Hershey Medical Center, College of Medicine announce Baron Award winners

Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine announced the winners of the annual Steven and Sharon Baron Leadership Award.

Started in 2002 by Steven and Sharon Baron, the award recognizes Medical Center employees who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement, cooperation and teamwork.

Employees nominate co-workers, supervisors or faculty members for their award-winning contributions. Past recipients and employees are invited to serve on the committee to select the winners.

This year’s winners are:

• Faculty: Dr. Matthew Silvis is vice chair, clinical operations, Family and Community Medicine; director, Adult Primary Care; and Professor in the College of Medicine departments of Family and Community Medicine and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. Silvis’ nominator said, “I have never encountered a faculty member who has made so many lasting contributions in professional achievement, cooperation and teamwork.”
• Manager/supervisor: Amanda Kells, nurse manager, Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit, has led her team to improve quality outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and enhance employee engagement scores. She developed and led the Children’s Hospital through the integration of a Nursing Pipeline Program, an expansive professional development initiative. Staff members point to her support during the pandemic and her efforts to help them grow professionally and empower them in their work.
• Staff: Caryn Stopper is director, admissions for Penn State College of Medicine Physician Assistant Program. Her recruitment efforts have brought diversity to the program and led to 70% of the program graduates practicing in primary health care, health professional shortage areas or medically underserved areas. Caryn serves as chair of the Physician Assistant Master’s Program Education Council. Her nominator introduces her as the “best director of admissions in a Physician Assistant program.”

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