2016 Care Award Recipients
CARE Award
4th Quarter Recipients
Administrative
Missey Standley
Director of Operations
Diabetes Institute
Heritage College, Athens
As director of operations for the Diabetes Institute, Missey Standley has a challenging role that requires her to wear many hats. Whether poring over budget spreadsheets, managing a project or tending to the Diabetes Institute’s key partnerships, Standley tackles her job with a level of enthusiasm and efficiency that inspires those around her. “I have rarely come across a person who is so attentive to the minutest of detail,” one of her nominators wrote. “She never hesitates to take on any challenge or difficult task.”
Another nominator noted Standley’s key role in managing the Diabetes Institute’s relationship with its clinical partners in the Diabetes Endocrine Center – a relationship critical to the institute’s clinical and research objectives. But it is the enthusiasm she infuses into each task – coupled with a constant willingness to help others – that draws the most notice from her colleagues. “All of this help is done with a smile on her face, kindness and a genuine desire to help. She is not only a great ambassador for the Diabetes Institute, but a great ambassador for Heritage College,” according to one of her nominators.
Classified
Tiffani Hart
Administrative Services Associate
Clinical and Translational Research Unit
Heritage College, Athens
As administrative associate for the Clinical and Translational Research Unit, Tiffani Hart is the “glue” that holds the unit together, according to her nominators. She often serves as the first line of contact for individuals both inside and outside the college, including research study participants and researchers, and she’s known for treating each person with respect and good cheer. “She interacts with almost every study participant that comes in the unit and treats each one in such a way that they leave here feeling very special,” said one nominator. “Tiffani is a great ambassador for the Heritage College.”
Her co-workers praise her upbeat attitude, thorough knowledge about her unit’s processes, and her willingness to always jump in and help when needed. “It's impossible to pinpoint any one instance of her outstanding behavior,” said a co-worker. “Rather, it is the many, many small things she does each and every day that are so important.” Indeed, more than one of her nominators couldn’t imagine how her unit could function without her. “I don't think we will ever grasp the full picture of how much she does to keep our unit afloat and thriving,” one nominator said.
Faculty
Tracy Shaub, D.O. (’92)
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Family Medicine
Interim Chair, Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology
Heritage College, Cleveland
As chair of the Department of Family Medicine and interim chair of the Department of Geriatrics, Tracy Shaub, D.O., has shown herself to be an empathetic and effective leader who is “110% committed” to the well-being of Heritage College students, faculty, staff and administration. “I am continually amazed by her ability to navigate difficult situations and communicate with authority and decorum,” said her nominator. “Dr. Shaub consistently sets a fine example of professionalism in every way.”
Shaub goes out of her way to be accessible to everyone, the nominator noted, always picking up the phone or responding to an email – sometimes within seconds – when someone has a question or concern. Also drawing praise were her mentoring abilities and advocacy for the departments she represents. Beyond her professional role, “she is exceptionally kind, considerate and empathic,” her nominator noted. “She is sensitive to interpersonal nuances. She always knows when you need words of encouragement or when to take you off a committee because you have too much on your plate. She advocates for all of us.”
3rd Quarter Recipients
Administrative
Jessica Makosky
Telehealth Distance Learning Coordinator
Office of Information and Learning Technologies
Heritage College, Athens
Jessica Makosky plays an essential role in helping connect our three campuses on a daily basis. But earlier this year, she went above and beyond to help make a new curricular activity for the Introduction to Primary Care Medicine course successful. Makosky spent countless hours recording and editing patient interviews as they described their experiences with primary care physicians. “During the interviews, she was so kind and helpful and put our patients at ease,” said her nominator. “This project was above and beyond her usual job (which is very hectic and busy, with some ridiculously long days), but it was within the mission of this college and she believed in the value of it and found a way to make it work.”
The result was an educational experience our students won’t forget. “In their end-of-block reflection papers, several students commented on how much those interviews helped to shape their realizations about what good (and bad) primary care looks like and how they will take that learning forward in their careers as medical students and physicians,” said her nominator. “There is no way we could have done this without the help of many people, but particularly Jessica. She is a class act.”
Classified
Diana Coleman
Administrative Specialist
Office of Admissions
Heritage College, Athens
As an administrative specialist within the Office of Admissions, Diana Coleman is the “driving force” behind interview day, according to her nominator. “It would be a feat if it happened just once – but it happens every Friday between mid-September and the end of April.” From ensuring that members of the selection committee have the files they need to scheduling interviews, video-conferencing and a catered lunch, Coleman does it all – and with a smile. “She’s making all of us laugh while she keeps the chaos at bay,” said her nominator. “It’s amazing.”
