Niagara Health recognized 30 Nursing Excellence Award recipients this year and received a new record for nominations.
A record-breaking 266 nominations were cast for Niagara Health’s annual Nursing Excellence Awards. A highlight of National Nursing Week, the remarkable response is a powerful testament to the depth of talent, professionalism and heart that exists across our nursing teams.
The peer-nominations included meaningful stories illustrating commitment and impact, and represent just a few of the many exceptional nurses who make a lasting difference in our community every single day. One nurse created and sustains a “treasure box” for pediatric patients. Another exemplifies what the “heart and soul of nursing should be.” Another nurse’s quality improvement work with geriatric patients has been shared and celebrated at provincial and nursing leadership conferences. Two late nurses were recognized with posthumous awards.
“To every nominee and award recipient, thank you for the excellence you bring to your teams, to your patients and to Niagara Health every single day,” says Simon Akinsulie, Executive Vice-President, Practice, Clinical Support and Chief Nursing Executive. “To all nurses across our organization, know that your work matters. Your presence matters. And your leadership, in every form, is what continues to shape a stronger, safer and more compassionate healthcare system.”
Excellence in Nursing - Registered Nurse (RN)
Marti Culig, Walker Family Cancer Centre - Marotta Family Hospital
Culig is a true embodiment of patient-centred, compassionate and high-quality care. She is widely respected by patients, families and colleagues for her extraordinary compassion and her ability to build trust during life’s most vulnerable moments. She has a natural ability to understand what matters most to each patient, ensuring care plans reflect individual values, goals and wishes.
Sajana (Sunny) Akkarappattiyakal, Unit D - Niagara Falls Hospital
Sajana consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership, professionalism and dedication to patient care. Her strong clinical knowledge, clear communication and cheerful outlook help the team feel supported and confident, even in the most challenging situations. Team members feel heard, valued, and empowered under her leadership.
Leah Puddester, Emergency Department - Welland Hospital
Puddester treats every patient with kindness, empathy, and respect, helping them feel safe and heard during their most vulnerable moments. She ensures her team feels prepared, confident and supported. She is also committed to strengthening the department through advocacy, thoughtful improvements and initiatives that foster recognition, teamwork and connection.
Cassandra Decicco, Complex Care - Port Colborne Complex and Urgent Care Centre
Cassandra brings a calm composure and gentle compassion beyond her years. She takes the initiative to develop new skills and seeks out learning opportunities with enthusiasm. She shows us every day what the sincere heart and soul of nursing should be. Her interactions with patients are genuine, kind and truly heartwarming.
Rodmel (John) Cerbo, Complex Care - Fort Erie Complex and Urgent Care Centre
Cerbo leads with grace and is always available to share his knowledge as an internationally trained RN. Recently the team experienced a difficult shift when a Code Silver (a person with a weapon) was called overnight. Through managing patients’ needs and safety in the midst of this code, he still managed to help his co-workers feel at ease and communicated in a calm and composed manner.
Excellence in Nursing - Registered Practical Nurse (RPN)
Roger Helmkay, Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Mental Health - Marotta Family Hospital
Helmkay received multiple nominations, which speaks to the profound impact he has across all Mental Health units. He is widely known and respected for his exceptional de‑escalation skills, calm presence and unwavering commitment to safety. He reassures patients experiencing fear or psychosis, helping create a safer environment. His quick thinking, decisive action and calm response have been instrumental in ensuring the safety of both patients and staff.
Caitlin Dixie, Unit C - Niagara Falls Hospital
Dixie received multiple nominations and poured her whole heart into every patient interaction. A passionate advocate for palliative care, she ensured that patients were respected, comforted and supported during their final hours or days. She truly treated patients like family and always went above and beyond. She would bring in comfort items, snacks, books, clothing and personal care supplies for patients without family support. She kept her word to them, even on the busiest of days. Though she is no longer with us, her legacy of kindness, excellence, and humanity continues to inspire us every day.
Elizabeth (Liz) Cournoyea, Emergency Department, Niagara Falls Hospital
Cournoyea had a remarkable ability to bring calm to everyone around her. She advocated tirelessly for her patients and her colleagues, not because it was required, but because she genuinely wanted what was best for others. Her kindness, integrity and quiet strength left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of working alongside her. Her passing has left a profound and noticeable void in the department. Her impact, however, continues to be felt through the countless lives she touched and the standard of care she exemplified.
Collin Hoorelbeck, Clinical Scholar, Professional Practice - Welland Hospital
Hoorelbeck’s work reflects not only technical expertise but also genuine care for staff and patients. He takes a hands-on, collaborative approach, meeting with managers and frontline teams to review compliance data and turn it into meaningful, actionable insights. He has cultivated a supportive environment where staff feel comfortable raising challenges and seeking solutions.
