Overview

Overview

2021 Alumni Award Recipients

Alumni Awards

Each year, the Alumni Board of Directors honors its own with special award presentations to acknowledge their achievements. All award recipients will be recognized at our Fall Board Reception and receive a plaque in their honor. The award categories include Distinguished Alumnus Award, Special Achievement Award and Service Award.

The Process for Selection

The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Immediate Past President of the Board of Directors will decide on the awards in a given year; if qualified individuals are nominated. Current members of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Clinic Foundation Alumni Association and past award recipients are not eligible.

Awards are announced and presented at the fall Alumni Board of Directors meeting usually in September/October.

Who Can Nominate

Nominations will be accepted from alumni, residents/fellows, Cleveland Clinic professional and allied health staff and nursing.

How to Nominate

If you would like to nominate an individual for any of the awards, please click here to fill out our Alumni Award Nomination Form. Be prepared to provide a brief biographical sketch of the candidate including their professional experience, educational training, contact information, a brief explanation of why you are nominating this person, and a photo if available. Nominees can also be recognized posthumously.

Distinguished Alumnus

Distinguished Alumnus

Cleveland Clinic's Distinguished Alumnus Award, established in 1977, is to recognize alumni for exceptional enduring achievements and leadership which have brought pride and recognition to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation community. Nominees should have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professions balanced with dedicated contributions of time, energy and resources to the community.

Nominees must be graduates from a recognized training program at a Cleveland Clinic facility with a minimum of one (1) year of formal training and have distinguished her/himself in the following areas: Clinical Practice, Education, Research, Community Leadership and/or Service.

Distinguished Alumnus Award, The Nominating Committee -- Chaired by the Immediate Past-President will convene annually to review the list of eligible individuals. No more than two nominees will be submitted to the Alumni Board for a vote and the winner will be determined by a majority vote of the Board.

Current members of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association and past award recipients are not eligible.

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Distinguished Alumnus Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2022
Belinda Yen Lieberman, PhD
 RES/I ’78
2021
George Tesar, MD
  IM'80
2020 Satoru Nakamoto, MD*
 CARD'57
2019 Thomas J. Masaryk, MD NR’89
2018 Conrad Simpfendorfer, Sr., MD CARD'78
2017 Gene H. Barnett, MD, MBA GS’81, NS’86
2016 John J. Eversman, MD IM'64, END'65
2015 Earl K. Shirey, MD IM'56
2014 Michael T. Modic, MD DR'78, NR'79
2013 Leonard H. Calabrese, DO IM'78 RH'80
2012 Floyd D. Loop, MD TS’70
2011 Bruce W. Lytle, MD CCF’78
2010 Kenneth E. DeHaven, MD GL-1’66, S’67, ORS,’72
2009 Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, MD GL-1'62, S'66
2008 William C. Sheldon, MD CVM’62
2007 Tirone E. David, MD S’75
2006 Carlos M. Ferrario, MD RES’69
2005 Victor W. Fazio, MD S’73, CRS’74
2004 Albert V.G. Bruschke, MD CARD’72
2003 Norman R. Hertzer, MD GL-1’68, S’72, VS’75
2002 George C. Hoffman, MD CLPTH’59
2001 Wilma F. Bergfeld, MD Gl-1'65, DERM’68
2001 John A. Bergfeld, MD Gl-1'65, S’67, ORS'70
2000 *** presentation delayed to 2001***
1999 Jess R. Young, MD IM’59
1998 John D. Clough, MD GL-1'66, IM’67, IM’71
1997 Phillip M. Hall, MD Gl-1'66, IM’68, H/N’69, RES’70
1996 Edwin G. Beven, MD S’62, VS’63
1995 Thomas F. Meaney, MD DR'57
1994 Donald F. Dohn, MD NS'58
1992 Harriet P. Dustan, MD RES'49
1987 William L. Proudfit, MD IM'43
1985 George Crile Jr., MD S'37
1982 Elmer S.A. King, MD S'33
1977 E. Perry McCullagh, MD S'27
Distinguished Emeritus Award

Distinguished Emeritus Award

Distinguished Emeritus Award

Cleveland Clinic's Distinguished Emeritus Award, established in 2022, recognizes and honors outstanding leadership, scholarly work, service, research and/or teaching at Cleveland Clinic. Nominees will have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to advancing the Cleveland Clinic mission throughout their career. The Distinguished Emeritus Award recognizes the outstanding attributes and accomplishments of those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership.

