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The Phoenix Business Journal is proud to announce the selection of 27 finalists and a Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for its 24th Annual Health Care Heroes awards event.
These leaders were selected from the Valley’s medical community for their tireless commitment and selfless dedication as physicians, nurses, educators, administrators and volunteers. Health Care Heroes are selected and judged based on nominations from industry professionals and the business community.
The winners will be unveiled on Thursday, Aug. 24 during a morning awards presentation at Heard Museum in Phoenix. Click here to buy tickets. The event is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Pierre N. Tariot, M.D., director of Banner Alzheimer's Institute. He has been a pioneer in Alzheimer's research and care for more than 40 years.
According to his award nomination, Tariot has served as director of the Phoenix-based Banner Alzheimer's Institute since its inception in 2006. He is also the co-director of the international Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative, which launched a new era in Alzheimer's prevention research. He also leads Banner Dementia Care Partners, a program to demonstrate the clinical and cost effectiveness of standardized care for dementia in a large health system.
In addition, Tariot is a research professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine; has served as principal investigator on more than 50 clinical trials on Alzheimer's and related dementias; and has published more than 450 papers, including studies leading to FDA approval of new medications.
Here are the finalists in nine Health Care Heroes categories:
Community Outreach
- Britton Carter, Manager, Adelante Healthcare
- Timothy Freund, Director of Training, Griffith Blue Heart Nonprofit
- Jazmyn Rivers, Community Health Worker, Terros Health, Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Inc.
Health Care Education
- Beth Darling, D.O., Assertive Care Treatment Program Director, Valleywise Health
- Rob Gent, Ph.D., LPC, Chief Clinical Officer, Embark Behavioral Health
- Dave Schad, Emergency Manager, Terros Health
Health Care Volunteer
- Jody Boyd, Executive Director/ Founder, The Singletons
- Marie Hagen, RSVP Volunteer, Banner Health - Banner Baywood Medical Center and Banner Heart Hospital
- Diana Rogers, Medical Library Associate II, Mayo Clinic
Innovator
- Bhavik Patel, M.D. M.B.A., Radiologist, Mayo Clinic
- David Rizik, M.D., Cardiovascular Research Division Director, HonorHealth Research Institute
- Dr. Scott Sharples, M.D., Associate Chief Medical Information Officer, Banner Health
Mental Health Advocate
- Jose Luis Madera, Manager Integrated Behavioral Health, Valleywise Health
- Erik Osland, Co-CEO and Chief Development Officer, evolvedMD
- Brandie Reiner, Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers
Non-Physician
- Karen DiFrancesco, Director of Recovery Services, Terros Health
- Danika Hines, Physical Therapist, Valleywise Health
- Bob Roth, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Cypress HomeCare Solutions
Nursing
- Jennifer Jensen, Registered Nurse, Mayo Clinic
- Erica Reyes, Director, Foundation for Senior Living
- Candice Vaughan Griffin, Executive Director, Clinical Education and Professional Development, Banner Health
- Jamie Zalkus, Community Health Nurse Supervisor, Adelante Healthcare
Philanthropic Champion
- Suzanne Hensing, Board Chair, Women Investing in Science & Health, Banner Health Foundation
- Risas Dental and Braces
- Pam Stelzer, Board Vice Chair, Valleywise Health Foundation
Physician
- Wassim Ballan, M.D, Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Phoenix Children's
- Daniela Cocco, M.D., General Surgery, Valleywise Health
- Peter Nakaji, M.D., Physician Executive of Neurosurgery, Banner Health
Click here to read about last year's winners, the 2022 Health Care Heroes.
