ChristianaCare Medical-Dental Staff Recognizes Exceptional Physicians

The ChristianaCare Medical-Dental Staff recently held its 25^th annual awards banquet to recognize the notable achievements of its members and their exceptional contributions to the community. This year’s event welcomed an impressive turnout, with more than 300 physicians and guests gathering to celebrate our Medical-Dental Staff community.

“We’ve gathered to celebrate our colleagues who have served this community with grace, dedication, and unwavering commitment to their patients,” said Caitlin Halbert, D.O., president of the Medical Executive Committee. “I feel truly fortunate to be alongside such amazing colleagues and friends on this committee, united in our shared commitment to ChristianaCare’s values of love and excellence.”

The evening featured a silent auction showcasing artwork donated by a physician-artist and a local artist. Attendees had the opportunity to bid throughout the night, with all proceeds supporting the American Heart Association. Thanks to the generosity of our community, the auction raised over $2,100 for this important cause.

The celebration hit a high note with live music from The Keepers, a Wilmington-based rock band that includes two of our own — David Palange, D.O., of Colorectal Surgery and Judith Barnett, D.O., of Anesthesiology. Their performance added a personal and lively touch that kept the crowd engaged well into the evening.

The culmination of the evening was the awards presentation, which honored distinguished physicians for their commitment to leadership, education, research, collaboration and patient-centered care at ChristianaCare.

Neil Jasani, M.D., MBA, FACEP, ChristianaCare’s chief clinical officer, received the 2025 Commendation for Excellence Award. He was recognized for a history of success in several leadership roles and for making significant contributions to quality improvement, medical education and emergency medicine since joining ChristianaCare in the 1990s. Jasani is the assistant clinical dean and professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College. He previously served as in the roles of vice president of medical affairs, chief academic officer, chief learning officer, and chief people officer at ChristianaCare. His first leadership roles at ChristianaCare were as assistant program director and program director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. For the two decades that he held these positions, he strove to enhance the quality of the program, which elevated its national reputation. He was then promoted to designated institutional official for graduate medical education at ChristianaCare, where he oversaw the program’s accreditation and assurance of quality. Jasani has published 19 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented abstracts at major meetings. He’s a reviewer for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ MedEdPORTAL. He also holds leadership positions with national groups related to quality improvement: Jasani serves as senior faculty for the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers and is on the board of examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. More than 200 residents have benefited from the ChristianaCare Resident Endowment Fund, which Jasani initiated to provide residents with financial assistance to manage unforeseen family emergencies or personal health issues. “He is an educator and leader with an outstanding reputation, and he has several decades of serving with compassion, love, and excellence,” said Brian Levine, M.D., associate chief academic officer and designated institutional official, who nominated Jasani for the award. “There are very few who can demonstrate an equivalent level of service or leadership.”

At the awards banquet, the Medical-Dental Staff recognized 11 physicians as Rising Stars, acknowledging their outstanding achievements as leaders, teachers, and clinicians. They were nominated by department heads, service line leaders, and other colleagues. Congratulations to the winners, shown here with their nominators and Caitlin Halbert, D.O., president of the Medical Executive Committee:

Jessica Fields, M.D., a maternal fetal medicine specialist and co-director of Labor and Delivery, joined the Delaware Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine of ChristianaCare in August 2023. She promotes quality improvement, patient safety and the patient experience in her clinical practice. She also serves as mentor of the Chief Resident Class. “Dr. Fields prioritizes providing compassionate clinical care, promoting a culture of safety and emphasizing teamwork with collaboration, communication and a multidisciplinary approach,” said Kaveeta Vinaya Kumar, M.D., MBA, chair of Obstetrics-Gynecology.''

Stefanie Golebiewski, M.D., has been medical director of Wilmington Hospital’s emergency department since 2023. She has helped improve clinical protocols, actively participates in quality-improvement initiatives and has implemented new procedures that have led to increased efficiency and better patient outcomes. “Dr. Golebiewski has demonstrated remarkable clinical skills and an unwavering commitment to patient care,” said Lauren Cooksey, M.D., chair of Emergency Medicine. “She fosters a culture of excellence within our team.”

David Hanaway, M.D., joined the Behavioral Health team in 2019 as an outpatient psychiatrist. He’s received accolades for his work as clinician and educator, earning The Way We Care Award for his commitment to patient experience and the Psychiatry Resident Preceptor of the Year award for his dedication to educating and mentoring new psychiatrists. “Dr. Hanaway’s combination of clinical expertise, passion for education, and patient-centered care make him a true Rising Star in the Behavioral Health service line,” said Mustafa Mufti, M.D., Psychiatry chair.

