HR Healthcare 2025

Talent Acquisition

Jeannette Mendez, Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner, Bristol Hospice

Reason for nomination: The team implemented vacancy trackers, follow-up calls, pipelines, and a critical sourcing plan to bring the company from 72% staffing to a continuous 96% staffing by securing quality talent.

Nichole Alexander, Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner, Bristol Hospice

Jamie Mullens, Director, Talent Acquisition, ArchWell Health

Reason for nomination: Jamie's talent acquisition initiative optimized internal recruitment, reduced external agency use, and improved efficiency, enabling ArchWell Health to open 19 new centers and achieve significant cost savings and operational gains.

Adrina Walker, AVP Human Resources, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: The LEAD program at UVM Medical Center has enhanced director-level leadership skills, created a robust leadership pipeline, and introduced innovative tools like the 9 Box Talent Measurement Tool, promoting organizational integration and employee development.

Mackenzie Harris, Talent Acquistion Manager, Mercy

Reason for nomination: Mackenzie Harris's "Win from Within" program successfully attracts diverse nursing students, offering financial aid and practical experience to address workforce shortages.

Janise Sanders, RN, Talent Acquisition Supervisor, Arkansas Children's

Reason for nomination: Post-pandemic, Arkansas Children's revamped its recruiting strategy, focusing on new graduate RNs and building strong relationships with nursing schools to address critical nurse shortages caused by the "tripledemic" of COVID-19, flu, and RSV.

Yvonne Pendergraft, RN, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, Arkansas Children's

Rossi Rodriguez, Talent Acquisition Specialist, NewYork-Presbyterian

Reason for nomination: NewYork-Presbyterian developed a summer program to provide healthcare and professional development opportunities to youth, supporting employees' families and contributing to the community during the pandemic.

Mike Medina, Talent Acquisition Recruiter, NewYork-Presbyterian

Jessica Hood, Director of Talent Acquisition, Novant Health

Reason for nomination: Jessica established the Centralized Hiring Team to streamline nurse hiring, increasing recruitment, reducing time to fill, and cutting agency spending by $60 million.

Jack Branan, Director-Talent Acquisition, Bassett Healthcare Network

Reason for nomination: Bassett Healthcare Network successfully transitioned from an outsourced to an in-house recruiting team in 90 days, enhancing efficiency and reducing time-to-fill and candidate processing times significantly.

Kiersten Kanaley, Vice President Talent Acquisition Operations, Cleveland Clinic

Reason for nomination: Cleveland Clinic's Level Up program modernized its Talent Acquisition team, boosting recruitment efficiency, reducing vacancy rates, and enhancing caregiver engagement through holistic training and continuous improvement.

Colleen Carroll, Director, Learning Strategy + Design, Cleveland Clinic

Ellen Page, Director, Talent Acquisition, Franciscan Health

Reason for nomination: Ellen Page's initiative at Franciscan Health, leveraging Phenom's AI-driven platform, transformed recruitment by enhancing candidate engagement, streamlining processes, and boosting hiring efficiency.

Michelle Kligman, Senior VP of HR and Chief Experience Officer, Jackson Health

Reason for nomination: Michelle Kligman's integration of Phenom’s platform at Jackson Health revolutionized recruitment by enhancing internal mobility, improving efficiency, and reducing costs through advanced AI and data-driven insights.

Christin Davis, Managing Director, HR Central Operations and Technology, ChenMed

Reason for nomination: Christin Davis’s implementation of Phenom’s platform at ChenMed transformed talent acquisition with enhanced candidate engagement, internal mobility, and process automation, driving efficiency and reducing turnover.

Keith Manis, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Total Rewards, Harris Health System

Reason for nomination: Harris Health Talent Acquisition innovated retention and recruitment through a new community-based apprenticeship program, enhanced social media engagement, and strengthened internal mobility partnerships.

Elle Pallugna, Director of Talent Acquisition, Harris Health System

Talent Management

Robin Epstein Ludewig, Senior Director, Talent Management, UCLA Health

Reason for nomination: Robin led a comprehensive initiative at UCLA Health to enhance onboarding and orientation, resulting in improved employee retention, engagement, and recognition as a top employer.

Kaiomi Augustus, Instructional designer, Talent and Learning, HR, Ochsner Health

Reason for nomination: The human trafficking awareness course at Ochsner has revolutionized healthcare training by educating professionals on recognizing and responding to trafficking, enhancing community impact, and strengthening the company's commitment to social responsibility.

Clara Brown, Associate Director, Workforce Development, UTMB Health

Reason for nomination: The program for frontline nurse clinicians enhances leadership skills and prepares them for formal leadership roles, resulting in a more skilled, engaged, and adaptable workforce with a 20% transition rate to leadership positions in its first year.

Barbara Doherty, Employee Relations Manager, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: tHRive at UVMMC enhances leadership skills, fosters collaboration, and builds engagement through bi-monthly, interactive sessions with expert insights and peer learning.

