Celebrating Nurse Superstars at 2025 Nursing Excellence Awards

ChristianaCare celebrated the best of the best at the Excellence in Nursing Awards hosted by the Professional Nurse Council on May 15.

Nurses across clinical care, education, innovation and leadership were nominated by their peers for serving with love and excellence. As part of Nurses Month, the Excellence in Nursing Awards recognize the extraordinary contributions of nurses and their lasting impact on patients, families and caregivers.

Winners were nominated by their colleagues for extraordinary care and going above and beyond their role. The awards honored more than 160 outstanding nurses across ChristianaCare.

“I want to thank all of you for your dedication, compassion, leadership and care of our community,” said Chief Nurse Executive Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC. “The secret is out … ChristianaCare has some of the best nurses in the nation. Tonight, we highlight and celebrate your extraordinary work.”

Nurses Make ChristianaCare a Four-Time Magnet Designee

Congratulations to the 2025 Excellence in Nursing Honorees

Clinical Nurse and Expert Nurse – Ambulatory Care

• Kimberly Ashworth, Primary Care, MAP 2 – Clinical Nurse
• Darlene Deel, Primary Care, MAP 2 – Expert Nurse
• Jennifer Garcia, Elkton Hematology and Oncology Center – Clinical Nurse
• Lyrae Graham, Access Center Triage Nursing – Expert Nurse
• Kelly Watkins, Primary Care, Linden Hill – Expert Nurse

Clinical Nurse – Cecil County Campus

• Brooke Bare, Clinical Decision Unit
• Falon Beck, Emergency Department
• Ginger Charnichko, Progressive Care Unit
• Melissa Cohen, Medical Specialty Unit
• Shari Kilpatrick, Surgical Specialty Unit
• Jennifer Popo, Access Center Outpatient Nursing – Clinical Nurse
• Katie Quirk, Ambulatory Infusion Center
• Hannah Rackie, Family Birth Center
• Lyndsay Wobbleton, ICU

Clinical Nurse – HomeHealth

• Cammy Budnavage, HomeHealth Team 7
• Alicia Craig, HomeHealth Team 7
• Lisa Evans, HomeHealth Team 5

Clinical Nurse – Surgical, Neuroscience, Trauma and Cardiovascular Care, Newark Campus

• Alexxis Agostini, Transitional Surgical Unit
• Heather Bauerle, Neurocritical Care Unit
• Kaylin Beaudet, Surgical Critical Care Complex
• Rebecca Biddle, 2C Surgical Intermediate Unit
• Chanelle Caple, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Mackenzie Gallagher, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
• Christine Gardner, 7E Surgical Unit
• Cheryl Hall, Hemodialysis
• Omiliya Lawrence, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
• Rachel Lawrence, Surgical Critical Care Complex
• Brittany Redman, 4B Surgical Unit
• Anita Reed, 4D Surgical Intermediate Unit
• Joanna Schrader, 3A Stroke Treatment & Recovery Unit
• Joseph Szczerba, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Anthony Trujillo-Barriga, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
• Vanessa Walsh, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit

Clinical Nurse – Women’s & Children’s Health

• Jessica Charney, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Nichole Deubert, Pediatric Center
• Allison Dorsey, Labor & Delivery
• Sydney Fail, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Laure Fisher, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Colleen Mahoney, Postpartum
• Ponnamma Mathai, Labor & Delivery
• Chase Stanley, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• Vanessa Vecore, Postpartum

Acute Medicine Services – Newark Campus

• Chrissy Brown, 3C Medical Intermediate Unit
• Gina Handley, 5B Medical Unit
• Amanda Hill, 6E Hematology & Oncology
• Jessica Iannetta, Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Cassie Lynch, 6E Hematology & Oncology
• Kaitlyn Madron, 4C Medical Intermediate Unit
• Rexmarie Pagtolon-an, 5D Medical Unit
• Tulsi Patel, 6B Medical Unit
• Susan Riggs, Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Saheed Salam, 3B Medical Unit
• Marisa Schilling, Transitional Medical Unit
• Katie Shortlidge, Medical Observation Unit
• Jillian Topolski, Transitional Medical Unit
• Marilyn Wilson, 5C Medical Unit
• Alicia Wilson, 6A Acute Care of the Elderly Unit
• Aaliyah Wynn, 5A Medical Intermediate Unit

Clinical Nurse – Emergency Services at Newark and Middletown, Float Pool for Delaware Campuses and Virtual Care

• Nika Allison, Newark Emergency Department
• Kristy Brown, Float pool
• Katherine Burk, Newark Emergency Department
• Morgan Carey, Float Pool
• Taylor Cirri, Hospital Care at Home
• Luciana DiSantis, Float Pool
• Jacquelyn Hennelly, Newark Emergency Department
• Michael Mariner, Float Pool
• Carla Pike, Women & Children Per Diem Pool
• Gillian Tilley, Middletown Emergency Department
• Kathy Willis, Center for Virtual Health
• Esther Winstead, Newark Emergency Department

Clinical Nurse – Procedural Platforms

• Andrea Baker, Cardiac Short Stay Unit
• Amanda Good, Surgicenter
• Sheila Rothstein, Vascular Access Nursing
• Marissa Sorbello, HVIS Prep and Hold
• Timothy Sweeney, Wilmington PACU
• Mallory Van Dyke, Wilmington Operating Room
• Alexa Vettori, Endoscopy Suite
• Lauren Vivolo, Newark PACU
• Anna Winiarska-Jakobowski, Newark Operating Room
• Suzanne Zappo, HVIS

