Stars Shine Bright at 2026 Excellence in Nursing Awards

ChristianaCare celebrated the power of nurses at the Excellence in Nursing Awards hosted by the Professional Nurse Council on May 14.

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 200 outstanding nurses across ChristianaCare.

“Thank you to every nurse in this room for the extraordinary care, leadership, compassion and strength you bring to our patients, families and communities every single day,” said Chief Nurse Executive Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC. “There is power in what nurses do, and there is power in who nurses are. Excellence in nursing is really about the impact you have every day, often in ways that are not always visible to the world, but deeply felt by the people we serve.”

Considering a career in nursing at ChristianaCare? Click here.

Congratulations to the 2026 Excellence in Nursing Honorees

Clinical Nurses – Ambulatory Care

• Shari Bucci
• Wendy Bufano
• Heather Crumley
• Alison Duncan
• Heather Grogg
• Erin Hemple
• Charre’ Hilton
• Katie Melville
• Mary Weaver
• Brittany Wyatt

Expert Nurses – Ambulatory Care

• Kristi Burris
• LyRae Graham

Nurse Residents – Cecil County Campus

• Danielle Collins
• Delanie Day
• Brandy Rust
• Amanda Thomas

Clinical Nurses – Cecil County Campus

• Tasha Alexander
• Jaclynn Murray
• Jennifer Noonan
• Courtney Patchell
• Madison Ross
• Danielle Sto Domingo
• Logan Warfield

Expert Nurses – Cecil County Campus

• Brooke Bare
• Amber Brownley
• Michelle Gent
• Katherine Hottes-Boucher
• Christine Lakatosh

Clinical Nurses – HomeHealth

• Judi Probst
• Stephanie Quiles
• Alexander Sibala

Nurse Residents – Newark Campus

• Adrian David
• Emma Okonwicz
• Olivia Rivera
• Kylie Trankle

Clinical Nurses – Critical Care and Transitional Care Units

• Jessica Aliff
• Chanelle Caple
• Gabrielle DeVeglio
• Rachael Fitzgerald
• Surmyah Jean Baptiste
• Rachel Lawrence
• Alex Moyer
• Katelyn Petz
• Ann Marie Spraggs
• Lauren Willetts

Expert Nurses – Critical Care and Transitional Care Units, Newark Campus

• Becky Bartlebaugh
• Kristin Knorr
• Kelsie Milillo
• Jennifer Papi
• Caitlyn Toulson
• Terry Vaughn
• Kristin Veenema
• Stephanie Walley
• Heather Wicks

Nurse Residents – Women’s & Children’s Services, Newark Campus

• Mary Charnichko (pictured)
• Tabitha Ciocco

Clinical Nurses – Women’s & Children’s Services, Newark Campus

• Mithona Calinao
• Alexi Cornelius
• Madison DeMarco
• Sydney Ethridge
• Jenna Townsend
• Jordan Wyatt

Expert Nurse – Women’s & Children’s Services, Newark Campus

• Sarah Mayfield (above, left)

Nurse Residents – Acute Medicine, Newark Campus

• Allie Finley
• Andrew Gridley
• Amber Spurlock

Clinical Nurses – Acute Medicine, Newark Campus

• Rebecca Brown
• Nadine Charles
• Merasol Degamo
• Trudian Ellis
• Molly Esterling
• Adrienne Gray
• Vivien Milich
• Morgan Roberts
• Rebecca Sehneah-Yakpasuo

Expert Nurses – Acute Medicine, Newark Campus

• Devon Chew
• Alexis Shields
• Lauren Shikitino

Nurse Residents – Surgical Services, Newark Campus

• Aidan Dotson
• Camille Formilleza
• Aoife McCloskey
• Sherrie Merced
• Madeline Ruger

Clinical Nurses – Surgical Services, Newark Campus

• Sarah Marte
• Maddy Nagyiski
• Emily Richards
• Natalie Roddy
• Beth Tanzola

Expert Nurses – Surgical Services, Newark Campus

• Tara Babka
• Ines Boado
• Amanda DeVoll
• Adrienne Fiumara
• Colleen McGhie
• Courtney Rogers
• Kristin Saraceni

Nurse Resident – Emergency Services, Newark & Middletown Campuses

• Julianna Dill

Clinical Nurses – Emergency Services, Newark & Middletown Campuses

• Marisa Atabelo
• Karina Atanacio
• Gabriella Combs
• Mary Tuley
• Colleen Weber

Expert Nurses – Emergency Services, Newark & Middletown Campuses

• Aimee Atkinson
• Ashley Gillespie
• Jodi Hayden
• Marisa Marchegiano
• NikkiMarie Recchioni

Clinical Nurses – Procedural Platforms, Newark Campus

• Andrea Baker
• Jacqueline Crawford
• Elizabeth Crowder
• Kelsey Mayville
• Suby Palakkadan
• Laura Selin
• Rachael Sobel
• Laura Thornton
• Nicole Weinstein
• Kimberly Wilkinson

Expert Nurses – Procedural Platforms, Newark Campus

• Mary Ayers
• Misty Boyd
• Jackie Grau
• Shireen Jeter
• Marylou Miranda
• Joanna Saxberg
• Krista Volpe

Nurse Residents – Wilmington Campus

• Almina Bayram
• Augustin Dauphin
• Logan Minch
• Allison Russell
• Abby Sprouse

Clinical Nurses – Wilmington Campus

• Erin Butler
• Aaliyah Diggs
• Samantha Estrada
• Veronica Heimann
• Lesley Lawrence
• Khanh Le
• Evan Mullen
• Bonnie Parsons
• Amanda Ruano
• Ahmed Sambola
• Lizzy Thomas
• Hannah Weaver
• Kara Welcher

Expert Nurses – Wilmington Campus

• Jeffrey Clarke
• Stephanie Cressman
• Colin Durham
• Daria Field
• Jackie Kreydt
• Kathryn MacIntire
• Angela Rodriguez
• Chris Weinacht

Clinical Nurses – Float Pool and WOC Team, Delaware campuses

• Tanya Harmon
• Anthony Lano
• Kristen Magaw
• Amber Mcginnis
• Madison Roberts
• Caitlyn Suchanic
• Rachael Toller

Expert Nurses – Float Pool and WOC Team, Delaware campuses

• Jessica McAndrew
• Jordan Nardo

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

• Brittany Anderson
• Laura Dechant
• Emily Martino
• Christina Pecorella
• Jessie Powell

Nurse Educators

• Shelby Durgin
• Amanda Joie
• Debbie Lykens
• Colleen McNellis-Haraldsson
• Kate Zeccola

Preceptors

• Martha Drejka
• Barbara Eastburn
• Christine Parks
• Lauren Elizabeth Rakes
• Nicholas Scarff
• Krista Volpe

Non-Clinical Nurses 

• Michelle Collins
• Jennifer Holding
• Janinne Latavitz
• Amy Niday
• Greg O’Neill

Nurse Leaders

• Erica Atchison
• Mary Kate Carroll
• Renee Dortch
• Timothy Heckman
• Kellie Kessler
• Amanda Latina
• Nikkole Lee
• Megan Lewandowski
• Liz Nappi
• Blyss Splane

Dot Fowler Award – Brenda Hollingsworth, MSN, CCRN

Magnet Nurses of the Year – Ibelise Smith, BSN, RN-BC and Samantha Stafford, MSN, RN-BC