Chicago, IL, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is honored to recognize the 2027 recipients of the ACGME Awards, which recognize notable designated institutional officials (DIOs), program directors, coordinators, programs, institutions, organizations, residents, and fellows for their outstanding work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME).

The ACGME will formally celebrate these awardees at the next ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 25-27, 2027, in San Antonio, Texas.

“The 2027 ACGME Award recipients exemplify the excellence, leadership, and dedication that drive graduate medical education forward,” said ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Debra Weinstein, MD. “Through their contributions, they strengthen graduate medical education, inspire the next generation of physicians, and help shape the future of the profession.”

John C. Gienapp Distinguished Service Award
Honoring individuals who have dedicated their careers to GME and made outstanding contributions to the enhancement of residency and fellowship education and ACGME accreditation activities, the John C. Gienapp Distinguished Service Award is presented to Edwin L. Zalneraitis, MD of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Zalneraitis is recognized for his lifelong dedication to GME and his commitment to the education and training of future physicians. He served as Director of the pediatrics residency program at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine for nearly 35 years and held leadership roles as Assistant Dean for Clinical Education and Director of Education at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Nationally, Dr. Zalneraitis has made significant contributions to GME through service with organizations including the Association of Pediatric Program Directors, where he served as president; the National Resident Matching Program; and the ACGME, where he served on the Review Committee for Pediatrics, Board of Directors, and the Education Committee of the Board. A board-certified pediatric neurologist, he has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Zalneraitis is currently Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Neurology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

David C. Leach Award   
This award recognizes residents and fellows who have fostered innovation and improvement in their programs, advanced humanism in medicine, and increased efficiency and emphasis on educational outcomes. The 2027 recipients are: 

  • Manali Desai, DO; University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville; Jacksonville, Florida; Neurology
  • Chloe Holmes, DO, MPH; Geisinger College of Health Sciences; Danville, Pennsylvania; Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Sharon Lee, MD; Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Cleveland, Ohio; Internal Medicine
  • Alex P. Tannenbaum, MD, MSEd; University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics; Madison, Wisconsin; Pathology
  • Barat S. Venkataramany, MD; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati, Ohio; Internal Medicine

Lewis Blackman Patient Safety Award
The award recognizes residents and fellows who have worked to implement strategies to improve the understanding of and show demonstrable improvement in patient safety in their Sponsoring Institution or residency/fellowship program. The 2027 recipient is:

  • Sean D. Cosh, MD; Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award  
This award is given to program coordinators in recognition of their in-depth understanding of the accreditation process, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and projects to improve residency and fellowship programs. The 2027 recipients are:  

  • Elizabeth H. Aguero, MAT, C-TAGME; University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Anesthesiology
  • Ashley Sarah Bonham, C-TAGME; Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital; St. Petersburg, Florida; Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Lynn Eddleman, MPA, C-TAGME; John Muir Health; Walnut Creek, California; Family Medicine
  • Heather Hawkins, C-TAGME; Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center; Wilmington, North Carolina; Family Medicine
  • Jacki L. Johnson, MEd; University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics; Madison, Wisconsin; Internal Medicine
  • Cynthia Meyers; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York, New York; Critical Care Medicine (Internal Medicine)
  • Twinkle Patel, MPA; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California; Pediatrics
  • Nancy Phuong, MPH; The MetroHealth System, Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, Ohio; Pediatrics
  • Nadia Tilden-Dassler, C-TAGME; Westchester Medical Center; Valhalla, New York; Neurology
  • Lucretia A. Wilson, MS; Sinai Hospital of Baltimore; Baltimore, Maryland; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

GME Institutional Coordinator Excellence Award  
This award recognizes institutional coordinators who demonstrate in-depth knowledge of GME and the process for internal review, and skillfully manage the multiple roles of administrator, counselor, enforcer, coordinator, organizer, and scheduler. The 2027 recipients are:  

  • Hadar Duman, MHI; University of Washington School of Medicine; Seattle, Washington
  • Tara Latschar, BS; Creighton University School of Medicine; Omaha, Nebraska
  • Megan Whitey, C-TAGME; Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Nashville, Tennessee

Parker J. Palmer Courage to Lead Award   
This award honors DIOs who have demonstrated strong leadership and astute resource management and encouraged innovation and improvement in programs and their Sponsoring Institutions. The 2027 recipients are:

  • Chandrakanth Are, MD, MBA; University of Nebraska Medical Center; Omaha, Nebraska
  • Woodson Scott Jones, MD; University of Texas Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine; San Antonio, Texas
  • Catherine M. Kuhn, MD; Duke University Hospital; Durham, North Carolina

Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award   
This award recognizes program directors who have fostered innovation and improvement in their programs and served as exemplary role models for residents and fellows. The 2027 recipients are:

  • Celeste Allen, MD; UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland; Oakland, California; Pediatrics
  • Tessa Balach, MD; University of Chicago Medical Center; Chicago, Illinois; Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Soonmee Cha, MD; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, California; Radiology
  • Neal F. Chaisson, MD; Cleveland Clinic Foundation; Cleveland, Ohio; Critical Care Medicine
  • Alia Chisty, MD, MS; Penn State College of Medicine; Hershey, Pennsylvania; Internal Medicine
  • Conrad Fischer, MD; One Brooklyn Health – Brookdale Hospital Medical Center; Brooklyn, New York; Internal Medicine
  • Melissa (Moe) Hagman, MD; University of Washington; Boise, Idaho; Internal Medicine
  • Tristan J. Huie, MD, ATSF, FCCP; University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Aurora, Colorado; Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine
  • Annie Im, MD, MS, FASCO; UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Hematology/Oncology
  • Erin McDonough, MD; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine/UC Health; Cincinnati, Ohio; Emergency Medicine

ACGME Awards honor the best in GME. The ACGME Blog will feature interviews and more information about 2027’s exceptional awardees in the months leading up to the Annual Educational Conference. 

The nomination period for the 2028 ACGME Awards will open in early 2027. Learn more about the ACGME Awards program on the ACGME website.

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ABOUT THE ACGME

The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization responsible for the accreditation of more than 13,700 residency and fellowship programs and the more than 900 institutions that sponsor these programs in the US. Residency and fellowship programs educate approximately 167,100 resident and fellow physicians in 146 accredited specialties and subspecialties. The Mission of the ACGME is to improve health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the quality of resident and fellow physicians’ education through advancements in accreditation and education.

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Susan Holub
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
sholub@acgme.org

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