Good Samaritan honors 13 physicians, 7 APPs nominated for annual awards
Congratulations to the 13 physicians and seven advanced practice professionals nominated by their peers for our annual medical staff awards! Each year, we recognize those who you say inspire, support, achieve, advocate and advance the highest-quality and most-compassionate care above all else. It’s our privilege to list all of your nominees here, with excerpts from the nomination forms you submitted on their behalf.
Good Samaritan 2026 Physician of the Year Award Nominees
Rumneek Bedi, MD, Hospital Medicine: “Dr. Bedi is a wonderful practitioner who provides exemplary care. Her work ethic is top notch and her willingness to help is incredible. I’m always happy to see her on the schedule.”
Peter Boulos, MD, Cardiovascular Disease: “Dr. Boulos is passionate about his work, values patient outcomes and is dedicated to sharing and growing services for his community. Countless times, he has expressed his commitment to providing support and care for his patients 24/7. He has taken calls while not on call, just to give consult to other docs. The providers he interacts with have given me compliments about him many times after meeting him.”
Adam Bulter, MD, General Surgery: “As both a practicing surgeon and Chief of Surgery, Dr. Bulter plays a critical role in guiding clinical excellence while remaining actively engaged in patient care. His leadership is evident not only in his formal role, but in the way he consistently shows up for his team. Dr. Bulter is known for being highly reliable, approachable and supportive—someone others trust and turn to. He is an excellent example of what a member of the Medical Staff should be.”
Dan Cheek, MD, Emergency Medicine: “Dr. Cheek consistently develops and evaluates a complete differential diagnosis for his patients in the Emergency Department. As a result, his admissions to the hospital do not suffer from premature closure or confirmation bias errors. This type of thoughtful practice would make me hope that he would be my physician should I need to be seen in our ER.”
Nathan Karber, MD, Emergency Medicine: “As Emergency Department medical director, Dr. Karber exemplifies exceptional clinical leadership, innovation and an unwavering commitment to patient-centered care. Under his leadership, we have achieved the highest patient-satisfaction scores in the Peaks region. Dr. Karber is always approachable and his responses are measured and given with significant thought and insight. He balances clinical excellence with genuine human connection.”
Nadia Khosrodad, MD, Palliative Medicine: “Dr. Khosrodad has brought a much broader support for palliative care services. She’s friendly and compassionate and has helped so many people with the most difficult time of their life.”
Kelly Knudson, MD, General Surgery: “Dr. Knudson has been a stalwart of the community for more than 15 years. Her technical skill as a surgeon is only surpassed by her compassion for her patients and staff. She is always willing to drop whatever she’s doing to help other providers or patients with difficult situations. Kelly treats the members of her team and the Good Samaritan community like our own family.”
Veronica Meierbachtol, DO, Hospital Medicine: “Dr. Meierbachtol has been an excellent site lead for hospital medicine. I appreciate her collaboration, teamwork and thoughtful partnership. She is always level headed, willing to try something new, collaborates effectively with other departments and nurses, and leads by example. She is an amazing physician who puts in the extra effort each day for her patients.”
Kiley Mortensen, DO, Anesthesiology: “With the major transitions the Perioperative arena has been enduring, Dr. Mortensen is a major reason things are running more efficiently. More importantly, however, is how great he is to work with. A strong clinician and stronger teammate, he balances his administrative duties with clinical shifts and often spends off time at Good Sam in meetings or helping cover a room that needs an anesthesia provider.”
Christine Nguyen, DO, Pulmonary Disease: “Dr. Nguyen is an excellent clinician. She has done a great job as ICU director and provides a valuable service covering more than 100 night shifts per year.”
Hala Omar, MD, General Surgery: “Dr. Omar has excellent clinical knowledge and judgment. I can always rely on her when taking care of our mutual patients.”
Desarom Teso, MD, Vascular Surgery: “Dr. Teso has been instrumental in the successful development and launch of our Vascular Surgery program. He approaches this work with both clinical excellence and strategic vision, ensuring that each step forward is grounded in safety, quality and best practices. He consistently engages interdisciplinary teams with respect and curiosity, fostering shared decision-making that keeps the patient at the center of every clinical discussion.”
Frank Walch, MD, Neurological Surgery: “Dr. Walch is committed to caring for patients in a consistently ethical and non-biased manner, with the motivation to help patients with neurosurgical problems in a safe yet effective approach. While doing so, he maintains a kind affect that creates a positive and learning-forward work environment within the OR and in clinic. Additionally, he shows a great example of handling complex problems with integrity and thoughtfulness.”
Good Samaritan 2026 APP of the Year Nominees
Alex Ashton, PA, Trauma Surgery: “Alex is a dedicated physician assistant who provides very efficient and excellent care for the patients he is involved with. The definition of a team player, he’s always available for questions from patients, family and other providers. If my family member were in the hospital, I would want Alex taking care of them. He is personable and funny. He makes people laugh.”
Grant Bracken, PA, Neurological Surgery: “Grant has a great reputation in the community and is always willing to work with and connect with providers who have questions or need consults. He is always welcoming and happy to be a part of the vision.”
Pamela Brunette, CNM, Obstetrics & Gynecology: “Pam is such an amazing resource for our patients. She brings a wealth of experience, patience and empathy to every encounter. Through several turnovers, she has remained resolute in her dedication to our patients. Her relationships with support staff are incomparable. She is a breath of fresh air and someone whom I look forward to working alongside every day. I can't think of anyone who embodies our values more.”
Laura Clevenger, NNP, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine: “Laura is our NICU's lead nurse practitioner. Amid many changes in our unit, Laura continues to provide consistent, thoughtful leadership. Her compassionate care and excellent clinical skills put our NICU staff and families at ease.”
Sabrina Reed, NP, Orthopaedic Surgery: “Sabrina’s professional excellence is reflected in the culture she fosters, the standards she upholds, the colleagues she mentors, and the countless organizational improvements she inspires. She consistently exemplifies servant leadership by placing the needs of patients, staff and the organization before her own while maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards.”
Mark Stroh, CRNA, Anesthesiology: “Mark, beyond being an amazing CRNA, has also been a tremendous leader for the APP Committee. He collaborates across multiple departments to bring APPs together to enhance Good Samaritan’s mission and vision. He has helped increase communication among the APPs, MEC and Nursing as a result of his great work.”
Jordan Zilavy, NP, Pulmonary Disease: “Jordan does the most for her patients and coworkers. She investigates the etiologies behind her patients diagnoses and never bats an eye to questions from nurses. Jordan is always proactive and approachable, making patient care seamless and safe. Her vast medical knowledge allows her to be a confident and amazing NP. Her extensive knowledge and experience base makes her especially helpful with neurocritical care. She has a great rapport with the ICU staff.”
Congratulations to all nominees and thank you to the medical staff members who took the time to ensure these deeply valued and respected practitioners receive this recognition for the impact they have every day on our patients, each other and the care we provide.
All nominees will be recognized again and the winners will be announced at our Annual Medical Staff Meeting & Dinner in September. All members of Good Samaritan’s medical staff are invited! Click the button below to RSVP for you and your guest today!