axa advisors lifetime achievement award recipient … · 2020-01-08 · debbie institute at...

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THE REGION’S MONTHLY NEWSPAPER FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS & PHYSICIANS

HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALSReynald Jean, MD, MPH, MSN, AGPCNP-BCRanu Jung, PhDRodrigo Vianna, MD, PhD

NURSESRose Anderson, MSN, ARNPCheryl Cottrell, MS-HSA, BSN, RN, NE-BCBridget Pelaez, MA, BSN, RN, EMT-P

INDIVIDUALS OF MERITJayne S. MalfitanoSanjay Razdan, MDJohn A. Rock, MD

ORGANIZATIONS/PROGRAMSRoutine HIV / Hepatitis C Screening and Linkage to Care Program at Homestead Hospital, Baptist Health South Florida

Jackson Health System

Debbie Institute at University of Miami Department of Pediatrics

FIRST RESPONDERSDaniel Lopez, CPLJulio PuentesKeith Tyson

YOUTH VOLUNTEER RECIPIENTMaritza Allen-Brown

Health Care Heroes is a trademark registered by its respective owners and administered by AXA Advisors' South Florida Branch

AXA ADVISORS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTMary Bartlett Bunge, PhD

2018 FINALISTS

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Award Presenting Sponsors: Silver Sponsor:___________

May 15, 2018

TO HEALTH CARE HEROES SUPPORTERS:To Health Care Heroes Supporters:

South Florida is becoming a global destination for top-quality health-care, and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce has been at the fore-front of the industry’s evolution. Our 21st Annual Health Care Heroes cel-ebration recognizes the leaders who have fueled that growth and continue

powering our best future. For more than two decades, Health Care Heroes has been the premier community gathering whereour local stars are honored by top leaders from hospital systems, physician groups, managed care providers, biomedical inno-vators, goods and services suppliers, and other pillars of the healthcare economy.

There may be no industry changing as quickly, and no local economy better positioned to harness the power of that change.South Florida is also uniquely vulnerable to business and regulatory movement due to our unique population. That’s why it’smore important than ever for the healthcare leaders of Miami-Dade County to find common ground and work together inways that benefit all our neighbors. That work starts with close, collaborative relationships that celebrate our shared successat events like Health Care Heroes.

At the 21st Annual Health Care Heroes luncheon we are honoring the achievements of physicians, nurses, researchers, insti-tutions, volunteers, and others who have contributed to the health care delivery system and overall welfare of South Floridaand its residents. We are excited to announce that AXA Advisors is the Chamber's partner in this program for the 21st con-secutive year. Consistent partners like AXA are the foundation for us to strengthen and grow our healthcare community.

Every year the number and strength of our Health Care Heroes nominees grows, making it more difficult for judges to pickjust one winner from the three finalists in each category. This is a testament to the relentless pursuit ofexcellence that defines this honor and, indeed, the mission of healthcare in South Florida and aroundthe world.

Sincerely,

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2018 HEALTH CARE HEROES®

JUDGESBrian Brown

Head of Group Sales & RetentionAvMed

Liz Dudek Director of Health Care Affairs

Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Christopher Dudley, MBAPrincipal/CEO

Advancement Associates Inc.

Melissa Fleitas, CPAAssociate Director,

Audit and Attest ServicesBerkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors

and Accountants

Steven E. Marcus, Ed.D. President and Chief Executive Officer Health Foundation of South Florida

Annie Neasman, MS, RN President & CEO

Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc.