Clinical Nurse – Wilmington Campus

• Allison Campbell, ICU
• Victoria Ernst, Transitional Care Unit
• Jason Keller, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
• Taylor Kind, 8S Acute Care of the Elderly
• Christine Joy Laurente, 4W Surgical Unit
• Talia LeCompte, Emergency Department
• Sybil Lewis, Behavioral Health
• Angela Pizza, Behavioral Health
• Guadalupe Ramirez Espinosa, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
• Steven Roze, 5N Medical Unit
• Ciera Tweed, Joint Replacement Center

Expert Nurse – Cecil County Campus

• Heather Barlow, Medical Specialty Unit
• Alma Katz, Clinical Decision Unit
• Emilee Roberts, Emergency Department

Expert Nurse – Surgical, Neuroscience, Trauma and Cardiovascular Care, Newark Campus

• Christine Anderson, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
• Megan Campana, 3A Stroke Treatment & Recovery Unit
• Stephanie Crowe, Surgical Critical Care Complex
• Jana Dean, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Erika Maysonet, 4B Surgical Unit
• Liza Mitchell, 4D Surgical Intermediate Unit
• Hellen Okoth, 2B Transitional Surgical Unit
• Beverley Perera-Anderson, Neurocritical Care Unit
• Paola Ramos, Surgical Critical Care Complex
• Courtney Rogers, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
• Wesley White, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
• Heather Wicks, 2C Surgical Intermediate Unit

Expert Nurse – Women’s & Children’s Health

• Elisa Inhof, Postpartum

Expert Nurse – Acute Medicine Services

• Rachel Andrews, 5A Medical Intermediate Unit
• Arwen Craig, 6E Hematology & Oncology
• Briar Dobson, 3D Transitional Medical Unit
• Nikki Fregapane, 5B Medical Unit
• Kathleen Hackett, Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Cassandra Harmon, 3B Medical Unit
• Carol Hart, 6B Medical Unit
• Jennifer Papi, Medical Intensive Care Unit
• Kate Shady, 6E Hematology & Oncology

Expert Nurse – Emergency Services at Newark and Middletown, Float Pool for Delaware Campuses and Virtual Care

• Christine Parks, Middletown Emergency Department
• Allison Brander, Newark Emergency Department
• Stephanie Neifert, Newark Emergency Department
• Paige Norvell, Newark Emergency Department
• Thomas Hoverson, Float Pool
• Kimberly Smith, Float Pool
• Nikki Marie Recchioni, Critical Care Transport

Expert Nurse – Procedural Platforms

• Misty Boyd, Ambulatory Infusion Center
• Marilou Miranda, Vascular Access Nursing
• Lauren Murphy, Perioperative Services
• Elisabeth Papaleo, Radiology Nursing
• Joanna Saxberg, Newark Operating Room

Expert Nurse – Wilmington Campus

• Joseph Fiorelli, Transitional Care Unit
• Darby Gallo, ICU
• Emily Held, Behavioral Health
• Christina Hoddinott, Emergency Department
• Jaimee Messick, Emergency Department
• Samantha Stafford, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
• Mariah Swartz, 4W Surgical Unit
• Ruth Woerner, Joint Replacement Center

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

• Nicole Heap, Nurse Practitioner, Cardiovascular Critical Care, Newark Campus
• Kathleen Luckner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Medicine Service, Newark Campus
• Jessie Powell, Nurse Practitioner, Hyperbaric & Wound Care, Ambulatory Care
• Vani Ramdoss, Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care for the Elderly Unit, Newark Campus
• Hayley Sweetser, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Medicine Service, Newark Campus

Non-Clinical Nurse

• Frank Crum, Navigator & Research Nurse Coordinator, Cecil Campus
• Debbie Howard, Clinical Informatics Team Leader, Systemwide
• Ashley Jackson, Maternal Child Educator, Newark Campus
• Kaci Rainey, Evidence-Based Practice Specialist, Systemwide
• Tara Woodside, Patient Safety and Accreditation Manager, Ambulatory Care

Nurse Educator

• Elsie Barbosa, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Ambulatory Care
• Dayonna Gunter, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, HVIS
• Meghan Hormanski, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, 6E Hematology, Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, and Medical Observation Unit
• Kimberly Mattison, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Transitional Medical Unit and 3C Intermediate Unit
• Jaime Zicafoose, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Cecil Campus

Nurse Leader

• Kenneth Anderson, Transitional Medical Unit, Newark Campus
• Maria Brown, Nursing Excellence, Systemwide
• Tracy Curry, 6E Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Newark Campus
• Shannon Guzman, Neurocritical Care Unit, Newark Campus
• Suzanne Heath, 5A Medical Intermediate Unit, Newark Campus
• Kathleen Heller, Joint Replacement Center, Wilmington Campus
• Paige Merring, Nursing Excellence, Systemwide
• A’sian Rochester, Nursing Coordinator, Newark Campus
• Stephanie Strocko, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex, Newark Campus

Nurse Preceptor

Jessica Burch, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Wilmington Campus
Amanda Lewicki, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Newark Campus
Josephine Onchiri-Makori, New Castle County, HomeHealth
Alison Purner, Renal Transplant Coordinator, Newark Campus
Kaitlin Schwartz, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex, Newark Campus

Dot Fowler Award – Shon’tiana Butcher, Emergency Department, Newark Campus

Nursing Innovation Award – Lauren Murphy, Perioperative Services

Click here for the full photo gallery.