Employee of the Month

Ebony is the ultimate team player and has been an outstanding employee throughout her time in the Office of Faculty and Staff Affairs. During 2024, Ebony has pitched in during a time of change within our office with a "can do" attitude. She has assisted on all projects large and small to make the jobs of teammates and supervisors easier. Ebony is a professional and pleasant individual who is a pleasure to work with and well deserving of this recognition.

Nominated by Roger Thornton, Faculty & Staff Affairs

Christian joined Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in November 2021 as a per diem research assistant for two COVID studies in children. Within a year, he was hired as a research coordinator for the Recover study, an NIH funded cohort study of Long COVID in children, rapidly rising to the role of lead coordinator leading a team of five coordinators. Under his leadership, our site has enrolled almost 800 participants (one of the highest enrolling sites in the consortium), over half of whom are Latino participants from New Brunswick area. To engage the community, Christian worked tirelessly with the RWJUH Community Health Promotions Program's "health promoters", holding recruitment events to explain the study and the importance of diverse participant representation. For this success, he even received a shout out from the NIH! 

Through all this, Christian has remained the most humble, pleasant, professional and approachable colleague, someone whom the staff look up to and respect. Being bilingual, he goes out of his way to help faculty investigators enroll Latino participants in clinical studies (even those that he is not personally assigned to) at both the adult and pediatric Clinical Research Centers. The staff in the CRC feel that he is ALWAYS available, cheerfully, to help out, even coming in early or staying late if needed.  
Christian, is clearly an asset to our institution. It is my distinct honor to nominate him Employee of the month for April.

Nominated by Sunanda Gaur and Lawrence Kleinman

In FY24 the Department of Operations & Administration implemented a Clean Up Initiative to assist RWJMS departments in a clean up of our labs, storage areas and office spaces.  The initiative was extremely successful with over 65 various departments/divisions/individuals participating over the course of the year.  Bill was instrumental in the success of this initiative.  

Going above and beyond his normal duties, Bill assisted me with the organization and distribution of the required resources for each user, not an easy undertaking.  Calendar invitations with delivery dates for multiple resources, check-ins with users for additional resources, discard of materials; on a daily basis. Bill never said "that is not my job".  Bill would say, " how can I help",      "what can I do".

He absolutely went above and beyond his scope of work this past year and deserves to be recognized for this important contribution to RWJMS.  The initiative was such a success that we are requesting a continuation into FY25.

I nominate William MacWhinney for Employee of the Month for his dedication and hard work to RWJMS.  For his positive attitude and for always helping when the asks are not part of his duties.  He is a pleasure to work with and an asset to our department.

Nominated by: Lucija Milicevic, Operations & Administration

As Vice Chair for Academic Development and Director of the Division of Population Health, Quality and  Implementation Sciences (PopQuIS), I am delighted to nominate Maricel Quiñones  as Employee of the Month. This nomination is further supported by Department of Pediatrics leadership, including Vikas Dharnidharka, our new Chair, Vice Chair M. Douglas Baker, Senior Director of Administration Neil Silver, Program Administrator Donna Weeks, and by PopQuIS Clinical Operations Manager Sandra Moroso-Fela. Maricel has a challenging job. She serves me in both of my Departmental roles and also serves Dr. Baker in his role as Vice Chair. Maricel doesn’t hesitate to accept challenges or to take on new or exceptional challenges. As part of her routine she organizes and administratively runs the Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds, and she has us off to a superb start for this academic year. For Departmental and selected other faculty recruitments she is the administrative point person, helping to coordinate and manage the recruitment of dozens of physicians from across the country. She manages the calendars of Dr. Baker and me, interacting with high level offices across Rutgers, RWJBH, and nationally. And she takes on many special projects including one offs and recurring activities. She does her work at a high level with both personality and grace. We consider Maricel to function as if she were Employee of the Month many months. We are finally nominating her this month after we received the accompanying letter from the CARES Foundation, a national organization in support of families with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. This letter followed Maricel working in support of Dr. Ahmed Khattab (from our Endocrinology Division), helping to coordinate and create CARES’ Patient Education Conference, along with two other meetings and a welcome reception that were sponsored by CARES in partnership with the Division of Endocrinology. The letter describes how Maricel’s exceptional performance, “had a significant impact on our [CARES] ability to deliver meaningful… experiences,” went above and beyond” and was “crucial.” While I was not surprised to see such superlatives applied to Maricel’s work, I was delighted to receive the letter. Such outside recognition for our staff employees is rare and notable. Maricel Quiñones  deserves to be recognized by Rutgers Health as Employee of the Month. Kind regards, Larry Kleinman, MD