Alicia OrtizCommunity Outreach Specialist

Mercy Hospital, HCA

Luis G. Chiappy, CFP, CLU, ChFC, LUTCFExecutive Vice President, South Florida Branch, AXA Advisors, LLC

Founding Sponsor, Health Care Heroes®

2 May 2018 - Health Care Heroes southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News2

Matthew I. PinzurChairman, Healthcare Committee Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce

AXA ADVISORS LIFETIMEACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECEPIENT

MARY BARTLETT BUNGE, PHDFormer Christine E. Lynn Distinguished

Professor in Neuroscience; Professor Emerita of Cell Biology,

Neurological Surgery, and NeurologyDoctor of Humane Science, honoris causa

The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis University of Miami Leonard M. Miller

School of Medicine

Dr. Mary Bartlett Bunge, PhD, retired in November2017, following a brilliant career of more than fourdecades in which she and her late husband, Richard,became two of the world’s most respected researchersin central nervous system regeneration. She spent thepast 28 years working at The Miami Project to CureParalysis at the University of Miami Miller School ofMedicine, where her research focused on theSchwann cell—a type of cell that helps peripheralnerve fibers function—which she determined was akey to helping repair damaged spinal cords. Her workwith Schwann cells led to numerous discoveries, andwas central to The Miami Project’s Phase 1 clinicaltrial that proved the safety of transplanting Schwanncells of recently paralyzed subjects into the site oftheir injuries. This work will serve as the foundationfor future cell replacements and regeneration trials atThe Miami Project. Dr. Bunge has also focused oneducating and training the next generation of neuro-scientists. She has mentored or advised 57 graduate,doctoral and post-doctoral students, many of whom now hold significant academicresearch positions at universities and institutions around the world. She is also a widelypublished scholar, having authored chapters in 48 academic books, and hundreds ofjuried or refereed journal articles, exhibitions and abstracts. Dr. Bunge has receivedmany honors during her career, both for her work with spinal cord injuries and forher leadership in advancing the careers of women in neuroscience. The greatest honorof her career came in 2013 when she was elected to the National Academy ofMedicine, an achievement reflecting the height of professional achievement and com-mitment to service in health and medicine.

“Dr. Mary Bartlett Bunge’sresearch offers hope to patients

worldwide with spinal cordinjuries. Her work has been con-

sidered so valuable that theNational Institutes of Healthrenewed her individual researchgrant for 45 years—an almost

unmatched record of achievement.”

Edward Abraham, MD, Executive VicePresident for Health Affairs

CEO, UHealth—University of MiamiHealth System, Dean and Chief

Academic Officer, University of MiamiMiller, School of Medicine

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com Health Care Heroes - May 2018 3

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Heroes Award represents a commitment to excellence in one’s field.

Jackson Health System proudly congratulates Rodrigo Vianna, MD, PhD,

on this special achievement. As a leader in intestinal and multivisceral

transplants, Dr. Vianna is an inspiration to us all.

Jackson Health System is honored to be a finalist, as we celebrate 100 years

of serving our community. We salute all of this year’s nominees and thank you

for your dedication to improving the quality of health care in South Florida.


2018 HEALTH CARE HEROES®

REYNALD JEAN, MD, MPH,MSN, AGPCNP-BC

Director, Tuberculosis, Epidemiology, Disease

Control & Immunization ServicesFlorida Department of Health

in Miami-Dade County

Dr. Reynald Jean has been with the FloridaDepartment of Health in Miami-Dade County since1989, where he has proven to be a dedicated physician,director and innovator, and an expert at developingand fostering effective collaboration with many publicand private entities. Dr. Jean has spearheaded four suc-cessful HIV/AIDS initiatives and contributed to thedevelopment and implementation of tuberculosis pre-vention and control guidelines used by Miami-DadeCounty homeless shelters; under his leadership, therate of TB in Miami-Dade has decreased from 6.3 in2008 to 4.3 in 2016. In July 2016, when the first locallyacquired Zika case was identified, Dr. Jean led theentire Zika response for Miami-Dade County, and wasinvolved in the identification of every single case,working with local practitioners, hospitals, universi-ties, laboratories, Mosquito Control and more. He coor-dinated testing among the major hospitals and publichealth laboratories, and developed and managed processes for Zika test results. He alsoput a system in place to ensure that inquiries were expedited efficiently. Dr. Jean alsoidentified areas for improvement, including hiring additional epidemiologists to join thesurveillance team. As a result of his innovative and collaborative accomplishments, DOH-Miami Dade is better prepared to face the future challenges of the Zika disease.

