DCRI Announces 2023 Excellence Award Winners

The Duke Clinical Research Institute celebrated its staff and faculty who shine the way forward on Tuesday, June 13, announcing the winners of the inaugural DCRI Excellence Awards at the organization’s quarterly Town Hall virtual event and honoring winners and nominees at a reception in downtown Durham.

large room full of people at dinner tables
Attendees at the 2023 DCRI Excellence Awards ceremony on Tuesday, June 13 in downtown Durham included award winners, nominees, nominators and DCRI leadership.

The awards’ theme was “Guiding Light — Shining the Light on Those at DCRI Who Are Leading the Way.” Award recipients were chosen by a selection committee for exhibiting extraordinary professional performance and service beyond the scope of their individual responsibilities and embodying the DCRI’s values of integrity, excellence, respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, innovation, and teamwork.

The inaugural DCRI Excellence Awards received 150 nominations of outstanding staff, faculty and teams from 25 different functional groups for the seven award categories. A selection committee comprised of DCRI leadership from six different functional groups chose this year’s winners.

“I’m delighted to celebrate the efforts and achievements of our Excellence Award winners, selected from a field of remarkable nominees,” DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, said. “Our faculty and staff are the lifeblood of the DCRI, and our award winners’ leadership and commitment to the DCRI’s values shines the way forward toward an even brighter future for our organization. I’m grateful to everyone who submitted nominations, and to our selection committee who had the unenviable task of selecting winners from the impressive list of nominees.”

Hirra Fissler and Adrian Hernandez
Clinical Trials Project Leader Hirra Fissler, shown at left receiving her award from DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez, won the Excellence in Leadership Award.
Adrian Hernandez and Lauren Cohen
Lauren Cohen, shown at right receiving the Rob Califf Excellence in Service Award from Executive Director Adrian Hernandez.
Antonio Jones and Adrian Hernandez
Antonio Jones, left, receives the Executive Director Award for Diversity and Humanism in Clinical Research from DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez.
Allison Hayes DeLong and Adrian Hernandez
Allison Hayes DeLong, left accepts the Standout Performer Award from DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez at the DCRI Excellence Awards reception.
NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Operations Team
The NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Operations Team received the Team Excellence Award at the 2023 DCRI Excellence Awards ceremony.
The RADx-UP Program Reporting Team
The RADx-UP Program Reporting Team won the Innovator Award.
Adrian Hernandez speaking to group
DCRI Executive Director Adrian Hernandez, far right, stands with Head of Strategic Planning & Development/Corporate Communications Willette Wilkins, speaking to attendees of the 2023 DCRI Excellence Awards reception.
Uche Ikeaba
Uche Ikeaba won the Rising Star Award.

2023 DCRI Excellence Awards Winners

Rising Star Award

Uchechukwu “Uche” Ikeaba

Biostatistician II

DCRI Statistics

 

DCRI Innovator Award

RADx-UP Program Reporting Team

Yousuf Mohammed – Sr. Analyst, IT

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh, Ph.D. – Sr. Analyst, IT

Sri Thotakura – Sr. Analyst, IT

Hetalkumar Patel – Sr. Analyst, IT

Prajwal Reddy Choudary — Data Engineer

Emily Kerstiens – Bioinformatician

Adam Post – Bioinformatician

Rakel Cook – Sr. Analyst, IT

Austin Batse – Sr. Analyst, IT

Jennifer Clarke – Sr. Analyst, IT

Jayalalitha Krishnamurthy – Senior Manager, IT

Bhargav Srinivas Adagarla – Sr. Bioinformatician

Chris Vetrano – Bioinformatician, Senior

Vineela Sunkepalli – Clinical Trials Project Leader I, DCRI Government

Konica Fleming – Project Leader

Bryan Feger, Ph.D. – Sr. Medical Writer

Ester Kim Nilles – Biostatistician

Steven Kemp - Biostatistician

Amanda Stebbins – Sr. Biostatistician

Daniel V. Lewis – Consultant – Business IT

Laura Johnson – Program Manager

 

Stand Out Performer Award

Allison Hayes DeLong

Clinical Trials Project Leader

Team Excellence Award

NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Operations Team

Alex Fist

Jill George

Darcy Louzao

Elizabeth McCamic

MariJo Mencini

Tammy Reece

Damon Seils

Karen Staman

Lauren Stewart

Gina Uhlenbrauck

Hannah Webster

 

