2021’s NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes

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Just like our favorite fictional protagonists, heroes are all around us–sometimes you just need a little help seeing them for the champions they are.

In August, NJBIZ will shine a light on the heroes around us when we celebrate the 2021 Healthcare Heroes Awards. Based off of your submissions, and chosen by a panel of independent judges, the program recognizes individuals and organizations across 12 categories for their significant impacts on the health care industry and landscape in New Jersey.

You can find more information on the program, and register for the virtual celebration, by visiting our Healthcare Heroes page.

Congratulations to the 2021 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes:

Education – Individual

Dr. Ronald Nahass, hospital epidemiologist, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital; clinical professor of medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; president, ID Care

Lori Podlinski, director of simulation education
Holy Name Medical Center

Sheila Robinson-Kiss, mental health educator
Rebalancing America and Beyond

Dr. Carmela Rocchetti, human dimension director
Hackensack Meridian Health School of Medicine

Dr. Eva Skuka, associate provost and dean
Berkeley College, School of Health Studies

Education – Organization

Atlantic Health System

NJ Sharing Network

Health Care Professional

Thomas Amitrano, chief nursing officer
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

Kevin Joyce, vice president, Insurance Networks
Atlantic Health System

Steven Libutti, director and senior vice president
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and RWJBarnabas Health

Kevin Slavin, president and chief executive officer
St. Joseph’s Health

Linda Valenti, AVP of professional development
Cooper University Health Care

Innovation Hero – Individual

Dr. Debra-Lynn Day-Salvatore, chair, Dept. Genetic/Genomic Medicine
Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Jennifer Dwyer, assistant manager of remote patient monitoring
Atlantic Visiting Nurse

Dr. Neil Jain, founder
New Jersey Medical Student Coalition (NJMSC)

Leonard Lucanie, pharmacy manager, Outpatient Services
Holy Name Medical Center

Dr. David Perlin, chief scientific officer and SVP, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation; professor of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Innovation Hero – Organization

Eversight

New Jersey Medical Student Coalition (NJMSC)

Saint Barnabas Medical Center

Signia

St. Joseph’s Health Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU)

Long Term Care Facilities

Bridgeway Senior Healthcare

Broadway House for Continuing Care

Juniper Communities

Regency Heritage Post Acute Care and Rehab Center

Nurse of the Year

Lois Beatty, director of quality & regulatory affairs
Broadway House for Continuing Care

Megan Chan, registered nurse
Saint Peter’s Healthcare System

Mercy Mallari, MSN, RN
Hackensack Meridian Health – JFK University Medical Center

Mary McTigue, VP – Pt Care Svs/chief nursing officer
Trinitas Regional Medical Center

Laura Reilly, director of critical care services
Chilton Medical Center, Atlantic Health System

Physician of the Year

Dr. Thomas M. Birch, director/Institute for Clinical Research
Holy Name Medical Center

Dr. Margarita Camacho, surgical director, Cardiac Transplant
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Dr. Mohamad Cherry, medical director, Hematology, Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System

Dr. Christina Johnson, clinical faculty, physician
Atlantic Health System, Atlantic Medical Group

Dr. Marc Whitman, chief, Section of Infectious Disease
Capital Health

Public Health Hero – Individual

Sherrie Bragg, director of nursing, Ambulatory
Atlanticare

Timothy Lise, executive director, Pharmacy Services
Atlantic Health System

Judith Schmidt, chief executive officer
New Jersey State Nurses Association

Dr. Priya Shah, dental care and education chair
New Jersey Medical Student Coalition (NJMSC)

Roslyn Young-Daniels, president and founder
Black Health Matters

Public Health Hero – Organization

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

NJ Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Paterson Healing Collective

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset

Rutgers Community Health Center, Rutgers School of Nursing

Volunteer of the Year

Angela Cuozzo-Zarro
Clara Maass Medical Center

Gary Frahm, volunteer in charge, JTCC
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center

Krista Klie, chairwoman
Young Professionals at Bergen New Bridge Medical Center Foundation

Workplace Wellness Hero

Cooper University Health Care

RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery

Saint Peter’s Healthcare System