Four DOM staff win awards for Administrative Professionals Day

May 2, 2025
David Mogollon, Communications Manager, Department of Medicine

Honors go to Nephrology’s Gina Favela, Cardiology’s Dawn Henderson, Hematology & Oncology’s James Deljanovan, and Nephrology’s Bersabe Lopez, also lead admin, Vice Chair of Education Office — with a raffle for additional prizes for others.

[No time like the present for a group photo as U of A Department of Medicine’s administrative staff gather for a 2025 Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast April 23 in the DOM Conference Room 6416 and 6401 Suite Lounge.]

No time like the present for a group photo as U of A Department of Medicine’s administrative staff gather for a 2025 Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast April 23 in the DOM Conference Room 6416 and 6401 Suite Lounge.

Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

In addition to being feted with breakfast for all administrative staff, four staffers from the University of Arizona Department of Medicine shared in awards during an Administrative Professionals Day celebration April 23 hosted in DOM Conference Room 6416 and the Suite 6401 lounge.

“My appreciation to all administrators and staff in the Department of Medicine. Without you, our faculty would not be able to accomplish all of the great things that they have done this year,” said James K. Liao, MD, professor, department chair, interim Division of Infectious Diseases chief, Sarver Heart Center member and the Robert S. and Irene Flinn Endowed Chair in Medicine.

[Three of four winners of honors at the U of A Department of Medicine’s Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast, April 23, Cardiology’s Dawn Henderson, and Nephrology’s Gina Favela and Nephrology's Bersabe Lopez, who also is an administrative lead for the Vice Chair of Education Office. Hematology & Oncology’s James Deljanovan, the fourth winner, couldn’t attend.]

Three of four winners of honors at the U of A Department of Medicine’s Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast, April 23, Cardiology’s Dawn Henderson, and Nephrology’s Gina Favela and Bersabe Lopez, who also is an administrative lead for the Vice Chair of Education Office. Hematology & Oncology’s James Deljanovan, the fourth winner, couldn’t attend.

Mitch Masilun, UAHS BioCommunications

Recognized for honors were:
•    Gina Favela, office coordinator, Division of Nephrology, and Banner health care partner — Employee Choice Award
•    Dawn Henderson, administrative associate and an administrative staff lead, Division of Cardiology and Sarver Heart Center — Mentorship Award
•    James Deljanovan, administrative assistant, Division of Hematology & Oncology, and Banner health care partner — Teamwork Award
•    Bersabe Lopez, administrative lead, DOM Medical Education Office (or VCOE), and senior program coordinator, Nephrology Fellowship, Division of Nephrology — Department Staff MVP

“I am truly honored to have received the Employee Choice Award. Thanks so much to the Department of Medicine and everyone that nominated me for this incredible recognition,” said Favela, who has worked for Banner – University Medicine for 19 years, including prior to 2015 when Banner Health and the University of Arizona Health Network merged to form Banner – University Medicine, Banner Health’s academic division. She’s been with the Division of Nephrology for eight years.

Henderson, who’s been with the U of A for more than nine years, said of the recognition, “I was so honored and surprised to receive the Mentorship Award. I just love helping my colleagues!”

“It’s an honor to be nominated and even more so to receive this award,” said Deljanovan, who was unable to attend the event, about his Teamwork Award. He has been on the Hematology & Oncology division staff since 2017, before which he worked for the Division of Nephrology.

Lopez said, “Receiving the MVP Staff Award on Administrative Professionals Day was truly humbling. I’m grateful to be part of such a dedicated team in health care and appreciate the recognition of our shared commitment to excellence.”

She began working for the U of A in 2017, starting in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, then the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Graduate Medical Education Office, and for the last six years at the Department of Medicine.

Various additional prizes were shared, distributed by raffle, with other administrative staff as well.

The awards and prizes were presented by Phetcharat “Pat” Chen, DOM administrator, Cynthia Campas, associate administrator, and Dominica Padilla, DOM operations support manager.

“Congratulations to all the award winners and our entire administrative professional corps in the Department of Medicine. Your services are of great value and greatly appreciated,” Campas said.

For additional photos from this event, click here.

MINI-PHOTO GALLERY
Click images to enlarge and for captions:

[Prizes for a raffle held during the 2025 DOM Administrative Professionals Day breakfast April 23.]
[Department of Medicine admins gather around the Conference Room 6416 table to celebrate the 2025 DOM Administrative Professionals Day breakfast on April 23.]
[Cynthia Campas (standing center), DOM associate administrator, and Dominica Padilla (standing right), DOM operations support manager, pass out raffle tickets for prizes to be won later to attendees of the 2025 DOM Administrative Professionals Day breakfast.]
[Jacque Carrillo and Brenda Lambert, admins and fellowship coordinators in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, share a laugh during the 2025 DOM Administrative Professionals Day breakfast]
[Gastroenterology’s Carmen Mendoza and DOM facilities coordinator Isabel Goodson-Montelongo accept raffle tickets from Cynthia Campas and Dominica Padilla at the 2025 DOM Administrative Professionals Day breakfast. Prizes were distributed later.]
[Dawn Henderson (2nd from left with flowers), winner of the Mentorship Award, with (from left) Cynthia Campas, Nephrology’s Bersabe Lopez, Pulmonary’s Jacque Carrillo, Gastroenterology’s Carmen Mendoza, Phetcharat “Pat” Chen, and Dominica Padilla.]
[Gina Favela (center with flowers), winner of the Employee Choice Award, with (from left) Cynthia Campas, Phetcharat “Pat” Chen, Endocrionology’s Melody Ayon, Cardiology’s Christeana Castro, Dominica Padilla, and Nephrology’s Bersabe Lopez. Lopez and Castro also are lead admins for the DOM Vice Chair of Education Office.]
[Bersabe Lopez (center with flowers), winner of the Department Staff MVP award, with (from left) Cynthia Campas, Phetcharat “Pat” Chen, Gastroenterology’s Maria Longoria, Dominica Padilla, and clinical associate directors Scott Hall and Jason Toone.]
[No time like the present for a group photo as U of A Department of Medicine’s administrative staff gather for a 2025 Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast April 23 in the DOM Conference Room 6416 and 6401 Suite Lounge.]
[Three of four winners at the U of A Department of Medicine’s 2025 Administrative Professional Day awards breakfast Cardiology’s Dawn Henderson, and Nephrology’s Gina Favela and Bersabe Lopez, also an administrative lead for the Vice Chair of Education Office. Hematology & Oncology’s James Deljanovan, the fourth winner, couldn’t attend.]
[The Division of Cardiology’s Tonya Carney, Christeana Castro, award winner Dawn Henderson, Leilani Garcia, Veronica Meredith and clinical associate director Scott Hall.]
[The Division of Nephrology’s Sandy Seifert, award winner Gina Favela, award winner Bersabe Lopez, and clinical associate director Scott Hall.]