Joel Ortiz, animal resource supervisor, and Amanda Heatherly, protocol advisor and liaison with UTMB’s Animal Resource Center, traveled to Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico— also known as Monkey Island—during the December holidays to help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria.

Several UTMB employees received President David Callender’s Way to Go Award during the Nov. 1 Town Hall. Lonnie Winston and Seth Grimes, materials handling techs, were recognized for their actions going above and beyond to ensure a young patient at Jennie Sealy Hospital received a special package.

UTMB employees Sarah Burnett, Brenda Lundy and Betty Shipp received President’s Way to Go Awards at the July Town Hall meeting. Burnett, a medical lab specialist with Blood Bank Transfusion Operations, was recognized for a “long list” of accomplishments, including initiating several innovative projects to improve patient care and ensure blood products are used safely and efficiently, and for her volunteer work in the community.

Rebecca Clayton, a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU), was one of six finalists nationally to be recognized by American Nurse Today, the official journal of the American Nurses Association, during their “Spirit of Caring” contest.

UTMB Police Officer Harold Beasley was recognized by the 50 Club of Galves­ton County as one of its Officers of the Year during an awards luncheon at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston on May 4.

Ryan Scott, a research associate in UTMB’s Department of Anesthesiology, Translational Intensive Care Unit, received President Callender’s Way to Go Award for helping a pregnant woman who was having complications and needed medical attention quickly. While walking on the Galveston Campus, he observed the woman in distress and jumped into action, assessing the situation and ensuring that she made it to the Emergency Department—he even parked her car and returned the keys to the patient.

Medical assistants Sharon Johnson and Jose Gonzalez, and nurse Kelly Snider, received President Callender’s Way to Go Award for making sure Santa stopped at one family’s home this past Christmas.

Neil Scofelia, a senior financial analyst with the budget and decision support team, received President David Callender’s Way to Go Award for his hard work and commitment to ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data UTMB submits to Vizient.

Erika Parker, practice manager of the Mainland Cardiology Clinic, and Suzanne Wilson, assistant director of Care Management, received President Callender’s Way to Go Awards for going above and beyond to help patients navigate their health care.

Maureen Wilder, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, associate professor and Master’s Program director in the School of Nursing, was recently awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration entitled, “Adding Practice Partnerships for Learning to Advance Underserved Service Efficiency.”

Keykoca Johnson, a patient care technician in the Mother Baby Unit, recently received the award for her quick actions and exceptional patient care, which resulted in a positive outcome for both mother and baby when a 12-day-old infant experienced respiratory difficulty and needed immediate attention.