The level of talent and commitment among the professionals in the Central Massachusetts business community is awe-inspiring.
Take, for example, Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu from UMass Memorial Health and UMass Chan Medical School. An OB/GYN trained at John Hopkins and Cornell universities, Johnson-Agbakwu uses her time and skills to work toward greater health equity, particularly for Black mothers, and partners with local organizations like the YWCA and YMCA to reach marginalized populations. The Greater Worcester community is made better simply by having Johnson-Agbakwu in it.
On Dec. 1, WBJ named Johnson-Agbakwu as the Physician of the Year, part of our third annual Champions of Health Care awards. The honorees in 10 categories represent the full spectrum of healthcare professionals, including a first responder training the next generation in the difficult profession, a CEO who saved a hospital system from financial ruin, a physical therapy office manager who puts patients and providers at ease, and three community healthcare leaders who are pioneering a new way to treat patients in urgent need of care. All this year’s winners represent the best of what we can be.
WBJ will further honor these healthcare heroes at our WBJ Champions of Health Care Awards & Forum on Dec. 16 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. The event will be full of great conversations about the joys and needs of the healthcare industry, as well as amazing speeches from this year’s winners. If you’d like to attend, I encourage you to register at WBJournal.com.
Click here to read all the Champions of Health Care awards stories.
- Physician of the Year: Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu from UMass Memorial Health & UMass Chan Medical School
- Healthcare Administrator of the Year: Rozanna Penney from Heywood Healthcare
- Mental Health Provider of the Year: Dianne Walsh from RPK Community Alliance
- First Responder of the Year: Christopher Hackett from Community EMS
- Healthcare Volunteer of the Year: David Runyan from Worcester Free Care Collaborative
- Healthcare Educator of the Year: Shanan Stratis from Quinsigamond Community College
- Healthcare Nonprofit Leader of the Year: Moses Dixon from Senior Connection
- Healthcare Innovator of the Year: Tricia Scannell Laursen from DetecTogether
- Community Healthcare Leaders of the Year: UMass Memorial Health’s Mobile Integrated Health program (Dr. John Broach, Dr. Laurel O’Connor, and Julie Inzerillo)
- Healthcare Support Staff of the Year: Meridith Kiritsy from Central Mass Physical Therapy & Wellness
