Individuals Honored for their Work on Behalf of Virginia’s Community Health Centers
October 7, 2024
HENRICO, Virginia: Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA) announced the recipients of the 2024 membership awards during their Annual Membership Meeting and Conference on September 19, in Falls Church, VA. Honorees were recognized for their outstanding and extraordinary work on behalf of and within Virginia’s Community Health Centers.
“VCHA’s Awards not only recognize our members who have made extraordinary contributions to their health centers but also recognize them for how they make an impact on their communities,” said Tracy Douglas, VCHA’s Chief Executive Officer. “These honorees embody the core values of serving in community health – that is to provide access to high quality, patient-centered primary and preventive healthcare services for everyone.”
Award winners with VCHA CEO, Tracy Douglas. From left to right: Margaret Skelley, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, Special Recognition; Debbie Oswalt, Virginia Health Care Foundation, Torchbearer Award; Valda Branch, Southeastern Virginia Health System, Special Recognition; Yaquelin Hernandez, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia, Staff Member of the Year; Gary Gilliam, FNP, Clinch River Health Services, Colorectal Cancer Award; Christie Hayton, Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems, Staff Member of the Year.
TORCHBEARER AWARDS: Recognizing leaders who are true champions for Virginia’s community health centers:
- Sen. L. Louise Lucas, Senator, 18th District, southeast region of Virginia
- Deborah Oswalt, Executive Director, Virginia Health Care Foundation.
In addition to the Torchbearer Awards, VCHA members were recognized for the following achievements:
NURSE OF THE YEAR:
- Elizabeth Resendiz Rosas, Medical Assistant Care Coordinator, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia
- Jamaica Burnette-McGeorge, Lead Nurse, New Horizons Healthcare
STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR:
- Christie Hayton, Quality Director, Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems
- Yaquelin Hernandez, Referral Coordinator, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia
PROVIDER OF THE YEAR:
- Cathy Parker, Family Nurse Practitioner, New Horizons Healthcare
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:
- Sherman Stovall, Board Member, New Horizons Healthcare
SPECIAL RECOGNITION:
- Valda Branch, Chief Operations Officer, Southeastern Virginia Health System
- Margaret Skelley, Senior Clinical Data Analyst, HealthWorks for Northern Virginia
A1C AWARD:
Recognizing a VCHA member health center for success in improving A1C rates among their patient population.
- Bland County Medical Clinic
COLORECTAL CANCER AWARD:
Recognizing a VCHA health center to advancing needed initiatives to improve colorectal cancer screening rates in their communities.
- Clinch River Health Services
ABOUT VIRGINIA COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION
Virginia Community Healthcare Association (VCHA), established in 1980, is a non-profit membership organization that serves as the primary care association for Virginia’s thirty community health centers and look-alike health centers. VCHA’s mission is to advocate on behalf of, educate and elevate our member health centers, enhancing their ability to provide affordable, accessible, quality healthcare to the communities they serve regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, visit www.vcha.org.
