Unsung Heroes' Award

2025 C. Everett Koop Unsung Heroes Award Recipient: Matt Pierce

Matt Pierce is a Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, where he leads the Foundation’s commercial tobacco control portfolio. Under his leadership, the Foundation has been advancing inclusion in the commercial tobacco control movement and working to advance policy change to reduce tobacco-related health disparities nationwide.

Matt has been instrumental in shaping and funding high-impact strategies to strengthen commercial tobacco control policies at the local, state, and national levels and in Indian Country. He played a key role in the creation of Building Capacity to Reduce Tobacco Inequities in the South and Midwest, a groundbreaking initiative now led by the Center for Black Health and Equity supporting community-driven policy change. His strategic approach has prioritized increasing funding for local organizations, ensuring they have the resources and autonomy to create solutions that work for their communities. Matt is also working with a number of organizations to support efforts to reclaim sacred tobacco among American Indian communities. 

From supporting advocacy on smokefree housing and tribal health to backing research on disparities tied to menthol and flavored tobacco products, Matt has guided investments that reflect a deep commitment to equity-centered strategies. Through his strategic vision, Matt has significantly advanced policymaking in commercial tobacco control. His work has helped drive meaningful regulatory progress while ensuring that public health laws and policies reflect the needs of historically underserved populations.

The American Lung Association is proud to recognize Matt Pierce as the 2025 C. Everett Koop Unsung Hero award recipient.

Nominations for the 2026 C. Everett Koop Unsung Heroes Award will open in the late winter/ early spring 2026. Please check back then for more information.