Boulder pharmacist Melissa Bonomo honored as Colorado's 2025 National Immunization Champion

Denver (Aug. 1, 2025) — The Immunization Branch at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment today announced Melissa Bonomo, a pharmacy manager at an Albertsons in Boulder, as Colorado’s recipient of the 2025 National Immunization Champion Award. The award, presented by the Association of Immunization Managers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, collaboration, innovation, and advocacy to advance immunization in their communities.

Bonomo’s commitment to promoting vaccinations in the Boulder community is evident in her pharmacy’s extraordinary output, administering more than 10,000 vaccines last year. Her pharmacy consistently leads a district of more than 30 locations in flu vaccine administration, providing over 5,000 flu vaccines during the 2024-2025 season. To further expand access, Bonomo has proactively trained 10 pharmacy technicians on injection techniques since 2021, guiding them to become immunization certified and significantly boosting immunization capacity within the pharmacy setting.

Bonomo’s dedication extends beyond the pharmacy walls. In just three months, her team hosted 15 off-site vaccine clinics in Boulder and surrounding areas, offering crucial protection to vulnerable populations. Bonomo volunteered on a weekend off to hold a vaccine clinic at a local homeless shelter, providing immunizations to an underserved population. Her comprehensive approach to public health also includes offering specialized travel health consultations and yellow-fever vaccinations, further contributing to disease prevention.

“Melissa’s unwavering commitment to increasing vaccine access and education in her community is truly inspiring,” said Heather Roth, Immunization Branch Chief at CDPHE. “Her innovative approaches and tireless work, including holding weekend clinics for underserved populations and ensuring her staff are well-trained, have made a significant impact on public health in Colorado. She is such a deserving recipient of this award.”

Bonomo was selected from a field of highly deserving nominees who are also making significant contributions to immunization efforts across Colorado, including:

• Beth Musolf Reilly, Health Compliance Manager for Eagle County School District, for her creative approaches that led to a 100% student immunization compliance rate in the county’s early childhood program.
• Garrett Johnson, Pharmacy Manager at City Market Pharmacy in Gunnison, for his ingenuity in providing essential vaccine clinics to his community, even amidst the year-long closure of the Blue Mesa Bridge.
• Suegie Park, Pharmacist and VFC Vaccine Manager at Family Medicine Clinic for Health Equity and preceptor for CU School of Pharmacy, for her efforts in running off-site vaccine clinics and organizing focus groups with diverse immigrant participants, providing free vaccinations to approximately 3,500 people.
• Rosa Parga, Medical Assistant at Denver Health Eastside Pediatric Clinic, for her personal phone outreach to patients overdue for their one-year and MMR vaccines, resulting in a 10% increase in on-time immunizations.

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