Val Lyon, MHA (The Lookout Mountain Group)

2025 RECIPIENT

Edward Hitchcock Award for Outstanding Contributions in College Health

The Lookout Mountain Group (LMG) was formed in 2009 as a non-partisan group in response to pending health care reform. Its initial purpose was to create a comprehensive position paper about health care reform and the college student population. This position paper, released in June of 2009, provided a foundational document used by ACHA and other higher education groups for advocacy efforts during the drafting of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Following the passage of the ACA, LMG continued to evolve and serve the student health community, tackling complex problems in college student health care funding and service delivery. The work of LMG has directly benefited ACHA in much of its advocacy work for the past 15 years.

Val Lyon has over 30 years of experience in health care administration. Val is nationally recognized for her efforts to promote and advocate the high-quality student health plans and policy initiatives that improve access to care for college health students. She is a founding member and co-organizer of the Lookout Mountain Group. She has served on the leadership team for ACHA’s Student Health Insurance/Benefits Coalition and was chair during the implementation of the ACA.