Not all heroes wear capes – or hold medical degrees. From physical therapists to autism specialists to school nurses, join us in honoring these stealth health heroes who support and uplift the Valley’s collective well-being from behind the scenes.
How We Picked This List
For this inaugural class of Health-Care Heroes, we asked PHOENIX magazine readers to nominate caregivers and other behind-the-scenes professionals during a one-month submission period, then selected the 30 we felt were most deserving, spanning a wide spectrum of care.
Danika Hines
Burn Physical Therapist, Arizona Burn Center
Hines has been caring for people with painful burn injuries for nearly 13 years, but several years ago, she literally went above and beyond the call of duty. The mother of a patient with burns over nearly a third of her body recruited Hines to accompany her daughter, whom she cared for at the Arizona Burn Center, on a hiking trip to the top of Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro. Hines and the patient safely returned from the summit with an extraordinary story to share.
Lesley Eastman, RN
Director of Nursing, Sagewood Senior Living
Sagewood, a retirement community in North Phoenix, promises resort-style living to its residents, and thanks to Eastman, there is truth in advertising. The Grand Canyon University graduate has been tailoring her programs to each resident’s needs for six years, using her and her staff’s knowledge of independent and assisted-living memory care to ensure Sagewood’s patients and families come first with treatment programs that often exceed quality-of-care standards.
Kairin Whiteside
Director of Volunteer Services, Mayo Clinic
For obvious reasons, no one wants to go to the hospital. However, when patients visit Mayo Clinic, a welcoming team of volunteers led by Whiteside helps make them feel better about being somewhere they don’t want to be, whether it is riding a golf cart to the lobby, asking about a patient’s needs, making sure the gift shop is well-stocked, or facilitating a visit from a therapy animal. Whiteside also works to make Mayo a place where volunteers actually want to spend their time.
Health- Care Hero Mascot!
Roger Sterling
Therapy Cat, Phoenix Children’s
Even a bright, welcoming facility like Phoenix Children’s can feel intimidating to a young child. Sterling, one of a handful of therapy cats working in hospitals throughout the country, tries to make things comfortable for a young patient’s recovery. One could say he’s the purr-fect helper for healing.
Elizabeth Mueller
Senior Consultant, Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers; Board Member, Full of Hope Foundation
Typically, free time means a moment to relax. For Mueller, this concept doesn’t compute. When she isn’t supervising the expansion of Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers’ research endeavors to numerous locations across the Valley, she can be found volunteering at and serving on the board of Full of Hope Foundation, a local organization offering support to families coping with a cancer diagnosis.
Atalie Ho Lem
Physical Therapist, United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona
Ho Lem has been a mainstay at the United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona’s Laura Dozer Center since it opened two decades ago. In that time, she has seen patients come in as frightened children who are learning to move after a cerebral palsy diagnosis and helped them gain the ability to play softball and surf. “Each child and family I work with has been my teacher,” she says. “If they have learned from me even half of what I have learned from them, then my life is good!”
Brandi Golub, RN
School Nurse, Pinnacle Peak Preparatory School
Children must be in good physical condition if they are to learn anything, which is why nurses are essential to a school’s staff. Golub goes above and beyond the usual putting on of Band-Aids and checking students for lice. Her nominator says she has “seen her in a full sprint when she is concerned about a diabetic child or potential head injury. She is a safe harbor when children are scared, troubled, sad or just tired.”
Bridget Albright, PA-C
Physician Assistant, Otolaryngology, Scottsdale Ear, Nose & Throat
In the five years since the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign graduate came to the desert, Albright has become an invaluable part of the Scottsdale Ear, Nose & Throat staff. As an ENT physician assistant, she helps patients with symptoms of tonsillitis and sinusitis, serves those with acute issues on short notice, and diagnoses head and neck cancers that may have gone unnoticed. What’s Albright’s secret? Her nominator says it is empathy, which comes from her own experience with sinus and ear issues.
Julia Hinojosa, RN
Registered Nurse, Banner Desert Medical Center
The pandemic exposed not only how short-staffed the health-care industry is but also how susceptible its workers are to stress and burnout. Don’t tell that to this Grand Canyon University graduate, who endangered her own health – and contracted COVID-19 three times – by constantly working day-long shifts at the height of the crisis. The experience she gained during this harrowing time has made her a leader and mentor among her peers.
Camrron Larson, DC
Chiropractor, Lone Mountain Chiropractic
Those suffering from pain may find relief for their symptoms through chiropractic care, but many in the field don’t help patients long-term. Larson, a chiropractor for more than 16 years, uses acupuncture, massage and science-based supplements to relieve aching muscles and joints. Her knowledge has positively affected her nominators, who think of her not just as a doctor, but as a magician who makes the pain from their arthritis and injuries disappear.
Phillip Roe, DDS
Prosthodontist, Clear Choice Dental Implant Centers
There are many reasons why someone’s oral health can decline, and the last thing a patient wants to feel is ashamed of a condition that doesn’t reflect who they really are. In nominating Roe for this list, a patient – and recovering drug addict – cited the prosthodontist’s compassion during the process of getting their smile restored. They also had this to say about the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry graduate: “Dr. Roe’s kindness and acceptance of my past made me feel human and accepted, and I truly appreciate all he did for me.”
