Radiology Colleagues Honored in Annual Chairman’s Leadership and Special Recognition Ceremony

Krystyna Barnard

February 6, 2019

The Department of Radiology last week held its Annual Chairman’s Leadership and Special Recognition Ceremony. Attended by faculty, staff and trainees in the Children’s Theatre at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the event recognized the contributions of colleagues who regularly go above and beyond to uphold the Medical Center’s Credo and Patient Promise.

In his opening remarks, Rich Pierce, MBA, Chief Finance and Administration Officer for the Department of Radiology, shared his pride for the hard work and collegiality, which contributes to the department’s overall success and ability to deliver quality patient care.

Radiology faculty, trainees, nurses, technologists, sonographers and staff submitted written nominations in the weeks preceding the awards ceremony for recipients of the O. Malcolm Sloan Outstanding Medical Imager, Radiology Resident of the Year, Chairman’s Annual Leadership and Modality/Section of the Year awards. Nominations were vetted by Pierce and designated panels of modality/section director, managers or supervisors, and past award recipients.

Pierce first presented the O. Malcolm Sloan Outstanding Medical Imager of the Year Award to Francis Matthew Herscher, RT(R)(MR)(CT), for his medical imaging knowledge and expertise, work ethic and professionalism.

In her first year as Radiology Residency Program Director, Cari Motuzas, M.D., presented first-year interventional radiology resident Collin Howser, M.D., with the Radiology Resident of the Year Award. Howser was nominated by a colleague for his positive bedside manner, radiologist-like knowledge and ability to communicate and empathize with patients and their families.

Department of Radiology Chairman Reed Omary, M.D., M.S., next presented Vikkie Elliott, Radiology Support Team Manager, with the Chairman’s Annual Leadership Award. Selected amongst nominations by a panel of department leaders and former Chairman’s Leadership Award recipients, Elliott is recognized by many for going above and beyond to coordinate a variety of department-wide initiatives such as Radiology Week, the Radiology Employee Safety and Quality Extravaganza (RESQuE) and Rock Star luncheons.

Modality and Section of the Year awards were presented to the following colleagues:

Breast Center Radiology Team Member of the Year: Barb Konz
Computerized Tomography (CT) Technologist of the Year: Elizabeth Smith
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer of the Year: Lilie Lawler
Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist of the Year: Chris Houser
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist of the Year: Judy Clark
Nuclear Medicine Technologist of the Year: Jennifer Klinger
Patient Services Specialist of the Year: Benita Hassell
Patient Experience Team Member of the Year: Dahl Irvin
Vanderbilt Outpatient Imaging (VOI) Radiology Team Member of the Year: Antoinette Inmon-Garner
Interventional Radiology Technologist of the Year: Tara Gumbman
Radiology Nurse of the Year: Shannon Mahaney
Radiology Academic Research Staff Member of the Year: Brooke Harvey
Radiology Resource Staff Member of the Year: Thurman Stephens
Radiology Support Team Member of the Year: Jaime Branch

Superior Commitment to Service awards were also presented to 35 radiology nurses, technologists, sonographers and staff who had perfect attendance in 2018. Recipients included the following: