Mark Aksamit, left, and Robin Peterson were two of the five Department of Psychiatry employees honored with the William H. Roccaforte Citizenship award on Jan. 25.
On Saturday, January 25, the UNMC Department of Psychiatry presented the second annual William H. Roccaforte Citizenship awards to members of the staff who exemplify a spirit of service, extraordinary teamwork, and the passion for going above and beyond each day in service of our mission.
Dr. Lauren Edwards, Mark Aksamit, Julie Griffin, Robin Peterson, and Cathy Schnieders were honored with “The Rock.”
Mark Aksamit, Physician Assistant
“Mark is the epitome of collaboration and teamwork,” Dr. Marley Doyle said. “He’s always looking to improve and find solutions. Mark treats everyone with respect and searches to find common ground with patients to put them at ease.”
Dr. Lauren Edwards, adult psychiatrist, assistant professor
“Dr. Edwards has put a lot of extra time and effort into spearheading the Quality Improvement Committee for the ultimate purpose of improving providers’ methods of practice to benefit our patients with better care outcomes,” Celeste Akers said. “Despite having all of these extra duties to attend to, Dr. Edwards is constantly very responsive with patient care and staff communication regarding patient issues.”
Julie Griffin, RN
“Julie has done wonderful things since she took over the ECT coordinator role on short notice in August,” Dr. Matthew Egbert said. “She has been instrumental in organizing and scheduling ECT, reminding patients of when and where they need to be and providing timely responses to providers and the staff at Fritsch.”
Robin Peterson, Administrative Assistant
“Robin consistently goes the extra mile to assure kind, efficient, effective service to department colleagues, applicants, and visitors to the fourth floor,” said Jeanne Lincoln, administrator, UNMC Psychiatry Department. “She puts others first and adjusts her workload and schedule when needed to meet a deadline or fulfill a sudden request. She brings dedication, thoughtfulness, and humor to work every day, and is appreciated by all who rely on her. She is our “rock” and a model citizen of the department.”
Cathy Schnieders, RN
“Cathy has also been crucial in the onboarding of both our two new nurses and four new patient care techs hired in the last year,” Phoebe Gearhart said. “On top of performing her day-to-day responsibilities, and with a positive attitude and strong dedication to her patients.”
The Department of Psychiatry hands out the William H. Roccaforte Citizenship awards each January at its annual holiday party.