Medical Staff Awards Presented at Triennial Physician Recognition Dinner

This spring, 284 physicians and guests gathered to celebrate the achievements of their Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) colleagues at the 11^th Triennial Physician Recognition Dinner. Specialty awards and recognition for 25 and 50 years on the LVHN medical staff were presented.

“This was a special evening for many reasons,” says Deborah Bren, DO, President of the LVHN Medical Staff. “It gave us an opportunity to honor and celebrate the remarkable careers of our colleagues who have committed the majority, and in some cases their entire professional careers, to our hospitals, health network and communities.

“It gave us an opportunity to recognize individual physicians who have made exceptional contributions to our hospitals and communities.

“And it gave us the chance to gather with family, friends and colleagues – in person for perhaps the first time in two years – to reflect on all we had been through and look forward to brighter days ahead.”

Awards for 50 years of service were presented to 14 physicians, while awards for 25 years of service were presented to 72 physicians. In keeping with the Roaring ‘20s theme of the event and these milestones, guests were treated to a special performance by Healing Harmonies, a volunteer choir composed of LVHN colleagues. They sang Sweet Georgia Brown, a popular tune from 1922, and Lean on Me, from 1972.

President of the Medical Staff Award

Patricia Martin, MD, Neuroradiologist and 22nd President of the Medical Staff

Community Service Award

Elizabeth A. Dellers, MD, Senior Vice Chair of the Department of Pathology

Medical Staff Team Builder Award

Amy K. Slenker, MD, Department of Medicine, Vice Chair for Quality and Patient Safety and Infectious Diseases Specialist

Physician Research Award

Mark D. Cipolle, MD, PhD, MS, Chief of the Division of Trauma-Surgical Critical Care and Specialist in Critical Care Medicine and Trauma Surgery

Friend of the Medical Staff Award

Patricia Atno, CDA, Dental Medicine Practice Director

Doctors’ Doctor Award

Mohamed M. Meeran, MD, retired Vice Chair of Surgery, LVH–Schuylkill

Physician Educator Award

Bruce A. Feldman, DO, Cardiologist

Master Clinician Award

Ammar S. Abbasi, MD; Paola G. Blanco, MD; Beth A. Careyva, MD; Jeffery A. Debuque, DO; Laurence P. Karper, MD; Rezarta Lloyd, DO; Ioana Nistor, MD; Gretchen A. Perilli, MD; Ralph A. Primelo, MD; Hussam A. Yacoub, DO; Kenneth J. Zemanek, MD

50 years of service

Jeffrey E. Burtaine, MD; Hugh S. Gallagher, MD; Earl S. Jefferis, MD; Dennis W. Kean, MD; Charles A. Kosteva, DDS; Lawrence P. Levitt, MD; Elmer C. Long, MD; Norman S. Sarachek, MD; James A. Sheets, MD; Javad Sholehvar, MD; Jere P. Smith, MD; M. Bruce Viechnicki, MD; George D. Yurko, DO; John S. Ziegler, DDS

25 years of service

Houman Ahdieh, MD; Eugene Alexandrin, MD; Douglas K. Atno, DMD; Gavin C. Barr, Jr., MD; Daniel Bobrowski, MD; Deborah A. Bren, DO; Jon E. Brndjar, DO; Wayne J. Brotzman, Jr., DO; Noel D. Brouse, II, DO; Anthony P. Buonanno, MD; Michael F. Busch, MD; Anthony M. Carrato, MD; Debra L. Carter, MD; Craig R. Christine, DO; Michael S. DePaolo, DO; Basil Dolphin, MD; Michael J. Ehrig, MD; Gregory J. Elberfeld, MD; Stephen P. Falatyn, MD; Frank Falcone, Jr., DMD; Saralee Funke, MD; Joseph W. Galassi, MD; Jyoti G. Gopal, MD; Kimberly A. Hashin, MD; James K. Hoffman, MD; Herbert C. Hoover, Jr., MD; Laurence P. Karper, MD; Masayuki Kazahaya, MD; Richard A. Kolesky, MD; William G. Kracht, DO; Joshua S. Krassen, DO; David P. Krewson, DO; Thomas J. Lakata, DO; Samuel D. Land, MD; Robert J. Laskowski, MD; Dianna D. Lazur, DO; Paul S. Lemberg, MD; Anna Linderman, MD; Richard S. MacKenzie, MD; Mark S. Maehrer, DPM; Raymond E.  McCarroll, DPM; Thomas M. McLoughlin, Jr., MD; David J. Meehan, MD; Mary E. Mihalakis, DMD; Carol A. Miller-Schaeffer, MD, PhD; Kamla K. Mishra, MD; Dennis M. Moss, DO; Bruce D. Nicholson, MD; Sarah M. Nicklin, MD; Michael J. Parsons, DMD; T. Kumar Pendurthi, MD, PhD; Steven J. Perch, MD; Molly S. Peters, MD; David M. Richardson, MD; Ernesto Rodriguez, MD; Orion A. Rust, MD; Edward A. Schwartz, DPM; David L. Schwendeman, MD; Adrian Secheresiu, MD; Emilia Secheresiu, MD; Stephen O. Slusser, MD; Neal A. Stansbury, MD; Calvin D. Stoudt, DO; Anthony Valente, MD; Kathleen O. Ververeli, MD; Prodromos A. Ververeli, MD; Michael S. Weinstock, MD; James C. Weis, MD; Carl B. Weiss, Jr., MD; Robert E. Wilson, DO; Charles C. Worrilow, MD; Joseph J. Zaladonis, MD