Timothy Kegelman, M.D., Ph.D., a radiation oncologist at Delaware Radiation Oncology, has helped institute notable changes in the department since his arrival in 2022. He has been integral in the adoption of new technology, including an artificial-intelligence genomic assessment tool that determines whether prostate cancer patients can safely choose watchful waiting over treatment. “Dr. Kegelman has integrated into our multidisciplinary program flawlessly,” said Adam Raben, M.D., Radiation Oncology chair. “He has taken on a leadership role in our quality assurance and event review committee program to improve our quality of care and identify opportunities to improve our program.” Sunjay Shah, M.D., of Radiation Oncology, presented the award.

Timothy Niesen, M.D., has helped expand community access to interventional radiology, and he improved contrast administration safety since his arrival in 2021. The diagnostic radiologist lectures medical students and surgeons about radiology safety and interventional techniques. He also serves as a research advisor for DrExcel Health, where his teams’ projects have earned him recognition as a finalist in 2023 and 2024. “Dr. Niesen exemplifies the qualities of a forward-thinking, compassionate and highly skilled physician whose contributions to interventional and diagnostic radiology have already left a lasting impact on our department and the broader medical community,” said Vinay Gheyi, M.D., chair of Radiology.

Christopher Paolino, D.M.D., did his residency at ChristianaCare in 2021 and has remained as an on-call oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He treats patients with facial trauma, infections and surgical needs, and he educates residents in the operating room and outpatient clinics. “Dr. Paolino practices a broad scope of the specialty and is highly engaged in our department,” said Daniel Meara, M.D., D.M.D., chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery & Hospital Dentistry. “He is an excellent surgeon and educator.”

Nick Patel, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, is medical director of the Joint Replacement Center at ChristianaCare. Under his leadership, the department initiated a robotic joint replacement program in 2024 and has received national recognition. “Dr. Patel’s contributions as a physician leader have been instrumental in our success,” said Matthew Rubino, M.D., MBA, chair of Surgery. “In addition to his reputation for clinical excellence, he is recognized for his dedication to delivering high-quality care.”

Rebecca Russell, M.D., became chief resident when she did her residency at ChristianaCare in 2022. As a primary-care physician specializing in geriatric medicine, she prioritizes her patients’ health and quality of life. She’s guided by the belief that all older adults should be able to access high quality health care. “Dr. Russell is a passionate advocate for older adults, a thoughtful teacher and a detail-focused systems thinker,” said Erin Kavanaugh, M.D., chair of Family and Community Medicine, who accepted on Russell's behalf. “The future of geriatrics and family medicine is brighter alongside her.”

Devanshu Verma, M.D., MBA, a rheumatologist who joined ChristianaCare in 2023, is the founding program director of ChristianaCare’s rheumatology fellowship, which will welcome its inaugural class next year. He conducts funded research and has submitted several ideas to ChristianaCare’s Innovation Center since his arrival. “Dr. Verma spearheaded the work to establish this fellowship program, which is Delaware’s first rheumatology fellowship,” said Kathleen Eldridge, M.D., chair of Medicine. “He is an excellent role model for clinical care and scholarly activity.”

Lisa Strouss Wallace, M.D., M.P.H., an attending neonatologist, has provided outstanding clinical care to ChristianaCare’s most vulnerable patients since her arrival in 2023. She works in the level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Baby Steps developmental follow-up clinic, and she conducts research focused on a holistic approach to NICU patients and the family care continuum. She’s also the principal investigator for the Delaware Birth Defects Registry. “Dr. Wallace is known for her purpose-driven and integrity-driven work, her compassion and professionalism, and her tireless commitment to patients, colleagues and learners,” said Megan Mickley, M.D., chair of Pediatrics.

Ming Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., a pathologist, has served as ChristianaCare’s medical director of Cytopathology since 2020. Under his guidance, the Cytopathology department expanded its use of molecular testing for thyroid and other tumor types. His colleagues often consult with him because they value his diagnostic acumen. “Dr. Zhang generously dedicates his knowledge, skills and time to supporting the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and to improving patient care throughout the entire organization,” said Mary Iacocca, M.D., chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Click here to learn more about a career as a physician at ChristianaCare.