Employee of the Month Winners
Each winner is nominated by staff members or patients for exemplifying one or more of RUHS’ core values: (T) Teamwork, (R) Respect, (I) Integrity, (E) Excellence, and/or (D) Discovery!
Do you know someone who exemplifies RUHS' core values?
Nominate them for Employee of the Month! Click the button below.
September 2024 Winners
William Wilford, Environmental Services | T.R.I.ED - He deserves to be recognized because he always goes above and beyond for everyone here at RUHS. He is definitely a team player, not only for his department, but throughout the hospital. He always comes to work with a positive attitude. Whenever he is asked to do something for our unit or anywhere in the hospital he is always there to help. When patients talk to him he always lifts their spirits and they never forget about him. He always brings joy to everyone around him.
Nicholas Bast, Orthopedics | T.R.I.E.D - Nicholas is always going above and beyond for his patients. He always has a good attitude and truly cares.
Rolando Nocon, 4200 Unit | T.R.I.E.D - He always takes initiative to assist, help and clean patients.
Terence Gordon, Medical Records | T.I.E - He is one of our veteran employees who continues to strive for excellence.
Imelda Ongkingco, Behavioral Health, Arlington | T.R.I.E.D - She is an exceptionally hardworking nurse who consistently goes above and beyond in her duties. She is always ready to lend a helping hand and frequently takes the initiative to finish tasks in the unit. Her boundless energy and proactive approach ensure that she is always engaged and contributing positively. Her dedication to her work is evident in the extra effort she puts into helping the unit run smoothly. She works at a remarkable pace, ensuring that everything is done efficiently and effectively. Her unwavering commitment and enthusiastic spirit make her an invaluable asset to the team, greatly enhancing the unit's overall performance.
Eartha Walter, Lake Elsinore Community Health Center | T.R.I.E.D - She always has a smile, no matter what kind of day we are having. She shows true teamwork, and is very kind and positive. She always knows what is going on in the office and if she is needed to speak to a patient, she is there for us. Her communication and professionalism with patients is awesome. We appreciate her very much.
August 2024 Winners
Shirley Bibera, Behavioral Health, Arlington | T.R.I.E.D - Shirley is one of the hardest working RNs at Arlington Campus. Shirley is a team player who shows all patients respect and compassion. No request is too small or too big. She’s ready and willing to help patients and staff anytime. She’s a wonderful nurse and I’m very lucky to work with her.
Veronica Luna, Infusion Clinic | T.R.I.E.D – Veronica is always caring and helpful to all patients. Patients call to speak to her regarding their appointments at other clinics. She assists them with other appointments they may have (not at Infusion Clinic). She goes above and beyond for all patients. She has definitely made an impact at Riverside University Health System – Medical Center.
Carolina Hernandez, 4200 Unit | T.R.E.D. – Carolina is a CNA here in 4200 at the Medical Center. She always comes to work with a positive attitude, always puts patient care first and goes above and beyond for all her patients. Patients never forget Carolina because they are very happy with the care she provides them. She is a pleasure to work with here in 4200. We are very lucky to have her as a part of our team.
Bibera and Hernandez have received multiple nominations this year. Congratulations!
July 2024 Winners
Carolina Hernandez, 4200 Unit | T.R.I.E.D - Carolina is a CNA here in 4200. She always comes to work with a positive attitude, always puts patient care first and goes above and beyond for all her patients. Patients never forget Carolina because they are very happy with the care she provides them with. She is a pleasure to work with here in 4200. We are very lucky to have her as a part of our team.
Shirley Bibera, Behavioral Health, Arlington | T.R.I.E.D - Shirley has always displayed great teamwork and leadership at Arlington Campus. I have had the pleasure to work with her for 6 years. She was also my RN preceptor during my orientation period. She provides some of the best quality patient care and is always willing to help.
Viviana Carrasco, Lake Elsinore Community Health Center | T.R.I.E.D - Viviana is always going out of her way to help, always smiling. Great with patients. She goes that extra mile.
Honorable Mentions:
Leslie Lee, Lake Elsinore Community Health Center | T.R.I.E.D - Outstanding leadership, compassionate, team spirit. Leslie is always making sure everyone is OK, if we need anything.
Roslind Sykes, Lake Elsinore Community Health Center | T.R.I.E.D - She is always helpful, smiling; she is always listening to see if anybody needs help. Great attitude.