Timothy Spooner, PT, FAFS
Owner and CEO, Spooner Physical Therapy
An injury can affect the Valley’s athletes both physically and mentally. That’s why when physical therapist Spooner founded his company in Scottsdale in 1990, he focused on treating a patient thoroughly, both mind and body, and recruited many of his peers who also saw patients as full people, not just numbers. This focus on a patient’s overall well-being has led to the expansion of Spooner’s business, with more than 25 Spooner Physical Therapy clinics throughout the Southwest.
Brandi Krushelniski, RN, BSN
Vice-President of Transplant Services, Norton Thoracic Institute
Obtaining a suitable organ donor to help save a patient’s life is truly a waiting game. Krushelniski and her team often work lengthy shifts to find the perfect donor. “This is a team sport. We can’t do it without everyone involved,” she explained earlier this year. Her work, which includes organizing and scheduling hundreds of transplants a year, makes Krushelniski an enormous part of one of the busiest lung transplant programs in the country.
Tanya Kimball, RN, BSN
Founder, Simply Skin Med Spa
When you’re the mother of four kids, dedicating your life to those outside your family can be daunting. Despite these demands on her time, Kimball graduated nursing school and opened her Gilbert clinic, working to enhance her clients’ natural beauty and improve their quality of life. Even after her personal life took a tragic turn with the suicide of her oldest son, Kimball remains dedicated to helping patients find the confidence they need to improve their lives inside and out.
Nicholas Schork, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Distinguished Professor of Quantitative Medicine, T-Gen
Despite what explorer Juan Ponce de León would have you believe, there is no Fountain of Youth granting eternal life. However, the leading researcher at T-Gen is examining how we can live longer. His team is investigating ways aging contributes to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and dementia. Suppose we can learn what makes us susceptible to these conditions. Then, there is a possibility that they can be prevented, allowing future generations to live longer – and fuller – lives.
Tami Bohannon
President and Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for Senior Living
Despite living in a landlocked state, Bohannon knows a wave is headed toward Arizona around 2030. She calls it the “silver tsunami,” and it is the moment when the last baby boomers will turn 65. The event will impact the senior population in many ways, and her organization is working to meet the challenge head-on. “We will never have a perfect system, but we need to ensure that people have what they need to live their lives with dignity, respect, love and compassion,” Bohannon says. “That’s what drives me.”
John Brewer, DNP, PMHNP
Vice President, Behavioral Health Services, Phoenix Children’s
A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that 45 percent of those who died by suicide visited their doctor within a month of their death. “It can be easy to want to dismiss [this fact] or look away because it’s uncomfortable,” Brewer says. “That’s not how we solve a crisis.” Last year, he and his team implemented Phoenix Children’s Suicide Prevention Program, where staff screen patients for mental distress and, if necessary, facilitate a same-day therapy session. The program’s success has led to its adoption in 15 Phoenix Children’s clinics.
Jessica Holliday, PMHNP-BC
Vice President of Psychiatric Service Operations, Denova Collaborative Health
There are still stigmas around mental health, but Holliday continues to work to make this vital care a right, not a privilege, particularly for those in underserved populations. “I want to do more than just support these people,” Holliday says. “How can I be on their journey long term, and how can I be not only their prescriber but also the change agent that’s really creating a positive environment for providers to treat the community on a bigger level successfully?”
Sharon McGarvey
Co-founder, Mariah’s Miracle
When her daughter Mariah, a pediatric therapist, died at 26 from an aggressive form of cancer, McGarvey rededicated her life to helping and uplifting the same patients for whom her daughter cared. “Mariah used to talk with her boss about how frustrated she was when insurance wouldn’t cover some of the needs of these children,” McGarvey says. Since its founding in 2020, the organization has raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars and provided resources for 45 children.
Amy Kenzer, Ph.D, BCBA-D, LBA
Co-founder, Joyful Learning Services
Parents of children with learning differences like autism want to play a part in their education, but they might need help knowing where to start. Kenzer experienced this with her child, so the University of Nevada-Reno graduate co-founded Joyful Learning Services last year with her classmate, Dr. Michele Bishop, creating a data-based model of hands-on in-home behavioral therapy, learning services and parental coaching that has provided positive social and occupational outcomes. “It’s hard to overstate how much she and her agency have helped our son,” one parent says.
Dr. Constance Bradley, Ph.D., L.Ac.
Owner, Dr. Constance Bradley Acupuncture
When she was a triathlete, Bradley suffered an injury that left her in constant pain. A friend convinced her to try acupuncture. Within a year, she was not only pain-free, but also experienced an improvement in her sleep and digestion. Now, she educates patients on how the practice can help prevent illness. “I look at [acupuncture] as true health care because you’re trying to address and preserve health so it never gets to the point of a disease that you have to react to,” Bradley says.
