A physician, a dentist, a hospital chaplain and nurses working in medical facilities, industry and higher education are among eight highly accomplished health professionals the St. Louis American Foundation will honor at the 15th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon on April 30.
Danielle Bruce, MSN, RN, TTS, CHC, is a nursing supervisor at JM Family Enterprises’ St. Louis Health and Wellness Center in Earth City. In addition to managing the Lexus and Toyota distributor’s St. Louis health facility, she leads health promotion and education on diabetes, weight loss and smoking cessation, as well as treatment of employees and their family members. Bruce works in coordination with contracted rotating physicians. She previously worked as a staff nurse at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Kiyoko L. Guthrie, RN, BSN, MM, is the clinical director for Telemetry, Oncology, Orthopedics, Bariatric and General Surgery at SSM DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton. She manages three nursing units and supervises the team leaders of these units. She is the youngest person at DePaul to serve in this leadership position. Guthrie said she has always been interested in health care and became interested in business and leadership when she participated in the INROADS business internship program at DePaul in 1999, where she has been employed since.
Carol D. Horton-Henley, DDS, is chief dental officer of Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers. She has been a dental practitioner for more than 27 years. Her outreach includes taking care of the dental health needs of the Urban League’s Head Start students at six St. Louis-area locations and developmentally disabled adults and children. Dr. Henley has conducted seminars, workshops and clinics for adults and children to enhance and expand dental education and to promote the profession of dentistry.
Otha Myles, M.D., is the founding physician of Mercy Clinic Infectious Disease and managing owner of Myles Medical Consulting. Dr. Myles began his medical career providing care and treatment to HIV-infected military service members and Department of Defense beneficiaries. As assistant professor at the University of Maryland, Myles trained future doctors to care for homeless and indigent HIV-positive patients living in Baltimore. Locally, Myles founded the Brother 2 Brother Initiative for African-American males to learn about respect, sexual health and responsibility.
Alberta Peters-Herron, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner and assistant professor at Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. Peters-Herron mainly teaches graduate nurse practitioner classes, where she mentors and guides nurses who are moving from registered nurses into the role of advanced practice nurses. As a practicing NP, Peters-Herron works as needed at area Walgreens Take Care Clinics. She is devoted to women’s health issues and considers nurse practitioners as being at the forefront of comprehensive health care.
Rev. Wendell L. Reese is a chaplain at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, where he tends to the spiritual needs of patients, their families and hospital staff. He trains new staff in the Pastoral Care department and promotes teamwork. Reese also organizes the hospital’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and its St. Luke’s Feast Day, which recognizes physicians for outstanding contributions to health care. Reese is the pastor of Prayer Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, where he has served for 30 years.
Vickie C. Wade, RN, MSN, WHNP-BC, is vice president of Clinical Services for Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers. She was instrumental in establishing agency programs at People’s, for patients and for health professionals. She has worked in nursing for 31 years, starting off as an LPN, and increasing in education, responsibilities and experience at several hospitals in the St. Louis area and in Texas. As a women’s health nurse practitioner, Wade is passionate about adolescent women’s health, educating teens and girls about their bodies and sexual health issues.
Cathy Wagner, RN, is a supervisor of operating room surgical services at Christian Hospital. She started her medical career as a surgical technician while serving in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. She was also part of a team that escorted government dignitaries to their medical appointments. After enlistment, she returned to St. Louis and joined the Christian Hospital staff. She continued her education and became a registered nurse. As a supervisor of the operating room, Wagner sets the order of cases and manages staffing.
Tickets for the 15th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 30 at the Frontenac Hilton are: $750 per table for VIP/Corporate seating and $50 each or $500 table for Individual seating. To order tickets, call 314-533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.