SUMMIT, NJ - June 2024 – Overlook Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, again honored standout team members at the hospital’s annual Excellence Awards.
The event, which has been held annually for more than two decades, was celebrated this year at Galloping Hill Caterers in Union on June 11. More than two dozen individual and team honorees were recognized thanks to glowing testimonials provided by their peers for going above and beyond their duties in delivering high quality care at Overlook.
The awards were presented by members of Overlook’s senior leadership team, with opening remarks delivered by Stephanie Schwartz, FACHE, President, Overlook Medical Center.
“The Excellence Awards give us a chance to honor team members throughout Overlook – from physicians, to nurses, therapists, technicians and support staff,” Schwartz said. “The best part is that we learn about the qualities and achievements that make these winners special and valued in the words of their own colleagues. What an exceptional way to be recognized.”
This year marked the first “Leading By Example” award category. This award was given to Donna Delicio, RN, director of outpatient oncology services. Delicio, was recognized by her colleagues for her accomplishments over 20 years in growing and developing Overlook’s oncology services. Most recently, Delicio developed Overlook’s new prostate cancer program, and successfully led Overlook to be re-accredited by the Commission on Cancer in 2023.
“Donna Delicio’s steadfast dedication to our patients, team members and Atlantic Health System, along with her model leadership qualities, makes her the ideal leader to receive this accolade,” said her oncology service colleagues Tara Donnelly and Michelle Tricarico. “She truly serves as a role model to us all.”
This year’s categories and honorees include:
You Changed Someone’s Day - Physicians and Advanced Providers
- John Sobotka II, MD, Emergency - Crisis Intervention
- Joseph Weiner, MD, Radiation Oncology
- Alex Maharaj, MD, Hospitalist
- Ashley O’Connor, CPNP, Pediatrics
- Angela Contrino, MSN, RN, FNP-C, Glasser Brain Tumor Center
- Matthew Stuart, MD, Hematology Oncology
You Changed Someone’s Day - Nurses
- Delia Monge, RN
- Michael Robes, RN
- Lisa Kielblock, RN
- Karen Suczewski, RN
- Gina Monk, BSN, RN, CCRN
- Jessica Brown, BSN, RN, CEN
You Changed Someone’s Day - Allied Health
- Aiman Bandali, PharmD, AAHIVP, BCPS, BCIDP
- Fayrouz Tawfik, PharmD
- Maria Velazquez-Knight, MSW
- Stephanie Pachter, MS, CGC
On Purpose, For Purpose - Patient Care Partners
- Althea Cammock, Endoscopy Materials Manager
- Kelly Stewart, Unit Associate I
- Penelope Villaverde, Certified Surgical Technologist
- Barbara Steingas, BS, PT, MA, Physical Therapist I
Leading By Example, Leader
- Donna Delicio, RN, MSN, OCN, ANP-BC, Oncology Services
TEAM AWARDS
Got Your Back:
- Overlook Medical Center Nursing Informatics:
- Florise Altino-Pierre, MSN RN, NEA-BC
- Michael Robes, BSN, RN
- Andi Hu, MSN, RN, NI-BC
- Kimberly Louie, BSN, MEDSURG-BC
- Kaitlin Boetsch BSN RN
If We Do Say So Ourselves
- Frank & Mimi Walsh Maternity Center team:
- Jaclyn Grieco, RN
- Randi Rubin RRT
- Thomas Murphy, MD
- Karen Gluck, MD
- Winsome Parchment, MD
- Uchenna Nwobu, MD
- James Pierre-Louis, MD
- Lisa Bucher RN
- Jillian Carratala RN
- Maria De Lauro RN
- Tanya Nida RN
- Isabel Pierre-Louis RN
As One
- Team “Think Outside the Tray”, Overlook Medical Center Pharmacy:
- Agnieszka Pasternak, Pharmacy Manager
- Jefferson Isibor, Assistant Manager, Pharmacy Operations
- Nishith Joshi, Pharmacy Supervisor
- Michelle Albolote, Pharmacy Technician for Kit Check
Below are excerpts of some of the praise shared by nominators for some of the winners:
Individual Awards:
- In describing the achievements of honoree Angela Contrino at Overlook’s Glasser Brain Tumor Center, her colleague, Kimberly Ocello, RN, described the important role Davis plays in the experience of the typical brain tumor patient and their loved ones.