Lisa Armstrong, HR Business Partner, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: tHRive at UVMMC enhances leadership skills, fosters collaboration, and builds engagement through bi-monthly, interactive sessions with expert insights and peer learning.

Mary Broadworth, Vice President of Human Resources, University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: UVMMC's "Hey HR…?" program enhances employee engagement by providing accessible, interactive resources and support through bi-monthly sessions addressing key workforce needs and challenges.

Marisa Hiatt, Manager- Disability Inclusion Operation, Mercy

Reason for nomination: Marisa has significantly advanced Mercy’s disability inclusion efforts by expanding work experience programs and hosting inclusive interviewing events, resulting in numerous job offers for candidates with disabilities.

Organizational Transformation

Cyndy Donato, EVP of People & Culture, Kootenai Health

Reason for nomination: Cyndy joined Kootenai Health in May 2023, significantly improving 2023 results through leadership in HR transformation, focusing on stabilizing the workforce, enhancing HR operations, and advancing cultural initiatives.

Gladys Pasols, PBP, Carbón Health

Reason for nomination: Gladys has been instrumental in her organization's transitions over the past 3+ years, implementing platforms, policies, and talent assessments, with her most impactful initiative being the implementation of the SBI model, SBARs, and scenario-based learnings to align leadership with company cultural values.

Adrina Walker , AVP Human Resources, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Billy Parsons, Chief Human Resources Officer, EyeCare Partners

Reason for nomination: Billy Parsons has driven over 20 improvement initiatives at EyeCare Partners and launched the company's first intranet, enhancing communication, collaboration, and employee engagement.

Michelle Adamolekun, Chief People & Culture Officer, Cone Health

Reason for nomination: CATCH 5 in 5 uses mobile medicine units to reach communities with health disparities, providing remote blood pressure monitoring and personalized care protocols, resulting in an 18.1% reduction in ER visits and a 37% decline in inpatient admissions.

Melissa Riffe-Guyer, Executive Director, People Development and former Executive Director, Culture, Cone Health

Reason for nomination: Cone Health implemented the JustCare approach and the CUSS Model to foster a culture of mutual trust and psychological safety, resulting in high scores for workplace safety and significant improvements in psychological and emotional health ratings.

Shannon Sandifer, Well-Being Manager, Cone Health

Reason for nomination: The LiveLifeWell program at Cone Health, since its inception in 2010, has adopted a holistic approach to well-being, offering comprehensive health and wellness services, innovative use of technology, and effective incentive-based programs, resulting in significant improvements in team member engagement and health outcomes.

Jonathan C. Touson, Associate Vice Dean, Organization Strategy & Development and Executive Lead for Staff Well-Being, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Reason for nomination: The Simple is Better initiative at Columbia Medical Center focuses on eliminating waste and maximizing efficiency across various domains, resulting in significant improvements in workflows, job clarity, career opportunities, and onboarding processes, ultimately enhancing faculty and staff experience, patient care, and organizational culture.

Barbara Doherty, Employee Relations Manager, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: tHRive at UVMMC enhances leadership skills, fosters collaboration, and builds engagement through bi-monthly, interactive sessions with expert insights and peer learning.

Lisa Armstrong, HR Business Partner, The University of Vermont Medical Center

Reason for nomination: tHRive at UVMMC enhances leadership skills, fosters collaboration, and builds engagement through bi-monthly, interactive sessions with expert insights and peer learning.

Mary Broadworth, Vice President of Human Resources, University of Vermont Medical Center

Christin Davis, Managing Director, HR Central Operations and Technology, ChenMed

HR Innovator Award

Melissa Haber, Director- Community Workforce Programs, Volunteer & Student Services, Montefiore Medical Center

Reason for nomination: Melissa leads Montefiore's Community Workforce Programs, creating career pathways and advocating for equity in healthcare jobs and education, while also overseeing volunteer and student services.

Paula Diehl-Neuman SHRM-SCP and SPHR, Chief Human Resources Officer, American Senior Communities

Reason for nomination: Paula transformed American Senior Communities' HR strategy during a challenging period, implementing employee-centric programs that improved engagement, reduced turnover by 15%, and enhanced overall HR efficiency.

Silvia Garcia-Romero, Director Diversity & Inclusion, Sentara Health

Reason for nomination: Silvia's innovative work with Sentara Health Career Camps, addressed healthcare workforce shortages and diversity by engaging future talent through hands-on summer camps.

Omar C. Reid, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Harris Health System

Reason for nomination: Omar Reid is a distinguished HR innovator whose transformative leadership, extensive expertise, and community involvement have significantly advanced HR practices at Harris Health and influenced the broader HR field.

Technological Innovation

Mary Broadworth, Vice President of Human Resources, University of Vermont Medical Center

Michelle Kligman, Senior VP of HR and Chief Experience Officer, Jackson Health