When she’s not busy prepping for the next interview day, Coleman also maps the Office of Admissions’ customer relationship management system and keeps track of daily changes in the incoming class. “Some people make doing an excellent job look effortless, and Diana is one of them,” said her nominator. “She’s just amazing and truly a joy to work with.”
Faculty
Jane Balbo, D.O. (’07)
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine
Heritage College, Athens
Role model. Ally. Educator. That’s how Heritage College students view Jane Balbo, D.O., according to her student nominator. “If you associate her name with a program, a class, a learning activity, an extracurricular or a social event, you can guarantee that people will show up in numbers.” That’s largely because of her efforts to ensure that every student feels safe and supported, whether in small group discussions or in public settings. “I have watched her time and time again demand the attention of every student in the room, simply by being her compassionate, outgoing, bubbly and intriguing self,” said her nominator. “She is the guru of family medicine, and her passion for primary care is infectious (no pun intended).”
Balbo takes her role of educating medical students seriously, as she encourages transformative dialogue on even the most sensitive health topics, including sexually transmitted infections, family planning, sexuality and gender identity. Her actions go above and beyond the natural empathy of an osteopathic physician, said her nominator, embracing diversity and encouraging an authentic understanding of one another’s differences. “She’s the truest of allies I know here at the college,” said the student. “She publicly supports students from all walks of life, and it is known that her space is a safe space.”
2nd Quarter Recipients
Administrative
Shelia Chelimo
Evaluation & Assessment Coordinator
Office of Academic Affairs, Preclinical Education
Heritage College, Athens
Shelia Chelimo has been quietly racking up achievements within the college and the osteopathic medical community since taking on the role as evaluation and assessment coordinator two years ago. These include presenting at the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine annual conference in 2015 and 2016, receiving two AACOM grants with Professor Pat O'Connor, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Fabian Benencia, Ph.D., and having a poster accepted for the International Association of Medical Science Educators conference earlier this year.
Chelimo also has tackled several assessment projects to help make life easier for students and faculty as the college has grown from one campus to three, including co-leading (with Curriculum Systems Manager Pat Polinski) the college's conversion to electronic exams, initiating a process to streamline the number of surveys that students are asked to complete, coordinating between the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Academic Affairs to ensure that the college can longitudinally track individual student progress over time, and creating course maps for each course within the Heritage College to better showcase our culture of assessment for COCA.
"Sheila takes every opportunity for furthering her professional development: She is currently pursuing a Ph.D., has just returned from a 2016 Harvard Macy Institute course: 'A Systems Approach to Assessment in Health Professions Education,' and is participating in the Heritage College faculty development individual professional development plan," said her nominator.
Classified
Rosemary Butcher
Administrative Specialist
Office of Academic Affairs
Heritage College, Athens
As an administrative specialist within the Office of Academic Affairs, Rosemary Butcher greets visitors with a welcoming smile and an encouraging word. "No matter how busy she is - and her job is very detail-oriented - she will stop what she's doing and welcome you into her office," said a co-worker. "She always mentions a specific personal detail about your family, which is very impressive. How does she remember everyone's family member's names?"
In addition to her strong personal connections to others at the college, Butcher is also very committed to her job, giving 100 percent and then some. "She has come in on vacation days to handle a crisis many times and never complains," said her nominator. "Rosemary makes scheduling look effortless, and we all know that is a very tedious and overwhelming job. When she decides to retire, the college will be hard-pressed to replace her. The knowledge that she has about her position and the college, her dedication and her enthusiasm will be missed."
Faculty
Christie Murphy, D.O. ('98)
Associate Lecturer, Primary Care
Department of Specialty Medicine
Heritage College, Cleveland
Christie Murphy, D.O., has made a lasting impression on the students at the Heritage College, Cleveland, through her willingness to share her experiences as a primary care physician and her dedication to ensuring that students are thriving both professionally and personally. "From our first day of medical school, we received a heartfelt email from Dr. Murphy, introducing herself, sharing her story and insisting that she is always available for assistance and guidance," said a student who nominated her for the CARE Award.
At the Heritage College, Cleveland, Murphy serves as a CBL facilitator and a clinical skills facilitator and often participates in student-led events, providing students with insights on anything and everything they need to know about medical school and reminding them she's available for extra tutoring and clinical skills assistance. She has provided guidance on the residency selection process, offered to let students shadow her practice, and actively seeks out opportunities to enrich students' medical education.
