At long last, we””re thrilled to announce this year’s healthcare rock stars! Please join us in congratulating our confirmed 2026 finalists and three special awardees:
2026 Hospital Heroes
Sunnie Dishman – Clinical Nurse Manager, UCLA Health
Scott Dunn – Maintenance Mechanic – Greater Los Angeles VA
Pam Flores, Manager of Community Health and Volunteer Services, Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center
Paula Gallucci, Clinical Manager, Cottage Health
Kevin Germano, Biomedical Equipment Technician, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Araceli Hurst, Social Worker, Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans’ Hospital
Paul Kantor, Chief, Division of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Morinsola Keshinro, Certified Child Life Specialist, Northridge Hospital Medical Center
Blake Nunez, Clinical Nurse II, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Bryan Sharp, Substance Use Navigator, Bear Valley Community Healthcare District
Cherie Towers, Director of Volunteer Services, Redlands Community Hospital
April Villarreal, Clinical Lab Scientist, Lompoc Valley Medical Center
Eyad Wahdan, Nurse Manager, Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center
Kathy Yoshimura, Director, Laboratory and Pathology Services, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital
Special Honorees
Roger Thomas, M.D., Hoag – Lifetime Achievement Award
Hector Flores, M.D., Adventist Health White Memorial Medical Center – Humanitarian of the Year
Janet Nguyen, Orange County Board of Supervisors – Legislator of the Year
Our heartfelt thanks go to each one of our heroes and to all the amazing employees at our member hospitals. Every day, 24/7/365, your hard work, dedication and caring bring healing and hope across Southern California. It’s our great privilege to honor you!
Awards Gala
We look forward to celebrating this year’s awardees at the fourth annual My SoCal Hospital Heroes Awards Gala, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sheraton Grand, Los Angeles. You’re warmly invited to join us!
Raise your company’s visibility and make valuable contacts as you show your support for the healthcare community. Sponsor the My SoCal Hospital Heroes Awards Gala!
The gala draws hospital leaders from across Southern California. As a sponsor, you can engage one on one with decision makers in an intimate setting as you celebrate this year’s Heroes.
Gala sponsorship offers you:
Potential business leads and partnerships
Increased brand awareness and positive image
Branded acknowledgment in Gala promotions and at the event
A forum for building goodwill as you honor the life-changing work of hospital employees
For any questions, email [email protected]. We look forward to partnering with you!
The gala will take place at the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles, 711 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 90017. A special event room rate is available — book by Friday, Oct. 23, to lock in your savings.
Crystal Solis, Acute Care RN – Providence Little Company of Mary, San Pedro
Edward Lord, Director of Plant Operations – Providence Holy Cross Medical Center
Esperanza Salazar, Director, Infection Prevention – College Medical Center
Mindi Burfield, Stroke Navigator – Providence St. Mary Medical Center
Olga Taylor, Project Manager, Community Affairs – Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Parien Greenall, Manager of Patient Safety – Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center
Patty Nogueda, Community Outreach Health Practitioner – Huntington Health
Peter Goco, Clinical Nurse II – Cedars-Sinai
Tony Marcelli, Interim Chief Nursing Officer – Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center
Vickie Dao, Medical Support Specialist – City of Hope, Seacliff
To our heroes: Thank you for all that you do in your day-to-day work, and for touching and inspiring so many around you — patients, colleagues, your family and friends, and your community. We’re so proud to count you as part of the HASC membership!
Many thanks to everyone who joined us Nov. 2 to celebrate the 2024 My SoCal Hospital Heroes! This year, HASC also had the great pleasure of adding three special award categories: Lifetime Achievement, Humanitarian and Legislator of the Year.
As the evening led into the awards ceremony, emcee Camilla Rambaldi, a reporter with NBC4 LA, introduced George Greene, who shared some background on the Hospital Heroes awards. Then the long-awaited moment arrived.
The awards began with the three special honorees: Supervisor Hilda Solis, Legislator of the Year; Dr. Asif Mahmood, Huntington Health, the Humanitarian Award; and Dr. Nathalie Orloff, Providence Saint John’s Medical Center, the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Supervisor Solis couldn’t attend in person but shared a video message of thanks. Then Dr. Mahmood and Dr. Orloff came up to receive their awards. Emotion swelled high as they both shared moving and heartfelt words of gratitude. As Dr. Orloff, 95 years young, described her journey from refugee to health professional caring for those in need, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
At long last, each of the 15 Hospital Heroes came up for their well-deserved honors. As their coworkers gave shoutouts on screen, Greene handed each hero an award to thunderous applause from family, friends and the entire audience.
We hope it was truly a night to remember for each of our remarkable 2024 honorees. View the highlight reel and photo gallery to recapture the magic, and read on to learn more about the awardees.
In the awards’ first year, HASC had the pleasure of naming 13 Hospital Heroes from our member organizations. The selection committee had a hard time narrowing down the finalists from among so many outstanding employees. But at long last, they selected these awardees:
Amelia Grover, Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center
Aziz Zaouadi, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance
Chico Manning, PIH Health
Cindy Baker-Fox, Children’s Hospital Orange County
Judy Bravo, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center
Kirk Hylton, City of Hope
Lorenz Sumbong, Kaiser Permanente Orange County
Lydia Kreil, Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center
Michael Majich, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Minah Jackson, Loma Linda University Health
Paul Cancio, Cedars-Sinai
Rachel Villanueva, MLK Community Healthcare
Tierra Mallory-Sanchez, Southwest Healthcare Rancho Springs Hospital
Learn more about these remarkable employees in the event tribute journal. We’re so proud to have you all within the HASC membership. Your dedication, innovation and compassion set a shining example for all of us.
