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HEALTHCARE HEROES | 2025 AWARDS B12 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | OCTOBER 6, 2025 Winner Category | Innovation Global Medical Virtual Assistants Led by: Beth Lachance, CEO & Founder Team Members: Anne Valsangiacomo, Michelle DiClemente, Paul Chabot, Debra Raboin, Preston Strada, Gracie Avelino and Nico Soriano G lobal Medical Virtual Assistants helps medical practices and hospital systems manage the growing administrative workload that pulls staff away from patient care. Using a scalable virtual staffing model, Medical Virtual Assistants provides support with scheduling, billing, patient communication and back-office tasks. is approach offers a cost-effective way to improve efficiency and enhance the patient experience, while also serving as a reliable solution to the ongoing staffing shortage across health care. What have been the organization's major accomplishments in the past year? is year, we've strengthened how we support healthcare practices by investing heavily in security and technology to ensure safe, seamless collaboration with our teams. From advanced HIPAA-compliant systems to upgraded IT infrastructure, we've built a foundation that protects patient data while enhancing operational efficiency. At the same time, we have continued to expand our reach into more medical specialties so that practices receive support tailored to their unique challenges. Additionally, in August, the company ranked No. 368 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. What are some major challenges the organization had to overcome? One of the major challenges we have experienced this year as an organization has been the growing adoption of AI in health care. While these tools promise efficiency, they cannot replace the critical thinking, empathy and reassurance patients expect from human interaction. We've focused on balancing innovation with a patient-centered approach that keeps the 'human touch' at the forefront. Winner Category | Health Care Staff Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry at St. Francis Hospital Led by: Melissa Crawford, Manager, Community Health and Well-Being Team Members: Carolyn Alessi, Marlin Melo and Cherrelle Daniel F or almost 50 years, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry at St. Francis Hospital has provided food assistance, nutritional counseling and support to families and individuals in Greater Hartford. Established in 1976, it was the first food pantry located in a hospital setting in the U.S. It is coordinated by Commu- nity Health and Well-Being, including Community Health workers, who help ensure clients connect with resources and support, and a dedicated group of volunteers. Joan C. Dauber worked at St. Francis for more than 40 years, starting the food pantry out of her office closet. After retiring, she continued her support — up to her passing earlier this year. What have been the organization's significant accomplishments in the past year? e Food Pantry serves more than 1,500 in-person clients monthly for food assistance along with necessities like personal hygiene items. It also serves more than 200 families during our monthly diaper clinic. We established partnerships to help develop a delivery service for home- bound clients. At anksgiving, clients receive a free bird — turkey or chicken — with all the holiday fixings. In 2024, we distributed 800 birds, the largest number to date. We deepened our partnership with COMPASS Youth Collaborative's Training for Employment Program, helping local youth affected by gun violence develop job skills. What are some major challenges the organization had to overcome? We faced seasonal barriers, especially for seniors and new mothers waiting in the cold, along with staffing challenges as demand has grown. To overcome these challenges, we developed and strengthened partner- ships, launching a delivery service and welcomed new cohorts from COMPASS Youth Collaborative, which ensured consistent operations and dignified food access. Winner Category | Volunteer Richard Sills Acquired Brain Injury Peer Mentor Volunteer Gaylord Specialty Healthcare I n 2006, Richard Sills (then 46) had a stroke so severe that doctors said he'd never walk or talk again. With intensive rehabilitation at Gaylord Hospital, Sills defied expectations and became one of Gaylord's first Acquired Brain Injury Peer Mentor volunteers. Each week, he visits Gaylord stroke and brain injury patients (more than 1,500 to date!) to share his story, listen to their concerns about the future and ultimately offer hope that 'progress is possible.' What have been your significant contribu- tions to your organization in the past year? It's rewarding to know that a former patient was inspired to become a peer mentor because of my visits. Seeing her at Gaylord still supporting others makes me very proud. is past year, I've made more than 100 patient visits. After each shift, I sit in my car, close my eyes, and replay the day's conversations in my head. Realizing I may have helped someone find hope is a great feeling. I sometimes wonder who benefits more from these visits, the patient or me! Tell us about a challenge in your role that you were able to overcome. Not every peer mentor visit is a home run, and that's expected. Sometimes, patients are not ready to talk or hear my story. I don't take it personally, but I am patient and keep showing up. Often, I'll see that same patient the following week, and the second conver- sation creates the opportunity I missed the first time. What's your next major goal? Last month, I finished writing a memoir called 'A Stroke of Luck' that details what my family and I went through on my recovery journey. It took years to write, and I am very proud of it. I hope if one person who had a stroke reads it, they will have hope again. Another goal is to publish it on Amazon. How are you involved in the community? I volunteer on Gaylord Hospital's art committee and patient and family advi- sory council. I'll do anything possible to find new ways to improve the hospital experience for patients and families going through something life-changing. Winner Category | Volunteer Ghaneshwari D. Ramdas Volunteer New England Donor Services G haneshwari (Priya) D. Ramdas, a kidney transplant recipient, is an unpaid volunteer with New England Donor Services (NEDS), one of the largest organ procurement organiza- tions in the country. She provides education about organ donation and transplantation, in addi- tion to sharing her personal testimony at hospitals, municipalities, schools and community events. Ramdas also fundraises for NEDS through the organization's annual walk/5K event. What have been your significant contributions to your organization in the past year? For National Donor Day, I spoke alongside Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam at Hartford City Hall, and shared how organ donation saved my life, while calling attention to the impor- tance of equitable organ transplantation. During National Donor Month, I dedicated my time to knitting hearts for the hospital staff at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford in honor of my anonymous donor. I also recently spoke to staff at e Hospital of Central Connecticut, Yale's general care practitioners and Middlesex Hospital's nursing grand rounds to share my organ donation story. Tell us about a challenge in your job that you were able to overcome. I was unsure about publicly sharing my donation story when I first started volun- teering at NEDS. However, the more activ- ities I did, the more confident I became. I saw that people were interested in hearing my story and its positive impact on others. Talking about my donation journey helps people better understand organ donation's life-saving importance. What's your next major goal? My goal is to encourage more people to register as organ donors. Today, there are more than 100,000 people on the national transplant waiting list. By checking 'yes' on your driver's license application, you can save lives. Working with NEDS, I am always looking for new ways to educate the community on how to register as a donor.