Here is a list of our most recent Values Award Winners. Join us in celebrating these outstanding team members!
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Let’s give a huge round of applause and celebrate these extraordinary team members for earning the highest, pinnacle award at Augusta Health! You inspire us all, truly embodying The Augusta Health Way and making an incredible impact on everyone around you!
But that’s not all—stay tuned for upcoming announcements and events where we’ll further recognize these wonderful team members. Their inspiring nomination stories will be shared soon, so don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the amazing impact…
Administrative Director Women’s Health
Emergency Management Coordinator
Cancer Center Program Coordinator
Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant
Director Data Science and Governance
Senior Organizational Development Consultant
Chargemaster Specialist
Director Case Management and Social Work
Surgical Technologist
Resource Clinician Coordinator
Join us in celebrating these outstanding team members that continue to live out our Augusta Health values daily. You inspire us as you continue to rise to the occasion: embracing change, staying resilient and focusing on how we together can help our patients, our community and each other.
You are invited to attend in person or join virtually! During this celebration, we will recognize the Fourth Quarter 2024 award recipients. Refreshments will be served!
Doctor Glen Michael is a dedicated, compassionate physician at Augusta Health’s Emergency Department, especially valued during the night shift for his calm, confident leadership. His critical thinking and creativity are vital when resources are limited, ensuring the best patient outcomes. Beyond his role in the ED, he is a member of an elite Urban Search and Rescue task force, using his expertise to assist in disaster relief. After Hurricane Helene, he quickly left to help rescue survivors in affected areas, providing medical care to both searchers and survivors. His knowledge of physical search tactics and environmental hazards made him an asset in this challenging environment. His service extends beyond our hospital, demonstrating exceptional community-centeredness with both local and national impact. Doctor Michael’s quiet grace and humility make him an exemplary leader and caregiver.
Melanie Coffey is a dependable teammate at the breast center who always prioritizes patients’ needs. When a patient cancels due to cost concerns, she personally calls to explain payment options and available programs. She ensures all patient needs are met before they arrive, from arranging translators to preparing equipment. Recently, when two days of appointments needed to be rescheduled, she personally notified and rescheduled all patients, always prioritizing their convenience. Known as the "chaos coordinator" she also ensures her team gets breaks and maintains a smooth workflow. If there’s an issue with an order, she always can be relied upon to resolve it, using her extensive network across doctor’s offices and facilities. Her dedication to patient care and her unwavering commitment to others make Melanie an outstanding role model.
Recently, Shemeka White faced a challenging and unfortunate situation when a patient who needed care was verbally abusive toward her. Despite the patient’s offensive behavior, she maintained her professionalism and offered to assist in a difficult moment, prioritizing the patient’s needs above her own distress. Her response demonstrated an unwavering commitment to care and compassion and exemplifies professionalism at the highest level. This experience has provided our organization an opportunity to reflect and learn. Her experience has helped us improve our approach to handling situations where teammates may face abuse. We’re developing new protocols to ensure our teammates are supported in offensive scenarios, in a safe, respectful environment for all. This has been a catalyst for positive change, strengthening our commitment to both our teammates and our patients’ wellbeing. Shemeka’s pride of purpose and respectful manner has set the bar for all of us.
Emily Kwolek consistently demonstrates dedication to service to others. She actively leads initiatives such as stroke call-backs for patients who have received TNK and is part of the delirium workgroup, aiming to improve patient care. Her commitment to serving delirium and dementia patients led her to earn a certified dementia practitioner certification, enhancing her ability to provide specialized care across various units. She spearheaded a raised garden at the skilled nursing and rehab unit, which promotes balance, coordination and cognitive goals, and also introduced birdhouses for patients to enjoy during therapy breaks. She co-founded the stroke education program and leads the stroke support group, organizing public outings and providing education for patients post-discharge. Her creative approach includes adaptive gardening tools to empower patients, showcasing her initiative and leadership. Emily’s work deeply impacts both her patients and our communities.
