Awards/Recognition
Walter Weiss, PT, MPT, NCS was awarded Clinical Excellence in Neurology by the American Physical Therapy Association, Neurology Section. This national award is granted to one physical therapist in the U.S. who has made significant clinical contributions in neurologic physical therapy. Mr. Weiss has not only provided high quality physical therapy interventions to patients with neurologic dysfunctions, he has also contributed to the state of knowledge through clinical research, publications and ongoing educational activities with students and fellow professionals (February 2007).
Grace Huang, Robert Habell, Elena Salcepuedes and the FMECA Team was awarded Best Poster Presentation for "Creating a Safer Environment Using an Infection Control Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis Process" at the 2006 DHS Patient Safety Conference and Awards. The groups recommendations consisted of the use of color coded identification wrist-bands; creation of an interdisciplinary infection control care plan; creating a patient/visitor education sheet; policies for terminal disinfection of furniture and draperies; hands-off communication methods and the creation of infection control recommendation labels to assist providers when treating patient with communicable diseases (October 2006).
Christiana (Chriss) Lassen, MS, RN, BC, CRRN has been honored with the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) 2006 Educator Role Award. Chriss is the Assistant Nursing Director of Education and directs programs such as Interdisciplinary Orientation, CPR, and School Affiliations (Sept 2006).
Nga (Betty) Wong, BSN, RN, CRRN has been honored with ARN's 2006 Best Rehabilitation Staff Nurse Award. Betty is a staff nurse who works on the Pressure Ulcer Management Service, and is renowned for her dedication and professionalism toward the complex group of patients she serves (Sept 2006).
Candice Ideen, BSN, RN, CRRN is Co-Editor of the Bi-County Bulletin that has won the 2006 Large Chapter Newsletter Award. Candice dedicates countless hours to the newsletter's production. The newsletter is a vital resource for informing and educating the members of the Los Angeles - Orange County ARN Chapter (Sept 2006).
Salah Rubayi, MD, FACS was awarded America's Top Physician for 2004-2005 by the Consumer Research Council of America. In addition, Dr. Rubayi was invited as a guest speaker and professor for the Rehabilitation Conference in Nagano, Japan (July 2005) and has received the Amistad Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual Amistad Gala (April 2006).
Bobbi Jean Tanberg, COTA/C was awarded the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Honorary Award. In addition, Ms. Tanberg was: awarded Employee of the Month for Los Angeles County Department of Health Services; invited to serve on the Los Angeles County Commission for Women; a keynote speaker at the First International Conference for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria.
Victor Passy, MD was recognized for 40-years of student and residency training by the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at University of California, Irvine. He is a pioneer in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at UCI and has been at Rancho for nearly four decades.
Bertha Cabral, OTR/L; Rachel Yhip, OTR/L; Michal Atkins, MA, OTR/L; and Marilyn Pires, RN won first prize for their poster on Shoulder Care in Spinal Injury at the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses in Palm Springs (October 2005).
Monica Egbuonu, PT was awarded the Princeton University Alumni Council on Community Service - Community Service Award for pioneering the Beautiful Minds project, a program that has brought Princeton University alumni and their resources together with elementary school children in Los Angeles schools (May 2005).
Shawn Phipps, MS, OTR/L was awarded the Occupational Therapy Practice Award and the Janice Matsutsuyu Memorial Graduate Scholarship at the 2005 Occupational Therapy Association of California Conference in Santa Clara, California.
Covey Lazouras, PT, DPT, NCS was awarded the Rising Star Award from the California Physical Therapy Association (CPTA), established in 1999 to recognize leaders in Physical Therapy (October 2005).