NJBIZ reveals Healthcare Heroes finalists for 2017

The NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards program honors individuals and organizations that are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in New Jersey. See the list of finalists in each category by clicking the link.

The winner in each category will be announced during an awards breakfast and ceremony June 20 at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset.

For more information and to register for the event, click here.

Below are the finalists of the NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes awards:

Education Hero: Individual

Olubunmi Afonja, Bayer

Jody Beach, Inspira Health Network

Andre Goy, Hackensack Meridian Health

Chris Kirk, Atlantic Health System

Michele Samarya-Timm, Somerset County Department Of Health

Samantha Singh, Saint Barnabas Medical Center-RWJ Barnabas Health

Education Hero: Organization

Alzheimer’s New Jersey
Kenneth Zaentz

Healthier Somerset
Serena Collado

Holy Name Medical Center’s Healthcare Careers Discovery Program
Michael Maron

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Darrell Terry

The Center for Korean Health and Wellness-Englewood Hospital and Medical Center
Warren Geller

Innovation Hero: Individual

Thomas Bartiromo, New Jersey Innovation Institute

Thomas M. Birch, Holy Name Medical Center

Mary Ann Boccolini, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

John Halperin, Atlantic Health System

Prakash Rao, NJ Sharing Network

Melissa Smith, Children’s Specialized Hospital

Innovation Hero: Organization

Bayer
Carsten Brunn

Capital Health
Al Maghazehe

Inspira Health Network
John DiAngelo

Labor First LLC 
John Dulczak

Princeton House Behavioral Health 
Richard Wohl

St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center 
Kevin Slavin 

Affinity Federal Credit Union 
John Fenton

Nurse of the Year

Ludovina Archeval, Holy Redeemer Home Care

Cate Collyer-See, Atlantic Health System

Joanne Porter, AtlantiCare HealthCare

Jennifer Sheets, Bayada Home Health Care

Desiree Sokoli, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Ann Welenofsky, Summit Medical Group/Summit Medical Group MD Anderson Cancer Center

Physician of the Year

Christopher Bolich, Holy Redeemer Visiting Nurses and Hospice of Atlantic & Mercer Counties

John Chovanes, Cooper University Health Care

Jan Huston, Hackensack Meridian Health

Rashmi Kaura, Atlantic Medical Group, Atlantic Health System

Mario Leitao Jr., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Basking Ridge

Shyan Sun, Saint Barnabas Medical Center

Public Health Hero

Kyung Hee Choi, Holy Name Medical Center

Alana Cueto, Eastern International College, Jersey College

George Kimmerle, Kimmerle Group

Barbara Mintz, RWJBarnabas Health

Ashok Patel, Indian Health Camp of New Jersey

James Proodian, Natural Healthcare Center

Gwendolyn Rippey, Atlantic Health

Volunteer of the Year

Gail Fiske, Inspira Health Network

Beatriz Garcia, Hackensack Meridian Health

Suraj Kaufman, Sneaker Room

Bob Orozovich, Holy Name Medical Center

Chadwin Sandifer, Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Roslyn Schwartzberg, Trinitas Regional Medical Center

Hospital of the Year

Morristown Medical Center
Trish O’Keefe

Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Stephen P. Zieniewicz

Southern Ocean Medical Center
John Lloyd