Each year, UConn John Dempsey Hospital celebrates the people who make exceptional care possible, those whose dedication, leadership, and compassion elevate the experience of patients and colleagues alike. The Annual Awards of Excellence, sponsored by the hospital’s Medical Staff, recognize individuals whose extraordinary contributions strengthen UConn Health’s clinical operations and set the standard for excellence.
The 2025 Awards of Excellence honor this year’s recipients for their unwavering commitment to patient care, passion for their work, and collaborative spirit. New this year is special recognition of Dr. Richard Simon, honored for 23 years of distinguished service as Chief of the Medical Staff at John Dempsey Hospital.
Each year, medical staff submit nominations, and the John Dempsey Hospital Medical Board makes the final selections. The following are this year’s recipients
RESOLUTION HONORING DR. RICHARD SIMON
Dr. Richard H. Simon has been formally honored for 23 years of distinguished service as Chief of the Medical Staff at John Dempsey Hospital, a role in which he provided exceptional leadership, steadfast advocacy, and a clear voice for both physicians and patients. Throughout his tenure, Simon championed the highest standards of clinical quality, patient safety, and ethical care, helping ensure that Medical Staff policies and practices supported professional development and collaborative excellence. A trusted advisor and tireless advocate, he fostered a culture of accountability, cohesion, and innovation as the Medical Staff grew in both size and impact under his leadership. His decades of service have left an indelible mark on John Dempsey Hospital, and the Medical Board recognized his lasting contributions with deep appreciation and respect.
PHYSICIAN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues (neurology) has been named the recipient of this award in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to patient care, mentorship, and service to both UConn Health and the broader community. A clinician, leader, and tireless advocate for patients, Rodrigues has played a pivotal role in building and expanding UConn Health’s Movement Disorders program, including growing the Parkinson’s Disease Center from its earliest days and helping establish the institution as a Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence. Known for his selfless approach, he routinely goes above and beyond for patients and colleagues alike, seeing urgent consults during lunch breaks, covering for team members during medical leaves, and even returning from vacation to ensure continuity of care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he remained one of the few providers offering in-person visits for patients with complex needs. Equally impactful is his dedication to mentorship and leadership, consistently uplifting colleagues, supporting new clinical initiatives, and guiding staff through promotion and professional growth. Beyond the clinic, Rodrigues volunteers countless hours speaking at patient conferences and participating in community walks to raise awareness for movement disorders, on his own time. His unwavering dedication embodies UConn Health’s mission and reflects a career defined by compassion, humility, and service.
DENTIST AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Dr. Aditya Tadinada, has been named the recipient of the JDH Dentist Award of Excellence in recognition of his exceptional leadership, dedication to education, and unwavering commitment to patient care at UConn Health. As associate dean for graduate research, education, and training, and program director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology residency program, Tadinada has transformed the learning environment into one that is intellectually rigorous, collaborative, and deeply supportive. Widely admired for his ability to clearly explain complex radiologic concepts, he inspires residents to think critically and strive for clinical excellence while personalizing education to meet each trainee’s needs. Equally respected for his empathy and integrity, Tadinada leads with humility and compassion, consistently putting patients and learners first and supporting residents both academically and personally. His influence extends beyond UConn Health through national and international leadership, including organizing major professional meetings that elevate the profile of UConn Health’s Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology program. A trusted mentor, educator, and clinician, Tadinada embodies the spirit of the Dentist Award of Excellence through his lasting impact on students, colleagues, and the dental community.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AWARD
Dr. Robert Fuller (Emergency Medicine) has been named the recipient of the Community Outreach award in recognition of a career defined by extraordinary service, leadership, and commitment to emergency medicine both at UConn Health and around the world. While widely respected for his dedication to patients within UConn Health’s Emergency Department, Fuller’s impact extends far beyond Connecticut through decades of global humanitarian and disaster-response work. Following residency, he volunteered for a year at Saint Jude Hospital in Saint Lucia and continued returning annually, playing a critical role in rebuilding the hospital after a devastating fire by helping convert a former soccer stadium into a functioning medical facility still in use today. A longtime disaster response team leader with the International Medical Corps for more than two decades, Fuller has deployed to major natural disasters worldwide and led large-scale disaster simulation exercises to prepare future responders. He has also helped establish and expand emergency medicine residency programs in the Dominican Republic and Uganda, continues to teach internationally each year, and is actively assisting in the development of formal emergency medical systems abroad. Through all of this work, Fuller has mentored and inspired hundreds of students, residents, fellows, and colleagues, ensuring that his legacy of service and global engagement continues to grow.
