The remarkable efforts of nurses in St. Louis often go unnoticed. They consistently exhibit selfless care, compassion, and service. To recognize the outstanding nurses at area hospitals, schools, and clinics across the region, St. Louis Magazine hosts its annual Excellence in Nursing Awards, presented by Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Following a call for nominations last fall, a prestigious panel of judges scored more than 200 submissions. The 2018 selection committee included:
- Ann Cary, Dean of the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s School of Nursing and Health Studies
- Patricia Davidson, Dean of Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
- Rita D’Aoust, Associate Dean at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
- Shirley Farrah, Assistant Dean at the University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing
- Debra Harrison, Chief Nursing Officer Emeritus of Mayo Clinic in Florida
- Phyllis Arn Zimmer, President of the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation
While all of the nominees had outstanding backgrounds in their field, the panel helped select 57 exceptional finalists across 19 categories:
Acute Care/Family Practice/General Medicine
- Theresa Gratton, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
- Mary Hoffmann, Washington University School of Medicine
Administration
- Kelley Kostich, Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Diane Ray, St. Luke’s Hospital
- Beth Rumack, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Elaine Thomas-Horton, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Advanced Practice
- Kelsey Mercer, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Michelle Reitz, Washington University School of Medicine
Cardiovascular
- Molly Eggleston, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Amber Hinterthuer, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Jill Igou, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
Community Care/Ambulatory Care
- Anna Griffith, Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Michelle Radomski, Affinia Healthcare
- Lisa Swerczek, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Educator
- Cathy Koetting, Saint Louis University School of Nursing
- Helen Lach, Saint Louis University School of Nursing
- Devita Stallings, Saint Louis University School of Nursing
Emergency Department
- Christopher Boyer, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Cindi Silvey, St. Luke’s Hospital; Saint Louis University School of Nursing
- Rosanna Tochtrop, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Emerging Leader
- Lindsay Bilhorn, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Josh Fender, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Martin Gitonga, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Hospice/Home Health/Palliative Care/Long-Term Care
- Holly Goldblum, Cooperative Home Care and Hospice
- Candy Johnson, Heartland Hospice
- Jane Olsen, AccuCare Home Health Care of St Louis
Intensive Care
- Charlotte Gibson, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Christine Mathews, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Mary McCoy, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Stefanie Struckhoff, Mercy Hospital St Louis
Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Rhonda Bardo, Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Angela Kinser, Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Meg Kurtz, St. Luke’s Hospital
- Julia Williams, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College
Neurology/Psychology/Behavioral Health
- Janet Burd-Knebel, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
- Catherine Fienup, Washington University School of Medicine
- Alison Morrison, Mercy Kids Autism Center
Oncology
- Joan Clark, SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital
- Rachel Smiley, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Orthopedics
- Christi Abeln, Washington University School of Medicine
- Angela Concepcion, Washington University School of Medicine
- Sarah Conway, St. Anthony’s Medical Center (Mercy)
Pediatrics: Neonatal
- Heather Miller, Mercy Hospital St Louis
- Julie Stumpf, St Louis Children’s Hospital
- Maggie Wolf, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Pediatrics: Non-Neonatal
- Karen Hamon, Washington University School of Medicine; St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Becky Indelicato, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
- Michelle Papachrisanthou, Saint Louis University School of Nursing
- Jennifer Rellergert, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Research
- Joan Smith, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Mary Wilcox, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
School
- Dottie Bardon, LaSalle Springs Middle School–Rockwood School District
- Jane Mark, Lutheran High School North
Women’s Health
- Kate Koenen, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
- Amy McLean, Mercy Hospital St. Louis
- Emily Petersen, Missouri Baptist Medical Center
- Kymberly Renkoski, St. Louis Women’s Healthcare Group
Congratulations to all of the finalists! The winners will be announced during St. Louis Magazine’s ninth annual Excellence in Nursing Awards reception in mid-April.
