Help us celebrate our advanced practice providers (APPs) during National APP Week, Sept. 21-25. Each year, this national observance honors physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and behavioral therapists.
We’re so grateful for the APPs across Kettering Health who bring their best each day for our patients and communities. Do you know an APP you’d like to thank? Share a message of appreciation on the website.
Because of their commitment to their patients, several of our APPs have been nominated for national APP Week awards, which celebrate the achievements and contributions of APPs to healthcare throughout the country. Check out excerpts of their nominations from peers and leaders below.
Rising Star Award: Jamie Drake, APRN
“Jamie has been innovative with our clinic and finding ways to expand her clinical expertise and, in doing so, has enhanced our clinic’s services. She has taken it upon herself to be able to offer medical weight loss for our preoperative patients in effort to optimize them prior to their surgeries.”
“In Hamilton, we have very limited resources to care for patients with ostomies. Jamie has proactively gone up to Dayton to further her education and expertise on ostomy and wound care to better be able to care for our patients locally.”
“Jamie is the leading force to improving patient care regarding nasogastric (NG) tubes. We continually have issues with the NG tube not working or being used incorrectly. She provides hands-on education to the bedside nurses and continually works with the nursing administration to improve our patient’s care.”
Emerging Leader Award: Nicholas Christiansen, CRNA
“Having worked closely with Nicholos at Soin Medical Center for the last seven years, I have had the unique vantage point of witnessing his exceptional growth, clinical acumen and administrative fortitude within our surgical ecosystems. He truly embodies every quality this award represents.”
“In his role as assistant chief CRNA, Nicholas consistently bridges the gap between complex administrative demands and frontline clinical realities. He approaches operational challenges with a strategic mindset, optimizing daily workflows while maintaining an unwavering focus on provider well-being. His leadership style is defined by transparency, accessibility and an innate ability to inspire cohesive teamwork during high-stress scenarios.”
“Beyond administrative duties, Nicholas’s clinical expertise remains a cornerstone of our anesthesia care team. He leads by example in our operating suites, demonstrating advanced clinical judgment and a relentless commitment to patient safety and evidence-based practice. Over nearly a decade, he has served as a trusted mentor to staff CRNAs and students alike, fostering a culture of continuous learning and rigorous clinical standards.”
APP of the Year Award: Carol Cooke, APRN
“Carol’s career exemplifies the qualities this award was created to recognize; clinical excellence, leadership, mentorship, innovation, service and an unwavering commitment to the patient and communities she serves. Throughout nearly three decades of practice, Carol has remained deeply committed to providing exceptional care to the women across all stages of life.”
“While healthcare has changed tremendously during her career, from her years in private practice through the transition into a larger medical group, Carol’s ability to make every patient feel heard, valued and genuinely cared for has never changed. Carol consistently receives outpatient patient experience feedback and has been recognized by patients within the community as top provider for several consecutive years.”
“Carol’s impact extends far beyond the patients on her own schedule. Throughout her career, she has served as a mentor, teacher and preceptor to countless advanced practice providers. Many of the clinicians she has helped train and develop are now caring for women throughout our community and working within the OB/GYN field themselves. Through them, Carol’s influence reaches patients she may never personally meet. That is the definition of a true legacy.”
APP Team of the Year Award: South Dayton Acute Care Consultants (SDACC)
“The South Dayton Acute Care Consultants (SDACC) APP team is the glue that helps keep Kettering Health Main Campus, Soin Medical Center and Kettering Health Miamisburg running smoothly. The amount of work the team does and the way its members coordinate care to ensure patients receive timely, effective treatment is remarkable. On any given day, the team manages an extraordinary number of admissions from the emergency department, making sure hospitalists have the information they need and that patients receive appropriate recommendations and a seamless transition of care. The team is deserving of recognition for its outstanding work.”
“The SDACC team has grown to 32 full- and part-time providers, building on a strong foundation established by its first APP, Bob Christie. Jill Gulczinski, PA-C, joined the team in 2005 in a dual role with Kettering College and has been instrumental in developing and strengthening the physician assistant training pipeline, helping recruit and retain exceptional PAs. The team’s nurse practitioners bring another unique strength, with many serving previously as Kettering Health nurses and bringing deep knowledge of the organization’s systems, culture and patients.”
“About 10 years ago, the team established its night APP service, which has far exceeded expectations in delivering high-quality, professional and compassionate care. The SDACC APP leadership team meets monthly to focus on process improvement, complemented by monthly educational sessions that support ongoing professional growth and development. Two years ago, Dr. Samip Parikh joined Dr. Rao in mentoring APPs, supporting onboarding efforts and advancing process improvements across the service.”
“Together, these contributions have helped make the SDACC APP team an essential part of patient care across multiple campuses, ensuring patients receive coordinated, efficient and high-quality care every day.”
APP Mentor of the Year Award: Carla Robinson, PA-C
“With more than 25 years of advanced practice experience, Carla has made mentorship the hallmark of her career. She actively precepts and educates PA students, medical students, orthopedic residents and hand fellows, and she does so with a generosity and skill that is widely recognized across our program. She is respected by every orthopedic surgeon across the Kettering Health system and consistently serves as a role model who elevates the professionals around her.”
“Carla’s commitment to mentorship and service extends well beyond our walls. For 12 years, she’s traveled to Guatemala, treating upper-extremity conditions in communities outside Guatemala City as part of a surgical team. For the past four years, she has been helping develop our surgical outreach in Machakos, Kenya.”
“Carla embodies everything this award represents. She is dedicated to mentoring colleagues, deeply invested in precepting the next generation of clinicians, and a positive, lasting influence on the career paths of the healthcare professionals fortunate enough to learn from her.”
APP Legacy Builder Award: Elizabeth Diem, PA-C
“Elizabeth began working full-time with EM Specialists in 2008, quickly becoming an important part of the APP team. During her time with the group, she played a significant role in developing onboarding and training programs by helping to establish a foundation for how we educate and prepare new APPs.”
“In 2018, Liz began a new chapter in her career as an assistant professor with the Kettering College Physician Assistant Program, while continuing to work clinically with EM Specialists on a part-time basis. Her transition into academia was a natural extension of the passion for education and mentorship she had demonstrated throughout her career.”
“Whether teaching students, onboarding new APPs, mentoring colleagues or serving as a clinical leader, Elizabeth has consistently invested in the growth and success of others. Her influence extends well beyond her individual clinical contributions. She has helped shape the professionals who will carry our organization and the advanced practice profession forward.”
