Atrium Health Teammates Honored as ‘Health Care Heroes’

More than a dozen teammates recognized across 11 categories

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 9, 2024 – Atrium Health teammates were recognized as Charlotte Business Journal “Health Care Heroes” at an awards ceremony recently. Atrium Health had 15 award finalists across eleven categories, including a special recognition for the parents of a patient and a Lifetime Achievement award for a longtime Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital teammate.

“Each of the people here this evening – and the countless others they represent – are some of the brightest and bravest among us,” said Ken Haynes, president of the Southeast Region for Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part, as he opened the event. “We honor and applaud their remarkable contributions to our community. The care they have provided has saved lives and brightened futures. I’m especially proud of our Atrium Health teammates being recognized whose courage and compassion drive innovation and ensure that quality care is accessible – for all.”

Charlotte Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes Awards program, now in its fourth year, seeks to highlight the local individuals and organizations that are putting innovation and compassion to work to improve the human condition. Of the 15 outstanding finalists, Atrium Health had winners in four categories, including:

• Nurse: Ijeoma “IJ” Enweana – Enweana, or IJ as she’s known to most, has developed an international nurse pathway at Atrium Health that is helping provide skilled caregivers when they are needed most. Enweana began as a nurse aide and is now a doctoral-prepared nurse. She shares her experience with international nurses who have come to Charlotte for rewarding careers. A program she developed for international nurses resulted in improved staffing and increased retention rates at Atrium Health. Enweana has been known to drive to rural areas to pick up newly arrived international nurses to help them attend training and acclimate to a new culture. In 2018, she founded a local organization for African nurses to network and learn from one another.
• Physician: Dr. Soo Hyun “Esther” Kim – Kim embodies hope for women with heart disease. She is a specialist in spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a rare heart condition that causes heart attacks in young women. She is board certified in internal medicine, vascular medicine and cardiovascular disease and has become an important voice on heart disease in women. Kim directs the Center for Women’s Cardiovascular Health at Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and is the national principal investigator of the iSCAD Registry, the largest multicenter SCAD registry in the United States. She’s also led robust recruiting efforts at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, where 40% of the physicians hired in the past three years are women.
• Hope Award: Caroline and Trey Winslett. The Winsletts received the Hope award, which honors those who make the path easier for those in difficult times to follow. In 2020, the Winsletts lost their son, Ward, to a rare genetic illness called Gaucher disease and established WARD’S Foundation to inspire hope for families facing a rare disease diagnosis. The Winsletts also started the Ward Winslett Center for Complex Care and Rare Diseases Fund to support the complex care program at Atrium Health Levine Children’s, which serves as a hub for patients and families with a rare disease diagnosis. It currently has more than 100 patients enrolled. Nearly 90% of the rare diseases in the U.S. are without an FDA-approved treatment, and caring for a child with a rare disease can be financially and emotionally devastating for a family.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Diana James – With 42 years of dedicated service at Atrium Health, James exemplifies professionalism, kindness and servant leadership. James currently works as director of nursing services for Atrium Health Levine Children’s, but her efforts extend beyond the hospital as she actively engages in community benefit activities and supports organizations that aid bereaved families. Known for her compassion, James often anonymously provides groceries to those in need. Her leadership qualities, including mentoring many nurses who have advanced into leadership roles, reflect her commitment to developing others. James’ lifelong commitment to nursing and humanitarian work is profound, as is her impact on the patients’ lives she touches each day.

   

• Other Atrium Health Care Hero finalists included:
  • Community Outreach: Daniel Harkey, Atrium Health
  • Community Outreach: Mellisa Wheeler, Atrium Health Levine Cancer
  • Healthcare Ambassador: Kris Blackley, Atrium Health Levine Cancer
  • Healthcare Innovator: Colleen Hole, Atrium Health
  • Healthcare Innovator: Dr. Javier Oesterheld, Atrium Health Levine Children’s
  • Healthcare Manager: Colin Clode, Atrium Health
  • Medical Professional: Nikki Adams, Atrium Health
  • Medical Professional: Megan Daemmrich, Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular
  • Nurse: Alicia Beckley, Atrium Health
  • Rising Star: Dr. Megan McComas, Atrium Health
  • Support Services: Christian Brown, Atrium Health

“Tonight, we come together to honor the remarkable individuals who embody the spirit of compassion, dedication and resilience in the field of health care,” said T.J. McCullough, president and publisher of the Charlotte Business Journal, at the awards event. “Your tireless efforts and unwavering commitment have made an incredible impact. You are the true heroes who inspire us all with your selfless service.”