Emhyr Wilsion, Environmental Services | T - Emhyr is very hard working and loves what she does. She is excellent at doing her job and goes above and beyond expectations
Martine Roth, Trauma Services | T.E. - Martine was so helpful with a trauma activation in the medical center. She was able to assist the nurse in proper c-collar placement, ensuring quality care for the patient. Not only did she help with the patient she was consulted for, she also jumped in and helped a another nurse get a trauma patient much needed pain medication and an IV. It meant so much for the staff involved. Martine is always such a good resource and advocate for the patients at RUHS.
Mary Ann Dee, Behavioral Health Arlington | T.R.I.E.D - Mary Ann is an invaluable asset to the healthcare team. She is efficient and exhibits behaviors that enhance teamwork, professionalism and compassion, contributing to a positive work environment that benefits both her colleagues and patients. She listens to inputs of other team members with respect, regardless of their role or level of experience. She offers help to team members when needed and provides guidance to less experienced team members.
June 2024 Winners
Nancy Kabira, Emergency Treatment Services | T.R.I.E.D. - "Nancy is a great example of having the highest standards in her job to have optimal outcomes for patient care. She communicates effectively and clearly, displays patience, and is always there to support and lend a helping hand to all of her co-workers in the name of patient care."
Ana Fernandez, Administration | T.R.I.E.D. - "Anyone who has had any interaction with Ana always comments on how helpful and innovative she is. She is a true shining star of our RUHS team!"
Daniel Whetherly, Emergency Department | T - "He is always so thorough and willing to help another department. He always makes sure the staff are comfortable with the i-stat."
Tamela Thompson, Unit 2500 | T.R. - "She is such a great team player; she is always jumping in to help without being asked. Always wearing a great smile."
May 2024 Winners
Kelley Koepp, Urology Clinic | T.E. - "Kelley collaborates with her staff to ensure patient workflow is running smoothly. She steps up to cover multiple roles in her clinic to ensure patient care workflow is not impacted."
Emmeline Gutierrez, Unit 3300 | T.R.I.E.D. - "Emmy has been there every step of the way, helping our unit and NICU get survey ready. She came in on her weekend off to assist with checking our supply rooms for expired items. She has been the backbone behind ensuring that many of the projects we have requested get completed."
Aracely Orellana, Pharmacy Services | T.R.I.E. - "Aracely is a great example of a hard worker and team player. No matter what her assigned duties for the day are, she takes responsibility in every role. Additionally, she will help support other teams without being asked."
April 2024 Winners
Dina Elezaby, Emergency Treatment Services, Arlington Campus | T.R.E - “Dina, your dedication to excellence has not gone unnoticed. Your contributions have been inestimable and your attention to detail demonstrates your work ethic and professionalism.”
Elaina Lozito, Indio Community Health Center | T.R.I - “Elaina treats all of the clinic staff with friendly respect and upholds professional standards which likewise creates a safe work environment for all to enjoy.”
Dr. Christopher Genobaga, Community Health Center OB/GYN Clinic | T.R.E.D - “Dr. Genobaga goes above and beyond for his patients. He is always very caring and understanding with his patient, giving 100% bedside manners. Thank you for being the best Dr. Genobaga, your Pod 1 Team!"
Maribel Pena, 4500 Unit | T.R.I.E - "We have a patient who was assigned to Maribel and one day the patient got very sick and was transferred to a higher level of care. The patient still asked for Maribel so Maribel would check on the patient to help out the other nurses. I'm not sure if it's Maribel’s voice, the kindness she showed, or the compassionate care the patient received from her, but I'm sure the patient felt Maribel’s big heart that the patient trusted."
March 2024 Winners
Charlena Albright, RUHS MSC Vascular - “She should be recognized for changing the vascular clinic by having it structured and run more smoothly.”
Shawntece Andersen, Food & Nutrition Services - “She has a calm and professional attitude no matter what is asked of her. You just know she will take care of (patients) in a way that you would do if it was your family member.”
Francisco Galapate, 3500 Unit - “Francisco is such an excellent colleague. He is very nice and compassionate with all his patients every time I work with him, and he is always ready to lend a helping hand. Very professional and very calm as well.”
February 2024 Winners
John Chavez, Arlington Campus – T, R, I, E, D “John mentors new clinicians, and advocates for the fair treatment of other hardworking staff, including other disciplines. His sincere empathy for patients comes through in his work on and off the hospital floor.”
