Red Lake school nurse named Minnesota Immunization Champion 

Red Lake school nurse Charmaine Branchaud has been named a 2023 Immunization Champion by the Association of Immunization Managers and the Minnesota Department of Health. 

Branchaud was named an Immunization Champion for her extensive career promoting immunization and her recent efforts that saw the overall immunization rate rise from 84% to 94% in Kindergarten through 2nd grade in the Red Lake School District. She did this by reviewing hundreds of student immunization records, and collaborating with partners to organize a school-based immunization clinic event. Branchaud has been a registered nurse for 46 years and has been the Red Lake School Nurse since 2021.

The Immunization Champion awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of people who go above and beyond to ensure immunization access in their communities. Champions are selected from a pool of nominees with representation in all 50 states and 8 US Territories.