The Department of Psychiatry began 2025 by honoring those who went above and beyond in 2024.
The Department and Educational awards were handed out on January 24 at Poynter Hall. In all, 27 different people won an award. David Taylor, MD, PhD; Claudia Moore, MD; and Zoe Feilner, PA-C, won multiple awards. The Douglas County Mental Health Center was one of the winners of the UNMC Psychiatry Community Award for Outstanding Partnership.
The final award of the day went to Maggie Milner, who is stepping down after 12 years as Psychiatric Clinic Manager. She has accepted a job in the Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychology. Before leaving Poynter Hall, she received the Psychiatry Chair’s Distinguished Service Award.
“Throughout her 12 years of service to the Psychiatry Clinic, Maggie has been a model of collaboration, flexibility, interprofessional sensitivity, creative problem-solving, and strong leadership in supporting her teams and promoting high quality, responsive and safe patient care. We are grateful to Maggie for her dedicated service,” said David Cates, MD, Department of Psychiatry Vice-Chair for Clinical Services.
List of recipients:
UNMC Psychiatry Community Award-Outstanding Partnership
Dr. Terry Davis, Forensic Psychiatrist
Douglas Country Community Mental Health Center,
Dr. Kaz Nelson, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System
Dr. Chloe Olson, Lasting Hope Recovery Center
Ramiro Vasquez, UNMC Security Officer
Escape Fire Patient Safety Award
Dr. Jeana Benton, Alicia Nordell, Tina Seiler, Noelle Spencer, Dr. David I. Taylor
William H. Roccaforte Citizenship Award
Lori Davitt, RN; Mary Elks; Annie Moriarty; Sybil Oliver; Angie Widman
Reba Benschoter Leadership Award
Samantha Chittenden, LMHP; Dr. Claudia Moore; Kiley Parson; Dr. David I. Taylor; Kerri Whitaker
PES Outstanding Partnership Award
Dr. Claudia Moore, Emily Simpson, LIMHP
Engagement Legacy Award
Celeste Akers; Zoe Feilner, PA-C; MK Schlichting, LMHP; Heidi Wesely, RN, BSN; Dr. Ken Zoucha
Research & Innovation Award
Zoe Feilner, PA-C; Dr. Soonjo Hwang; Dr. Stephen Salzbrenner
Psychiatry Chair’s Distinguished Service Award
Maggie Milner, BSN, MSW