ChristianaCare Honors Over 160 Nurses at Excellence in Nursing Awards

ChristianaCare’s annual awards ceremony honored the top nurses at various locations throughout the state.

ChristianaCare recognized more than 160 outstanding nurses during its annual Excellence in Nursing Awards ceremony.

The awards, which coincided with National Nurses Month, celebrate exceptional performance in clinical care, education, innovation and leadership. Honorees were nominated by their colleagues for consistently demonstrating compassion, dedication and excellence in their work.

These awards highlight the lasting impact the nurses have on patients, families and the entire health care community.

“I want to thank all of you for your dedication, compassion, leadership and care of our community,” said Chief Nurse Executive Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC. “The secret is out … ChristianaCare has some of the best nurses in the nation. Tonight, we highlight and celebrate your extraordinary work.”

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Nurses recognized at the event were praised for going above and beyond their roles, setting a high standard of care and leadership throughout the organization.

2025 Excellence in Nursing Honorees and Awards

Clinical Nurse and Expert Nurse – Ambulatory Care

Kimberly Ashworth, Primary Care, MAP 2 – Clinical Nurse
Darlene Deel, Primary Care, MAP 2 – Expert Nurse
Jennifer Garcia, Elkton Hematology and Oncology Center – Clinical Nurse
Lyrae Graham, Access Center Triage Nursing – Expert Nurse
Jennifer Popo, Access Center Triage Nursing – Clinical Nurse
Kelly Watkins, Primary Care, Linden Hill – Expert Nurse

Clinical Nurse – Cecil County Campus

Brooke Bare, Clinical Decision Unit
Falon Beck, Emergency Department
Ginger Charnichko, Progressive Care Unit
Melissa Cohen, Medical Specialty Unit
Shari Kilpatrick, Surgical Specialty Unit
Katie Quirk, Ambulatory Infusion Center
Hannah Rackie, Family Birth Center
Lyndsay Wobbleton, ICU

Clinical Nurse – HomeHealth

Cammy Budnavage, HomeHealth Team 7
Alicia Craig, HomeHealth Team 7
Lisa Evans, HomeHealth Team 5

Clinical Nurse – Surgical, Neuroscience, Trauma and Cardiovascular Care, Newark Campus

Alexxis Agostini, Transitional Surgical Unit
Heather Bauerle, Neurocritical Care Unit
Kaylin Beaudet, Surgical Critical Care Complex
Rebecca Biddle, 2C Surgical Intermediate Unit
Chanelle Caple, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
Mackenzie Gallagher, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
Christine Gardner, 7E Surgical Unit
Cheryl Hall, Hemodialysis
Omiliya Lawrence, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
Rachel Lawrence, Surgical Critical Care Complex
Brittany Redman, 4B Surgical Unit
Anita Reed, 4D Surgical Intermediate Unit
Joanna Schrader, 3A Stroke Treatment & Recovery Unit
Joseph Szczerba, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
Anthony Trujillo-Barriga, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
Vanessa Walsh, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit

Clinical Nurse – Women’s & Children’s Health

Jessica Charney, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Nichole Deubert, Pediatric Center
Allison Dorsey, Labor & Delivery
Sydney Fail, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Laure Fisher, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Colleen Mahoney, Postpartum
Ponnamma Mathai, Labor & Delivery
Chase Stanley, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Vanessa Vecore, Postpartum

Acute Medicine Services – Newark Campus

Chrissy Brown, 3C Medical Intermediate Unit
Gina Handley, 5B Medical Unit
Amanda Hill, 6E Hematology & Oncology
Jessica Iannetta, Medical Intensive Care Unit
Cassie Lynch, 6E Hematology & Oncology
Kaitlyn Madron, 4C Medical Intermediate Unit
Rexmarie Pagtolon-an, 5D Medical Unit
Tulsi Patel, 6B Medical Unit
Susan Riggs, Medical Intensive Care Unit
Saheed Salam, 3B Medical Unit
Marisa Schilling, Transitional Medical Unit
Katie Shortlidge, Medical Observation Unit
Jillian Topolski, Transitional Medical Unit
Marilyn Wilson, 5C Medical Unit
Alicia Wilson, 6A Acute Care of the Elderly Unit
Aaliyah Wynn, 5A Medical Intermediate Unit

Clinical Nurse – Emergency Services at Newark and Middletown, Float Pool for Delaware Campuses and Virtual Care

Nika Allison, Newark Emergency Department
Kristy Brown, Float pool
Katherine Burk, Newark Emergency Department
Morgan Carey, Float Pool
Taylor Cirri, Hospital Care at Home
Luciana DiSantis, Float Pool
Jacquelyn Hennelly, Newark Emergency Department
Michael Mariner, Float Pool
Carla Pike, Women & Children Per Diem Pool
Gillian Tilley, Middletown Emergency Department
Kathy Willis, Center for Virtual Health
Esther Winstead, Newark Emergency Department

