Save the Date

May 6 2026

Park Château Estate & Gardens, East Brunswick, NJ 08816

Join us in celebration of New Jersey’s healthcare leaders

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The EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards™ will be held on May 6th, 2026, at the Park Château Estate and Gardens in East Brunswick, NJ. We hope you will join us to celebrate the inspiring individuals who make up our healthcare community. We look forward to seeing you there!

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EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards

Honoring Today, Empowering Tomorrow

New Jersey is home to some of the best healthcare in the country. Our hospital systems, which continue to rank nationally, proudly offer world-class care, state-of-the-art facilities, and compassionate support for patients. All of this is made possible by the bright minds who have helped shape modern medicine within our state, improving hundreds of thousands of lives in New Jersey and beyond.

For more than eight decades, EJI Excellence in Medicine has celebrated these individuals from our own communities – and the students who will follow in their footsteps.

The Awards

Every year, we honor physicians, scientists, healthcare professionals and leaders in New Jersey who have demonstrated extraordinary skill, leadership, and compassion in their fields. We rely on nominations from the community to help us discover and celebrate these healthcare leaders.

Nominations for the 2026 awards are now closed.

The Scholarship Program

In addition to recognizing today’s leaders, we are committed to supporting emerging healthcare professionals in the fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and physician assistant studies by providing scholarships to select students. Our scholarships are made possible by generous contributions. If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, click here.

Nominees for the scholarship program are selected by the participating healthcare schools.

The Grants

Grants are by invitation only. Unsolicited grant proposals are not accepted.

Thank You for Funding the Future of Healthcare

We are so thankful for your continued generosity. With help from our donors and Honor Roll sponsors, EJI Excellence in Medicine continues to invest in the leaders of tomorrow.

Become a Sponsor

Focus
on Excellence

In healthcare, focus is more than attention—it is a commitment to excellence and an unrelenting drive to advance the field. It is the quality that empowers healthcare leaders to deliver meaningful impact, pioneer innovative solutions, and guide the next generation of professionals. Focus fuels precision, progress, and purpose in every role across the healthcare system.

The 2026 EJI Awards celebrate those whose unwavering focus has made a difference and inspired others to do the same—shaping the future of healthcare.

Get Involved, Give Back

We rely on your help to aid research and the students of today in reaching their goals to become the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. Please consider making a donation and help make a difference in New Jersey healthcare students’ lives.

Make a Donation

Introducing our Hosts

Steve Adubato, PhD

Emmy Award-winning Anchor
Author, “Lessons In Leadership 2.0: The Tough Stuff”

Patricia A. Costante

Founding Member
EJI Excellence in Medicine Fund

From Aspirations to Action

Watch this year’s honorees and scholarship recipients speak about the landscape of healthcare in New Jersey, how the industry continues to evolve, what motivates them, and more.

Looking Inward and
Moving Forward

Dedicated to Better

Striving for Excellence

Community and Our Shared Focus on Tomorrow

2026 EJI Award Recipients

This year, we are excited to honor 7 extraordinary leaders in healthcare. You can learn more about each of our honorees below.

Keith Lewis, R.Ph., MD

EJI Physician’s Award®

Matthew B. McDonald, III, MD

Outstanding Healthcare Executive Award

Carlos Pato, MD, PhD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Christin M. Traba, MD, MPH

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

Miriam Hoffman, MD

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

Diane Calello, MD, FAAP, FACMT, FAACT

Verice M. Mason Community Service Leader Award

Ana Natale-Pereira, MD, MPH, FACP

Peter W. Rodino, Jr. Citizen’s Award®

2026 EJI Scholarship Recipients

In addition to our honorees, we are also pleased to be celebrating 10 talented students entering their respective fields in 2026. Congratulations to all our EJI Scholarship recipients!

You can read about each of our scholarship recipients below.