“In July 2016, when the firstlocally acquired Zika case

was identified, Dr. ReynaldJean did excellent work in

leading the entire Zikaresponse team for Miami-Dade County. His accom-

plishments were outstanding.”Lillian Rivera, RN, MSN, Ph.D.

Administrator/Health OfficerFlorida Department of Health in

Miami-Dade County

HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

RANU JUNG, PHDWallace H. Coulter Eminent Scholars

Chair of Biomedical EngineeringProfessor and Chair of the Department

of Biomedical EngineeringFlorida International University

As professor and chair of the Department ofBiomedical Engineering at Florida InternationalUniversity, Dr. Ranu Jung is a champion for innova-tion and entrepreneurship. She is especially interest-ed in biohybrid systems that merge biologicallyinspired technologies with humans for recovery andrestoration of lost function. She and her team devel-oped the first wireless, implantable, neural interfacesystem for restoring sensations to amputees, andreceived FDA approval to conduct a first-in-humantrial of this investigational device. She is a holder ofeight U.S. patents, four pending, and is the founderof a research and development company.

She is also a champion of improving the represen-tation of women and under-represented minorities inengineering and computer science majors. As theinterim dean of the College of Engineering andComputing, Dr. Jung started the Women of CECInitiative geared to helping improve the recruitment,retention and graduation of women in engineeringand computer science majors, and she has continuedthat effort as the biomedical engineering chair, andthe chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

She is the past-president of the Organization for Computational Neurosciences.

“Dr. Ranu Jung is at thecutting edge between engineer-ing and neuroscience, develop-

ing devices that lead to scientific advances with

clear pathways to clinicalapplication.”

Andrew GreenProgram Director,

Strategic InitiativesCollege of Engineering and

ComputingBiomedical Engineering

Florida International University

RODRIGO VIANNA, MD, PHD

Medical Director of Transplant ServicesMiami Transplant Institute, an affiliation

between Jackson Health System andUniversity of Miami Health System

Since 2013, Dr. Rodrigo Vianna has led theMiami Transplant Institute as the director andchief of liver, intestinal and multivisceral trans-plant. During his tenure, he has trained more than100 doctors from different countries, several ofwhom have gone on to establish transplant pro-grams in their own countries.

A pioneer in intestinal and multivisceral trans-plantation, he has revamped MTI’s program,resulting in patients having shorter waiting timesfor an organ as well as better outcomes and sur-vival rates. As a result, MTI’s patient survival andvolumes ranked as one of the highest in thenation.

Dr. Vianna has implemented new techniquesand eliminated the extra process of performing anostomy, as well as reduced surgical times, on aver-age performing a multi-organ transplant in eighthours as opposed to the standard of 16 to 24hours, and performing a liver transplant in threehours versus the previous standard of nine to 10hours.

Under his leadership, MTI has also been partic-ipating in studies that focus on improving the outcomes of transplant patients,including living donor kidney program research, liver program research and lung pro-gram research.

“Dr. Rodrigo Vianna’s passion and commitment to save

lives has helped make theMiami Transplant Institutethe third largest transplant

center in the nation in volume.Directly or indirectly, he has

helped save thousands of lives—and gives hope to so many

others who are currently waitingfor a life-saving organ

transplant.”Carlos A. Migoya

President and CEOJackson Health System

NURSES

ROSE ANDERSON, MSN, ARNP

Psychiatric Mental Health NursePractitioner

Camillus House—Project Lazarus

Rose Anderson has worked tirelessly to ensurethat those from disenfranchised and often forgottenpopulations—the poor, homeless, orphans, undoc-umented immigrants, addicts, individuals livingwith HIV/AIDS—have access to quality and lovinghealth care, regardless of their circumstances.

Her 38-year career, 35 of which were spent inMiami-Dade County, has included work terms inKenya and Haiti, providing vital health care toorphans and adults living with HIV/AIDS. In hercurrent role with Camillus’ Project Lazarus, sheoffers health care to the on-the-street homeless.

A typical day for Ms. Anderson and her team iswalking the streets to work with a caseload ofapproximately 20 on-street homeless at any giventime, making sure that the chronically ill take theirmedication, stabilize and eventually enter safe andpermanent housing.

