Four Penn State Health employees honored as ‘Health Care Heroes’

Four Penn State Health employees were named “Health Care Heroes” for 2024 by the Central Penn Business Journal. The honorees received awards in the categories of Community Outreach/Education Hero, Nurse of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.

Dr. Sarah Inéz Ramírez, Department of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine, received the Community Outreach/Education Hero award. The award honors those who reach outside of their normal sphere of business to focus attention on a health care issue or to solve a community health problem.

Brooke Fach of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Sharon Timko of Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center each received a Nurse of the Year award. This award honors a nurse or nurse practitioner whose performance is considered exemplary by patients and doctors and provides a model of professionalism to peers.

Dr. Elisabeth Kunkel of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Penn State College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, received the Lifetime Achievement award. The accolade recognizes an individual for advancing the health care of the region through heroic acts, mentoring, compassion, honor and integrity.

Central Penn Business Journal’s annual Health Care Heroes Awards & Summit recognizes excellence and innovation, educates the region on health care issues and honors the efforts of organizations and individuals making a significant impact on the quality of health care in central Pennsylvania.

Health Care Heroes honorees were celebrated at an awards event April 9. See the full list of winners here. (Click on “2024 Honorees.”)

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