Emily MacDonald, Complex Care - Port Colborne Complex and Urgent Care Centre
Emily embodies the definition of a dedicated nurse. She consistently delivers patient-centered care with unparalleled compassion. Repeatedly her sharp assessment skills have made the difference in her patients having positive outcomes. Her meticulous attention to detail and her kind and gentle approach in her daily practice shines.
Excellence in Nursing - Advanced Practice
Jennifer Wierenga, Nurse Practitioner, Walker Family Cancer Centre - Marotta Family Hospital
Wierenga is always willing to see a patient who is having complications from cancer or their treatment. Without her, these immune-compromised patients would be spending hours waiting in the ED. With her expert assessments and care, some of these patients can avoid admission altogether by being treated in our clinic before returning home.
Lea Slongo, Advanced Practice Nurse, Mental Health - Marotta Family Hospital
Slongo is often sought out by her colleagues when they need intel and guidance on best practices and current state understanding of the landscape of Mental Health and Addictions. She is always juggling competing initiatives and her thirst for knowledge and for elevating the quality-of-care services within our program is unquenchable. She is a champion for ensuring that the perspectives of individuals living with mental health and addictions diagnoses are represented and embedded in all practice areas.
Julie Rubel, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Geriatric Program - Welland Hospital
Rubel brings advanced clinical expertise and a patient-centred approach to the care of complex older adults, supporting teams to deliver thoughtful, evidence informed care that aligns with patient goals. She is currently leading quality improvement work focused on delirium prevention and management in the Emergency Department, with her work being shared at provincial and nursing leadership conferences. A passionate educator and mentor, she developed the organizational wide, “A Day in Geriatrics” education program.
Excellence in Nursing - Teamwork and Collaboration
Heart Investigation Unit, Marotta Family Hospital
Despite staffing transitions, increased patient volumes and other challenges, the Heart Investigation Unit team increased procedural volumes by more than 14 percent compared to the previous year. Nurses, physicians, technologists, clerical staff and support services work seamlessly on this team. Recently, they successfully integrated Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy therapy through strong collaboration within Niagara Health and with colleagues at Hamilton Health Sciences.
Medical Unit D, Niagara Falls Hospital
Unit D has demonstrated exceptional collaboration while navigating high patient volumes, complex stroke care and evolving clinical challenges. The team expanded stroke capacity from 16 to 24 beds, activated the FAST Code Stroke algorithm, has partnered closely with other units across the hospital and achieved Stroke Distinction in June 2025. Unit D consistently exemplifies seamless teamwork during time sensitive situations. Multiple Code Stroke events highlight this strength, with rapid, co-ordinated assessments and transfers often completed within minutes.
Excellence in Nursing - Mentorship
Marnie Fitzpatrick, RPN Clinical Scholar, Professional Practice - Marotta Family Hospital
Fitzpatrick’s warmth, depth of knowledge and commitment to others makes her a trusted mentor. She has a unique ability to draw from her diverse areas of clinical knowledge and scholarship, translating complex information into clear, meaningful guidance for others. What truly sets Fitzpatrick apart is her ability to create a safe and supportive environment where team members can approach her for assistance, encouragement and thoughtful mentorship.
Laurie Karas, RN, Niagara Falls Satellite Hemodialysis
Karas is a great patient advocate, her clinical competence and knowledge is remarkable, and she maintains high professionalism and integrity. Recently, she had a patient who developed clear signs of sepsis. Karas immediately recognized the severity of the situation, advocated decisively and arranged an urgent transfer to the Emergency Department to ensure immediate medical intervention. The patient had no family involvement or external support at the time and relied entirely on her clinical judgment and advocacy. As a result of her swift actions, the patient received lifesaving care.
Excellence in Nursing - Leadership
Manuel Abascal, Professional Practice Coordinator, Extern Program
Abascal creates a psychologically safe and supportive environment where staff and learners feel confident, valued and encouraged to grow. He is a trusted resource who willingly steps in, even outside regular hours, to coach, advocate and solve problems for his team. His leadership is grounded in empathy, professionalism.
Lori MacCullouch, Clinical Director, Complex Care and Geriatrics - Welland Hospital
MacCullouch is an exceptional leader who consistently advances best practice, staff support and high-quality patient care. She fosters an environment where managers and staff can thrive, translating complex guidelines into meaningful, sustainable practice while strengthening our capacity to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care, even amid significant pressures.
Dianna Kemp, Charge Nurse, PICU - Niagara Falls Hospital
Kemp consistently goes above and beyond to ensure exceptional patient care. Her compassion shines through in patient experience initiatives, including sustaining a “treasure box” for pediatric patients, helping ease anxiety and create positive care memories. She is equally committed to staff well‑being. She fosters a safe, supportive work environment, prioritizes breaks and work‑life balance and creates a culture where staff feel valued and heard.