Not many would willingly trek throughout thestreets of Miami searching for a patient who is mentally ill, but every day, Ms.Anderson provides health care and support to those suffering with dignity and grace,ensuring that all who receive services are treated with love, respect and compassion.

She has helped to rethink how the chronically homeless and mentally ill are servedand treated, and has directly helped to rehabilitate and house more than 300 clientsover the years.

“Rose Anderson has dedi-cated her professional life andmade it her personal missionto serve those in underservedcommunities, often foregoinghigher pay for passion and acalling to help those in need.”

Hilda M. FernandezCEO

Camillus House


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BRIDGET PELAEZ, MA, BSN, RN, EMT-P

Academy for International Disaster Preparedness,

Florida International University RobertStempel College of Public Health

and Social Work

Bridget Pelaez is a licensed registered nurse, certi-fied paramedic and emergency management coordi-nator for the FIU-FAST (Florida Advanced SurgicalTransport) team. In August 2017 following the dev-astating floods in Texas, she deployed to Houston asa member of the National Disaster ResponseMedical System’s Trauma Critical Care Team. Sheserved as the team’s deputy commander and nurseand was deployed for approximately two weekstreating flood survivors.

A day after that deployment ended, she was backin Florida responding to the state of emergency inresponse to Hurricane Irma, assisting the surge ofmedical patients at West Kendall Baptist Hospital.Despite arriving at 1 a.m., Ms. Pelaez and her teamsaw 92 patients by morning’s end. Days later, shewas off to the Florida Keys with a small team to setup a medical field hospital shelter for Baptist Health Mariners Hospital, which hadbeen badly impacted by the hurricane.

A humanitarian health care practitioner, she has also served in Haiti treating sur-vivors of the Haitian earthquake, running a clinic that served 125 survivors a day, andhelping to rebuild an orphanage; and in 2018, she traveled to Guatemala as part ofContinuing Promise 2018 to treat families and individuals with little or no healthcare.

“Bridget Pelaez’s mainpassion and objective in lifeis serving as a public health

disaster response professional.”

Ruben D. AlmaguerAssistant Vice President Disaster

Operations & EmergencyManagement/Executive Director

Florida International University


NURSES

INDIVIDUALS OF MERIT

JAYNE S. MALFITANOPresident, Harcourt M.

and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation; Member,

University of Miami Board of Trustees;Vice Chair, Sylvester ComprehensiveCancer Center Board of Overseers;

Chair, University of Miami School of Nursingand Health Studies Visiting Committee

As president of the Harcourt M. and Virginia W.Sylvester Foundation, Jayne Malfitano has workedtirelessly to carry out the legacy her father began in1986 when he pledged $27.5 million to theUniversity of Miami to build the cancer center inhonor of his parents. Beginning with Sylvester atDeerfield Beach, Ms. Malfitano has pushed theexpansion of the cancer center to satellite facilitiesthroughout South Florida, bringing the mostadvanced academic cancer care to all corners of thecenter’s diverse communities.

In December 2016, the sixth Sylvester satelliteopened at The Lennar Foundation Medical Centeron UM’s Coral Gables campus. Ms. Malfitano hasdedicated herself to the UM Board of Trustees, theVisiting Committee of the UM School of Nursingand Health Studies, and served as a director of TheChildren’s Place at Home Safe. She is also a pastpresident of the Junior League of Boca Raton anddirector of the Boca Raton Community HospitalFoundation.

Thanks to Ms. Malfitano and her sister, Laura Sylvester, the foundation’s commit-ments to cancer research and care at the University of Miami have grown to nearly$54 million, including a pledge of $2.5 million to establish the W. Jarrard Goodwin,Jr., MD Endowed Chair in Head and Neck Oncology Surgery.