Executive Director Award for Diversity and Humanism in Clinical Research

Antonio Jones, MPA

Financial Management Analyst

 

Excellence in Leadership Award

Hirra Fissler

Clinical Trials Project Leader

DCRI Government Operations

 

Rob Califf Excellence in Service Award

Lauren Cohen, MA, PMP

Assistant Director

Pragmatic Health Systems Research

2023 DCRI Excellence Awards Nominees

Excellence in Leadership Nominees

Rachel Olson

Anthony Cunnigham

Sharon Califf

DaJuanicia Holmes

Lauren Cohen

Sally Okun

Pam Monds

Kristen Norlin

Anne Dennos

Steven McNulty

Alma Chavez

Lynn Perkins

Marsha Marquess

Belinda Percival

Keri Baum

Emily O'Brien

Tina Harding

Matthew Wilson

Ricky Cooper

Anton Zuiker

Amanda Harrington

Micah Roberts

Ann Schutte

Jennifer Curry

Hirra Fissler

Renee Pridgen

Lauren Cohen

Valarie Morrow

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

Stephanie Harris

Hirra Zahir Fissler

Tammy Day

Derek Cyr

Nicole Solomon

Hira Zahir Fissler

Jack Shostak

Innovator Award Nominees

Pamela Monds

Brian Goings

Monica Leyva

Jenny Jackman

Matthew Bailey

Ricky Cooper

PRO Center

Kelly Jarrett

Nicole Kandray

Jennifer Hervey

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

RADx-UP program reporting team

Tammy Day

Rising Star Award Nominees

Jennifer Hervey

Ashley O'Steen

Erin Chang

Susana Almeida

LaShaunta Glover

Uchechukwu Ikeaba

Alina Samson

Ricky Cooper

Kimberly T Ward

Amy Brightwood

Alex Fist

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

Amy Brightwood

Danielle Thompson

Alexis McCloskey

Mia Cooper

Tammy Day

Marissa Bruce

Mariama Ibrahim

Uchechukwu Ikeaba

Melissa James

Mala Vora

Emily Kerstiens

Stand Out Performer Nominees

Allison DeLong

Laura Webb

Teresa Crumpler

Kerry Stenke

Katie Burnet

Nicole C. Solomon

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

Damon Williams

Lisa Monk

Megan Culley

Karen Hagerty

Lauren Arney

Anja Gottlich-Dumas

Gerald Bloomfield

Brenda Pattison

Ricky Cooper

Rosalia Blanco

Erin Latore

Juan Collazo

Meaghan Beauchaine

Megan Sykes

Kelly Mundy

Kady-Ann Steen-Burrell

Orshi Moy

Christie Milleson

Joni Whitt

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

Karen Chiswell

Marcus Layer

Samantha Raines

Tammy Day

Nicole Solomon

Jacalyn Farris

Zhen Huang

Team Excellence Award Nominees

PROACT Xa team

EMPACT-MI Site Management team

Kathy Williams

IGNITE II team

IPF/ILD-PRO Registry team

Financial Reporting Group

Cheryl Alderman, Zoe Sund — The Pediatric Trials Network

HERO Program team

PCORnet Coordinating Center

Joanna Cole

Ricky Cooper

Megan Culley

Alma Chavez

Tammy Reece

NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory Coordinating Center Operations Team

CHANGE-AF RedCAP team

Research Communications & Engagement Team

Executive Director Award for Diversity and Humanism in Clinical Research Nominees

Antonio Jones

Jay Rao

Ricky Cooper

David Souto

Bryan Batch

Anna Giczewska

Rob Califf Excellence in Service Award Nominees

Kara Cozart

Taylor Nguyen

Sally Okun

Patty McAdams

Trevor Lentz

Claire Beard

Amanda Windham

Matthew Bailey

Isa Lamerton

Tom Redick

Lauren Cohen

Merilee Whalen

Tasha Owens

Brenda Franklin-Goode

Pia Lapidus

Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh

Karen Chiswell

Kerry Stenke

Tammy Day

Maria Grau-Sepulveda

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