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5 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | NOVEMBER 1, 2021 D r. Jessica Abrantes-Figueiredo is the chief of infectious disease at St. Francis Hospital. Along with treating patients on a daily basis, she serves the greater community with several educational and advocacy positions and leads the hospital's Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence. Q: Why is she a HealthCare Hero? Dr. Abrantes-Figueiredo was named chief of infectious disease at St. Francis Hospital in July 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While also educating and advocating for vaccine safety, she continues to provide strong and critical leadership related to infectious disease in the midst of a global pandemic. That includes leading St. Francis to a designation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence by the Infectious Disease Society of America, just one of 131 programs worldwide. She also volunteered her time serving as the co-chair of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women Luncheon in 2021. Q: How did you contribute to your organization's COVID-19 response? I helped establish the drive-through testing program. While also seeing COVID patients, I dedicated time to educational and informational webinars, participated in dozens of local media interviews and Facebook live sessions to educate the community in both English and Spanish. I am a member of the Governor's Vaccine Advisory Group. L isa Antel serves as Post University Counseling Center director, where she manages clinicians, provides counseling, advocates for mental health and develops online and in-person wellness initiatives. Prior to her role at Post, Antel earned her master's in social work from Smith College. She had previously co-founded a company that helped people embrace technology and change. Q: Why is she a HealthCare Hero? The confluence of COVID, racial traumas, political divisions and uncertainty have significantly impacted college students. In response, Antel promotes a holistic approach to wellness and champions its integration into Post's culture. Known for her compassionate style, Antel has been a driving force for the University's most significant mental health initiatives, including You@Post, the university's online wellness and success platform, and Student Online Assistance Resource (SOAR), an online platform providing 24/7 access to counseling, financial resources, legal support and personal convenience services. She works with her team to educate students and staff on important topics such as yoga, mindfulness, social connection, athletic performance, substance abuse and suicide prevention. Q: How has COVID-19 changed the way you do your job? The events of the past 18 months have affected students in different ways. While it was important to address legal, ethical and safety issues, our Counseling Center adopted a trauma-informed approach to therapy, programs and groups to create a culture of caring. This allowed us to compassionately support others while simultaneously prioritizing self-care. W ildine Felix has worked as a lead respiratory therapist for Yale New Haven Health for the past 19 years in the Acute Care, Adult/Pediatrics Department. She is pursuing a master's of science in health informatics at the University of Southern New Hampshire. Q: Why is she a HealthCare Hero? Healthcare professionals go the extra mile and take care of patients through thick and thin, from the time they enter the hospital through discharge and follow-up. Healthcare professionals work tirelessly to save lives and heal others. It's an entirely selfless act. Felix has selflessly cared for her patients and for her colleagues. She is a dedicated worker. Regardless of the day or hour, be it a holiday or an everyday shift, she has committed herself to showing up for her patients and her healthcare team. Q: How has COVID-19 changed the way you do your job? As a respiratory therapist on the frontlines of this pandemic, our days are long - 12 hour shifts - where the nature of the pandemic has posed many challenges. COVID-19 has changed the way in which I delegate roles and responsibility across different hospital contexts given that there were high demands for respiratory care prior to the pandemic. My ability to recognize an individual's clinical strengths has significantly contributed to the success of the team, but this would not be possible without our dedicated members. I am grateful to serve Yale and participate in the Respiratory Care Team. P hilip Hritcko is dean of the UConn School of Pharmacy and professor of Pharmacy Practice. He oversees the School of Pharmacy's operations including education, research, state alliances and community outreach. He is nationally known for his expertise in pharmacy academia and has experience as a practicing pharmacist. Q: Why is he a HealthCare Hero? Hritcko, together with UConn School of Pharmacy's pharmacist faculty and students, collaborated with the state of Connecticut's Department of Public Health in the fight against COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, the school helped to communicate and reinforce fact-based information about the virus. As vaccines were readied to roll out, the school's existing vaccination training programs were tapped to expand and raise the number of state-certified vaccinators. The large number of vaccinators helped Connecticut to quickly achieve one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation. Q: How did you contribute to your organization's COVID-19 response? Our response was a team effort. As pharmacists and healthcare providers, it is our obligation to give back to communities. We are recipients of the 2021 AACP Weaver Award for excellence in community service. I am grateful for faculty, staff and students who commit so much to the people of Connecticut. Dr. Jessica Abrantes-Figueiredo Employer: St. Francis Hospital // Title: Chief of Infectious Disease Lisa Antel Employer: Post University // Title: Director of the Counseling Center Wildine Felix Employer: Yale New Haven Health Title: Lead Respiratory Therapist; Acute Care, Adult/Pediatrics Department Philip M. Hritcko Employer: University of Connecticut Title: Dean & Professor of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy Winner Category: Physician Winner Category: Mental Healthcare Provider Winner Category: Healthcare Staff Winner Category: Community Service - Advocacy/Policy HEALTHCARE HEROES AWARDS 2021