minnesota department of health

Minnesota champions for the health of mothers and children honored

The annual Betty Hubbard Maternal and Child Health Leadership Award honorees for 2025 are Teresa Freitag (Mankato), Mary Zaffke (Spring Grove) and Dr. Adele Della Torre (Minneapolis). This award recognizes people or organizations in Minnesota making significant contributions to supporting good health for mothers and children.

“This year’s honorees remind us of what public health looks like at its best—people who lead with compassion, break down barriers for families and build systems that truly meet community needs. Through their vision and persistence, they have changed lives and strengthened the future of children and families across Minnesota,” said Minnesota Department of Health Assistant Commissioner Dr. Robsan Halkeno Tura. “Their work has connected residents with necessary services, improved access to vital health care and advocated for the needs of Minnesota families.”  

Each year, the Betty Hubbard MCH Leadership Award is given for community and statewide achievements.  

Statewide award

*Dr. Della Torre* received the statewide award for her transformative work in children’s oral health, prevention and access to dental care for everyone as well as her advocacy for alternative licensures and billing.

Dr. Torre, DDS, founded Ready, Set, Smile, an organization established to transform the dental care delivery model for underserved children with a mission rooted in social justice.

Dr. Torre’s vision and advocacy have reshaped how school-based dental care operates across Minnesota. Her work aims to expand access and remove systemic barriers for low-income families. Her leadership has not only improved oral health outcomes for thousands of children but also set a statewide standard for equitable, collaborative and sustainable dental care that will continue to influence the field for years to come.

She earned her dental hygiene associate degree from Bergen Community College in New Jersey and a doctoral of dental surgery from Columbia University-College of Dental Medicine in New York City. Dr. Della Torre founded and operated a successful small group dental practice, ADT Dental, until 2022. Her impactful social justice advocacy, particularly through the Ready, Set, Smile program, has been recognized with multiple honors including the prestigious national 2019-20 AARP Purpose Prize Award.

Community awards

*Teresa Freitag *received the community award for her work serving children and parents in the Mankato region.  

Freitag has been actively working with clients for the past 22 years with Blue Earth County Human Services, starting her tenure in the adult mental health unit. In the fall of 2012, she joined public health as the coordinator of the First Steps program—a community initiative from United Way that links parents to free or low-cost services and resource. She was directly responsible for the program’s development, implementation and evaluation, which grew it from a pilot program into a successful regional-based initiative.  

She has focused her passion on empowering women and families through education and support to build skills, confidence and self-sufficiency, while also breaking down systems barriers and advocating for equity and dignity in integrated and wrap around services. Her work has been instrumental in stabilizing families across the region and impacting children as early as possible, to build a foundation for developmental success.  

In 2024 alone, she supported a caseload of more than 160 clients, ensuring expecting parents received timely guidance and access to essential resources. Under her coordination, First Steps has partnered with 20 counties and 50 community organizations, creating a strong, collaborative network that helps families navigate the services they need.

Teresa graduated from Mankato State University with a bachelor’s degree.  

*Mary Zaffke *received the community award for her advocacy for children and families in Houston County.  

Mary Zaffke’s public health career started as a maternal health nurse in Wright County more than 35 years ago. Seeing new babies and their moms, as well as helping with immunization clinics and some skilled nursing visits for the aging population gave Mary a broad view of public health. She served as a roster nurse for Pennington and Red Lake County and later transitioned to Houston County Public Health in 1987 as a roster home care nurse, before transitioning to the WIC coordinator. Zaffke’s leadership was also instrumental in launching and sustaining evidence-based home visiting in Houston County ensuring families continued to receive consistent, high-quality support.

In a small rural county where resources are limited, Zaffke has continually stepped into multiple roles. Her deep dedication and commitment to family health, paired with her skilled reflective practice, has allowed her to identify a family’s strengths and provide support where it is needed.

Zaffke’s passion for collaboration with other partners, such as Houston County Human Services staff, Birth to Three staff, local school nurses and staff, Minnesota Department of Health, University of Minnesota Extension Services, Gundersen Clinic and Mayo Health, and local libraries has increased the quality and accessibility of family support services in Houston County.

More information

More information about the award winners can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health website: Betty Hubbard Award [ [link removed] ]. The awards have been presented annually since 1990. They are sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Committee in honor of Betty Hubbard, one of the original members of the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Committee and a lifelong advocate for the health of mothers and children. Nominations for the Betty Hubbard Awards are solicited each year by the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Committee.

*-MDH-*

*Media inquiries:*
*Scott Smith*
*MDH Communications*
*651-503-1440*
*[email protected]* <[email protected]>

Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]

You can update or cancel your subscription at any time by editing your personal profile [ [link removed] ]. You will need your email address and your password (if you have selected one).

P.S. If you have any questions or problems please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ] for assistance. 

STAY CONNECTED: X logo [ [link removed] ]   MDH on X [ [link removed] ]   icon-facebook [ [link removed] ]   MDH on Facebook [ [link removed] ]   icon-linkedin [ [link removed] ]   MDH on LinkedIn [ [link removed] ]   icon-instagram [ [link removed] ] MDH on Instagram [ [link removed] ]  
________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota Department of Health · 625 Robert Street North · St. Paul MN 55155 · 651-201-5000 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]