Jacob Metheny

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Class of 2026

Jasper Lee

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Class of 2026

Alessandro Padovani

Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
Class of 2026

Nichole Geist

Rutgers School of Health Professions, Physician Assistant Program
Class of 2026

Tricia Mae Raquepo

Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Class of 2026

Cristina Caruso

Rowan Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Class of 2026

Abigail Isaac

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Class of 2026

Margeritte Carlson

Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences, Physician Assistant Program
Class of 2026

Melissa Kudlak

Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Class of 2026

Lindsey Ryan

Fairleigh Dickinson University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Class of 2026

FAQs

Check to be made out to: New Jersey Health Foundation
Mail to:
EJI Excellence in Medicine Fund
New Jersey Health Foundation
155 Village Blvd., Suite 130
Princeton, NJ 08540

New Jersey Health Foundation is proud to assume the management of the EJI Excellence in Medicine Awards™ and related scholarship fund beginning in late 2023 expanding its commitment to support advances in health research, innovation and education in New Jersey.

New Jersey Health Foundation (NJHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2002. Through its Annual Grant Program NJHF supports research, community health and social service programs. NJHF also manages over 300 endowments providing annual funding to support health related research, educational programs and health related scholarships through donor directed distributions.

You will receive a confirmation once you make a purchase for the event. You will not receive an actual ticket, but rather your name will be held at the door.

The address is: 678 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816. More detailed travel directions based on location can be found here.

Hotel accommodations are available at the Château Grande Hotel, located right next door to the Park Château, at 670 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ. Reserve online here or call 732-724-4600.

Proudly sponsored by

Ana Natale-Pereira, MD, MPH, FACP

Peter W. Rodino, Jr. Citizen’s Award®

Dr. Ana Natale-Pereira is Professor of Medicine, Division Director of General Internal Medicine and Associate Dean of Primary Care and Community Engagement at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Over her 25 years at Rutgers and University Hospital, she has distinguished herself as a leader in primary care innovation, medical education, and community engagement strategies to reduce health disparities.

A leader in cancer prevention, Dr. Natale has received more than $17 million in federal and state funding for community-based cancer prevention and navigation programs, including the NJCEED S.A.V.E. Program, providing critical services to underserved communities in Essex County.

As Division Director of General Internal Medicine, she has advanced primary care innovation addressing the needs of the community. She has led and mentored faculty on integrating behavioral health into primary care by partnering with the Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (RUBHC), supported by $10 million in federal funding; guided and supported the development and expansion of the addiction medicine practice, the weight management practice, and the geriatrics service; and the development of a Healthy Moms’ clinic in the internal medicine-preventive medicine program. Her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was pivotal, establishing testing and treatment programs that served thousands of patients.

As Associate Dean of Primary Care and Community Engagement, Dr. Natale leads the office responsible for expanding NJMS Community Networks and managing over 40 active community engaged service-learning initiatives that immerse medical students in addressing health inequalities. The yearly Community Engagement Symposium reflects on those partnerships and brings students and mentors to share their experiences and learn from the community.

Beyond her clinical and academic roles, she serves in state and national health coalitions, advancing health equity for all populations. She is the recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and the AOA Honor Medical Society, and a proud mom of four amazing young adults (triplet girls and a boy). Dr. Natale is celebrated for her vision, cultural humility, and unwavering dedication to medical education.

Diane Calello, MD, FAAP, FACMT, FAACT

Verice M. Mason Community Service Leader Award

Dr. Calello has led the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System for 9 years as the Executive and Medical Director. In that time, the program has assisted over 500,000 New Jerseyans with poison- and drug-related concerns. These include responding to the opioid epidemic, identifying and responding to emerging public health threats, providing subject matter expertise in an evolving health landscape, and standing up a hotline in response to other public health crises including Zika virus and the COVID-19 pandemic. She also leads the Division of Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, which provides treatment to hundreds of patients annually with toxic exposures, drug overdoses, withdrawal and addiction.

Calello is a national expert in pediatric poisoning, and has served on the Board of Trustees of several national organizations. She is a frequently invited speaker on a variety of topics, which include pediatric environmental lead poisoning, impact of cannabis legalization, emerging novel psychoactives in the fentanyl supply, pediatric opioid poisoning, and others. She is also a sought-after media expert, as evidenced by appearances on many national news outlets, and has partnered with legislators and other key stakeholders to advance the health and wellness of people in New Jersey and beyond.

