Vice President’s Awards 2021

WVU Health Sciences is recognizing 10 individuals and two teams with Vice President’s Awards, as well as two individuals with WISH (Women in Science & Health) Awards, for their significant contributions to the mission of the Health Sciences Center.

A virtual ceremony to honor the 2021 award winners will be held Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. via YouTube. 

Each year, the Vice President’s Awards honor faculty and staff who have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding accomplishments. Winners were nominated by their peers and selected by their respective Achievement Award committees.

WISH Awards honor women faculty who have been recognized by their peers for their outstanding accomplishments. Winners were nominated by their peers and selected by the WISH Award Committee.

Faculty Awards

• Hassan Ramadan, MD, MSc, FACS, School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
Master Clinician Award
This award recognizes faculty for sustained outstanding achievement in providing quality patient-centered care with compassion, integrity, and honesty.

• Troy Krupica, MD, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine
Outstanding Achievement in Local or Regional Service
This award recognizes faculty for outstanding achievement in advancing the service mission of the HSC at the local or regional level.

• Shanojan Thiyagalingam, MD, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Eastern Division
Outstanding Achievement in National or International Service
This award recognizes faculty for outstanding achievement in advancing the service mission of the HSC at the national or international level.

• David Smith, PhD, School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry
Outstanding Achievement in Research
This award recognizes faculty for outstanding achievements in research, scholarship, or creative activities.

• Marina Galvez Peralta, PhD, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Outstanding Achievement in Teaching
This award recognizes faculty for outstanding achievement in advancing the teaching mission of the HSC.

• Visvanathan Ramamurthy, PhD, School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Mentor Award
This award recognizes faculty who have provided outstanding mentorship to students or to faculty colleagues within the Health Sciences Center.

Staff Awards

• Suzanne Danley, Research & Grants Analyst, WVU School of Medicine, Orthopaedics
Vice President’s Award for Clerical/Secretarial

• David Fulaytar, Grants Administrator, Research & Graduate Education
Vice President’s Award for Administrative/Managerial

• Christopher Braham, Professional Technologist, Information Technology Services
Vice President’s Award for Paraprofessional/Technician

• Brianna Sheppard, Ph.D., Research Associate, Office of Health Affairs, Rural Health
Vice President’s Award for Professional Non-Teaching

Team Awards

• Interprofessional Education Apartment Simulation
Go First Award
This award recognizes a team of faculty, staff, or a team of faculty and staff that has demonstrated positive outcomes and enhanced the missions of the Health Sciences Center through implementation of innovations or quality improvement measures in their respective area.

Team Members:

• Gina Baugh, PharmD, HSC Director of Interprofessional Education & Professor, School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy
• Christy Barnhart, DHSc, MSN, RN, CHSE, Assistant Professor, Director of Simulation, School of Nursing, Adult Health Department
• Amy Kurowski-Burt, MOT, OTR/L, EdD, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Division of Occupational Therapy
• Kimeran Evans, DP, PT, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy
• Amy Funk, BS, MSDH, Chair, School of Dentistry, Department of Dental Hygiene
• Adam Hoffman, CHSE, Simulation Education Specialist, Simulation Training for Education and Patient Safety (STEPS) Center
• Jennifer Momen, MD, MPH, FAAP, Assistant Professor, Program Director, School of Medicine, Department of Human Performance – Physician Assistant Studies
• Toni Morris, EdD, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Jenna Sizemore, MD, Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine
• Amy Sponhaltz Summers, BS, Project Manager, WVU Office of Interprofessional Education & Project Manager, WVU Office of Interprofessional Education

• West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program
Team Achievement Award
This award recognizes a team of faculty, staff, or a team of faculty and staff for their combined effort in accomplishing a goal, such as a specific project, initiative, or event.

Team Members:

• Summer Miller, MPH, Epidemiology/Senior Program Coordinator, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Shelly Dusic, MA, Policy, Environmental, and Community Clinic Linkage Specialist, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Zachary Jarret, BA, Community Clinic Interventionist, , WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Anna Reno, BA, Community Clinic Interventionist, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Ruthie Watts, RN, Community Clinic Interventionist, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Elizabeth Austin, Administrative Assistant, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Patricia Ward, Office Assistant, WVU Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention and Control
• Adam Baus, PhD, MA, MPH, BA, Director, Office of Health Services Research & Research Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Cecil Pollard, MA, Assistant Director, Office of Health Services Research, School of Public Health
• Andrea Calkins, MPH, Program Coordinator, Office of Health Services Research, School of Public Health

WISH (Women in Science & Health) Awards

• Treah Haggerty, MD, Associate Professor, Director of the Rural Scholars Program, School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine
Women in Science & Health Mid-Career Award
This award recognizes a woman faculty member at the assistant or associate level who demonstrates sustained exceptional achievements in diversity and inclusion, education and mentorship, research and scholarship, leadership, and service to the state of West Virginia while supporting the WVU HSC mission and WVU values

• A. Courtney DeVries-Nelson, PhD, Assistant Vice President for Faculty Mentoring, Health Sciences Center, Research & Graduate Education & Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine & Department of Neuroscience
Women in Science & Health Advanced Career Award
This award recognizes a woman faculty member at the full professor level who is recognized on a national and international level and demonstrates sustained exceptional achievements in diversity and inclusion, education and mentorship, research and scholarship, leadership, and service to the state of West Virginia while supporting the WVU HSC mission and WVU values.