In November, the Bright Horizons childcare team faced a major flooding issue caused by a broken valve, which left the facility unable to care for children for over a month. The team, with help from Facilities and EVS, acted quickly to clean up and make necessary repairs. A t the same time, leadership from Bright Horizons, Facilities and Fitness worked together to set up a temporary childcare option in the fitness center for Augusta Health families, navigating strict regulatory and operational requirements. Meanwhile, our Nutrition Services team revised their protocols to ensure children had safe meals at the temporary site. This collaborative effort required immense work from everyone involved. These teams’ dedication to teamwork in addressing this challenge highlights the true spirit of Augusta Health’s commitment to serving our communities and supporting each other. CJ Carter – Department Director – Environmental Services Department Vada Spaid – Director – Bright Horizons Childcare Center Mitchell Lawson – Director, Facilities Operations and Maintenance – Maintenance Department Danielle Farmer – Project Coordinator – Construction Department Steven Strickler – Department Director – Nutrition Services Department Olivia Hall – Director, Fitness – Fitness Department
The Maintenance Department at Augusta Health exemplifies teamwork and dedication, consistently going above and beyond to maintain a safe and functional environment. Recently, Mitchell Lawson and his team, including Adam Springs, Bruce Smiley, David Shuck, Owen Thompson, Chris Lowel and Greg Thorne, responded swiftly to severe flooding at the childcare building, assisting with repairs, furniture moving and coordination with vendors and leadership. Meanwhile, at the heart and vascular building, Mitchell and his team, including David Fitzgerald, Jimmy Cale, Justin Fitzgerald, Greg Thorne, Mike Coffey and Steve Cash, worked tirelessly to restore cooling after a system failure, providing fans, monitoring temperatures and working late into the night. The Maintenance Team’s quick response, collaboration and problem-solving demonstrate resilience, flexibility and a steadfast commitment to our mission. Their efforts, often behind the scenes, ensure the comfort and safety of teammates, patients and visitors, making their work indispensable. Mitchell Lawson – Director, Facilities Operations and Maintenance Adam Springs – HVAC Mechanic I Bruce Smiley – Plumber David Shuck – Painter Owen Thompson – Carpenter Chris Loewl – Painter Greg Throne – Electrician III David Fitzgerald – Lead HVAC Technician Jimmy Cale – Lead Electrician Justin Fitzgerald – HVAC Mechanic III Mike Coffey – Maintenance Mechanic III Steve Cash – Control Electric Tech II
Keith Haynes consistently demonstrates excellence in his role at Augusta Health, maintaining high standards of care while always striving for continuous improvement. He is a dedicated team player known for his professionalism and focus on patient wellbeing. On the orthopedic floor, he is a daily presence, rounding with physicians and checking on patients, always available to answer questions and offer support. His contributions are highly valued by the therapy department, where his expertise and responsiveness enable others to perform their jobs effectively. His ability to quickly build rapport with patients and his thorough knowledge make him an invaluable resource to both colleagues and patients. Whether clarifying orders or addressing patient concerns, he always is ready to help, going above and beyond to ensure the best possible care. Keith’s contributions to Augusta Health are too numerous to list, making him an essential and respected asset.
Erica Wilson exemplifies excellence in all she does. Starting her journey in patient access, she quickly expanded her skills by floating to various departments. After returning from parental leave, became deeply invested in coordinating the float pool. Her commitment to understanding the breath and depth of all roles led her to take a medical assistant course, ensuring she could support her teammates better. She’s the first to step up when a critical need arises, always with a positive attitude and a solution-oriented approach. Her ability to remain calm, resilient and encouraging in challenging situations makes her an invaluable team member. She consistently goes above and beyond to support her teammates, create a positive work environment and help others succeed. Her leadership potential is evident in her dedication, drive and ability to motivate those around her. Erica is both a great mom but also a remarkable individual and role model for her team.
Shelley Payne exemplifies the Augusta Way through her compassion and dedication. She consistently goes above and beyond in service to others. One day, she noticed an individual sitting alone at the visitor’s desk, seemingly fine but with bags by their side. After checking in with them, they shared they were homeless and mistakenly had come to the hospital for shelter, not treatment. Shelley immediately took action, ensuring they had a warm meal and secured housing through her connections at the Warm Shelter. She carefully arranged their transportation and even provided money for the bus ride. This act of kindness reflects her deep empathy and commitment to others. Whether through small gestures or significant acts of service, Shelley’s ability to see and respond to the needs of those around her truly embodies the spirit of compassion that defines Augusta Health.
Doctor Jessicah Collins embodies the Augusta Way through her exceptional leadership as program director of the internal medicine program. She fosters a welcoming environment where teammates feel valued and supported in their growth and learning. She leads by example, working alongside her GME team to achieve the best outcomes. She prioritizes the wellbeing of her team, regularly checking in and encouraging self-care, despite her own busy schedule. With an open-door policy, she’s always available to listen and offer guidance, demonstrating diplomacy and tact in all her interactions. Her commitment to both her team’s wellbeing and the success of the residency program has played a significant role in its growth and thriving culture. Doctor Collins’ dedication and her collaborative partnerships make her an invaluable asset to the Augusta Health team.
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This award is given to nurses who demonstrate qualities of compassion, teamwork, knowledge and excellence. These nurses exhibit high levels of professionalism, clinical expertise, excellence in patient care, fosters patient-centered care, leads by example, and acts as a mentor and role model to other staff. RNs and LPNs are eligible for the Nurse of the Year award.
This award is given to individuals who are registered nurse leaders. They role model caring behavior, display professionalism at all times and have a passion for nursing excellence. These individuals exhibit a strong leadership image that focuses on providing patient-centered care. These leaders ensure a healthy dynamic environment that is healing and support empowered professional practice, which improves quality patient care. Clinical coordinators, nurse managers, nurse educators, nursing directors, RN office managers, and those in nursing leadership roles are eligible for the Nurse Leader of the Year award.
Recipients of this award must be dependable and patient focused, and work well with the team while advocating for their patients. They must be invested in Augusta Health’s core values. They might also be involved in unit improvement measures that promote patient satisfaction and increase unit morale. PCTs, CNAs, EMTs, MHWs, CMAs and clerical roles are eligible for this award.
Several awards are presented to hospital team members who support the nursing mission at Augusta Health. Hospital team members outside of the nursing division are eligible for this award.
Download the Great Work app from either the Google Play Store or your Apple App Store and start the 1-time pairing process to have access to send eCards to celebrate any of your team members at any time.
Discover our brand-new “Spirit of Augusta Health” Facebook page!
We’ve got another exciting way to celebrate our team members and flaunt our Augusta Health pride. Come join the fun on our exclusive Facebook page just for our team members!
Celebrate with us as we showcase photos from our recent team member events, dedicated to celebrating YOU. We appreciate your commitment to each other, our patients, and the Augusta Health community. Thank you for embodying the Augusta way!
