Our system nominated employees for the Ohio Hospital Association’s 2023 Albert E. Dyckes Health Care Worker of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to one Ohio hospital caregiver who personifies a leader, gives back to the community, reflects the mission and values of their organization, and routinely goes beyond the call of duty. Congratulations to this year’s nominees! Below are their names and campuses, a summary of their nomination, and their photo.

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(Top row, left to right) Russell Workman, Matthew Wainscott, Martin Satter, PhD, Stacy Naff
(Bottom row, left to right) Kristopher Marin, DO, Lisa Knudsen, Tina Kilburn-Stewart, Amanda Drake

On June 14, 2023, Tina Kilburn-Stewart was named one of the five Health Care Worker of the Year finalists.

“Amanda uses her influence and expertise to lead the Behavioral Health Assessment Team (BHAT) and collaborate with other departments. As a BHAT coordinator, she is passionate about elevating the value of behavioral health services throughout the system. Amanda is an excellent example of all Kettering Health values. She goes above and beyond to make a difference for patients. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and intentional.

She has developed standardized system-wide documentation templates to support patient care; collaborates across all 14 campuses to ensure service is consistent, competent, and timely for every patient, every time; and solidifies partnerships with community organizations to improve patient experience. Amanda also initiates opportunities for culture-building and connection for the BHAT team.”

“Dr. Marin is an advocate for his patients. He’s genuinely concerned for their health and progress in therapy. He will call patients after hours to check on their condition, take calls to answer questions, and stay late or come in early for appointments. Athletic trainers know they can call him at any time of day to troubleshoot their clinical questions.

Despite undergoing chemotherapy, Dr. Marin has not stopped giving back to the community and his patients. In addition to attending treatment sessions and having a full schedule of patients, he serves as a team physician for Hamilton High School and Dayton Christian High School. He’s flexible, a team player, and compassionate. He is intentional and interacts with care and compassion with everyone.”

“Lisa seeks to truly understand people, helping them learn and become strong caregivers. She closely monitors quality of care, sharing both positive and negative outcomes and offering creative solutions. Lisa’s commitment to excellence and ensuring patients are heard have led to outstanding quality and safety measures.

‘It’s hard to keep track of the progress that’s been made with her at the helm,’ reflected Rita Prichard, vice president of Patient Care at Kettering Health Washington Township. Lisa has implemented weekly quality meetings to review incidents with ancillary departments and nurse leaders, taken on the hospital’s patient relations, instituted gait belts for every patient, and is an exemplary community member; delivering meals to co-workers, caring for an elderly parent, and volunteering for the Miami Valley Meals Association.”

“Martin’s 31 years of work in PET/Molecular Imaging at Kettering Health has created a program offering cutting-edge technologies to improve patient care. His specialized expertise is at the forefront of the most innovative healthcare techniques in the industry. Martin creates other molecular imaging champions with his contagious passion.

In his 25+ years in the industry, Martin developed software to fuse MRI and PET data, before similar software was commercially available, to provide a clearer picture of tumors and create more effective imaging; brought image-guided neurosurgery to Dayton, a first in the U.S.; secured funding for equipment to perform prostate cancer molecular imaging–the first PSMA PET scan in southwest Ohio; and is leading research investigating the use of PSMA for neurological tumors.”

“Sgt. Wainscott is Kettering Health Troy’s leader for police, security, and safety. Even in the most alarming situations, Matt remains calm and clear to ensure everyone’s safety. He’s an excellent communicator, strong collaborator, and a compassion champion. ‘Matt has the wisdom to manage crises and the expertise of law enforcement, working with the heart of a caregiver,’ shared Mike Brendel, Kettering Health Troy president.

He prioritizes employee safety concerns, proactively implements drills for potential crises, and is well connected with local police departments and cities. He supports his community through raising funds for those in need, hosting Bible study groups, working with Miami County Sheriff’s office and Troy Police on training opportunities, is a decorated Army Ranger, and serves on the Miami Safe Communities Council.”

“Russell maintains an environment where his team feels safe, heard, and supported. He’s a mentor, leader, friend, and confidant to the team. He goes above and beyond for patients and staff, motivating others to be their best. He puts newer nurses in assignments that will challenge them and grow their skills but is never far behind if they need support.

He’s always looking for opportunities to improve patient care and the systems utilized to deliver it. Russell facilitated the mounting of supply cabinets for easier access for staff, organizing the contents systematically and implementing required training for new staff. He prioritizes teaching his team new skills, and he’s an instructor for TNCC certification. He also developed several processes to improve department workflow.”

“Stacy is a servant leader who shows bravery and humility each day. Throughout her time at the hospital, she has served as a bedside nurse, nursing supervisor, ambassador, lab technician, and more. She is willing to go to any length to support her team, the hospital, and the organization. Finding staff is challenging for all departments, but Stacy has not allowed this to affect the care the hospital provides to the community.

Stacy considers how to support and care for patients inside the hospital as well as opportunities to serve others outside the hospital walls. She recently gathered a team to serve at a local food pantry providing a free meal to the community. She and her team also raised money for a co-worker’s son serving in Iraq.”

“For Tina, “manager” is just a title. She strives to understand her team’s challenges, opportunities for improvement, and support. Tina ensures her staff know she cares about their needs and supports their growth as nursing professionals. As a mentor for new nurse leaders, Tina continuously provides the support and care they need to increase their confidence in managing new, challenging situations. She exemplifies a caring leader who works tirelessly to improve clinical outcomes for her patients.

Tina was the first nurse leader in the organization to set up a comprehensive COVID-19 unit by converting her floor to a hybrid intensive care unit (ICU). She also consistently develops innovative solutions for decreasing pressure injuries and enabling leaders to know which patients to prioritize during rounding.”