Faculty Member Jill Moore Receives Prestigious Ron Levine Legacy Award

Jill D. Moore, a professor at the UNC School of Government, has been honored with the Ronald H. Levine Legacy Award by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), one of the state’s most distinguished recognitions in the field of public health. The award acknowledges individuals who have made sustained, significant contributions to public health systems, services, and partnerships.

Moore received the award at the annual Public Health Leaders’ Conference on March 12.

Moore, whose work sits at the intersection of law and public health, has spent her career equipping local health departments, state agencies, and practitioners with the legal knowledge they need to protect the public’s health. From communicable disease law and vaccine policy to privacy, adolescent health care, and emergency preparedness, her expertise has shaped how North Carolina responds to some of its most complex health challenges.

“She is a ‘go-to’ person for North Carolina public officials to help them understand the interplay between legal concerns, such as privacy, and public health concerns, such as communicable disease,” said UNC-Chapel Hill faculty colleagues Mimi Chapman and Beth Moracco in a recent nomination letter for a campus award. “To say her career has made a difference is insufficient.”

The Levine Legacy Award, named for former State Health Director Ron Levine, recognizes individuals active in the practice of public health for a minimum of ten years who have made enduring contributions to the state’s public health system. Moore’s career far exceeds that threshold. Her work translating legal scholarship into accessible decision tools, webinars, blogs, toolkits, books, and training courses has made her a valuable resource for public officials navigating legal and public health concerns across the state. She has been running the annual North Carolina Local Health Directors’ Legal Conference since 2000—a total of 26 years.

Her reach extends well beyond the classroom. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moore helped represent the questions, concerns, and advice of public health professionals across North Carolina, producing timely and practical guidance through her blogs, and providing insights on isolation, quarantine, and legal authorities for disease control. Moore also served on the Campus Community Advisory Committee at UNC Chapel Hill during the pandemic, bringing her expertise in infectious disease and vaccine policy to collaborative decision-making involving the University and the broader Chapel Hill community.

The Ron Levine Legacy Award adds to an already impressive list of Moore’s honors, including the GlaxoSmithKline Child Health Lifetime Achievement Recognition Award, the Margaret Taylor Writing Award for North Carolina Communicable Disease Law, and the Public Health Partners Award from the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors.

“Jill has always been a role model for me in the field of public health law," said School of Government Dean Aimee Wall. "Her commitment to the state, public service, and the public health community are an inspiration to faculty, students, and public health professionals across the state. This award further underscores the outsized impact of her teaching, applied scholarship, and direct engagement with public officials and communities.”

April 24, 2026