WVU Hospitals holds ceremony for interprofessional colleague and nurses of the year

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Hospitals (WVUH), which includes WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, Fairmont Medical Center, WVU Medicine Children’s, and their affiliated outpatient clinics, held its 2025 Nurses and Interprofessional Colleague of the Year ceremony on Wednesday.  

Nine nurses and one interprofessional colleague who supports nursing efforts won top awards at the event, which was held in conjunction with National Nurses Week. 

“We had a record number of nominations this year – 108 total – from all areas of our organization,” Jennifer Strait, M.S.N., R.N., director of WVUH Nursing Professional Development and Education, said.  

“The nominations this year are a true testament of the impact that our nurses and interprofessional colleagues make at our organization, the community, and to all those we serve. All the nominees exemplify excellence, and their contributions are clearly defined within the nursing professional practice model, with the majority focusing on teamwork, milieu, and advancement.” 

Nominators, nominees, and nursing leaders were invited to join WVU Hospitals leadership for the formal ceremony, where winners were revealed for the first time. 

“This celebration is sponsored by the Nursing Recruitment and Retention Council and is a way to give gratitude and recognition to our nurses and interprofessional colleagues who are part of our teams, making sure every patient gets the high-quality care they need and deserve,” Strait said. 

This year’s winners are: 

• Inpatient Diamond Nurse of the Year – given to a direct care nurse with 20-plus years of experience: Jamie Whitehair, B.S.N., R.N., Inpatient Pediatrics
• Inpatient Platinum Nurse of the Year – given to any direct care nurse with 11-19 years of experience: Kara Salonga, B.S.N., R.N., 7 West (Medical-Surgical Stepdown Unit)
• Inpatient Gold Nurse of the Year – given to any direct care nurse with six-to-10 years of experience: Jordan Kidwell, R.N., Resource and Float Pool
• Inpatient Silver Nurse of the Year – given to any direct care nurse with one-to-five years of experience: Nathan Yaskanich, B.S.N., R.N., Ruby Emergency Department
• Inpatient Bronze Nurse of the Year – given to any direct care nurse with less than one year of experience: Trudy Diamond, B.S.N., R.N., 10 East (Neurology/Neurosurgery Step-Down Unit)
• Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year – given to an advanced practice nurse who works in a Morgantown campus hospital or clinic: Joseph Verbos, M.S.N., Medicine Hospitalist Service
• Ambulatory Nurse of the Year – given to a nurse who works in the ambulatory patient care areas of the organization: Samantha Wiles, B.S.N., R.N., clinical nurse coordinator, Children’s Medical Office Building
• Nurse Leader of the Year– given to a nurse leader who serves as a night supervisor, house supervisor, nurse manager, nurse director, or associate or assistant vice president: Sara Reece, M.S.N., R.N., nurse manager, 6 West (Neurosciences Unit) 
• Nurse Educator of the Year – given to any nurse who serves as a clinical preceptor, college coordinator, transition coordinator, or any nurse educator role: Shannon Koty, M.S.N., R.N., nurse educator, Clinical Education and Development
• Interprofessional Colleague of the Year – given to a non-nurse employee who exemplifies excellence in patient care by collaborating with the nursing staff to meet patient needs and provide patient-centered care: Evelina Neighbors, clinical safety education specialist, Clinical Education and Development  

For more information on nursing careers, visit WVUMedicine.org/Careers. 

For more information on WVU Medicine, visit WVUMedicine.org.