Joycelyn Yanis, Ph.D., Chief Quality Officer at Albany Area Primary Health Care (AAPHC), was presented with the Georgia Primary Care Association's (GPCA) 2026 Elsie Peavy Brown Community Service Award during the 2026 P.E.A.C.H. Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, September 22, at the Jekyll Island Convention Center.

The Elsie Peavy Brown Community Service Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to community service and has gone above and beyond to improve the lives of others. The award honors the spirit of service exemplified by Elsie Peavy Brown and recognizes individuals whose dedication, compassion, and involvement have made a lasting difference in their communities.

"It's an honor to receive this award and to be recognized by my colleagues," said Joycelyn Yanis, Ph.D. "Community Connections, Compassionate Care, and Continuous Improvement are the cornerstones of all the work we do at AAPHC. I've been fortunate to work alongside AAPHC colleagues and community partners who share the same passion for providing access to quality health care and health education resources. Together, we are building stronger, healthier communities."

For more than 21 years, Dr. Yanis has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving health care access, quality, safety, and outcomes for the communities served by AAPHC. As Chief Quality Officer, she has been instrumental in building a culture of continuous improvement across AAPHC's multi-site health center system. Her leadership has strengthened patient care, accreditation and quality improvement efforts, emergency preparedness, patient safety, infection prevention, risk management, and organizational readiness.

Her impact extends beyond the health center walls through her support of community outreach, preventive care, health education, and programs designed to improve awareness of and access to services throughout Southwest Georgia.

As a servant leader, Dr. Yanis brings people together around a shared mission of improving health outcomes and inspires others to pursue excellence in serving patients and their communities. Her dedication, leadership, and commitment have made a lasting impact on AAPHC and the communities it serves.