APRN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Andrea Moran, APRN (Cancer Center) has been named the recipient of the APRN Award of Excellence in recognition of her extraordinary leadership, clinical expertise, and unwavering commitment to patients within UConn Health’s Hematology & Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplant (BMT) & Cellular Therapy programs. A longtime oncology advanced practice registered nurse with decades of experience, Andrea is widely regarded as the heart and backbone of the division—quietly ensuring excellence in patient care during a period of remarkable growth. She plays a central role in supporting both inpatient and outpatient services, selflessly stepping in to cover gaps, guide teams of advanced practice providers, and support physicians without seeking recognition. From the earliest stages of the BMT program, Andrea was instrumental in building and operationalizing the service, developing clinical pathways and practice guidelines to ensure seamless coordination across inpatient, outpatient, and apheresis settings. When the program lacked a dedicated coordinator, she assumed that responsibility while maintaining a full clinical caseload, ensuring no patient’s care was ever compromised. Known for her compassion, professionalism, and collaborative spirit, Andrea serves as a trusted advocate and steady presence for patients and families during their most vulnerable moments, while also strengthening interdepartmental partnerships across nursing, laboratory services, and hospital leadership. Her integrity, humility, and tireless dedication embody the very essence of this award.
PA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Krystian Kopec, PA-C (Center for Perioperative Medicine) has been named the recipient of the PA Award of Excellence in recognition of his exceptional skill, dedication, and transformative impact on perioperative care at UConn Health. As a physician assistant in the anesthesia department, Kopec has quickly become an indispensable member of the surgical care team, consistently exceeding expectations in preoperative evaluations, access line placement, and postoperative management in the PACU. Known for his technical excellence and calm, reassuring bedside manner, he plays a critical role in supporting complex surgical cases, assisting preoperative and PACU nurses with difficult IV access, and ensuring patients are well prepared for surgery. As the department’s sole PA, Kopec has taken on an extraordinary workload—handling inpatient consults, placing arterial and central lines for high-acuity cases, and supporting operating room efficiency and safety on a daily basis. Reliable, detail-oriented, and always willing to step in where needed, he sets a high standard for patient care and collaboration. Colleagues consistently describe him as a pleasure to work with and a driving force behind the smooth functioning of the OR, making a meaningful difference for both patients and the perioperative team.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR OTHER PROFESSIONAL
Alex Colon (Registered EEG Technician, Neurodiagnostics) has been named the recipient of the Award of Excellence for Other Professional in recognition of his exceptional versatility, technical expertise, and unwavering commitment to patient care within UConn Health’s clinical neurophysiology and neuromuscular programs. Originally trained as a medical assistant, Colon has grown into an outstanding neurodiagnostic technician, performing electroencephalograms and nerve conduction studies with remarkable precision and consistently high quality. Widely regarded by colleagues as a true “jack-of-all-trades,” he routinely goes above and beyond to support clinic operations—proactively managing supplies, training new staff, and stepping in wherever help is needed during periods of staffing shortages. In addition to his neurodiagnostic expertise, Colon has taken a leading role in developing the neuromuscular ultrasound component of the lab, further expanding services for patients with complex conditions such as ALS and muscular dystrophy. Known for his collaborative spirit, reliability, and can-do attitude, he seamlessly shifts between roles to ensure patients and providers are supported. An indispensable member of the team, Colon exemplifies excellence, teamwork, and dedication, making him richly deserving of this honor.