Nominees must have Cleveland Clinic Emeritus Status but need not be graduates of a Cleveland Clinic training program.

The Nominating and Selection Committee will be chaired by the Immediate Past-President of the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association Board of Directors and will include the Chief of Staff and Alumni Board Nominating Committee. The committee will convene annually to review the list of eligible individuals and vote.

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Distinguished Emeritus Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2022 James B. Young, MD Staff '95
Special Achievement

Special Achievement

Cleveland Clinic's Special Achievement Award, established in 1985, is to recognize physicians or scientists for exceptional enduring achievements and leadership which have brought pride and recognition to Cleveland Clinic's community.

Nominees should have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professions or otherwise demonstrated exceptional achievement consistent with Cleveland Clinic's mission to provide better care of the sick, further investigation of their problems, and more education of those who serve.

Nominees must be duly qualified physicians or scientists, but need not be graduates of a Cleveland Clinic training program, who have made remarkable accomplishments or special achievements in at least one of the following areas:

  • Clinical Practice
  • Education
  • Research
  • Community Leadership and/or Service

Nominees will be accepted from alumni, residents/fellows, Cleveland Clinic professional and allied health staff and nursing.

Special Achievement Award, The Nominating Committee -- Chaired by the Immediate Past-President will convene annually to review the list of eligible individuals. Current members of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association and past award recipients are not eligible. The Committee may choose not to make an award in a given year if qualified individual(s) are not nominated.

The recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Special Achievement Award will receive a plaque in their honor.

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Special Achievement Award Winners

Year Recipient(s) Training
2022  Richard Farmer, MD
Staff’62
2021 Mindy Estes, MD
NPTH'84
2020 David Taylor, MD* Staff’01
2020 Tony Thomas, MD* Staff’82
2019 Joseph Hahn, MD, MBA  Staff’76
2018 Toby Cosgrove, MD Staff’75
2017 Kathleen N. Franco, MD Staff’92
2016 Atul C. Mehta, MD PULMCC'83
2016 Gregory P. Borkowski, MD IM'74, DR'79
2015 Juan Carlos Parodi, MD VS'76
2014 William S. Kiser, MD Staff'64
2013 James B. Young, MD Staff'95
2006 William E. Braun, MD Staff'68
2002 Donald G. Vidt, MD H/N'98
1999 Ralph A. Straffon, MD Staff'59
1999 Floyd D. Loop, MD TS’72
1997 Robert E. Hermann, MD S'94
1994 Ray W. Gifford, Jr, MD H/N'93
1992 Bernadine P. Healy, MD Staff'85
1987 Rene G. Favaloro, MD TS'65
1985 F. Mason Sones, Jr, MD
Service

Service

Cleveland Clinic's Service Award, established in 1999 in honor of the Dedication of the Alumni Library, is to recognize alumni who have generously dedicated themselves to the growth and advancement of Cleveland Clinic and/or Alumni Association.

Nominees must have demonstrated exceptional commitment and service to Cleveland Clinic for a number of years. Participation in the Alumni Association will be considered but is not required.

Nominees should have completed at least one satisfactory year of a recognized post-graduate medical education program under the auspices of the Graduate Medical Education Department of Cleveland Clinic or be a current or former member of the Professional Staff for a minimum of five years.

Nominations will be accepted from alumni, residents/fellows, faculty and professional staff.

Service Award, The Nominating Committee - Chaired by the Immediate Past-President will convene annually to review the list of eligible individuals. Current members of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association and past award recipients are not eligible. The Committee may choose not to make an award in a given year if qualified individual(s) are not nominated.

The recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Service Award will receive a plaque in their honor.

Is there someone you would like to nominate for this award?