“Jayne Malfitano’s leader-ship and longtime commitment

have helped SylvesterComprehensive Cancer Center—the only university-based cancer

center in South Florida—transform cancer

research and care.” Edward Abraham, MD

Executive Vice President forHealth Affairs

CEO, UHealth—the University ofMiami Health System

Dean and Chief Academic Officer,University of Miami Miller

School of Medicine

CHERYL COTTRELL, MS-HSA, BSN, RN, NE-BC

Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer,Mariners Hospital and Fisherman’s

Community HospitalBaptist Health South Florida

Cheryl Cottrell’s selfless dedication was evidentwhen she put the well-being of others before her-self to quickly bring medical care back to twoFlorida Keys’ hospitals after Hurricane Irma sweptthrough the area on September 10, 2017.

The day after the storm, she boarded a helicopterwith other hospital executives and flew over theUpper and Middle Keys to assess Mariners Hospitaland Fisherman’s Community Hospital. She was onthe ground Sept. 11 to gear up Mariners Hospital—working with a minimal staff without air-condi-tioning to clean up water from overactive fire sprin-klers, setting up fans to cool CT and X-raymachines, and teaching young nurses how to writeon paper charts.

On Sept. 12, the hospital was able to treat walk-ins with storm-related injuries; three days later, itwas up and running, able to treat all emergencies.Water damage prevented Fisherman’s Hospital inMarathon from opening, so instead, Ms. Cottrelland her team worked alongside doctors in a mobilefield hospital in the hospital parking lot amiddebris.

The medical teams were able to treat patients andevacuate the more severe cases, providing top-levelcare with only basic equipment. To date, the fieldhospital has treated more than 2,100 patients.

“It’s as if everything the long-time Key Largo resident has

done in her life was in prepara-tion for the challenge of

Hurricane Irma. In her roleas chief nursing officer atMariners Hospital in

Tavernier and Fisherman’sCommunity Hospital inMarathon for BaptistHealth South Florida,

Cheryl kept patients first andforemost on her mind.”

Joe NatoliExecutive Vice President and Chief

Administrative OfficerBaptist Health South Florida

SANJAY RAZDAN, MDProfessor, Chairman and Founder,

International Robotic Prostatectomy Institute;

Director, Urology Center of Excellence; and Director, Robotic Urology,

MiVIP Center of Miami;Director, Endourology and Robotic

Fellowship Program, Larkin Hospital;President and Founder, Prostate Awareness

Research and Treatment (PART)

Dr. Sanjay Razdan is a practicing urologist based outof Doral, FL, who has dedicated his career to diagnos-ing and treating prostate cancer without compromisingon functional outcomes. For the last 14 years, he hasbeen treating patients with high-risk disease, oftenaccepting patients who have been denied by otherproviders due to the sheer complexity of their cancers.He founded the nonprofit Prostate Cancer Awarenessand Treatment (PART) organization in 2009 with thegoal of offering monthly robotic prostatectomies tolow-income and at-risk men with prostate cancer at nocost. Over the years, PART has been involved in localprostate cancer awareness and screening events, andthrough PART, Dr. Razdan has also performed cutting-edge research on how to improve functional outcomesafter surgery, specifically on how to improve urinarycontinence and erectile function. Dr. Razdan has suc-cessfully conducted over 5,000 procedures, and in addition to helping all segments of theSouth Florida community, has opened his doors to international patients, especially thosein Latin America. To further educate patients on prostate cancer risk factors, prevention,diagnosis and management, Dr. Razdan also authored the first textbook in the worldcovering the consequences of prostate cancer treatment and outlining the latestresearch in the field of robotic prostate surgery.

“Dr. Sanjay Razdan is anoutstanding surgeon, a prolif-ic researcher, a knowledge-

able teacher, and a communi-ty activist and volunteer. We

should all aspire to be asmotivated and willing to

serve our community as Dr.Razdan has been, then onlycan we effect change in theway health care is practicedand help the greatest number

of patients.”Gloria Barbier

Principal, AXA-Advisors/PCG/Private Client Group


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ORGANIZATIONS/PROGRAMS

ROUTINE HIV/HEPATITIS C SCREENING ANDLINKAGE TO CARE PROGRAM AT HOMESTEADHOSPITAL, BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA

An estimated 1.2million Americans areliving with HIV, andone out of five peoplewith HIV do notknow that they haveit. The disease contin-ues to spread, leadingto about 56,000 newHIV infections eachyear. Unfortunately, Florida leads the nation,with Miami-Dade County ranking as the topcounty in the U.S. for new HIV infections.Homestead Hospital is leading the effort tointerrupt the HIV epidemic in South Florida.The hospital implemented a routine HIV andHepatitis C screening program in its emer-gency department (ED), and now all patientspresenting to the ED in need of blood workreceive an HIV and HCV test unless they decline.