“There is tremendous pressure to make the right decisions at the right time,” Ocello wrote in her nomination. “Angela Davis weathers the intensity. She brings light and compassion to her patients’ darkest times.” - Naomi Edelson-Sorkin, ANM, described her colleague, honoree Delia Monge, RN, as a valued resource for her and her fellow nurses on 8CD, a general surgery unit in Overlook. Monge, who marked 10 years with the unit this year, is regarded as a source of wisdom and experience for the many younger nurses on the unit.
“Delia Monge is one of our most expert nurses on 8CD and she has precepted many nurses who now share their own expertise with their 8CD colleagues or who have moved on to contribute on other units,” Edelson-Sorkin wrote in her nomination. “Our patients are safer because of her efforts. Delia not only makes someone’s day, she makes us stronger every day.” - Honoree Penelope Villaverde, a certified surgical technologist, was described by one surgeon as “a hidden angel” for her dedication in the operating room.
“They never know how much her presence and skill contributed to their recovery, but I know it and I am forever grateful to her and for her,” said Matthew Gaberina, MD in a nomination submitted by Villaverde’s colleague, Barbara Hermann, RN. - Maria Velazquez-Knight, a licensed social worker, was lauded for her work advocating for the indigent population who use the Healthstart clinic at Overlook, the majority of whom are Spanish, many of whom do not speak English. Among her accomplishments has been to offer prenatal classes to Spanish-speaking patients in the community, working with Overlook’s OB-GYN and Family Practice residents.
“Throughout the years, we see patients who are no longer receiving care under the clinic umbrella come back only to say thank you to Maria for helping them during some of their most difficult times,” said her colleague, Angela Bermudez-Fernandez, practice manager, in her nomination. “These patients come back wanting their children, their partners and their families to meet the woman who changed their lives and they want Maria to know that it was because of her actions that they were able to succeed in life.”
Team Awards:
- The “Think Outside the Tray” team of the Overlook pharmacy, were recognized for their work on Kitcheck, an automated medication management application that uses barcode scanning and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to ensure that medications are available when needed, and to reduce medication errors. The 14-month project was implemented in all of Overlook’s operating rooms, ancillary services and crash carts at both the main campus in Summit and the Overlook Union Campus.
- "Small but mighty” is how the nursing informatics team was described by colleagues for their work in providing exemplary support, particularly on initiatives affecting compliance and safety. “They never hesitate to answer a question and truly embody the ‘no-pass zone’ philosophy when they see a colleague in need,” described colleagues Melissa Marrero and Teresa Kmiotek in their nomination of the team.
- The team at the Frank & Mimi Walsh Maternity Center was honored for its work in bringing together multidisciplinary team from other departments throughout the hospital, to ensure the safe and seamless care of newborns, including the birth of triplets earlier this year.
About Atlantic Health System
Atlantic Health System is at the forefront of medicine, setting standards for quality health care in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New York metropolitan area. Powered by a workforce of 20,000 team members and 5,440 affiliated physicians dedicated to building healthier communities, Atlantic Health System serves more than half of the state of New Jersey including 14 counties and 7.5 million people.
The not-for-profit system offers more than 550 sites of care, including its seven hospitals: Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ, Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ, Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison, NJ and through its partnership with CentraState Healthcare System in Freehold, NJ.
The system includes Atlantic Medical Group, part of a physician enterprise that makes up one of the largest multispecialty practices in New Jersey with more than 1,700 physicians and advance practice providers. Joined with Atlantic Accountable Care Organization and Optimus Healthcare Partners they form part of Atlantic Alliance, a Clinically Integrated Network of more than 2,500 health care providers throughout northern and central NJ.
Atlantic Health System provides care for the full continuum of health care needs through 27 urgent care centers, Atlantic Visiting Nurse and Atlantic Anywhere Virtual Visits. Facilitating the connection between these services on both land and air is the transportation fleet of Atlantic Mobile Health.
Atlantic Health System leads the Healthcare Transformation Consortium, a partnership of six regional hospitals and health systems dedicated to improving access and affordability, has a medical school affiliation with Thomas Jefferson University, is home to the regional campus of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers, and is the official health care partner of the New York Jets.