Clinical Nurse – Procedural Platform

Andrea Baker, Cardiac Short Stay Unit
Amanda Good, Surgicenter
Sheila Rothstein, Vascular Access Nursing
Marissa Sorbello, HVIS Prep and Hold
Timothy Sweeney, Wilmington PACU
Mallory Van Dyke, Wilmington Operating Room
Alexa Vettori, Endoscopy Suite
Lauren Vivolo, Newark PACU
Anna Winiarska-Jakobowski, Newark Operating Room
Suzanne Zappo, HVIS

Clinical Nurse – Wilmington Campus

Allison Campbell, ICU
Victoria Ernst, Transitional Care Unit
Jason Keller, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
Taylor Kind, 8S Acute Care of the Elderly
Christine Joy Laurente, 4W Surgical Unit
Talia LeCompte, Emergency Department
Sybil Lewis, Behavioral Health
Angela Pizza, Behavioral Health
Guadalupe Ramirez Espinosa, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
Steven Roze, 5N Medical Unit
Ciera Tweed, Joint Replacement Center

Expert Nurse – Cecil County Campus

Heather Barlow, Medical Specialty Unit
Alma Katz, Clinical Decision Unit
Emilee Roberts, Emergency Department

Expert Nurse – Surgical, Neuroscience, Trauma and Cardiovascular Care, Newark Campus

Christine Anderson, 4E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
Megan Campana, 3A Stroke Treatment & Recovery Unit
Stephanie Crowe, Surgical Critical Care Complex
Jana Dean, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
Erika Maysonet, 4B Surgical Unit
Liza Mitchell, 4D Surgical Intermediate Unit
Hellen Okoth, 2B Transitional Surgical Unit
Beverley Perera-Anderson, Neurocritical Care Unit
Paola Ramos, Surgical Critical Care Complex
Courtney Rogers, 5E Cardiovascular Intermediate Unit
Wesley White, Cardiovascular Critical Care Complex
Heather Wicks, 2C Surgical Intermediate Unit

Expert Nurse – Women’s & Children’s Health

Elisa Inhof, Postpartum

Expert Nurse – Acute Medicine Services

Rachel Andrews, 5A Medical Intermediate Unit
Arwen Craig, 6E Hematology & Oncology
Briar Dobson, 3D Transitional Medical Unit
Nikki Fregapane, 5B Medical Unit
Kathleen Hackett, Medical Intensive Care Unit
Cassandra Harmon, 3B Medical Unit
Carol Hart, 6B Medical Unit
Jennifer Papi, Medical Intensive Care Unit
Kate Shady, 6E Hematology & Oncology

Expert Nurse – Emergency Services at Newark and Middletown, Float Pool for Delaware Campuses and Virtual Care

Christine Parks, Middletown Emergency Department
Allison Brander, Newark Emergency Department
Stephanie Neifert, Newark Emergency Department
Paige Norvell, Newark Emergency Department
Thomas Hoverson, Float Pool
Kimberly Smith, Float Pool
Nikki Marie Recchioni, Critical Care Transport

Expert Nurse – Procedural Platforms

Misty Boyd, Ambulatory Infusion Center
Marilou Miranda, Vascular Access Nursing
Lauren Murphy, Perioperative Services
Elisabeth Papaleo, Radiology Nursing
Joanna Saxberg, Newark Operating Room

Expert Nurse – Wilmington Campus

Joseph Fiorelli, Transitional Care Unit
Darby Gallo, ICU
Emily Held, Behavioral Health
Christina Hoddinott, Emergency Department
Jaimee Messick, Emergency Department
Samantha Stafford, 4N/5W Medical Intermediate Unit
Mariah Swartz, 4W Surgical Unit
Ruth Woerner, Joint Replacement Center

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

Nicole Heap, Nurse Practitioner, Cardiovascular Critical Care, Newark Campus
Kathleen Luckner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Medicine Service, Newark Campus
Jessie Powell, Nurse Practitioner, Hyperbaric & Wound Care, Ambulatory Care
Vani Ramdoss, Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care for the Elderly Unit, Newark Campus
Hayley Sweetser, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Acute Medicine Service, Newark Campus

Non-Clinical Nurse

Frank Crum, Navigator & Research Nurse Coordinator, Cecil Campus
Debbie Howard, Clinical Informatics Team Leader, Systemwide
Ashley Jackson, Maternal Child Educator, Newark Campus
Kaci Rainey, Evidence-Based Practice Specialist, Systemwide
Tara Woodside, Patient Safety and Accreditation Manager, Ambulatory Care

Nurse Educator

Elsie Barbosa, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Ambulatory Care
Dayonna Gunter, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, HVIS
Meghan Hormanski, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, 6E Hematology, Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, and Medical Observation Unit
Kimberly Mattison, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Transitional Medical Unit and 3C Intermediate Unit
Jaime Zicafoose, Nursing Professional Development Specialist, Cecil Campus

Nurse Leader