“A servant leader is one who has a servant’s heart and mind, a servant’s values and attitudes, but a leader’s skill, a leader’s vision and ingenuity, and a leader’s creativity. A leader in its simplest definition has two primary ingredients. He is (1) influencing people (2) in a certain direction. That direction may be positive or negative.”
-Tim Hansel
About the Award
Servant Leaders Awards are given to recognize special people who have given of themselves sacrificially in the service of Life, as both servants of others and leaders in their own right.
The first awards were given to individuals and couples who were some of the “giants” in the first 25 years of Heartbeat’s history, when we were called AAI.
Since we began awarding this honor in 1996, this list has grown to over 110 life-affirming individuals and couples, foot soldiers just like you, who have lovingly answered the call to hold each life precious.
Listed below are our Servant Leaders organized in descending order by year.
| Year Awarded | First Name(s) | Last Name | Year Awarded | First Name(s) | Last Name | |
| 2026 | Dr. Laura | Lewis | 2011 | Cindi | Boston | |
| 2026 | Christopher | Bell | 2011 | Elaine | Ham | |
| 2026 | Aimee | Huber | 2011 | Lola | French | |
| 2026 | Kirk | Thomas | 2011 | Patricia | Lindley | |
| 2025 | Gloria | Leyda | 2010 | Charles & Barbara | Thomas | |
| 2025 | Herbie | Newell | 2010 | Jorge | Serrano | |
| 2025 | Svetlana | Jovanova | 2010 | Marianne | Casagranda | |
| 2025 | Tammy | Kocher | 2010 | Sandy | Epperson | |
| 2024 | Dr. Cathy | Stark | 2009 | Dr. Levon | Yuille | |
| 2024 | Dr. Dermot | Kearney | 2009 | Janet | Trenda | |
| 2024 | Jim | Sprague | 2009 | John | Tabor | |
| 2024 | Vikki | Parker | 2009 | Pauline & George | Economon | |
| 2023 | Allan | Parker | 2008 | Dr. Alveda | King | |
| 2023 | Betty | McDowell | 2008 | Edward & Barbra | Mwansa | |
| 2023 | Raul & Chris | Reyes | 2008 | Julie | Parton, PhD | |
| 2023 | Sandy | Shoshani | 2008 | Pat | Layton | |
| 2022 | Jeanneane | Maxon | 2007 | Anne | Foster | |
| 2022 | Melissa | Heiland | 2007 | Dinah | Monahan | |
| 2022 | Pam | Stetzel | 2007 | Sam and Gloria | Lee | |
| 2022 | Sylvia | Johnson/Matthews | 2006 | Beth | Diemert | |
| 2021 | Brenda | Newport | 2006 | Linda | Augspurger | |
| 2021 | Mary | Peterson | 2006 | Russ | Amerling | |
| 2021 | Michael | Spencer | 2005 | Father Frank | Pavone | |
| 2021 | Robert | Foust | 2005 | Kelle | Berry | |
| 2020 | Amy | Scheuring | 2005 | Susan | Brown | |
| 2020 | Judy | Vasquez | 2005 | Vicky | Botsford | |
| 2020 | Kim | Triller | 2004 | Gail | Schreiner | |
| 2020 | Robyn | Chambers | 2004 | Kurt | Entsminger, JD | |
| 2019 | Giuseppe | Grande | 2004 | Vivian | Koob | |
| 2019 | Mark | McDougal | 2003 | Dr. Eric | Keroack, MD | |
| 2019 | Martha | Avila | 2003 | Dr. John C. | Willke, MD | |
| 2019 | Timothy | Jaccard | 2003 | Mary | Suarez-Hamm | |
| 2018 | George | Delgado | 2003 | Rev. David | Bentley | |
| 2018 | Ken & Cathy | Clark | 2002 | Dr. Elaine | Eng | |
| 2018 | Kerry | Jepson | 2002 | Mike | Hartshorn, JD | |
| 2018 | Sharon | Pearce | 2002 | Olusegun | Famure | |
| 2017 | John | McCastle | 2002 | Tom | Glessner, JD | |
| 2017 | Rebekah | Ali-Gouveia | 2001 | Bethany | Woodcock | |
| 2017 | Susan | Barrett | 2001 | Kurt | Dillinger | |
| 2017 | Tom | Lothamer | 2001 | Rev. Johnny and Pat | Hunter | |
| 2016 | Andy | Merritt | 2001 | Sheila | Boyle | |
| 2016 | Joy | Pinto | 2000 | Curt | Young | |
| 2016 | Lena | Batina | 2000 | Jim | Manning | |
| 2016 | Phil | Holsinger | 2000 | Juergen | Severloh | |
| 2015 | Carlo | Casini | 2000 | Julie | Wilson | |
| 2015 | Chuck | Donovan | 1999 | Imre | Teglasy | |
| 2015 | Debbie | Nieport | 1999 | Molly | Kelly | |
| 2015 | Sol | Pitchon | 1999 | Pat | Lassen | |
| 2014 | Bobbie | Meyer | 1998 | Dr. Pam | Smith | |
| 2014 | Kim | Warburton | 1998 | Rev. John | Ensor | |
| 2014 | Kirk | Walden | 1997 | Carol | Aronis | |
| 2014 | Paula | Grimsley | 1997 | Margaret | Lee | |
| 2013 | Amy | Jones | 1996 | Alice and Dr. Frank | Brown | |
| 2013 | Ann | Carruth | 1996 | Anne and Jimmy | Pierson | |
| 2013 | Becky | Hyde | 1996 | Annette | Krycinski | |
| 2013 | Beverly | Kline | 1996 | Dr. John | Hillabrand, MD | |
| 2012 | George & Louise | Eusterman | 1996 | Esther | Applegate | |
| 2012 | Jeannette | Kuiphof | 1996 | Lore | Maier | |
| 2012 | Lily | Perez | 1996 | Sister Paula | Vandegaer | |
| 2012 | Pat | Sween | 1996 | Ursula and Ed | Slaggert |