The program, an example of inter-professional teamwork, took a coalition of hospitaland public health professionals and a significant investment of human and infrastructureresources to bring about such a systemic change. Homestead Hospital was the first hos-pital in Florida to implement routine HIV/HCV screening, and the program is now beingreplicated as a best practice at other Florida hospitals. Since implementing the program,the hospital has screened more than 20,000 patients and identified more than 200 HIVand nearly 600 HCV Ab positive individuals. Working in partnership with the Miami-Dade County Department of Health, linkage to care specialists is helping the individualsaccess medical care to reduce the spread of infection.

“Led by nurse champions, the long-term impact of Homestead

Hospital’s program is incredible, sav-ing lives, reducing health care costsand providing people the linkages to

care they so desperately need.”Bill Duquette, CEO

Baptist Health South Florida—Homestead Hospital


INDIVIDUALS OF MERIT

JOHN A. ROCK, MDFounding Dean and Senior Vice President

for Health Affairs,Florida International University Herbert

Wertheim College of Medicine

In 2007, John A. Rock, MD, was appointed toserve as founding dean and senior vice president forhealth affairs at FIU’s new college of medicine. Histremendous success in creating a quality medicaleducation program at FIU is evident: HerbertWertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) current-ly graduates approximately 120 medical studentseach year, and those students consistently performhigher than the national average on national stan-dardized examinations and attend some of the mostprestigious residency training programs in thenation.

During his tenure, Dr. Rock has embedded med-ical education into some of South Florida’s mostunderserved communities through Green FamilyFoundation NeighborhoodHELP, a novel outreachand education program that is mutually beneficialto medical student education and to the participat-ing household members in the communities served.The program, recognized nationally and interna-tionally, seeks to reduce or eliminate health dispari-ties caused by social determinants like poverty, raceand ethnicity, and geographic location while simul-taneously training future health care providers to becognizant of such disparities.

Focusing his attention on disaster resilience, Dr.Rock also forged a partnership between HWCOMand the Florida Advanced Surgical Team (FAST) tocreate FIU-FAST and ensure that South Florida isprepared to respond to natural or manmade disas-ters requiring rapid mobilization of a highly special-ized medical response team.

“Dr. John Rock’s perform-ance as dean is exemplary,but his devotion to South

Florida goes far beyond thescope of his job as dean.

Through numerous outreachinitiatives, service-learningprograms and partnerships

with bedrock institutions, Dr.Rock has created paths and

built bridges that connectFIU students and facultywith some of the most under-served neighborhoods in theregion—changing the ways inwhich health care is delivered

in South Florida.”Claudia Puig

President and General Managerof Local Media, Miami

Univision Communications, Inc.

JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM

On June 25, 1918, the new Miami City Hospital opened its doors to the commu-nity in the midst of a deadly influenza epidemic. The opening of the 13-bed hospitalmarked the beginning of health care in Miami.

Over the last 100 years, Miami City Hospital has grown from a small hospital intoJackson Health System, one of the nation’s largest, most comprehensive public healthsystems, known for its highly trained physicians and cutting-edge care. It hasremained true to its mission—to provide a single, high standard of quality care forall the residents of Miami-Dade County, regardless of their ability to pay.

It has become a medical destination for patients from all over the world in need ofhighly specialized care, and includes one of the largest neonatal intensive care unitsin the nation; the Miami Transplant Institute; Ryder Trauma Center; and a Neurology& Neurosurgery Department of Excellence.

