Medical Staff Awards Presented at 2024 Physician Recognition Dinner

This spring, nearly 400 physicians and guests gathered to celebrate the achievements of their Lehigh Valley Health Network colleagues at the 12^th Physician Recognition Dinner. Special awards and recognition for 25 and 50 years of service on the LVHN medical staff were presented.

“This was the largest gathering for the Physician Recognition Dinner in the history of LVHN, a testament to the growing medical staff. We had representation from all our campuses, which was great to see,” says Bryan Kane, MD, President of LVHN Medical Staff.

“It was an amazing evening that was made possible thanks to support from LVHN’s executive leadership team and our department chairs and physicians in chief. The leaders felt this was a way to appreciate and thank our medical staff for all they do each day.”    

The theme of this year’s event was centered on the red carnation as the symbol of Doctors’ Day, occurring annually on March 30. The red carnation represents love, respect and admiration.  

“It was more than a special night out together. It was an opportunity to honor some of our colleagues for their remarkable service,” Dr. Kane says.

Awards for 50 years of service were presented to 23 physicians, while awards for 25 years of service were presented to 59 physicians.

President of the Medical Staff Award

Deborah A. Bren, DO, Past President, LVHN Medical Staff

Community Service Award

Kira D. Weaver, DO, Vice Chair, Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Hazleton, Emergency and Hospital Medicine

Physician Educator Award

Kevin R. Roth, DO, Director, Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Program

Friend of the Medical Staff Award

Jillian L. Intelisano, RN, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Claranne Mathiesen, Administrator, Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute

Francine Miranda, RN, Obstetrics and Gynecology Quality and Safety Nurse

Medical Staff Team Builder Award

Jonathan A. Goldner, DO, Chief Medical Officer, LVH–Pocono

Joseph J. Stirparo, MD, Associate Chief, Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery

Physician Research Award

Autumn M. Kieber-Emmons, MD, Vice Chair, Research

Joanne N. Quiñones, MD, Vice Chair, Research

Doctors’ Doctor Award

Natalie M. Bieber, DO, Primary Care, Family Medicine

Shuisen “Jason” Li, DO, Hospital Medicine

Manish K. Mishra, MD, Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine, LVH–Schuylkill

Migdalia Resto, MD, Neonatology

Matthew J. Winas, DO, Internal Medicine, Primary Care

Master Clinician Award

Wayne E. Dubov, MD, Inpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Elizabeth M. Evans, DO, Emergency Medicine

Joseph C. Guzzo, MD, Nephrology

Michael W. Johnson, MD, PhD, Anatomic Pathology

Mark I. Koshar, MD, Internal Medicine, Primary Care

Jodi W. Lenko, MD, Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, LVH–Hazleton

Dhanalakshmi Ramasamy, MD, Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Luther V. Rhodes, MD, Infectious Diseases

Shashin Shah, MD, Gastroenterology

William R. Swayser, DO, Hospital Medicine

Marc A. Vengrove, DO, Endocrinology

Brandon L. Bossard, PA-C, Family Medicine

BreeAnn E. Jensen, CRNA, MSN, General Anesthesiology

50 years of service

Mohammad Aslam, MD; Ramon Deeb, MD; Thomas B. Dickson Jr., MD; Tamar Earnest, MD; Joseph J. Fassl, MD; Arthur E. Fetzer, MD; Michael Geller, MD; Joseph Greybush, MD; Samuel Lerner, MD; Zwu Lin, MD; Charles S. McConnel Jr., MD; John J. Mecca, MD; Carmen Montaner, MD; Muhammad Munir, MD; Ernest Y. Normington, MD; Robert M. Post, MD; John F. Russo, MD; Michael Scarlato, MD; Gerald P. Sherwin, MD; Arthur C. Sosis, MD; David Sussman, MD; Ronald Wasserman, MD; Toeruna Widge, MD

25 years of service

Nadeem V. Ahmad, MD; Richard D. Baylor, MD; Barry I. Berger, MD; Russ S. Bergman, DMD; Robert B. Blauser, MD; Joseph C. Bognet, DO; Ravindra Bollu, MD; Daniel F. Brown, MD; Dennis K. Chyung, MD; Joseph F. Ciecko, DO; Michael D. Ciliberti, MD; William G. Combs, MD; Mitchell E. Cooper, MD; Dennis B. Cornfield, MD; Albert N. Dandegian Jr., MD; Julie A. Dostal, MD; Glenn T. Elliott, DO; Kristin S. Friel, MD; Timothy J. Friel, MD; Debra M. Fullan, DO; Marcelo G. Gareca, MD; Eric J. Gertner, MD; Richard F. Goy, MD; Susan I. Haas, MD, PhD; Thomas W. Hanlon, MD; Gregor M. Hawk, MD; Ronald T. Hersh Jr., DMD; Wanda J. Janik, DMD; Maria L. Jones, MD; Yasin N. Khan, MD; Kaushik Kundu, MD, MS; Larry L. Levin, MD; Henry T. Liu, MD; Susan S. Matta, DO; Wayne F. McWilliams, MD; Abul K. Mohamed-Ali, MD; Brian A. Nester, DO; Carolyn Parry, MD; Minaben D. Patel, MD; George A. Persin, DO; John P. Pettine, MD; Constantina Pippis-Nester, DO; Scott A. Rice, MD; Marie E. Robb, MD; Mohammad N. Saqib, MD; Mayuri K. Sedani, MD; Carolina Sforza, MD; Darryn I. Shaff, MD; Georgine H. Sibbering, MD; Joseph A. Silvaggio III, DMD; Alva D. Smith, MD; William J. Smolinski, DO; Richard J. Strobel, MD; Deborah W. Sundlof, DO; Amy F. Thompson, MD; Solibe C. Ufondu, MD; Mark A. Wendling, MD; John F. Wheary, DO; Matthew J. Winas, DO