A Seattle health care leader has been named Washington’s 2026 Immunization Champion for her work to improve childhood vaccination rates and address disparities in access to immunizations.
The Washington State Department of Health named Alyssa Caucci, director of quality and patient engagement at Neighborcare Health, this year’s recipient as the state marks National Immunization Awareness Month in August.
The recognition comes as families prepare for a new school year and health officials encourage Washington residents to make sure children, teens and adults are up to date on recommended vaccinations.
“National Immunization Awareness Month is a chance to remind Washington residents to stay up to date on crucial immunizations, especially as we head into a new school year,” said Jamilia Sherls, director of the Department of Health’s Office of Immunization. “It’s also an opportunity to thank the providers, clinic staff, Tribal and community partners across our state who make vaccination possible. Vaccines remain one of the most effective ways to prevent serious illness, and it takes a dedicated network of people to make sure every child, teen, and adult in our state has access to them. We are deeply grateful for their work.”
The Immunization Champion Award is a national recognition from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Association of Immunization Managers. Washington nominees are evaluated by a committee of health professionals using a national scoring rubric.
Caucci was nominated by Michelle Shin, an assistant professor at the University of Washington.
At Neighborcare Health, Caucci leads the organization’s Vaccine Steering Committee, which brings together executive leaders, health care providers, nurses, medical assistants and operational staff to strengthen vaccination practices across the organization.
Her work includes analyzing immunization data to identify populations with lower vaccination rates and disparities in care, then using that information to guide efforts to improve childhood immunizations and vaccine access.
That work has produced measurable results, according to information accompanying the award.
Neighborcare Health’s Combo 10 completion rate at the end of the first quarter of 2026 was 25% higher than during the same period a year earlier.
Combo 10 is a health care quality measure used to assess whether young children have completed a group of recommended vaccinations by age 2. Rather than measuring uptake of a single vaccine, it provides a broader picture of whether children are receiving a series of routine immunizations on schedule.
The Department of Health said Caucci has kept childhood vaccination and vaccine equity prominent within Neighborcare’s quality and population health work despite financial pressures and competing priorities facing federally qualified health centers.
Neighborcare Health provides medical, dental and behavioral health services through medical and school-based clinics in Seattle and on Vashon Island. The organization also serves people experiencing homelessness and offers services including language interpretation and sliding-fee discounts.
Caucci’s recognition comes during a period of change in national vaccine policy.
Earlier this year, federal childhood vaccine recommendations were changed for several diseases. Washington health officials subsequently said the state’s approach would not change and that its recommendations would continue to be based on evidence-based guidance.
The Department of Health currently maintains its own childhood and adolescent immunization recommendations. State officials say Washington’s childhood and adult immunization schedules, insurance coverage and school immunization requirements have not changed as a result of the federal revisions.
The distinction is important as families prepare for the 2026-27 school year. Vaccines recommended by health officials are not necessarily the same as immunizations required for school attendance. Washington’s school requirements are established separately by the State Board of Health.
Washington schools report student immunization status to the Department of Health each year. The state uses those reports, along with information from the Washington State Immunization Information System and other sources, to monitor vaccination coverage and identify gaps.
State immunization data can be examined by age, vaccine, county and, in some cases, race and ethnicity. The Department of Health says the Immunization Information System is its most complete source of medically verified immunization information for Washington residents.
The state’s recognition programs are intended in part to highlight health care providers working to close those gaps.
Later this month, the Department of Health is scheduled to announce recipients of the 2026 Immunize WA Awards, which recognize clinics reaching established vaccination coverage goals for children and adolescents.
Clinics can earn recognition by achieving immunization coverage rates of at least 70% among child and adolescent patient populations. The program also recognizes clinics reaching at least 25% coverage for initiation of the HPV vaccine among 9- and 10-year-olds.
The 2026 awards mark the 12th year of the Immunize WA program, according to the Department of Health. This year’s recipients are scheduled to be announced Aug. 25.
For Caucci, the statewide recognition centers on work taking place at the clinic and organizational level — using data to identify disparities, coordinating staff across disciplines and keeping routine childhood vaccination a priority.
According to the award recognition, those efforts have strengthened coordination within Neighborcare while increasing childhood immunization completion rates among the patients it serves.
