NYC Health + Hospitals and MetroPlusHealth Staff Members Honored by Schneps Media’s 2024 “Healthcare Heroes” Recognition List
The recognition celebrates the contributions of New York’s dedicated health care professionals Schneps Media is a local media company that reaches over 2 million readers per week across two daily newspapers and a large group of community newspapers, magazines, and websites
May 01, 2024
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that eleven staff members were recognized as honorees in Schneps Media’s annual “Healthcare Heroes” recognition list. Health care professionals from New York City to Long Island were celebrated for their dedication to serving their patients and advancing their fields. The award is presented by The Carmelite Group, with Chloe Melas, an entertainment correspondent with NBC News, serving as emcee for the awards ceremony. Schneps Media is a local media company that reaches over 2 million readers per week across two daily newspapers and a large group of community newspapers, magazines, and websites.
The honorees from NYC Health + Hospitals include:
- Joan M. Curcio, MD, FACP – Director of Inpatient and Observation Services for Medicine, Chief of General Medicine and Associate Director of the Department of Internal Medicine, NYC health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
- Hector Felix – EVS Service Aide, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
- Alisa Grant – Patient Care Associate, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
- Sophia Isaac – Chief Human Resources Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull and Community Care
- Karen Lenard – Vice President of Behavioral Health, MetroPlusHealth
- William Li, MD, MSc – Director, Radiation Oncology, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
- Hannah Loeffert – Chief of Strategy, Quality, and Safety, NYC Health + Hospitals/Community Care
- Nakesha E. Nelson - Acting Associate Director of Quality Assurance and Clinical Quality Manager, MetroPlusHealth
- Remi Saji, RN – Head Nurse, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
- Iryna Stembkovska, RN – Head Nurse, NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
Dr. Joan M. Curcio is an Internist at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst since 2001. She serves as the Director of Inpatient and Observation Services for Medicine, Chief of General Medicine and Associate Director of The Department of Internal Medicine. Achievements have included growing and strengthening training programs for residents and fellows and creating and growing a hospitalist program with physicians dedicated to providing 24/7 direct patient care who are focused are ensuring equity in health care.
Hector Felix is a Service Aide at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, who has worked at the facility since 2022. Hector is often described as having a strong work ethic by his peers and staff throughout the building. In 2023, Hector was the recipient of EVS’s Perfect Attendance Recognition, and on most days, he is consistently one of the first EVS Services Aides to arrive for work.
Alisa Grant is a dedicated and compassionate Patient Care Associate specializing in Emergency Services. She has worked at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health for thirteen years, where she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to providing exceptional care to patients. Having earned the title of PCA, Alisa Grant has developed a strong foundation in nursing principles and practices.
Sophia Isaac is the Chief Human Resources Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull and Community Care and a key member of their executive teams. In this role, she leads a Human Resources team of 18 staff members and oversees 3,000 plus employees. Entrusted with establishing the vision and strategic direction for the full complement of HR programs, policies, and services, Sophia has implemented processes to better service hiring managers by improving response time and service quality.
Karen Lenard is the Vice President of Behavioral Health at MetroPlusHealth, where she oversees a team of 105 dedicated staff members committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers with behavioral health and social determinant needs. During her tenure, Karen has led the Behavioral Health Department through transformative change, including by transitioning Behavioral Health Care Management into a community-based model, enhancing member assessments so that a member’s social determinants of health needs can be identified, and launching a pay-for-performance reimbursement model to incentivize inpatient providers to initiate medication-assisted treatment for members with opioid addiction and assure linkage to outpatient care.
Dr. William Li is a distinguished medical professional with a remarkable journey in the field of oncology culminating in his role at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens as an attending radiation oncologist and assistant professor of radiology at Cornell Medical College. He earned his medical degree from Sun Yat-Sen University Medical School in China and continued his academic pursuits by obtaining a Master of Science degree from the prestigious University of Toronto. Dr. Li’s dedication to advancing cancer research led him to research fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco, and the renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Hannah Loeffert, a distinguished leader in health care management, currently serves as the Chief of Strategy, Quality, and Safety at NYC Health + Hospitals/Community Care. With over a decade of experience in the field, Hannah’s career is marked by a commitment to enhancing care delivery through strategic oversight and innovative solutions. Hannah holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is also a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) Level II, certified by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
Nakesha Nelson serves as the acting Associate Director of Quality Assurance and Clinical Quality Manager at MetroPlusHealth’s Managed Long Term Care & Medicare/Medicaid Advantage Plans. In this role, she assists members aged 21 and older who require over 120 days of long-term care services. She oversees approximately 2,000 MetroPlusHealth members, ensuring they receive 5-star quality care.
Remi Saji, RN, is a Head Nurse at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health with a stellar track record of four years in nursing leadership and a deep commitment to patient care excellence. Before her leadership appointment, Remi was a seasoned nursing professional known for her dedication to delivering high-quality care and fostering a supportive work environment. Remi has consistently demonstrated exceptional qualities and a genuine concern for patients and staff alike.
Iryna Stembkovska, RN, is a dedicated and compassionate health care professional with eight years of experience in the industry, serving as a Head Nurse at NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health. Iryna plays a vital role in overseeing her nursing team with efficiency and compassion, and her dedication to patient care is evident through her communication skills and ability to inspire others.
###
MEDIA CONTACT: Press Office
#070-24
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation. We are a network of 11 hospitals, trauma centers, neighborhood health centers, nursing homes, and post-acute care centers. We are a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlus. Our health system provides essential services to more than one million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the city’s five boroughs. Our diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.