Service Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2022
Patrick Tchou, MD
 Staff’94
2021
Susan Rehm, MD
 IM'81, ID'83
2021
Richard Drake, PhD
 Staff'03
2019 Pauline Kwok, MD TRS’95, DR’00, ABI’01
2018 Philip Bailin, MD, MBA D'74
2017 James W. Lewis, MD IM’70, H/N’71, RES’74
2017 Lee M. Adler, DO IM'75
2016 Robert E. Hobbs, MD CARD'79
2015 Lilian Gonsalves-Ebrahim, MD P'81
2015 Zeyd Y. Ebrahim, MD AN'81
2014 Edwin G. Beven, MD S'62, VS'63
2014 Robert E. Hermann, MD CCF'62
2013 Mehdi Razavi, MD CARD'67
2006 Daniel J. Wilson, MD IM’76, RES’79, H/N’79
2004 Sandra S. Stranscak Executive Director, Alumni Relations
1999 William M. Michener, MD CCF'61
1999 Isabella K. Sharpe, MD GL-1'74, IM’76, PULM/D’78
1999 Albert V.G. Bruschke, MD CARD’72
Early Career

Early Career

The CCF Alumni Association Early Career Alumnus Award, established in 2022, recognizes alumni for exceptional enduring achievements and leadership which have brought pride and recognition to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation community. Nominees should have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professions balanced with dedicated contributions of time, energy and resources to the community.

Nominees must be an alum within 10 years of completing a recognized training program and have distinguished her/himself in the following areas: Clinical Practice, Education, Research, Community Leadership and/or Service. Nominations will be accepted by alumni, residents / fellow, faculty and professional staff.

The Nominations and Awards Committee – appointed by the President of the Alumni Association – may choose not to make awards in a given year if qualified individuals are not nominated or otherwise make considerations as appropriate.

Past recipients of this award are not eligible. Nominees can also be recognized posthumously.

The recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Early Career Alumnus Award will receive a plaque in their honor.

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Early Career Alumnus Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2022
Renee Salas, MD
 CCLCM'09
Graduate Level-One (GL-1)

Graduate Level-One (GL-1)

Established in 1987, the Graduate Level-One Award is to recognize an outstanding first-year resident, identified by her/his peers, for personal and professional qualities beyond the ordinary.

This award introduces first year residents to Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association and demonstrates the commitment alumni feel toward future generations of Clinic-trained physicians and scientists worldwide.

Eligibility

Individuals eligible for this award must be clinical residents in their first year of training (PGY1). The recipients of this award are selected from nominations based on the following criteria

  • Clinical Excellence/Knowledge
  • Interpersonal Communication Skills
  • Character
  • Unique Accomplishments

The recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Graduate Level-One Award will receive a plaque in their honor.

  • In addition, the recipient:

    • Will be awarded a $1000 cash award for proposed project
    • Will receive a personalized certificate award (matted and formatted)
    • Will be recognized at the Spring Alumni Association Board of Directors Reception

Graduate Level-One Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2023 Kristina Dorthce, MD                    
2022
Abby Gross, MD
GS
2021
Jamesha Ford, DO
 FM
2020 Kavya Kommaraju, MD  IM 
2019 Charlie Lin, MD IM'21
2018 Benjamin Whiting, MD NS'18
2017 Robert Naples, DO S'18
2016 Ian Puffenberger, MD ACLPTH'19
2015 Dipika Menon, MD PD'17
2014 Jessica N. Barry MD PD'16, PDGE'19
2013 Rayji Sean Tsutsui, MD IM'15, CARD'18, CARDIN'20
2012 Daniel Joyce, MD S'18'
2011 Keith R. Bachmann, MD ORS'15
2010 Kiranpreet Kaur Khurana, MD S'10, U'14
2009 Michael L. Kelly, MD NS'14
2008 Ibrahim Hanouneh, MD IM'10, GE'13
2007 Kevin M. El-Hayek, MD S'11
2006 Juan P. Cata, MD AN'10
2005 Arti Jayant Choure, MD RES'04, IM’07, CARD'10
2004 Darren A. Guy, DO PD’06
2004 Inder Singh, MD, MS IM’06
2003 Francisco J. Marrero, MD IM’05, GE'09
2003 Matthew D. Kroh, MD S’07
2002 Todd F. Ritzman, MD ORS’06
2001 Harmohinder S. Athwal, MD IM/PR’00, P’01
2000 Rita Shi-Ming Lee, MD IMPC’0
1999 Jennifer Ann Wojtowicz, DO IM’01
1998 Christine M. (Noga) Booth, MD ACLPTH’02
1997 Lynette P. Davenport, MD IM’99
1996 Victoria L. Fribley-Carrington, MD P’99
1995 Russell P. Saneto, D.O. , PhD PD’97, CHN’00
1994 Christi Ferraro Matteoni, MD IM’96, GE’99
1993 Viktor E. Krebs, MD ORS’97
1992 Lori Kmiec Posk, MD IM'94
1991 Richard W. Grady, MD U’96
1990 Ghassan Safadi, MD PD’93, A’96
1989 Robert E. Foster, MD TRS'89, OPH'92
1988 Donald P. Brady, MD N'91
1987 Carlos M. Isada, MD IM'90, ID'92, CAID'93