Jaclyn Garcia, RN
Nurse Educator, Barrow Neurological Institute and Ivy Brain Tumor Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital
Treating brain cancer is complicated, but Garcia keeps it simple for patients, giving them the hope and understanding they need. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, she has run a support group for cancer patients for more than half a decade. “I always tell people that the reason I can do this job for so long and can come into this with optimism is because I have seen people who have gotten to the other side of these statistics,” Garcia says.
Shelley Glynn, RN, BSN, AGACNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner, Structural Heart Team at HonorHealth
After beginning her career in the ICU, Glynn, a mother of two, returned to school to become a nurse practitioner and learn about cardiology. Now, she is the co-chair of the nursing portion of the yearly Scottsdale Interventional Forum, and her patient satisfaction scores are the envy of her peers. “It’s important to me to develop that rapport because I think it helps to establish trust with the patient,” Glynn says. “It can ultimately impact their outcomes.”
Joey Cuevas
Professional Mentor, Friends of the Children
Dedicated to “breaking the cycle of generational poverty,” the Phoenix chapter of Friends of the Children launched a special partnership with the Roosevelt School District three years ago to provide participating students with mentors who guide them academically and socially through high school and – hopefully – into college. Cuevas is one of the program’s stars, a “reliable, supportive and proactive saint,” according to chapter founder Julie Wechsler. “He makes a difference in the lives of his youth, their caregivers and their teachers every single day.”
Ellie Ucci, RN
Registered Nurse, Banner Gateway Medical Center
Nothing can stop this nurse – not even retirement. Ucci began her career 70 years ago as a psychiatric nurse during the Korean War. The 91-year-old hasn’t stopped since, gaining experience in several East Valley hospitals before landing at Banner Gateway’s postpartum unit in 2007. She recently received the distinguished DAISY Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors nurses who have devoted their lives to the compassionate care of others through active mentoring, role modeling and superb patient care.
Caroline Kim Kupfer, MD
Internist, St. Joseph’s Hospital/First Place-Phoenix
Kupfer has spent her career in the twilight between adult and pediatric medicine – making her the ideal person to help launch a groundbreaking new in-house clinic at First Place-Phoenix. Armed with an acute understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing neurodiverse youth as they transition to the adult health-care system, the Indiana University graduate clicked perfectly with Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) founder Denise Resnik when the latter sought to provide medical services at First Place, the first-of-its-kind residency campus for autistic young adults in Midtown Phoenix. The result of their partnership is the Virginia G. Piper Health Spot, which provides primary health-care services to First Place residents – for many, the first unaccompanied doctor visit of their lives.
Mahsa Salek
Speech Language Pathologist, Phoenix Children’s, Mercy-Gilbert Campus
If a transgender youth’s voice doesn’t match their appearance, they might not want to speak. Salek is one of the few specialists in Arizona providing a voice therapy clinic for these children and teens so they can sound like who they are. “Their voice is usually the aspect that most reminds them of their assigned gender at birth, which is not the gender they may identify themselves as, and so it really keeps them from communicating,” Salek told us in 2020. “It really prohibits them from moving on.”
Betzanahy Leyva, DMD
Assistant Dental Director, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix Dental Clinic
It took the South Phoenix resident seven long, exhausting years to realize her dream of working in the dental field, paying for her classes at Phoenix College out of her paycheck from St. Vincent de Paul’s Dental Clinic, where she has worked for more than a decade. For her, her journey was about giving back. “The patients we see here are like my parents, my family,” Leyva says. “That was really touching for me because it’s like helping my community, my own family.”
Suma Hodge, MS, LPC, BHP, CCTP-II
Regional Clinical Director, M.I.K.I.D.
It can be challenging for parents to hear their child is enduring a mental-health crisis. Hodge works tirelessly to raise caregivers’ awareness of the symptoms and ensure those M.I.K.I.D. (Mentally Ill Kids in Distress) serves receive the proper care. “We don’t necessarily realize that kids are experiencing anxiety because it doesn’t look the same in adults,” Hodge says. “You can easily miss the signs of what it looks like when your child may be having suicidal ideation, anorexia or bulimia.”
Stephanie Mastores, OD
Optometrist, Blink Eye Care Phoenix
Mastores has always served those in need, often traveling abroad to serve eye care missions for Volunteer Optometric Services for Humanity. But when she opened her practice in 2021, she wanted to help those closer to home. She discovered Live and Learn AZ, which provides complimentary exams to women affected by poverty and violence. “Even when I was opening my practice, I said, ‘I have to open in Uptown [Phoenix]. It’s my neighborhood,’” Mastores says. “It’s really important to me to be here.”
Jeanne Nizigiyimana, MSW, MA
Manager, Valleywise Center for Refugee and Global Health; Co-Founder, Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
When Nizigiyimana and her family fled Burundi in 1998, she had no one to help her through the health-care system in the United States or advocate on her behalf. Now, she serves as a guide for refugees under similar circumstances. “I’m here to be in the service of others. It’s not about the title I have,” Nizigiyimana says. “It’s not about the fancy house that I might have. It’s about everything I can do so that the trust and faith of those around me never depart.”