Nominated by: Sandra Moroso-Fela and Larry Kleinman, MD, Dept of Pediatrics

I am nominating Allie Scaramella for Employee of the Month in recognition of her exceptional contributions to our team. From day one, Allie has consistently demonstrated an unparalleled work ethic and remarkable multitasking abilities. She has the significant responsibility of scheduling and authorizing hundreds of surgical cases, all while providing compassionate support to our patients and their families.
Allie's dedication has not gone unnoticed; patients frequently express their gratitude for her willingness to go above and beyond in assisting them. Her genuine empathy and understanding of their challenges make a profound difference in their experience with us.
Allie has shown an incredible commitment to our division's success. When we faced a staffing shortage in surgical scheduling for nearly a year, Allie stepped up to single-handedly coordinate the schedules for all four of our physicians, ensuring that our operations ran smoothly. She has volunteered her time and expertise to support both staff and management across multiple surgical divisions, particularly during challenging situations involving insurance and authorization issues this year. 
Given her extensive experience and demonstrated leadership skills, we are actively working towards reclassifying Allie to the role of Surgical Coordinator. This new position will allow her to train and lead a team of surgical schedulers while taking on additional responsibilities in billing and financial oversight. Her hard work, dedication, and exceptional contributions make her an exemplary candidate for Employee of the Month. Let's honor Allie's years of commitment and outstanding service by recognizing her with this award.

Nominated by: Amanda Veltry and Richard Agag, MD
Department of Surgery

I hereby nominate Arcival Salazar, MSN, APN, FNP-BC, CEN for the RWJMS Employee of the Month Award with my highest level of enthusiasm.  Arcival is the nurse practitioner for the Movement Disorders Division in the Department of Neurology and does a remarkable job. He serves his patients and the rest of the Division's patients exceptionally well. His prior experience as an emergency department nurse in RWJUH helps with his expediency and decision making. He strives to make sure our patients feel heard and their needs addressed. He is prompt, efficient, and caring. In addition to how he handles patients, he is eager to learn and expand his skillset, making him a highly valuable addition to our Department. I frequently receive positive feedback from patients about him.  As one example of Arcival’s outstanding performance, a patient recently wrote to the Department Chair Dr. Jalbut and to Dean Murtha the following:
"I would like to commend Arcival Salazar as an employee who exhibited excellent customer service on my behalf. There was an issue with coding a lab request that resulted in a disputed bill with Medicare. He persisted in his investigation until he identified the problem and a resolution to this matter. His perseverance and patience in addition to keeping me updated along the way is to be commended. He is a great asset to the Rutgers Neurology group!" A great asset indeed!

Nominated by: M. Maral Mouradian
Department of Neurology

JULY NOMINEES:  Beth Dillon, OBGYN - Nominated by Mirta Goldstein

 

Luisaury is a medical assistant in the ENT department at Rutgers-RWJMS and is the MA for the neurotology (ear and skull base) division. She is conscienctious, hard-working, and extremely capable and knowledgeble. Patients and staff love her and she has a great rapport with patients, putting them at ease for their appointments, and is able to track down and filter through complex testing and records needed for their appointmrnts. She is an integral part of the surgical and clinical team and it is no exageration to say the clinic would not be nearly as efficient and effective without Luisaury. I can think of no one more deserving of this award.

JUNE NOMINEES:  Bill McWhinney, Operations - Nominated by Lucija Milicevic

Marion has shown tremendous growth in our department. She has consistently been a team player and can adapt to any subspecialty. She is my go-to MSA and she ensures that all clinics run efficiently. Marion consistently shows effort and always willing to learn a new task. She is a superstar in my book and honored to be able to facilitate her growth in any way that I can!

