RHS 2025.

Pam Gerth received the Most Engaged Health Coach Award for the support, encouragement, and connection she brought to fellow practitioners.

Kacey Kane received the Excellence in Knowledge Award for her dedication to integrative health education and continued professional development.

Emily Criddle received the Health Transformation Champion Award for sharing a personal wellness journey that offered hope to others.

Ellen Long received the Heart of IHP Award for embodying the compassion, purpose, and heart-led spirit at the center of everything IHPI stands for.

Craig Danehy received the Trailblazer Award for advancing root-cause health through innovation, education, and leadership.

Together, these winners demonstrated five distinct ways an Integrative Health Practitioner can serve others and help move the profession forward.

What Are the IHP Awards?

The IHP Awards are peer-nominated and community-voted honors presented during the Reimagining Health Summit.

IHPs nominate practitioners who have supported them, shared valuable insight, opened new possibilities, or strengthened their experience within IHPI. Fellow IHP Health Coaches then vote for the finalists who best represent each category.

The awards do not follow one definition of success. They celebrate the many ways practitioners can contribute to integrative wellness, encourage their peers, and expand the reach of root-cause education.

What Are the Five IHP Award Categories?

The five IHP Award categories recognize engagement, knowledge, personal transformation, heart-led service, and trailblazing leadership.

Each one highlights a quality that helps both the IHP Community and the health coaching profession thrive.

Most Engaged Health Coach

Some practitioners have a way of making others feel welcome from the moment they join the community.

The Most Engaged Health Coach Award honors someone who regularly offers support, shares wisdom, and encourages participation. Their presence helps fellow IHPs feel seen, heard, and valued.

Through consistency and authenticity, they build stronger relationships across IHPI.

Excellence in Knowledge

The Excellence in Knowledge Award celebrates an IHP Health Coach with a strong command of the DESTRESS™ Protocol and integrative health foundations.

Continued education is central to how they serve. They pursue deeper understanding, apply what they learn with integrity, and remain committed to professional development.

Their example raises the standard for thoughtful, informed health coaching.

Health Transformation Champion

Personal transformation can become a source of hope for someone else.

The Health Transformation Champion Award recognizes an IHP Health Coach whose wellness journey reflects the power of IHP teachings. Their honesty, commitment, and progress demonstrate what may be possible through root-cause education and consistent action.

By sharing their experience, they encourage others to keep moving forward.

Heart of IHP

Compassion sits at the center of the Heart of IHP Award.

This honor is given to a practitioner who embodies the mission to heal themselves and help others do the same. They bring joy, connection, and purpose to those around them while strengthening the bond shared by IHPs worldwide.

Their presence reflects the heart-led spirit behind this work.

Trailblazer Award

The Trailblazer Award looks toward the future of integrative health.

It recognizes an IHP Health Coach who leads through innovation, education, and bold action. They challenge traditional boundaries, create new opportunities, and help root-cause wellness reach more people.

Their vision opens doors for the practitioners who follow.

Why Do the IHP Awards Matter?

Not every meaningful contribution happens in the spotlight.

A practitioner may answer a question at the right moment, welcome someone who is new, or offer encouragement during a difficult season. Others lead through knowledge, personal example, service, or a willingness to create something new.

The IHP Awards give fellow Health Coaches an opportunity to recognize those contributions publicly.

Every nomination carries a simple but powerful message: your work, presence, or story has made an impression.

When Will the IHP Awards Return?

The IHP Awards will return during the Reimagining Health Summit 2026, held November 5–7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The awards will take place on November 5, 2026, the first night of RHS. The ceremony will kick off the Summit by honoring IHP Health Coaches whose contributions have encouraged others and created lasting impact.

Once again, IHPs will nominate and vote for the practitioners who best represent each category.

The IHP Awards are one of several meaningful ways RHS honors the dedication found throughout IHPI. Eligible 2026 graduates will also cross the stage during the official IHPI Graduation Ceremony.

Learn more about the IHPI Graduation Ceremony and the meaning behind walking across the stage at RHS 2026.

As nominations approach, think about the people who have shaped your experience.

Consider the IHP who always offers support, the practitioner whose knowledge encourages you to grow, or the person whose transformation gives you hope.

You may also know someone who brings people together, leads with heart, or creates new possibilities for integrative health.

The next IHP Award recipient may already be teaching, supporting, or leading beside you.

We look forward to beginning RHS 2026 by honoring another remarkable group of Health Coaches.

For IHPs, By IHPs.