Alex Umali, RN, Unit 4500 – T, R, I, E, D “Alex is not only good to his patients, but he is also good to his teammates. Alex is always out there to respond to call lights not just for his patients, but for all. The kindness, compassion, and teamwork that he has shown is contagious and inspiring, and I am proud.”
Magdalena Villalobos, LVN, Perris Valley CHC – T, R, I, E, D “Magdalena has been serving the community as an LVN with RUHS for 20 years. She exemplifies what the public expects healthcare workers to be which is caring, compassionate, informative, and thorough.”
Juanito Gutierrez, Environmental Services – T, R, I, E, D “For the past 30 years Juan is always full of energy and comes to every shift with a go-getter attitude. He is willing to go above and beyond for the Medical Center staff, his team, and leadership.”
Firas Bannout, MD, Neurology – T, R, I, E, D “A patient called and stated she was very appreciative of Dr. Bannout and said he looked into her chart and was able to help her complete her paperwork to get her driver’s license and explained the DMV process from the medical perspective. The patient was very appreciative of the explanation and was overall happy with the staff’s treatment of her.”
Honorable Mentions:
Gilbert Gardiner – Moreno Valley CHC
Anna Lam – 4500 Unit
Dao K – Pharmacy Services
William Cunningham – Pharmacy Services
Ardith Turner – Volunteer Services
Markeis Brandon– Medical Center - Material Mgmt. - Storeroom
MichaelAyoub – Virology Lab
Elena Azpeitia – 4200 Unit
Ashton Cliften – 2400 Unit
Justin Figueroa – Emergency Department
Robert Evans – Information Technology
Dalina Aguilar – 4200 Unit
Jessica Veloz – CHC HeRCARe
Yaquelin Vazquez – OBGYN-MFM CHC
January 2024 Winners
Li Che, M.D., Perris Valley CHC – T, R, I, D “She’s so professional, attentive, kind, and supportive. I’m so blessed that she is my doctor.”
Angelina Linares, Jurupa Valley CHC – T, R, E, D “She is respectful, resourceful, and assists with essential technical skills to our team. Her behavior exonerated integrity with excellence.”
Cornelius Braxton, LVN, BH - ETS – T, R, I, E, D “[He] is not only one of our "go to" person for CPI, but he displays the day-to-day compassion, kindness, dignity, and empathy on the floor.”
Erika Flores Arellano, LVN, Women’s Health Clinic – T, R, I, E, D “[She] is very proactive, a team player, respectful, displays professionalism, and a positive attitude.”
Yeuk Ma, CT Tech, Diagnostic Imaging – I, E “In his efforts to check 2 patient identifiers, he noticed that the patient that was brought to the imaging department was the wrong patient. He proceeded to make an IR entry and identified the near miss. This is extremely helpful to our organization in our efforts to identify what went wrong.”
Honorable Mentions:
Anna Armenta, – Arlington Campus
Toni Cervantez, RN – MSC Peds Clinic
Carol Johnson – Clinical Billing
Ying Chao, RN – 2500
Sharn Deep, RN – Code BERT
Arlene Gutierrez, RN – 3100
Margarita Martinez – Infection Control
Maria Calderon – Food & Nutrition Services
Victor Ofo – Rehabilitative Services
Elizabeth Lucero – MSC Peds Clinic
Diana Mizer, RN – 3100
Julie Spicher – Emergency Dept.
Amber McNealy, RN – 2400
Amanda Hoffman, RN – 3100
Yaquelin Vasquez, RN – Women’s Health Clinic
Wendy Carello – Diagnostic Imaging Outpatient
December 2023 Winners
Jennifer Rodriguez – RN, Unit 3500 – “Jennifer’s one of the best nurses I’ve worked with! She’s a team player. She steps up and helps when an RN needs help. She doesn’t let anyone get behind. Keep up the good work!”
Jacinto Magallanes – RN, Unit 4500 – “Jacinto provided a patient that was end-of-life with dignity and respect, He was also kind to the patient’s family.”