Nominated by: Paula Sardinha
Department: Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Years of Service: 5 

Doreen serves in the role of Program Supervisor for our residency and fellowship programs.  Our program has grown considerably over the past 5 years with the knowledge and support of Doreen.  Doreen personifies the "can do" approach to situations with optimism and positivity. She  goes above and beyond in all aspects of her role.  She continues to improve her knowledge and skills independently to support our residents and fellows.  She has challenged herself to take the AGME program coordinator certification exam although it is not a requirement of her job.   She is forward thinking and proactive and anticipates situations before they become a concern.
     She advocates for our residents and fellows ensuring they are being supported academically and socially.  It is not uncommon for Doreen to check in on residents after hours and on the weekends.  She opens her home to them on the holidays for anyone who is unable to be with family.  Her office is a place of refuge for residents and we often joke she needs the biggest office as they are always there visiting, seeking guidance and/or support.  They lovingly call her "momma bear". 
    Doreen's kindness extends well beyond the residency program.   She is always available to help the other department staff and faculty.  She's an IT whiz and often troubleshoots issues to avoid calling OIT.  Doreen is part of the fabric of our department and is respected by all.  Doreen has a passion for and commitment to Rutgers RWJMS.  She is RU red through and through.  

I have know Kevin for a very long time. He is very knowledgeable and professional. Kevin always makes himself available to assist anyone who needs it. What I like about Kevin is that no matter how silly the question, or how often I need to contact him, he never gets an attitude or talks down to me. He keeps his professional demeanor. Kevin has consistently showed professionalism. He stays on top of the latest computer equipment and accessories and offers his opinion on what he thinks a department should have while keeping the budget in mind. I like the fact the Kevin is dependable as well. If he makes an appointment with you for a remote session he is always on time. He doesn't make you jump through hoops to get a job done either. I believe that Kevin is very deserving of this nomination. If I could nominate him for employee of the decade I would LOL!

Nominated by: Brenda Coleman

I would like to nominate Karen Anderson from Faculty Affairs for the Employee of the Month award. Even though Karen does not directly work within our department, her contribution and impact go well beyond her designated role. She's an invaluable asset to Faculty Affairs and the entire medical school because of her dedication, expertise, and unwavering support. Karen embodies everything that it means to be an outstanding employee. She is great at providing guidance and direction to program coordinators from different departments. Despite her demands, Karen always goes the extra mile to ensure others have the support and resources they need. She's kind, knows a lot, and is always willing to help, no matter what time it is, she's always available to answer questions, provide insight, and help with anything you need. I also admire Karen's approach to dealing with mistakes and discrepancies. In these situations, she handles them with grace, respect, and dignity, making sure that corrections are made effectively while fostering a positive and supportive work environment. She sets a great example for others by navigating challenging situations with tact and professionalism. Karen is an amazing human being not just because of her work ethic and professionalism, but also because she's warm, kind, and sincere. Whenever she can, she offers support, encouragement, and guidance so you can grow both personally and professionally. I think Karen's outstanding contributions, exemplary work ethic, and unwavering dedication make her an excellent employee of the month. The RWJMS team is truly fortunate to have her as a member. Her influence is felt and appreciated by all who work with her. It's a pleasure to nominate Karen for this well-deserved award.

Nominated by: Angelina Lowder and Rhonda Smith, PhD

I am writing to enthusiastically recommend Claudine Bonilla, RN, for the Employee of the Month award. Claudine has been an invaluable asset to the Department of Otolaryngology outpatient clinic for the past 2 years. She regularly exceeds expectations in her role and contributes to the positive work environment.

Claudine's dedication to her work is truly commendable. She consistently shows up early, stays late, and goes above and beyond to ensure the smooth functioning of the clinic. Her commitment to her colleagues is evident in her willingness to assist whenever and wherever needed, without hesitation. She is adaptable and willingly takes on additional responsibilities beyond her initial role, showcasing dedication to the team's success.

In addition to her exceptional work ethic, Claudine consistently delivers outstanding patient care, as reflected in the consistently positive reviews received from those under her care. I would like to include some recent patient submitted reviews:

• "She is a significant asset to your medical practice."
• "She is wonderful!!"
• "Exceptional and professional."
• "She was awesome!! Friendly professional made sure I understand what was going on and made sure I was ok."
• "She explained everything so I could understand what was going to be done. Asked if I had any questions and very assuring and comfortable environment."

Claudine's positive impact extends beyond her daily responsibilities. She brings joy to everyone around her, creating a supportive and uplifting atmosphere within the department. She has played a crucial role in training new clinic staff, showcasing her commitment to the growth and development of her colleagues.

In recognition of her exceptional contributions, unwavering dedication, and positive influence, I believe Claudine is truly deserving of the Employee of the Month award. Her presence not only enhances the workplace but also sets a standard of excellence for all team members. Thank you for considering Claudine for this well-deserved honor.

Nominated by: Justin McCormick, MD and Joseph Vella, MD
Department of Otolaryngology