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Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto

Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto

Medical Humanities & Leadership Development Award

Established in 2022 by Dr. Christopher and Donna Lew, the Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto Award for the Development of Leadership in Medical Humanities and Arts is a minimum $5,000 grant given annually to an individual whose peers and teachers identify the attributes that embody true leadership qualities. Dr. Satoru Nakamoto was a trailblazer at Cleveland Clinic. In 1957 he finished his training in Cardiovascular Disease and by 1976 he was appointed the head of the newly formed Department of Hemodialysis where he became a pioneer in dialysis and renal transplantation. Additionally, Dr. Nakamoto played a large role in teaching nephrology fellows the technical aspects of dialysis as well as how to care for transplant and chronic dialysis patients. He was the consummate physician, researcher, educator, but above all else he made patient care his priority. To honor his memory his family has decided to establish the: Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto Award for the Development of Leadership in Medical Humanities and Arts.

The annual awardee is someone who has demonstrated a commitment to learning, superior communication abilities and a mastery of medical skills. The recipient also embodies the courage, integrity and compassion that represent the highest ideals of clinical medicine. The award is to be used to assist the awardee in development of a project to enhance their leadership and/or humanitarian activities in the emerging field of medical humanities.

Criteria

  • Applicants must be of Graduate Level 2 (PGY-2) or above, with a minimum of one (1) additional training year in a medical or surgical residency or fellowship program at Cleveland Clinic. Applicants may choose to expand upon the projects of past recipients; prior recipients who enter an additional training program are not eligible.

The recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto Medical Humanities & Leadership Development Award will receive a plaque in their honor.

In addition, the recipient:

  • Will be awarded a $5,000 grant award for proposed project
  • Will be highlighted in an upcoming issue of Cleveland Clinic Alumni Connection magazine
  • Will be recognized at the Spring Alumni Association Board of Directors Reception

Dr. Satoru and Grace Nakamoto (formerly Michener) Award Winners

Year Recipient Training
2023
Thomas Das, MD
CARD
2022
Akshay Sharma , MD
 NS
2021
Robbie Zimbroff, MD
 IM'22
2020  Amit Goyal, MD   CARD'18
2019 Charlotte Horne, MD S'19, AAWRF'20
2018 Chelsea Garcia, MD IM'19
2017 Vishal Vashistha, MD IM'17
2016 Voranaddha Vacharathit, MD S
2015 Vikram D. Krishnamurthy, MD ES'16
2013/2014 Vipan Nikore, MD, MBA IM'13
2012 Raghav Govindarajan, MD N'13
2012 James Lui, MD NS'13
2011 Kevin M. El-Hayek, MD S'11
2010 Molly Michelle Wimbiscus, MD P'09, CHP'11
2009 Joyce K. Lee, MD N’09, SLPM
2008 Mia Zaharna, MD P’09
2007 Joseph M. Austerman, DO P’05, CHP’07, P’08
2006 Alyssa A. Riley, MD PD’07

Is there someone you would like to nominate for this award?