Not all heroes wear capes: The 2020 NJBIZ Health Care Heroes

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This year has presented unique challenges to us all, but in the midst of a public health pandemic it’s hard not to focus on those working on the “front lines” of that fight, bringing an added sense of gravitas and appreciation to the 2020 NJBIZ Health Care 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.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances faced this year by workers in the health care industry, during its Oct. 15 virtual celebration NJBIZ announced all of this year’s finalists as winners for the 2020 Health Care Heroes Awards.

The morning ceremony also included the presentation of the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award.

Even though she is the “woman who needs no introduction,” Gov. Phil Murphy joined the virtual event to offer one for this year’s honoree: New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judith Persichilli.

Want more Health Care Heroes? Stayed tuned to NJBIZ.com for video from this year’s event and visit our Events Page for more information about all our upcoming events and awards ceremonies.

Congratulations to this year’s heroes:

Education Hero – Individual

Mary Koch
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

Christian Ragland
AtlantiCare

Chadwin Sandifer
Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Cliff Sales
Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center

Dr. William Bernstein
Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Health Care Professional

Peter Bolo
Atlantic Health System

Alyssa Siegel
New Jersey Transition to Adult Coordinated Care Program

Dr. Stephen Brunnquell
Englewood Health

Samantha Hernandez
Saint Barnabas Medical Center-RWJBarnabas Health

Harry Thibodeau
Pharma-Care Inc.

Mark Sparta
Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center

Dhruti Mehta
Meadow Lakes, a Springpoint Community

Innovation Hero – Individual

Dr. Cataldo Doria
Capital Health

Patrick Smith
Certara

Dr. Michele Donato
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center

Mike Wenger
TrialScope

Nurse of the Year

Jackie Baras
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital New Brunswick

Sharon Haskins
Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Michele Zucconi
Inspira Health

Sorcha Hicks
Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center

Michele Acito
Holy Name Medical Center

Marina Maristch
The Rescue Mission of Trenton

Kristin Ospina
Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center

Physician of the Year

Dr. Suraj Saggar
Holy Name Medical Center

Lewis Rubinson
Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center

John Bonamo
RWJBarnabas Health

Nitin Puri
Cooper University Health Care

Scott Lauter
Atlantic Medical Group

Dr. Daniel Varga
Hackensack Meridian Health

Dr. Amar Bukhari
Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Public Health Hero

Dr. Nicole McGrath-Barnes
KinderSmile Foundation

Kathryn Giron Bryant
Community Options Inc.

Clement Perry
RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery

Elizabeth Litten
Fox Rothschild LLP

Angelica Mercado
Holy Name Medical Center

Carol Vargas
Atlantic Health System

Dr. Chris Pernell
University Hospital

Volunteer of the Year

Jubril Oyeyemi
Cherry Hill Free Clinic

Gene Napoliello
Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation

Michael Andersen
A Volunteer of Denville Township

Education Hero – Organization

Atlantic Medical Group

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Innovation Hero – Organization

Atlantic Center for Research

Holy Name Medical Center

New Jersey Innovation Institute – Healthcare Division

Long Term Care Facility

Children’s Specialized Hospital Long Term Care

Jewish Home at Rockleigh

Meadow Lakes, a Springpoint Community

Medical Technology Pioneer

Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation

MAPay LLC

ThirdEye Gen

Workplace Wellness Hero

Hackensack Meridian Health

CentralReach

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Sept. 2, 2020, to list Harry Thibodeau’s company affiliation to Pharma-Care Inc. It was updated on Oct. 13, 2020, to correct the organization name Meadow Lakes to Meadow Lakes, a Springpoint Community. It was updated on Oct. 16, 2020, to include winner information from this year’s virtual event.