Awards Program

The 2024 President’s Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who contributes extraordinary service to the profession and our community, was presented to Clint Hauxwell, MD, Spokane primary care physician with MultiCare Rockwood Clinic and co-director of Foundations of Clinical Medicine University of Washington School of Medicine Spokane. Dr. Hauxwell was honored for his long legacy of strong leadership, dedication to service, and contributions to the betterment of health care through his teaching, his sponsoring students in his clinic, and his service on UW faculty.

The 2024 Wellness Award, which recognizes an organization that has worked to put the joy back in medicine for Washington physicians, was presented to Wenatchee Valley Medical Group and Confluence Health. The Wenatchee-based medical group and medical center were recognized for a multi-pronged effort that included hiring a director of provider leadership development, adopting the Leadership Index, developing a Leadership Academy, and implementing a peer support program, among many other wellness and engagement activities to support the well-being of physicians and practitioners.  

The 2024 William O. Robertson, MD, Patient Safety Award, which recognizes innovative patient safety initiatives in the ambulatory care setting, was awarded to Family Medicine of Southwest Washington. The Vancouver-based PeaceHealth-affiliated community clinic was honored for its contribution to improved patient safety and care through the creation of The League of Safety, a committee dedicated to the implementation of an enhanced violence prevention and rapid response specific to its clinic setting and culture.

Four WSMA members received 2024 Grassroots Advocate Awards, honoring physicians for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the WSMA and for the physician profession. They are:

• Chris Chambers, MD, a Seattle surgeon specializing in oculofacial plastic and cosmetic surgery, for his testimony in opposition to optometric and naturopathic scope of practice expansion efforts and other legislative and regulatory assistance.
• Judy Kimelman, MD, retired Bainbridge Island OB-GYN formerly with Seattle Obstetrics and Gynecology Group, a physician-owned practice that closed its doors earlier this year, for her advocacy on economic pressures facing independent practice and her support of confidentiality protections for physician wellness programs.
• Douglas Seiler, MD, Tacoma radiologist and president of TRA Medical Imaging, for his advocacy on behalf of patient access to care and the Medicaid Access Program.
• Mark Vossler, MD, retired Kirkland cardiologist and co-chair of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility Climate and Health Task Force, for his advocacy on behalf of environmental medicine.

Congratulations to our 2024 Apple Award winners!

Recipients of the 2023 WSMA Apple Awards included:

• Ed Walker, MD, MHA, received the President’s Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who contributes extraordinary service to the profession and our community. Dr. Walker is the senior physician advisor for the WSMA Center for Leadership Development and professor emeritus in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and health services at the University of Washington in Seattle.
• Mabel Bodell, MD, nephrologist and co-chair of the Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Council at Confluence Health in Wenatchee, received the William O. Robertson, MD, Patient Safety Award. Named after WSMA past-president and patient safety champion William O. Robertson, MD, the award recognizes innovative patient safety initiatives in the ambulatory care setting.
• Optum Washington received the Wellness Award, which recognizes an organization that has worked to put the joy back in medicine for Washington physicians by supporting a culture of well-being and efficiency of practice.

Three WSMA members received our Grassroots Advocate Award, which recognizes advocacy efforts and activities that support WSMA legislative priorities:

• Annie Iriye, MD, recently retired Olympia OB-GYN
• Teresa Girolami, MD, internal medicine physician and founder and CEO of BelRed Internal Medicine in Redmond
• Aaron Weingeist, MD, ophthalmologist at Clearview Eye & Laser in West Seattle.

Recipients of the 2022 Apple Awards included:

• Bindu Nayak, MD, of Wenatchee, co-founder and co-chair of the Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council at Confluence Health; and Patricia Wooden, MD, Vancouver family medicine physician, received the President’s Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who offers extraordinary service to the profession to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.
• Rebecca Carlson, executive director of the Kitsap County Medical Society, received the Community Advocate Award, which recognizes a member of the community who provides extraordinary support to, and advocacy for, the house of medicine.
• Bridget Bush, MD, Anacortes anesthesiologist, received the Early Career Member of the Year Award, which recognizes a WSMA member for their service to the association's early career members (physicians in their first 10 years of practice, resident and fellow physicians, and medical students).
• MultiCare Health System received the Wellness Award, which recognizes an organization that has worked to put the joy back in medicine for Washington physicians by supporting a culture of wellness, efficiency of practice, or personal resilience.

Four WSMA members received the Grassroots Advocate Award, which recognizes advocacy efforts and activities that support WSMA legislative priorities. They include:

• Reilly Bealer, fourth-year student at Washington State University's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in Spokane.
• Christopher Herndon, MD, Seattle OB-GYN with UW Medicine
• Erik Penner, MD, emergency medicine physician with Olympia Emergency Services.

