Nursing Awards

Thank You For Making A Difference

To our Donors, Thank you for your financial gifts and belief in UCLA Health nursing staff's exemplary nursing practice. Your support makes a real and substantive difference.

To our Nursing staff, UCLA Health would like to recognize and extend a special thank you for all of your invaluable contributions that have elevated the status of nursing across the healthcare spectrum. Thank you for continuously providing the highest level of care by promoting nursing excellence, infusing every day with your leadership, and fostering endless and inspiring innovations in your daily work.

UCLA Health STAR Team

Support Through Appreciation & Recognition

Quick Links

Nursing Staff Website Ambulatory Staff Website

Congratulations to our Nursing Award Honorees!

"America's nurses are the beating heart of our medical system."
~ Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States

Ambulatory Nursing Awards

: Patient Care: Eric Bacus - Ambulatory Nursing Patient Care
Teamwork: Melissa Lopez, Sr. LVN Supervisor – Ambulatory Nursing Teamwork
Community Involvement: Michaela Martin - Ambulatory Nursing Community Involvement
Quality & Patient Safety: Amber Lazareff, BSN, RN-BC – Ambulatory Nursing Quality & Patient Safety

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center front of Building

“I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel.”
~ Florence Nightingale

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Nursing Awards

: Clinical Leader: Eti Nodel, RN, PCCN, AGPCNP-BC, CNIII - GOU
Clinical Practitioner: Jeffrey Adriano, RN, PCCN, CNIII - 7W
Clinical Transferor of Knowledge: Zenaida Jimenez, RN, CNIII - 6W
Drivers of Change: 7ICU Education Committee
Interprofessional Colleague-in-Care: Flor Arias, Sr. Custodian - EVS
LVN Relationship-Based Care: Felomina Buni, Sr. LVN
Nurse Innovator: Monina Garchitorena, BSN, RN, CNIII - 7ICU
Nurse Scientist: Leann Garnett, BSN, CCRN, CNII - Radiology
Nursing Unity: Christopher J. DiMiceli, Sr. Emergency Trauma Tech - ER
Partner-in-Care Relationship-Based Care: Arturo Cruz, CNA, Administrative Clinical Care Partner - 4 ICU
Professional Governance: Kristen Chin, BSN, RN, CCTN, CNIII - 8N
Rising Star: Perla Alonzo, BSN, RN, CNII - 4ICU
: Frances Virginia Sandbrook Annual Staff Appreciation: Akemi Miyauchi, RN, CNIII - 4 ICU
John Henry Sandbrook Annual Staff Appreciation: Jillian Joslin, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNII - 7 ICU
Devra and Dr. Lester Breslow Care Partner Scholarship: Esperanza Jimenez, Clinical Care Partner - 6W
Muriel D. Casselman Humanism: Nick Zambos, BSN, RN, CNII - 5 PICU
The Jo-Ann Conflenti Registered Nurse Scholarship Fund: Geng-Wei Lee, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNII - 4 ICU
Heidi Crooks Visionary and Transformational Leadership: Fotine Mamais, MSN, RN, BC-GCHN, GNP, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Geriatrics Advanced Practice Supervisor
Mary Erbeznik Scholarship Award: Maria "Teresa" Huerto Bambrick, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNII - 4 ICU
Cathy Rodgers Ward Nursing Leadership Scholarship: Ida Anderson, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, ONC, Director of Nursing, Adult Critical Care
Pamela Jane Nye Operation Scrubs(OPi) Working Neuroscience Nurse Scholarship: Lolita Kazaryants, BSN, RN, CNII - 6 ICU
: Clinical Leader: Christopher Lee, BSN, RN-BC, CNIII - 6W
Clinical Practitioner: Soonhee Han, BSN, RN, PCCN, CNIII - 7W
Clinical Transferor of Knowledge: Edith Solis, BSN, RN, PCCN - 7W
LVN Relationship-Based Care: Jennifer Gomez, LVN - Dept. of Surgery - Westwood
Nurse Scientist: Valentina Obreja, DNP, RN, CCRN, CNIII - 7ICU
Nurse Innovator: Taline Marcarian, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNIII - 7ICU
Partner-In-Care Relationship-Based Care: Nkeiruka (Nikki) Adebiyi, ACCP - Resource Team
Rising Star: Geng-Wei Lee, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNII - 4ICU
Professional Governance: Jane Hikichi, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNII - 7W
Drivers of Change: 7ICU Performance Improvement Committee
: Lester and Devra Breslow Care Partner Scholarship: Joshua Song, ACCP - 8W
Lester and Devra Breslow Care Partner Scholarship: Lemei (Dora) Xiao, ACCP - FPRT
Muriel D. Casselman Humanism: Nina Park, BSN, RN, CNII - 6ICU
The Joann Conflenti Registered Nurse Scholarship Fund: Billal Khan, BSN, RN, Float Pool Nurse - FPRT
John Henry Sandbrook Annual Staff Appreciation: Lisa Gonzalez, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNIII - 7ICU
Virginia Frances Sandbrook Annual Staff Appreciation Award: Catherine Fairbanks, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNIII - 4ICU
Barco's Nightingales SM Foundation Award for Nursing Excellence: Shiow-Hwa Hwang, BSN, RN, CRNO, Ambulatory Care Patient Supervisor 2 - JSEI
Mary Erbeznik Scholarship Fund: Ryan Kuresa, BSN, RN, CCRN, Float Pool Nurse - FPRT
Pamela Jane Nye Operation Scrubs (Opi) Working Neuroscience Nurse Scholarship: Rutuja Gourkar, BSN, RN, CNII - 6N
Cathy Rodgers Ward Nursing Leadership Scholarship: Thanuttha (Tak) Tiensawang, MSN, CWON-AP, CNS - CNEX
Heidi Crooks Visionary of the Year: Katrine Murray, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC - 7ICU

UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica Exterior

"For us who Nurse, our Nursing is a thing, which, unless in it we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it we are going back. The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make."
~ Florence Nightingale

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center Nursing Awards

: Clinical Practitioner: Maryann Martinez Garcia, BSN, RN-BC - 4MN

Nursing Unity: Kemi Reeves, MSN, GNP-BC - Geriatrics-Fac. Research & Support
Clinical Transferor of Knowledge: Katherine Lejarde, MSN, PCCN - OR-TRU
Clinical Leader: Stefan Fajeau, BSN, RN-BC - 5NW
Drivers of Change: SMUCLA NICU Team
Partner-in-Care: Octavio Valladares Perez, CNA - 2SW NICU
Professional Governance: Megan Weisbart, MSN, RNC-NIC, CNL, PHN - 2SW NICU
Rising Star: Kennedy Davis, BSN, RN - 4SW Oncology
Colleague-in-Care: Melanie Lam, PharmD, BCPPS - Pharmaceutical Services
Nurse Scientist: Rebecca Choi, BSN, RN - 4NW
Nurse Innovator: Melissa Smith, RN - MPU (GI Lab)
: Beyond the Call of Duty: Eskedar Gizaw
Harding Compassion: Brianna Rodrigues
Innovation Gilbert Barco: Summer Maxwell Gupta
Leadership Excellence: Kelsey Zwang
Mentor: Hazel Maguerrero
Team Spirit: : 4 SW Solid Oncology,
: Professional Governance: Christina Richner, BSN, RN-BC, CNII - 5NW

Drivers of Change: UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Perinatal Team

Rising Star: Pamela Minasian, BSN, RN, CNII - AMN

Colleague-in-Care: Tracy Reyes Serrano, BA, CCLS-CLS2 - Child Life Specialist

Clinical Practitioner: Rae Rios, BSN, RN, RNC-NIC, CNII - NICU

Clinical Transferor of Knowledge: Rayna Ewer, BSN, RN, OCN, CNIII - 4SW

LVN RBC: Theresa Schuerger-Salzer, Sr. LVN - Department of Medicine

Nurse Scientist: Maria Santua, RN, CNIII - Pediatric Infusion Center
Nurse Innovator: Alissa McCullough, BSN, RN-BC, CNII - 6NW

Clinical Leader: Dahlia Maldonado, BSN, RN-BC, ANI - 4NW

Partner-in-Care RBC: Ever Mazariegos, CACP, Clinical / Administrative Care Partner - PACU/PTU
: Harding Compassion: Cristina Perez, CNII, BSN, RN-BC - 6NW and Robby Kashani, CNII, BSN, RN - 4NW
Leadership Excellence: Cecily Byron, UD, DNP, RN-BC, NEA - 4MN and Sharon Doggett, UD, MSN, RN-BC, NEA-BC - Resource Team
Mentor: Maninder Jasdhaul, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC - Center for Nursing Excellence
Team Excellence: PTU/PACU
Team Safety: 5NW Geriatrics
Team Spirit: Internal Medicine Hospitalists, Nurse Practitioners and Perinatal Service

“So, NEVER LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY OF URGING A PRACTICAL BEGINNING, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.”
~ Florence Nightingale

Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA Nursing Awards

: Community Award of the Year: Brent Corbett, MHP - 4W
Educator of the Year: Lisette Espana, MAN, RN, PMH-BC, Clinical Nurse Educator - CENTER for Nursing Excellence
Evidence-Based Practice Champion Award: Pauline Andan, RN, PMH-BC, AN1 - PHP
Exemplary Practice Award: Linda Sanders, BSN, RN - PHP
Innovation of the Year: Mollie McCarthy, RN, PMH-BC - 4N
Most Supportive Teammate: Robbie Harris-Depriest - Recreational Therapist
Most Supportive Teammate: Gayane Shirvanyan, RN, PMH-BC - 4N
Recovery and Professional Practice Model RN of the Year: Kaila Muriera, RN, PMH-BC - 4E
Rookie of the Year: Abraham Urias, BSN, RN - 4E
Transformational Leader of the Year: Kenneth Matthews, BSN, RN - 4N
: Innovation of the Year: Wireless Headphones - 4E
Teammate of the Year: Kimberly Lucio - Sr. Mental Health Practitioner
Recovery Nurse of the Year: Elizabeth Brillo, BSN, RN-BC, ANI - 4E
Transformational Leader: Jomar dela Pena, BSN, RN-BC, ANI - 4E
Exemplary Professional Practice Nurse: Kenneth Matthews, BSN, RN, ANI - 4N
Evidence Based Practice Nurse: Era Hawk, MSN, RN-BC, CNII - 4E
Support Staff of the Year/Decade: Sharon Singh, Administrative Specialist

For more information contact:

Michelle Rodriguez, BSN, RN, CCRN, CSC, NE-BC
Clinical Nurse Manager
Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (7ICU)
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

Karyn Greenstone
Operations Manager
CENTER for Nursing Excellence