By Erin Jester
Keith Benson, Ph.D., a clinical professor and Master of Health Administration program director in the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, is the 2026 recipient of the Gary L. Filerman Prize for Educational Leadership, awarded by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration at its annual meeting in June.
The award is named for Gary Filerman, Ph.D., AUPHA’s first president and CEO. It is one of the highest distinctions for healthcare management academic leadership in the country.
The Filerman Prize recognizes individuals from AUPHA member programs who have made outstanding contributions to the field of healthcare management education, exhibited leadership in the field and enriched their institutions, their students and health administration education through their work.
Benson began his career in the U.S. Air Force as a military public health technician. He earned an M.H.A. and a Ph.D. in health policy and administration from Pennsylvania State University, and later a Master of Business Administration from Winthrop University, where he taught healthcare management and administration for 20 years. He joined the faculty of PHHP’s Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy and became director of the M.H.A. program in 2019. Benson served on AUPHA Board from 2011 to 2018, and was Board Chair for the 2017-18 year. Benson currently serves as a board member for the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
“I am humbled and honored to receive the Filerman Prize from AUPHA,” Benson said. “Dr. Filerman positively changed the field of health administration education, and being associated with previous Filerman Prize Award winners is a tremendous honor I will cherish.”
AUPHA also honored Geoffrey Silvera, Ph.D. (M.H.A. ’10), an associate professor of health services administration and program director of graduate programs in healthcare quality and safety at the University of Alabama – Birmingham’s School of Health Professions.
Silvera is the 2026 recipient of the John D. Thompson Prize, recognizing junior and mid-career faculty for their contributions to the field of healthcare management education.
Silvera has dedicated his career to strengthening the connection between health systems and the communities they serve. He is known for approaching health system challenges with human-centered leadership development. Silvera is an associate editor for the Patient Experience Journal and has served on the editorial board of the journals Quality Management in Health Care and Health Care Management Review. He also leads the UAB Health Equity Leadership Academy, which supports undergraduate students from challenging backgrounds in pursuing graduate education and leadership careers in healthcare.
“I’m grateful for my time at UF, which helped me to understand that health administration extends far beyond organizational performance,” Silvera said. “It is about leading the systems, cultures and decisions that shape human experiences within healthcare organizations. That foundational lesson, that we are all humans in service to one another, has influenced every step of my journey since.”