The William O. Robertson Patient Safety Award, which recognizes initiatives or advocates for patient safety, was given to:

• Washington Permanente Medical Group

Recipients of the 2021 Apple Awards included:

• Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, of Seattle, executive medical director of the Washington Physicians Health Program, received the President's Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who offers extraordinary service to the profession to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.
• Yuan-Po Tu, MD, Everett internist, received the Community Advocate Award, which recognizes a member of the community who provides extraordinary support to, and advocacy for, the house of medicine.
• Amish Dave, MD, MPH, Seattle rheumatologist, received the Early Career Member of the Year Award, which recognizes a WSMA member for their service to the association's early career members (physicians in their first 10 years of practice, resident physicians, and medical students).
• UW Medicine-Valley Medical Center’s Professional Satisfaction and Wellness Committee received the Wellness Award, which recognizes an organization that has worked to put the joy back in medicine for Washington physicians.

Four WSMA members received the Grassroots Advocate Award, which recognizes their advocacy efforts and activities supporting WSMA legislative priorities. They include:

• Beth Harvey, MD, Olympia pediatrician and past president of the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Anthony L-T Chen, MD, MPH, Tacoma family physician and the director of health for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
• Katina Rue, DO, Yakima family physician and WSMA executive committee member
• Leo Morales, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and assistant dean with the Office of Healthcare Equity at the University of Washington and co-director of the UW Latino Center for Health

The William O. Robertson Patient Safety Award, which recognizes initiatives or advocates for patient safety, was given to:

• MultiCare Regional Cancer Center in Auburn

Recipients of the 2020 Apple Awards included:

• Kathy Lofy, MD, Kirkland epidemiologist and pediatrician, received the President's Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who offers extraordinary service to the profession to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.
• Darin Neven, MD, Spokane emergency medicine physician, received the Community Advocate Award, which recognizes a member of the community who provides extraordinary support to, and advocacy for, the house of medicine.
• Vera Schulte, Bellevue medical student, received the Early Career Member of the Year Award, which recognizes a WSMA member for their service to the association's early career members (physicians in their first 10 years of practice, resident physicians, and medical students).
• The Everett Clinic received the Wellness Award, a new award in the Apple Awards program that recognizes an organization that has worked to put the joy back in medicine for Washington physicians.

Three WSMA members received the Grassroots Advocate Award, which recognizes their advocacy efforts and activities supporting WSMA legislative priorities. They include:

• Jeff Duchin, MD, Seattle epidemiologist and infectious disease physician and public health officer for Seattle-King County
• John Scott, MD, Seattle allergy and infectious disease physician, Harborview Medical Center
• Donna Smith, MD, Seattle pediatrician, Virginia Mason

Seven WSMA members, all infectious disease physicians, received the William O. Robertson, MD, Patient Safety Award, which recognizes initiatives or advocates for patient safety.

• Chris Baliga, MD, Virginia Mason, Seattle
• Peter Hashisaki, MD, Overlake Medical Center & Clinics, Bellevue
• John Lynch, MD, UW Medicine, Seattle
• John Pauk, MD, Swedish Center for Comprehensive Care, Seattle
• Francis Riedo, MD, EvergreenHealth, Kirkland
• Olympia Tachopoulou Stafford, MD, CHI Franciscan, Tacoma
• Danielle Zerr, MD, Seattle Children's.

The 2019 Apple Award winners were recognized at the WSMA Annual Meeting on Oct. 12, 2019 in SeaTac.

This year's winners are:

Darryl Potyk, MD, Spokane internist, received the President's Unsung Hero Award, which recognizes the WSMA member who offers extraordinary service to the profession to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care. Dr. Potyk is the chief of medical education for UW School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership and associate dean for Eastern Washington for the UW School of Medicine.

Matthew Grierson, MD, Seattle physiatrist, received the Early Career Member of the Year Award, which recognizes a WSMA member for their service to the association's early career members (physicians in their first 10 years of practice, resident physicians, and medical students). Dr. Grierson practices at the Seattle Spine & Sports Medicine clinic.

Five WSMA members received the Grassroots Advocate Award, which recognizes their advocacy efforts and activities supporting WSMA legislative priorities. They include:

Avanti Bergquist, MD, Bellevue psychiatrist, for her support of mental health priorities.

James Burkman, MD, Seattle anesthesiologist, for his work helping the association find a solution protecting patients from unnecessary balance bills.

Lucinda Grande, MD, Olympia family physician, for her advocacy around opioid use disorder treatment.

Alan Melnick, MD, Vancouver preventative medicine physician and Clark County public health officer, for his support of childhood immunizations.

Chelsea Unruh, MD, Olympia family physician, for their support of issues impacting independent physician practices.

The seventh Apple Award, the Community Unsung Hero Award, recognizes community contributions to the health and wellness of our state's citizens and was presented to Pierce County Project Access. PCPA received the award in recognition of its mission to provide donated care for patients in need in Pierce County.