Murphy also makes sure students know she will be there for anyone who needs someone to talk to during stressful times. "Dr. Murphy emailed our class to offer a listening ear to anyone who is struggling with depression or stress. She shared her own story about dealing with the rigors of medical education and assured us that she is here for us during the next three years. She has offered her help by being available through text, call and email, as well as being willing to work with students to get any additional support that we may need. Dr. Murphy has also been a source of support for LGBT students at the Cleveland campus," said her nominator.
1st Quarter Recipients
Administrative
David Tolentino, D.O. (’02)
Former Executive Assistant Dean for Clinical Education
Office of Academic Affairs, Clinical Education
St. John Medical Center
David Tolentino, D.O., who recently accepted a new role with Campbell University in North Carolina, served for three years as the Heritage College executive assistant dean for clinical education. He also spent nearly a decade as the St. John Medical Center assistant dean. In that time, he changed curricular options for Year 3 and 4 students, introduced MedU online modules, ensured the consistency of didactics, and changed faculty evaluations to reflect the current needs of the medical community and to make students more competitive. These many accomplishments and more were noted in the multiple submissions Tolentino received for the CARE award.
“Dr. Tolentino is a good man and walks the talk by embracing Heritage College’s essential values as his own. This is particularly evident in his personal values such as integrity, acceptance of others, pursuit of excellence, commitment to service, generosity and compassion,” one person wrote.
Tolentino was repeatedly praised for creating a community of family in the clinical education department, connecting the clinical campuses with the rest of the college, and always being available to students and staff. Despite his many responsibilities, he remained heavily involved in the osteopathic profession at the state and national levels as well.
According to one nomination, “Dr. Tolentino has sacrificed much of his personal time in order to ensure our medical students receive the best experience possible as they prepare to be successful physicians. He develops strong relationships with the students at SJMC and is an outstanding role model, inspiring students to follow in his footsteps by pursuing roles in medical education. His energy, enthusiasm and commitment to OUHCOM have been invaluable, and he has left a positive lasting impression on every student he has worked with.”
Classified
Catherine Perry
Administrative Services Associate
Office of Academic Affairs, Clinical Education
Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center
Catherine Perry is the go-to contact for students at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. She handles student scheduling, registration, grades submissions and out rotation credentialing. She’s the front-line person who ensures that deadlines are met, and according to the numerous students who nominated Perry for the CARE award, she is a “wonderful resource for advice in every realm.”
One student wrote, “Aside from her obvious outstanding work ethic and impressive knowledge, Catie has one of the most positive attitudes of any person I’ve met, period. She has a nearly infectious quality about her that allows her good mood to rub off onto other people, which helps her and those around her perform their job with more attention to detail and clearer focus.”
A co-worker said she handles issues efficiently and professionally. She stepped in to help another clinical campus site when it was short-staffed to ensure the office met its deadlines, and then trained the new person who was hired. She also developed a procedure manual for all sites to use.
Several students gave Perry credit for securing their rotations because she resolved issues that could have prevented the students from getting approval. “I was able to match at my top program because of Catie’s assistance…Now I will be able to receive extraordinary training in an exceptional program and further the philosophy of osteopathy with research and teaching.”
Faculty
Zelalem Haile, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Department of Social Medicine
Heritage College, Dublin
Known to many as “Z,” Zelalem Haile, Ph.D., has been instrumental in developing and growing several research, student and college focused-programs at the Dublin campus over the past two years.
He played a key role in creating the new Research Journal Club, which brings together students, staff and faculty to discuss topical and thought-provoking articles on a monthly basis. His nominators noted that Haile presented at the Student National Medical Association Region V conference highlighting topics of health care disparities in underrepresented communities and coordinated the poster session for the Immigrant and Migrant Health Conference in Dublin. He has also been a strong student mentor and an advocate for research efforts, both informally and formally through structured programs.
According to those who nominated him for the CARE award, “Dr. Haile is often quick to engage and volunteer for recruitment and presentation opportunities with a passionate focus to research and all that can be achieved through one’s time with the Heritage College…It is no wonder and no surprise to see Dr. Haile be recognized as the Outstanding Research Mentor for both CPC1 and CPC2 at the recent Heritage College DOC Awards, along with his recognition as an outstanding behavioral science faculty member. Unquestionably, Dr. Haile embraces the student spirit, drive and energy of our growing campus culture in Dublin." With his dedication and a newborn at home, the individuals who nominated Haile wondered when he sleeps, concluding that "he has earned his ZZZ…zzzz…zz..zz’s and so much more.”