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HEALTHCARE HEROES | 2026 AWARDS B10 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2026 Winner Category | Physician Dr. Kwame O. Asante Regional Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Trinity Health of New England Medical Director, Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Saint Francis Hospital D r. Kwame Asante is regional chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation for Trinity Health of New England and medical director of Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital. His leadership and clinical exper- tise includes comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation, concussion and acquired brain injury medicine, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, perfor- mance injuries, electro-diagnostics and peripheral nerve injury medicine. He is one of a handful of board-cer- tified brain injury physiatrists in Connecticut, and is president of the Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut. What makes you a Healthcare Hero? I helped Mount Sinai achieve Commis- sion on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation, once again meeting the highest standards of rehabili- tation certification in key specialty areas of brain injury, stroke and adult and adoles- cent rehabilitation. I helped organize the largest brain injury professional confer- ence in Connecticut, aimed at improving care and awareness in the region. I lead Trinity Health of New England's Black Physician and Provider Network, dedicated to fostering a strong, supportive space for Black physicians and providers within the health system. I was a featured speaker at the second annual Black Men In White Coats Youth Summit, helping mentor future leaders into healthcare careers. What's your next major goal and/or challenge? I see healthcare access as critical to the future of Connecticut and the country. My desire and aspiration as a healthcare provider has been to help patients who unfortunately encounter an illness or injury access the highest standards and experience in rehabilitation care. My goal is to continue to help develop programs, recruit great clinicians and create strong alignment from a wide range of partners in order to bring innovation in rehabilitation and healthcare in our state. Winner Category | Nurse Arla Washenko Director of Emergency Services Saint Mary's Hospital, Trinity Health Of New England A rla Washenko is director of emergency services for Saint Mary's Hospital's 46-bed Emergency Department and Level II Trauma Center in Waterbury. She works with nursing staff, providers and hospital leaders to oversee emergency care, implement strategic initiatives and improve patient flow and operational performance. What makes you a Healthcare Hero? What makes me a Healthcare Hero is my commitment to building strong teams that deliver exceptional patient care. I am proud that our Emergency Department earned the 2026 ENA Lantern Award, a national recognition of excellence in emergency nursing. rough a focus on leadership development, quality improvement and staff engagement, we achieved a 44% reduction in patient falls and a 51% decrease in incomplete care departures. ese outcomes reflect our team's dedication to safety, excellence and continuous improve- ment, and the culture we have built together to better serve our patients and community. Tell us about a challenge in your job that you were able to overcome. One of the greatest challenges I faced was rebuilding after a major shift in the healthcare workforce. We strengthened our leadership team, improved staffing and invested in professional development. By creating a strong foundation and supporting a novice workforce, we transformed our department into a high-performing, resilient team. What's your next major goal and/or challenge? Looking ahead, I aspire to continue growing as a nursing leader, leveraging the lessons, resilience and leadership experience gained in emergency medicine to drive broader organi- zational impact, advance patient care and help shape the future of the nursing profession. Trinity Health Of New England is proud to recognize this year's Health Care Heroes for their outstanding commitment to our patients, colleagues and communities. We are especially proud to congratulate our Health Care Heroes! • Kwame Asante, MD, FAAPMR, Medical Director, Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital, Chair, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Trinity Health Of New England • Arla Washenko, MSN, RN, Director, Emergency Services, Saint Mary's Hospital • Saint Mary's Hospital Laboratory Thank you for living our Mission through your compassion, dedication and service. TrinityHealthOfNE.org