Miriam Hoffman, MD

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

Dr. Miriam Hoffman was the founding Associate Dean of Medical Education at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and is currently Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Family Medicine. She has led the development, implementation, and continuous enhancement of the medical education program. Dr. Hoffman’s goal is to align medical education curricula with the health outcomes of populations and individuals. The HMSOM curriculum utilizes the Determinants of Health – all the factors that impact health outcomes – as the frame for the entire curriculum. 

Dr. Hoffman has built and leads the largest unit within the School of Medicine. She has built partnerships and collaborations with diverse stakeholders and constituencies within the school, health system, and regional community. 

Previously, she was at Boston University School of Medicine for 13 years holding many educational leadership roles. Dr. Hoffman has been a leader in curriculum and faculty development in mission-driven medical education, evidence-based medicine, metacognition, and clinical teaching. 

Dr. Hoffman has spent her clinical career working with patients from diverse backgrounds in underserved settings, including safety net hospitals and Community Health Centers. She completed her undergraduate education at the Johns Hopkins University, her medical degree at Cornell University Medical College, and her residency at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Family Medicine Residency Program, where she was also Chief Resident. 

Dr. Hoffman’s focus on helping all populations achieve the highest health outcomes comes from her parents and grandparents, including her grandfather who was a General Practitioner in the Bronx.

Christin M. Traba, MD, MPH

Outstanding Medical Educator Award

As a proud alumnus of New Jersey Medical School Class of 2006, Christin is now in her 24th year at NJMS. Over the years, she has expanded her roles in both undergraduate and graduate medical education, now serving as the Executive Associate Dean for Education. She leads the undergraduate medical education, linking her passions for medical education, mentorship, and advocacy. 

As the former faculty co-lead for the New Jersey Pediatric Residency Advocacy Collaborative (NJPRAC), she worked on multiple statewide residency education initiatives focusing on advocacy and community health, publishing their work in the journal, Pediatrics. On a national level, she worked for five years with the American Academy of Pediatrics Community Pediatric Training Initiative (CPTI). As the former co-lead for the CPTI Networking and Collaborative Pillar, she launched a national webinar series, highlighting advocacy and community health.

She prides herself in the relationships built as a mentor to the students, including as the pediatric clerkship director, specialty advisor, and co-director of the Distinction in Medical Education (DiME) program. As a result, she has trained over 2,000 students in pediatrics and mentored numerous students and residents in scholarly work. 

As she shifts her focus to the integration of the two medical schools into the future Rutgers School of Medicine, she recognizes the stronger, expanded community built across campuses, creating a culture of belonging at all levels – learners, faculty, and staff. Through this community, she is confident that Rutgers will emerge as a leader in medical education innovation, including precision learning. 

Miriam Hoffman, MD 

Dr. Miriam Hoffman was the founding Associate Dean of Medical Education at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and is currently Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Family Medicine. She has led the development, implementation, and continuous enhancement of the medical education program. Dr. Hoffman’s goal is to align medical education curricula with the health outcomes of populations and individuals. The HMSOM curriculum utilizes the Determinants of Health – all the factors that impact health outcomes – as the frame for the entire curriculum. 

Dr. Hoffman has built and leads the largest unit within the School of Medicine. She has built partnerships and collaborations with diverse stakeholders and constituencies within the school, health system, and regional community. 

Previously, she was at Boston University School of Medicine for 13 years holding many educational leadership roles. Dr. Hoffman has been a leader in curriculum and faculty development in mission-driven medical education, evidence-based medicine, metacognition, and clinical teaching. 

Dr. Hoffman has spent her clinical career working with patients from diverse backgrounds in underserved settings, including safety net hospitals and Community Health Centers. She completed her undergraduate education at the Johns Hopkins University, her medical degree at Cornell University Medical College, and her residency at the New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Family Medicine Residency Program, where she was also Chief Resident. 

Dr. Hoffman’s focus on helping all populations achieve the highest health outcomes comes from her parents and grandparents, including her grandfather who was a General Practitioner in the Bronx.

