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Santa Barbara pediatrician Dr. Daniel Brennan, MD, FAAP, has been named California’s 2026
Immunization Champion by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to promote and foster
immunization in their communities. AIM’s 2026 Immunization Champion announcement
recognizes immunization leaders from across the United States and U.S. territories.
Brennan, a pediatrician at Sutter Health, was recognized for longstanding work to improve
childhood vaccination rates and strengthen vaccine confidence in Santa Barbara County and
throughout the Central Coast.
In 2014, Brennan founded Strive for 95, a community immunization initiative bringing together
healthcare organizations, public health officials, educators and community partners in response
to declining childhood vaccination rates in Santa Barbara County.
The coalition united Sansum Clinic, Cottage Health, Santa Barbara County Public Health and
the Santa Barbara County Office of Education, along with other community partners, to promote
the importance of vaccination and community immunity.
The initiative helped increase Santa Barbara County kindergarten vaccination rates from 92.1%
to 96.5%. Brennan spearheaded a broad public-education campaign that included community
town halls, school engagement, print and digital media, television and radio advertising, and the
development of StriveFor95.org to provide vaccine education and local resources for families.
He also created “Strive for 95” vaccination stickers modeled after “I Voted” campaigns to
encourage parent-to-parent advocacy and make immunization advocacy a visible part of the
community.
Brennan’s work has also extended into healthcare quality improvement. Within Sutter Health, he
leads pediatric immunization quality-improvement efforts involving multidisciplinary teams.
Through workflow redesign, population-health outreach, metric transparency and physician
engagement, his team improved childhood immunization rates by 28.9% and adolescent
immunization rates by 53.4% in less than one year.
Today, Brennan serves as Children’s Health Service Line Medical Director for Sutter Health’s
Greater Central Coast Division. He is also an advisory committee member of the California
Immunization Coalition, continuing his involvement in statewide immunization advocacy and
public-health efforts.
“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition, but I see it as a reflection of the work of an
entire community,” said Brennan. “Improving vaccination rates takes physicians, nurses,
public-health professionals, schools, community organizations and, most importantly, parents
working together. The goal is simple: keep vaccine rates above 95% to protect children and
families from diseases that we have the ability to prevent.”
Brennan said the recognition also highlights the importance of making vaccine conversations
accessible and trusted.
“Numbers matter, but vaccine confidence matters just as much. Families need reliable
information, trusted healthcare professionals and a community that supports them in protecting
their children,” Brennan said.
AIM specifically cited Brennan’s work as having a measurable and lasting impact on
immunization rates, vaccine confidence and community health at both the local and regional
levels.
ABOUT DANIEL BRENNAN, MD, FAAP, CLC
Daniel Brennan, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician with Sutter Health in Santa Barbara. He serves as
Children’s Health Service Line Medical Director for Sutter Health’s Greater Central Coast
Division and is an advisory committee member of the California Immunization Coalition. He
founded the Strive for 95 Community Immunization Initiative and has spent more than a decade
working to improve childhood vaccination rates, strengthen vaccine confidence and promote
community health through clinical care, quality improvement, community education and public
advocacy.