The only public health system in Miami-Dade County, in fiscal year 2016, it pro-vided $3.6 million in charity care. Jackson Health System reaches every corner of thecounty through clinics and health education programs, and helps to raise awarenessof important wellness issues including heart health, diabetes, sexual assault aware-ness, burn safety, smoking cessation and more.

“Jackson Health System, whichis proudly celebrating its centennial

this year, is the crown jewel ofMiami for providing a century of

miracles to everyone in Miami-Dade County.”

Joe ArriolaChairman of the Public Health Trust

Board of TrusteesJackson Health System

DEBBIE INSTITUTEUNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS

The Debbie Institute (Debbie School) pro-vides critically needed early intervention serv-ices for young children with disabilitiesthroughout Miami-Dade County, regardless ofeach family’s ability to pay. The school has athree-fold purpose—to research problems thatimpact children with special needs, providetraining for university students, and offer serv-ices for children and their families.

The special needs of the pediatric popula-tions served include visual and auditoryimpairments, developmental delays and othersensory integration and development chal-lenges that typically result from autism spec-trum disorders and special syndromes such asCHARGE, Down’s, Fragile X, and cerebral palsy, among others.

Educational services are provided in fully inclusive classrooms where all childrenlearn together in an environment that fosters independence and encourages eachchild to reach his or her own potential, while laying a strong foundation for lifelongsuccess. Professional training and research projects are conducted in conjunctionwith various departments within the academic medical center in order to developinnovative methodologies to achieve successful outcomes, allowing students in thesedepartments to acquire hands-on experience through exposure to a rich variety ofsensory and developmental conditions.

“For over 40 years, through collaboration and research, theDebbie Institute has been a

pioneer and community leader intraining healthcare and educationalprofessionals in the areas of early

intervention, therapies and education.”

Erika Pruss-Schmitz, MBA, MSW, RNExecutive VP/Chief Operations

Officer, Expat CPA

ORGANIZATIONS/PROGRAMS


JULIO PUENTESFirefighter/Paramedic

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department

On January 12, 2017, the crew of Ladder 17 wasdispatched to an incident at a construction site.They were advised that the call involved the rescueof a submerged construction worker, a dive rescueemergency. The only diver on the unit, FF JulioPuentes, would be the key to this person’s survival.Several attempts to rescue the worker by hiscoworkers had already failed, and bubbles from hisunderwater breathing equipment were no longervisible.

The dive was dangerous as it was a zero-visibilityenvironment, forcing FF Puentes to conduct therescue by feel. Being an unsecured excavation, thethreat of a cave-in or trench wall collapse was apossibility and would be fatal.

With no back-up divers present, FF Puentesunderstood that he would be executing the rescuealone with limited chance of being rescued himselfshould he become trapped. After four minutes ofsearching, he found the victim, whose foot waswedged underneath a large rock. He freed the vic-tim and resurfaced, and the man was removed fromthe water in respiratory arrest.

Rescue 28 began resuscitative efforts and suc-cessfully resuscitated the patient, who otherwisewould not have survived.

DANIEL LOPEZ, CPLMedical Platoon

HHC, 1st Battalion, 124th InfantryRegiment, 53rd Brigade Combat Team

While serving in civil support operations as amedic at a shelter during Hurricane Irma, DanielLopez medically treated an 18-month-old girl whoselife was immediately compromised due to a pre-existing illness. Due to his quick thinking and deci-sive call to action, he was able to stabilize the childuntil she could be transported to a higher level ofcare, saving her life.

Throughout his roles as a 68W (MilitaryOccupational Specialty) Combat Medic Specialistand as a registered nurse in his civilian career, CPLLopez has not only demonstrated his knowledge,skills and abilities to perform his duties, but hasdone so with professionalism and the utmostrespect for his patients.

He is highly respected by his peers and leaders,and is often called upon as a subject matter expertto provide aid and recommendations to soldiers’injuries or ailments. His assessments are alwaysdirect, quick and correct within the scope of his roleand responsibilities. During a natural disaster inservice of South Floridians, he demonstrated selflessservice in performance of his duties, which resultedin saving a life.

