NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes 2024 | NJBIZ | 31 March 2024 | The Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873, US

The HealthCare Heroes awards program was created in an effort to recognize excellence, promote innovation and honor the efforts of individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of HealthCare in New Jersey. Morning Event.

Categories of Recognition:
• Health care Professionals
• Education
• Innovation
• Nursing
• Physicians
• Public Health
• Volunteer
• Workplace Wellness
• Physical Therapy
• Mental Health
• Ambulatory Care (outpatient care)

2023 Honorees

Lifetime Achievement Award
• Lori Herndon, past president and CEO, AtlantiCare

Education Hero – Individual
• Dr. Nawar Al-Obaidi, chief hospitalist, Hudson Regional Hospital
• Jill Cox, advanced practice nurse, Englewood Health
• Saikat Pal, assistant professor, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Annette Reboli, dean and professor of medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
• Chadwin Sandifer, executive associate dean, Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Robin Solbach, director of health and counseling, Georgian Court University

Education Hero – Organization
• Alumni In Recovery
• Cooper University Health Care
• William Paterson University

Health Care Professional – Individual
• Henry Anhalt, vice president; global head of medical, clinical and scientific affairs; and chief medical officer, embecta
• Joseph Galasso, CEO, Baker Street Behavioral Health and The COR Behavioral Group
• Risa Kory, administrator, CareOne Harmony Village Paramus
• Joseph Mejia, medical director, Performance Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine
• Corey Richey, CEO, Recovery Centers of America at Lighthouse
• Aakash Shah, chief of addiction medicine, Jersey Shore University Medical Center; medical director, Project HEAL (Help, Empower, and Lead); assistant professor, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine; attending physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Deborah Visconi, president and CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

Innovation Hero – Individual
• Tara Alvarez, distinguished professor, New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Dan Choi, vice president of cardiovascular clinical operations, Virtua Health
• Ryan Kaczka, chairman, ChoicePoint
• Partho Sengupta, Henry Rutgers professor and chief of Division of Cardiology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School – Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, RWJBarnabas Health
• Shahan Sibtain, chief psychiatrist – Ambulatory Psychiatry, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

Innovation Hero – Organization
• EmpiRx Health
• Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates
• Melinta Therapeutics

Nurse of the Year
• Dolly Allen, director of emergency services, Saint Peter’s University Hospital
• Kristin Bloom, assistant vice president Hospital at Home clinical operations, Virtua Health
• Sandra Foley, president, New Jersey State Nurses Association
• Robert Henderson, nurse navigator, Behavioral Health, Hackensack Meridian Raritan Bay Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Old Bridge Medical Center
• Meghan Keaveney, clinical nurse, Cardiac Progressive Care Unit, Atlantic Health System’s Chilton Medical Center
• Dawn Mattera, administrative director, Critical Care, Holy Name
• Stephanie Prendergast, associated clinical director, Emergency Department, Cooper University Hospital

Physician of the Year
• Dr. Jose Azar, executive vice president, chief quality officer, Hackensack Meridian Health
• Dr. Joseph Duffy, senior vice president – chief medical officer, St. Joseph’s Health
• Dr. Steven Jacoby, director, Adult Critical Care, The Valley Hospital
• Dr. Susan Kaye, chair, Department of Family Medicine, Overlook Medical Center; medical director, Division of Academic Affairs, Atlantic Health System
• Dr. Colin O’Reilly, vice president, chief medical officer, RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Specialized Hospital
• Dr. Mary Ann Picone, medical director, Alfiero and Lucia Palestroni Foundation Multiple Sclerosis Center at Holy Name

Public Health Hero
• Dr. Hillary Cohen, senior vice president of medical affairs, Englewood Health
• Natasha Coleman, vice president, Community Impact, American Cancer Society
• Dr. Robert Damico, co-chief medical officer and chief population health officer, Consensus Health
• Maria Franchio, vice president of rehabilitation services, Virtua Health
• Aimee Puluso, health officer, Linden Board of Health
• Alma Ratcliffe, vice president and chief clinical transformation officer, Saint Peter’s University Hospital
• Christopher Rinn, CEO, VNACJ Community Health Center
• Adeola Sonaike, chief operating officer, Baker Street Health
• Steve Weinman, trauma education and injury prevention coordinator, St. Joseph’s Health

Volunteer of the Year
• Kathleen Christie, Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center
• Anthony LaTorre, RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Specialized Hospital
• Janice Senackerib, Holy Name
• Dennis Wilson, Delta Dental of New Jersey Inc.

Long Term Care Facility
• Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
• Juniper Village at Paramus

Medical Technology Pioneer
• embecta
• GoMo Health
• New Jersey Innovation Institute, Healthcare Division

Workplace Wellness Hero
• AmeriHealth
• Immediate Care
• Preferred Behavioral Health Group