Carlos Pato, MD, PhD

Outstanding Scientist Award

Dr. Carlos N. Pato is internationally renowned for his groundbreaking research in the genetics of mental illness across ancestries and for developing one of the largest multi-ancestry cohorts of patients suffering with psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. His transformative research bridging clinical psychiatry and molecular biology advanced our understanding of psychiatric disorders, enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to benefit population health.  

Dr. Pato is Henry Professor of Behavioral Health and Executive Chair of Psychiatry for Rutgers Health, Senior Vice President of Research, Training and Academic Affairs in Behavioral Health and Addictions at Rutgers and University Behavioral Health Care/University Correctional Health Care and RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health and Addictions Service Line.  He came from SUNY Downstate where he was executive director of the Institute for Genomic Health, Senior Vice President and Dean of the College of Medicine, and is previous Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.

A graduate of Brown University, Dr. Pato completed his MD and research training at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, psychiatry residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health. With an honorary doctorate in medical genetics from Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal, he is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a charter member of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics and held leadership positions with the American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry, among others. He has over 240 publications with over 52,000 citations.

Matthew B. McDonald, III, MD

Outstanding Healthcare Executive Award

Dr. Matthew B. McDonald III serves as President and CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility. Under his leadership, CSH has become a national model for pediatric specialty and rehabilitative care, serving nearly 50,000 children each year across 14 sites with a workforce of more than 1,700 dedicated professionals.

A visionary and values-driven leader, Dr. McDonald has guided the execution of a $90 million strategic plan focused on expanding ambulatory services, advancing research, and strengthening academic and community partnerships. As a High Reliability Science Leader, he led CSH to achieve zero serious safety events in 2024. That same year, he was named one of Becker’s Hospital Review’s “CEOs to Know.”

Since joining CSH in 2014 as Chief of Special Needs Pediatrics, Dr. McDonald has championed integrated, family-centered care, creating New Jersey’s first NCQA-certified medical home for children with medical complexities and expanding access through a second primary care center in Hamilton. His system-wide leadership as Pediatric Quality Chair aligned five children’s hospitals to enhance access for more than 600,000 patients statewide.

Dr. McDonald is a champion of patient- and family-centered care, and personally conducts family rounds, meets monthly with CSH’s Family Faculty team, and serves as the executive sponsor of the Family Advisory Council, which has been nationally recognized by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care.

A dedicated educator and advocate, Dr. McDonald is also an Associate Professor at Rutgers University and serves on the Board of Trustees for Special Olympics New Jersey.

Keith Lewis, R.Ph., MD

EJI Physician’s Award®

Dr. Keith P. Lewis, MD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Chief of Anesthesiology and Director of the Perioperative Quality and Safety at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH). He also serves as Vice Dean of the medical school where he plays a central role in strategic planning and partners closely with RWJUH and RWJ Barnabas Health.

Dr. Lewis’s entire career has been focused on patient safety. While at Yale as a research pharmacist, he authored a book entitled: Cancer Chemotherapy: Treatment & Care. He served as Chair of Anesthesiology at Boston University School of Medicine for almost 20 years and his clinical expertise is cardiac anesthesia and liver transplantation.

Since becoming chair in 2018, Dr. Lewis has overseen all anesthetic and procedural services at RWJUH, including adult and pediatric operating rooms.  He leads the department’s  clinical, educational, research, and administrative missions.  Known as a visionary leader in patient safety and healthcare efficiency, he is the author of OK to Proceed: What Every Health Care Provider Should Know About Patient Safety, which focuses on eliminating medical errors and improving care delivery.

Dr. Lewis is also the founder of the Kindness Campaign, which promotes kindness as an essential element of all patient and staff interactions.  Its flagship initiative, KindOR Care, provides individualized acts of kindness for patients in the perioperative environment.  This ethos is embodied by making kindness a cornerstone of patient and staff interactions. 

In recognition of his leadership, Dr. Lewis received the Rutgers Gateway Award for Service to Employees as part of the university’s Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Program.  This award acknowledges individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to fostering a positive work environment, enhancing employee engagement and morale, and driving operational efficiencies through innovative process improvements.