FIRST RESPONDERS

“CPL Daniel Lopez repre-sents all that is honorable in

both his civilian nursingcareer and in military service.His actions were deemed toreflect great credit upon him-self, his unit, the FloridaArmy National Guardand the state of Florida.”

CPT William S. NoguerasCompany Commander

Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 1st Battalion, 124th

Infantry Regiment

“FF Julio Puentes displaysthe highest level of profession-alism and dedication to themission of Miami-Dade

Fire Rescue and the community we serve. With hisselflessness and the willing-ness to sacrifice his safety

under overwhelming odds, hedefines the true nature of

a hero and service above and beyond the call of duty.”

Nicolas MorgadoCaptain

Miami-Dade Fire RescueDepartment


MARITZA ALLEN-BROWNStudent Volunteer,

American Red CrossStudent,

Coral Reef Senior High School

Maritza Allen-Brown is currently a junior in theHealth Science Academy at Coral Reef High School,where she is an active member of the school’s chapterof HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America)and engages in service to the community, includingmaking blankets for pediatric cancer clinics.

Outside of the Academy, she is being trained as apeer health educator, to provide peers with the infor-mation necessary to make educated decisions abouttheir bodies. In this role, she will be giving monthlypresentations to freshmen and helping to create anenvironment where health prevention and a healthylifestyle are an essential part of the school’s culture.

She is an activity coordinator for the SpecialMelodies program, which provides music therapy tostudents who are developmentally disabled. In thisrole, she coordinates the music therapy schedules,guest volunteers, and coordinates events with otherclubs in school.

She is also a dedicated youth volunteer with theAmerican Red Cross. During Hurricane Matthew, sheparticipated in disaster preparedness activities as wellas prepared shelters for those affected by the storm.Through this experience, she was named a co-manag-er of a local Red Cross shelter during Hurricane Irma.

KEITH TYSONVice President, Education,

Research and OutreachFirefighter Cancer Support Network

Keith Tyson worked as a paramedic/firefighter for34 years with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. Six monthsafter retiring at the age of 55, he was diagnosed withprostate cancer. He sought and received medicalattention and today is cancer-free, but in the processof researching his own situation, learned that fire-fighters had a much higher incidence of certain can-cers than the general public. He began to work withother firefighters and fire departments to develop aneducational program on cancer awareness and edu-cation. Today, that program is delivered through theFirefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN), anational organization of firefighters who have hadcancer and who volunteer to assist and mentor oth-ers. Because of his passion and research, Mr. Tysonwas instrumental in developing partnerships withthe University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center andalso the Florida State Fire Marshal’s office and otheruniversity research centers. He also helped to pre-pare the FCSN’s 2013 White Paper entitled TakingAction Against Cancer in the Fire Service, which hasbeen recognized as one of the decade’s most important documents on firefighter can-cer. Because of his efforts, resources have now been allocated to examine the issuesof firefighter cancer and to develop methods to reduce their cancer exposure.

“As a retired firefighter andcancer survivor, Keith Tysonmight be expected to lead anentirely private life. He haschosen instead to spend histime and energy in service tothe cause of fighting the epi-demic of firefighter cancer.”

Santiago LeonEmployee Benefits Consultant

SGL Insurance, Inc.

YOUTH VOLUNTEER RECIPIENT

“There are students whoengage in community servicebecause it is required for

graduation, and then thereare students who engage incommunity service because

they are drawn to it.Maritza Allen-Brown

is the latter. She is alwayswilling to go the extra mile,wishing to leave the world

a little better than she found it.”Jessica Cabrera-Sarduy

Health Science AcademyLead Teacher

Coral Reef Senior High School

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2018 Health Care Heroes® TASK FORCEHealthcare Committee ChairMatthew I. Pinzur - Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Jackson Health SystemHealthcare Committee Vice ChairCliff Bauer - Vice President, Government Relations, Miami Jewish Health, President – Florida PACE Centers, Inc.Health Care Heroes® Task Force ChairCharles Felix - Publisher, South Florida Hospital News & Healthcare Report

axa advisors lifetime achievement award recipient … · 2020-01-08 · debbie institute at...

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