LINCOLNSHIRE, IL, September 04, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Audrey Kramen Gordon with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Gordon celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Now retired after more than 40 years of excellence in her field, Dr. Gordon enjoyed a wonderful career teaching at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She joined the university in 1978 as a research specialist, expert in end of life care, death and dying education and counseling and gerontology. Additional commitments to the institution included her service as the director of continuing education, director of the college advancement in the school of public health and as a senior research specialist and director of human subjects research at the Institute for Health, Research and Policy. Additionally, Dr. Gordon directed the Illinois ombudsman study at the Center for Research, Health and Aging. Her research interests have included such topics as hospices, nursing homes, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease.
Prior to her teaching at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Gordon was a religious high school administrator at Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois, from 1960 to 1978. She established the largest after school religious high school in the nation at the time, and was responsible for assisting the Rabbi in writing original prayer services, as well as overseeing confirmation ceremonies and conducting trainings for conversion. Dr. Gordon also contributed for nearly a decade at both the Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, teaching ancient near eastern and biblical studies, and Beloit College in Wisconsin, where she taught biblical studies, death and dying courses and served as dean of the chapel. Throughout much of her career, she also notably served as a chaplain at the University of Chicago Hospitals and the University of Illinois Hospital between 1968 and 1974.
Outside of her full-time teaching commitments at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Gordon lectured at Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, in Illinois, and founded the Jewish Hospice in Chicago and served as a coordinator and counselor, and later founded and was President of Rainbow Hospice Organization. She also served as the executive director of the Southeast Lake County Faith in Action Volunteers, which she established in 2000 to serve seniors, disabled and chronically ill people in their homes. As an avid community advocate, Dr. Gordon has provided her expertise on the board of directors of the AIDS Pastoral Care Network, a nonprofit organization, between 1999 and 2001.
Dr. Gordon is the co-author of the 1979 book, "They Need to Know: How to Teach Children About Death." The book explores the problems and possible solutions inherent in counseling children on the subject of death, as well as advice to parents and teachers. Dr. Gordon also co-edited "Hospice and Cultural Diversity" in 1995. She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers on death and dying, hospice and public health issues.
Prior to embarking upon her professional journey, Dr. Gordon received a Bachelor of Science, with highest distinction. She also holds several other degrees, including a Master of Art in history and literature of the Bible, a postgraduate degree in history and literature from Northwestern University, a Master of Arts in psychology and religion and a Doctor of Philosophy in hospice services to minorities under Medicare from the University of Chicago. As a graduate student, Dr. Gordon drew great satisfaction from her work with Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist and pioneer in near-death studies. In addition to her degrees, she is certified in clinical pastoral education. She also trained as a family therapist and had a private practice from 1974-2000.
As a commitment to her field, Dr. Gordon has been a member of the American Public Health Association, where she was the recipient of the Betty Clerkley Award for Minority Research in 2004. She is also a former ethics committee member of the National Hospice Organization, the former president and vice president of the Illinois Hospice Organization and a member of the Illinois Public Health Association. Well regarded for her numerous contributions to the field, Dr. Gordon received a Merit Award from Northwestern University Alumni in 1993 and a Heart of Hospice Award from the National Council of Hospice Professionals in 1997. She was also recently bestowed with an Alumna of the Year Award from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 2020.
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