Excellence in Nursing - Rising Star
Ryan Voyce, RPN, Surgical Program - Welland Hospital
Since joining Niagara Health in July 2024, Voyce has shown diligence in his practice. What truly distinguishes him is the kindness, patience and respect he brings to every patient interaction. Patients consistently provide positive feedback regarding his bedside manner and willingness to go above and beyond, resulting in multiple commendations through the Office of Patient Experience.
Molly Nicoletti, RN, Medicine Program - Welland Hospital
Nicoletti has surpassed expectations for her first year of practice, demonstrating strong clinical knowledge, confidence and critical thinking that are uncommon at this stage. She shows excellent initiative and consistently supports patients and colleagues without being asked, stepping in readily. She actively seeks learning opportunities, embraces challenging skills and asks thoughtful, critical questions that reflect sound clinical judgment. Her time management skills are particularly notable, allowing her to manage patient assignments effectively while remaining a dependable support to her team.
Meghan Moorhen, RPN, PERT - Marotta Family Hospital
Moorhen consistently practices at a level well above what would be expected of a new nurse. She is outstanding with patients, taking the time to truly listen, value their perspectives and ensure their needs are met, even in highly acute and challenging situations. Her ability to consistently bring her best self to each patient reflects a high level of clinical maturity rarely seen so early in a nursing career, and her dedication to excellence is evident in all aspects of her practice.
Excellence in Nursing - Non-Traditional Nursing Roles
Jennifer Brewster, RN, Clinical Educator - Professional Practice
Brewster’s approachable, tactful manner and commitment to excellence make her well respected by patients and colleagues alike. A standout example of her leadership was her collaboration in developing a Heparin Infusion skills station, where she designed realistic, case-based scenarios and incorporated learning strategies. She takes a collaborative approach and demonstrates her passion for nursing education and advocacy for the growth and support of medicine nurses.
Kelly Dicky, RN, Women and Babies’ Unit - Marotta Family Hospital
Dicky has demonstrated exceptional excellence through her leadership of the Health Information System (HIS) Better Outcomes Registry and Network (BORN) interface for the Women and Babies’ Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) programs. She led the redesign of maternal, newborn and NICU documentation workflows to ensure accurate capture of BORN required elements, directly enhancing quality of care.
Nathalie Stewart, RN, Build Team - South Niagara Hospital
Stewart exemplifies exceptional nursing leadership through her engagement in the operational planning and design of the South Niagara Hospital. Her role is pivotal in applying her nursing expertise to shape decisions for the future site and models of practice, ensuring that safety, efficiency and high standards of care are embedded from the outset. Her leadership ensures that the future South Niagara Hospital will be a place where nurses can thrive and patients receive the highest quality care.
Angela Magcalas, RN, Health Informatics, ICT
As part of the initial HIS project, Magcalas played a pivotal role in designing and building the system for the Women and Babies’ Unit, ensuring nursing workflows and clinical realities were accurately reflected to support safe, efficient and high-quality patient care. She continues to apply her clinical expertise, leading impactful system enhancements. Her ability to bridge clinical care with informatics, manage complex priorities and drive continuous improvement makes her an invaluable asset to the organization.
Excellence in Nursing - Lifetime Achievement
J ’Nan Leach, RN Charge Nurse, Complex Care - Fort Erie Complex and Urgent Care Centre
With more than 40 years in nursing – 35 of which have been at Niagara Health – Leach exemplifies a career defined by clinical excellence, compassionate care and leadership. She spent more than 25 years working in the ICU, where she was widely respected for her calm demeanor in high pressure situations. She consistently delivers exceptional patient and family centered-care during life’s most critical moments. She has shaped the development of countless nurses and inspired future generations, including her own daughter.
Nubia Meza-Morales, RN Charge Nurse, 3B Oncology - Niagara Falls Site
Meza-Morales is a highly respected nurse who continues to demonstrate exceptional energy, compassion and leadership. She is highly effective in managing patient flow and co-ordinating staff, and her presence consistently helps proactively address staffing challenges. She leads with heart and maintains a deep commitment to both patients and her team.
Jaelynne Sonke, Clinical Director - Perioperative Services
With more than 25 years at Niagara Health and 40 in the nursing profession, Sonke has exemplified exceptional nursing leadership. Serving in roles ranging from charge nurse and clinical manager to director of the Regional Perioperative Program, she balances high expectations with genuine care for her team. During the transition from the St. Catharines General Hospital legacy site to the now-named Marotta Family Hospital, she played a pivotal role in ensuring operational readiness, championing safe practice and guiding teams through change with confidence. Her legacy is one of principled leadership, mentorship and a profound impact on both patient care and the nursing profession.
About Nursing Week
National Nursing Week is celebrated each May to honour the legacy of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, whose birthday falls on May 12. It honours the essential contributions nurses make to the health and wellbeing of patients, families and healthcare teams across Canada. Learn more about how Niagara Health is celebrating Nursing Week.
