News & Stories

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Excellence Awards. Our winners are exceptional professional nursesand advanced practice nurses, as well as members of the collaborative care teams that support nursing each and every day. You can find our winners in the ambulatory care and inpatient setting at any Cooper University Health Care location, all throughout South Jersey.

Stephanie Conners, SEVP, Hospital Chief Operating Officer and System Chief Nursing Officer, congratulates all of our outstanding Cooper nurses and collaborative team members. “Our goal is to provide the highest safety, service and quality to everyone we care for at Cooper. Our winners demonstrate the difference One Team, One Purpose can make. These awards recognize those who provide the highest level of clinical expertise, combined with warmth, caring and kindness.”

Thank you to the members of The Professional Recognition Council for your hard work in reviewing the nominations and selecting the winners.

We look forward to recognizing the winners at a special awards dinner on May 3, 2017. Stay tuned for the announcement of the Nurse of the Year at the Excellence Awards Dinner (it’s a surprise)!

The Excellence Awards are supported by gifts from generous donors to The Cooper Foundation to assist our phenomenal winners with education and training.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Audrey Bennett-Axelrod, MSN, RNC-OB – Staff Nurse, Labor and Delivery, is the recipient of the Charlotte Tobiason Memorial Award for Excellence in Obstetrical Nursing.

John Chovanes, DO, FACS – Trauma Surgeon, Department of Surgery/Trauma, is the recipient of the Excellence for Nursing-Physician Partnership Award.

Jennifer Colligon, RN, BSN, RNFA, CNOR – Clinical Specialist RNFA, Cardiothoracic Surgery, is the recipient of The Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing.

Kathy Coyle, RN – Staff Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, is the recipient of the William and Eileen Archer Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing.

Pamela Crabtree, RN, CPHQ – Clinical Outcomes Manager, Performance Improvement Department, is the recipient of The Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Nursing Mentorship.

Catherine Daly, RN, BSN, ACLS – Staff Nurse, Kelemen N/S 10, is the recipient of the Ruth Parry/Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Geriatric Nursing.

Rhonda DeMoulin-Bailey, BA, RRT – Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Care, is the recipient of the Carol G. Tracey Compassion Award.

Samantha Epstein, RN, BSN – Staff Nurse, Kelemen N/S 10, is the recipient of The Selma and Martin Hirsch Award for Excellence in Medical Surgical Nursing.

Colleen Gannon, RN, BSN – Staff Nurse, Pavilion 6, is the recipient of The Shaina Horton Memorial Award for Excellence in Service.

Jessica Hernandez – Nurse Associate, Pavilion 7, is the recipient of The Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Service (Non-Nursing).

Jacklynn Keegan, RN – Staff Nurse, Pavilion 5, is the recipient of The Rose Smith & Sue Zamitis Memorial Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing.

Ryan Mennel, RN, BSN, CCRN – Staff Nurse, Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit, is the recipient of the Award for Excellence in Trauma Nursing.

Brian O’Toole, RN, TNCC, ALS, BLS – Staff Nurse, Emergency Department, is the recipient of The Lynn Nelson Award for Excellence in Emergency Nursing.

Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez, RN, MSN, APN, AOCN – Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse & Director, Outreach Prevention and Survivorship, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, is the recipient of the Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing.

Sherry Schlagle, MS, CCLS, CT – Senior Child Life Specialist, Child Life Program, is the recipient of The Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Service (Non-Nursing).

Larissa Schoudt, RN, BSN, CCRN – Staff Nurse, Coronary Care Unit, is the recipient of The Cooper Heart Institute & The Heart House Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Nursing.

Laura Siemianowski, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP – Critical Care Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmacy/Viner Intensive Care Unit, is the recipient of The Women’s Board of Cooper Hospital Allied Health Professional Excellence Award (Non-Nursing).

Barbara J. Smith, RN – Staff Nurse, Digestive Health Institute, is the recipient of The Women’s Board of Cooper University Health Care Award for Excellence in Ambulatory Nursing.

Nora Vizzachero, DNP, APN – Lead Advanced Practice Nurse Pediatric Neurology and Development, Women’s and Children’s Institute, is the recipient of the Dr. Ronald Bernardin Memorial Award for Excellence in Pediatric Nursing.

Jackie Whitehead, RN – Patient Educator, Pediatrics/Neonatology, is the recipient of the John Henry Kronenberger Memorial Award for Excellence in Neonatal Nursing.

Pamela Young, BSN – Clinical Director, Pavilion 7, is the recipient of The Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Nurse Leadership.

Pavilion 8 Team – is the winner of the Outstanding Team Award.