Honorable Mentions:
Jasmine Brynd – Radiology
Patricia Bucayu – RN, Unit 2400
Holly Retchless – RN, Unit 3200
November 2023 Winners
Dustin Adams – IT Communications Tech III, Information Services
Yesenia Buenrostro – Registered Nurse III, Nurse Support - Diabetes Team
Dr. Stephanie Downing – Attending Physician, Trauma Services
Janet Orosco – Licensed Vocational Nurse II, Moreno Valley CHC
October 2023 Winners
Dr. Priya Sukumaran Victor – Ambulatory PC Physician, CHC
Jennifer Aguirre – Office Assistant III, Human Resources
Luz Lobatos – Housekeeper, EVS
Amanda Koch – Ultrasound Technologist, CHC
September 2023 Winners
David Adubi, RN, Behavioral Health, Arlington
Sheena Banning, Medical Assistant, Rubidoux CHC
Nancy Garcia, Admissions and Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Center
April Thomas, Environmental Services, Medical Center
August 2023 Winner
Raymond Madrid, RN III, Arlington Campus
July 2023 Winners
On behalf of a patient, Anthony, an RN within the ED, showed tremendous poise, respect, integrity, excellence and discovery. In the patient's words, “Anthony needs to be the example for all other employees to emulate. He should be the hospitals trainer of employees.”
I was evaluating Dr. Shah when he walked in and introduced his name and role. He told the patient why he was there and then asked the patient questions. He allowed the patient to speak without interruption and also told him the plan of care. Dr. Shah asked for permission to touch and evaluate the patient. After the assessment he informed the patient of his findings. More importantly there were questions and things that were top of mind to the patient and this physician answered all of the patients questions and made him feel as though he was a partner in his own care. Strong work to Dr. Shah of the Cardiology team. Thank you for the professionalism and the compassion that you demonstrated to our client.
Martine goes out of her way to ensure that her patients are well cared for, she is available for education and patient improvement. She goes out of her way to pick up shifts and flexible with her time.
Honorable Mentions -
Joel Punay
Mark Price
Melissa Garcia
John Paul Solomon
June 2023 Winner - Patience Ederaine (photographed above in the pink)
Honorable Mentions —
Thalia Duarte
Katherine Jimenez
Tasha Long
Ross Tesoro
Courtney Burge
Taylor Johnson
Stephanie Blomquist
Jasmin Brynd
Rodney Long
Ralph Rodriguez
Andrea Nieto
March 2023 Winners
Patience Ederaine, RN, Unit A, Arlington
Asher Falia, EVS
Stacie Nellis, NP, Indio CHC
February 2023 Winners
Dr. Sodagar, Community Health Clinic
Veronica Muniz, Physical Therapy
Ariel Pagulayan, RN III, Medical Center/Community Health Clinics
January 2023 Winners —
Orlando Tilford
Erik Mountain
Felipe Marin
Dr. Esterlita Fiel Quinones
Enriqueta Sy
Orlando Tilford started as a Community Services Assistant to outreach to patients and provide references and access to services yet within months Orlando promoted to a Behavioral Health Assistant due to his educational background and fast ability to grasp the mission of the ECM program. Orlando was at one point with no other staff and was a one man team at Riverside CHC who accomplished to engage all patients and connect with all staff at clinic. He is hard working and has received many compliments from many patients and one stated he saved their life. He displays an excellent quality service to all patients His new team mates have verbalized his work ethics is a high standard yet has taught them how vital it is to follow through each process. He has established Riverside CHC ECM team to be the top performing clinic throughout all Riverside County.
Erik Mountain, who is often known as the "Enforcer," is great with is patient care while also being compassionate. Erik works for the best interest of his patients while also being their advocates for better lifestyle. He is one of the strongest patient advocates.
Felipe Marin has great people skills…and a good attitude all times. He helps any time you need him to. The department runs smoother when he is there. His actions never go unnoticed. Patients appreciate his kindness and good work ethic. An all around great employee. Felipe is a very funny man. Laughter is the best medicine, he made my day. He should be a nurse, but is a very good transport.
Enriqueta Sy provides quality care for our patients while managing staff as an exemplary charge nurse and house supervisor. She displays humility and teamwork when working with and on other units. Enriqueta, known as "Sy," demonstrates the balance of best nursing practice, compassionate patient care, unit management, and enthusiasm. She is an asset to the Arlington campus as a peer and role model.
Dr. Esterlita Fiel Quinones has such a caring and compassionate attitude towards staff and patients. She continually adds patients that need to be seen quickly whether for paperwork or surgery clearance and takes a vested interest in her diabetic patients and celebrates their success when they're blood sugar is under control.