ST. LOUIS (February 25, 2025) – Jon Patterson, MD, Missouri State Representative and Speaker of the House, and Leanne White, EdS are committed to bettering communities and improving the lives of children and their families in the region and state. In honor of their impactful work, they have each been awarded the St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s 2024 Advocacy Award.
Rep. Patterson represents Missouri House District 30, which includes parts of Lee’s Summit. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2018. Rep. Patterson currently serves as Missouri Speaker of the House.
Perhaps most importantly, Rep. Patterson is a champion for using his background as a physician to highlight and elevate meaningful, complex health care issues, especially when it comes to children. His efforts have benefited St. Louis Children’s Hospital and its patients, families, and team members in many ways.
White is the Director of Healthy School Initiatives, Health Education and Physical Education in the St. Louis Public School (SLPS) district. For decades, White has been prioritizing the health of the students and staff at St. Louis Public Schools. She has led the Academics in Movement (AIM) Healthy School Initiative focused on creating comprehensive, equitable programs, projects, and processes focused on creating healthier school environments, integrating physical activity into the academic setting, and connecting students to nature.
White began the work of AIM in SLPS in 2008 and, as she built the program, she helped five schools reach the status of healthiest schools in the nation by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. In 2024, White helped lead 30 total SLPS schools in receiving the America’s Healthiest School recognition with five of these schools being awarded the All-Star status. These wellness efforts create healthier environments for students, teachers, and school staff.
“We are thrilled to recognize Rep. Patterson and Leanne for their outstanding contributions to child advocacy and dedication to prioritizing the health of the children in our region,” said Trish Lollo, president of St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “This award is a testament to their tireless efforts and the impact they have made by improving access to education and health care in our communities.”
Established in 1994 by St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Advocacy Awards recognize local and state leaders who leverage their positions, resources, and influence to do what’s right for kids. Previous recipients include Art McCoy, MD; Missouri State Senator Brian Williams; Reverend Starsky Wilson, MD; Missouri U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt; Kelvin Adams, MD; and Michael McMillan.
About St. Louis Children’s Hospital
St. Louis Children’s Hospital is part of BJC HealthCare, which serves the East Region of BJC Health System, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, and has provided extraordinary care for children in all 50 states and 80 countries around the world for more than 140 years. With its academic partner, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Children’s is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and earns national distinction for comprehensive services that include heart, cancer, neurology, and orthopedics. Designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet Recognition Program, St. Louis Children’s is one of only 76 hospitals worldwide to achieve a fourth consecutive four-year Magnet Recognition® for nursing excellence and is the only pediatric hospital in Missouri and Illinois nationally recognized by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, which is the highest classification of trauma care. To learn more, visit StLouisChildrens.org, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About BJC HealthCare
BJC HealthCare serves the East Region of BJC Health System, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States. Through its 14 hospitals and multiple health service organizations, BJC HealthCare facilities deliver extraordinary care to urban, suburban, and rural communities in greater St. Louis, southern Illinois, and southeast Missouri, as well as to people from across the country and around the world at its academic hospitals Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s Hospitals. BJC’s nationally recognized academic hospitals are affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine. Services provided include inpatient and outpatient care, primary care, community health and wellness, workplace health, home health, community mental health, rehabilitation, long-term care and hospice.
To learn more, visit BJC.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
As one of the largest employers in Missouri, BJC Health System is comprised of 24 hospitals and hundreds of clinics and service organizations and operates in two distinct regions, serving patients in its West Region through Saint Luke’s Health System.
