Owensboro Health Celebrates 2025 President's Award Winners

Owensboro Health is proud to recognize and honor its most outstanding team members with the prestigious President's Award. This year's recipients embody the system's core values of Integrity, Service, Respect, Teamwork, Innovation and Excellence in extraordinary ways.

These individuals were nominated by their peers, a testament to their impact on their colleagues and patients. A committee of former award winners carefully reviewed each nomination, selecting the finalists based solely on their accomplishments.

The 2025 President's Award winners exemplify the highest standards of healthcare. They are dedicated to providing compassionate care, going above and beyond to meet the needs of patients and their families. Their innovative ideas and collaborative spirit drive continuous improvement within the organization.

Owensboro Health is grateful for the contributions of these exceptional individuals. They inspire everyone and are a vital part of the system's success.

Meet the Recipients

Kristen Alsup, CMA, Family Medicine Residency, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Kristen Alsup was born and raised in Owensboro, where she still lives with her family. She and her husband, Wes, have two children and a corgi named Dobby. Kristen takes great pride in her role as a mother and wife, considering family her most valued foundation in life. Outside of work, she enjoys interior decorating, has a passion for all things Harry Potter and occasionally does hair and makeup for various events. She cherishes spending time with her family during their competitive board game Sundays. Teamwork is one of her favorite core commitments, as she truly values her team and their hard work. Her coworkers mean the world to her.

Sandy Berger, PharmD, Pharmacy Surgery, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Sandy Berger was born and raised in Henderson, where she lives with her family. She and her husband, Michael, have four children and two golden doodles. Sandy finds her greatest reward in caring for her family, especially cooking for and with them. She also loves playing her violin for church and at weddings, traveling to the beach and volunteering at her children’s school. Her favorite core commitment is teamwork, and she feels fortunate to lead her team. She believes that her entire pharmacy office team deserves this award. They are an amazing group of individuals she calls “hidden helpers” because they consistently work to keep patients safe and ensure that everything is done correctly.

Leon Carrico, Materials Management, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Leon Carrico, a lifelong resident of Owensboro, is a devoted husband to his wife, Adrienne, and father to their two sons. Leon is passionate about being a positive role model for his boys, and he enjoys playing and watching baseball and basketball and the UK Wildcats. His favorite core commitment is integrity, and he prides himself on being a loyal and honest person to everyone fortunate enough to know and work with him. 

Tonya Cary, RDCS, Echocardiography, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital

Of a small country town of 1,400 residents, Tonya Cary is a proud wife and mother of two who cherishes the blessings of family life. She finds great joy in dancing, teaching and helping others. Outside of work, she enjoys spending her summers at the lake and values the time spent with her loved ones. After dedicating many years to her education, she’s grateful for the opportunities it has provided her with. Service is her primary commitment, and she believes in connecting with patients through compassion, empathy and effective communication.

Ashley Denton, RN, Accreditation and Safety, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Ashley Denton, a lifelong resident of Owensboro, has dedicated over 25 years to her healthcare profession. Married for 18 years, she and her husband, Chris, have two daughters who are their pride and joy. Her parents taught her the importance of finding a career she’d love. She spent 16 years working in the NICU, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Outside of work, she enjoys attending Pure Barre classes, hosting family dinners, running a shirt-making side business, going to the beach, and watching her girls cheer, dance, run and tumble. Her core values are integrity, teamwork, and service. She believes in doing the right thing, the power of teamwork and keeping patients and customers at the center of every decision.

Laura Dozer, RN, C-EFM, Clinical Education, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Originally from Brookville, Ohio, Laura Dozer graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ohio State University, married her best friend of 30 years, and raised their family in Owensboro. Laura found her passion for teaching newly hired maternity nurses at Owensboro Health. She always dreamed of teaching maternity nurses, and the opportunity she found here was a dream come true. Laura enjoys spending time with her family at their vacation home in Michigan, sunsets, hiking, kayaking and nature. Innovation is her primary core commitment. She ensures that we practice the most up-to-date, evidence-based methods with our new hires and incorporates simulation to reinforce knowledge gained in the classroom. 

LK Ferrell, DO, Hospitalist, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Dr. LK Ferrell was raised in Phelps, Kentucky, and came from a supportive family that encouraged him to chase all his dreams—ultimately, leading him to medical school, where he chose to attend near his hometown in Pike County. During his third year of medical school, he had the opportunity to complete clinical rotations in Owensboro. He quickly realized that this city was where he was meant to be and lives today with his two-year-old bully basset, Nyx. In addition to his professional life, Dr. Ferrell enjoys being an uncle to his cherished nieces and nephews. He is a board game enthusiast, loves to cook, and has a passion for pop culture and Broadway shows, often enjoying these interests with close friends. Dr. Ferrell is dedicated to implementing Interdisciplinary Rounds throughout the hospital and values teamwork, frequently stating, "Medicine is a team sport." As a hospitalist physician, he must have a broad range of knowledge and rely heavily on various specialists to perform his job effectively. He believes that providing the care our patients deserve takes the entire team.

Robin Hicks, Accounting, Owensboro Health

Robin Hicks grew up in Cloverport, Kentucky, a close-knit community that she holds dear. In 1982, she moved to Daviess County and has since cherished the small-town charm it provides. She lives there with her husband Tim, with whom she has shared 42 wonderful years. Robin is a mother to their two daughters and a grandmother to their four grandchildren. Robin enjoys spending time with her family, reading, walking, attending Tai Chi class and watching inspirational films in her free time. Her favorite core commitment is teamwork. She enjoys working as a team to achieve shared goals. Robin believes her successes are built on everyone in her department's hard work and dedication.

Richard Higgs, APRN, Urgent Care, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Originally from Homestead, Florida, Richard Higgs is married to Kristen, a pharmacist in the OHRH emergency department, and father to their cherished son, Oliver. Along with his family, his greatest accomplishment is his time spent serving our country overseas and returning home with the utmost respect for the flag and comrades he served alongside. Richard’s family and faith are his most significant sources of strength and happiness. Outside work, he enjoys annual family trips to Disney, gaming and DIY projects around their home. His favorite core commitment is innovation. He believes, particularly in healthcare, that as a practitioner, you must consistently strive to deliver the most evidence-based care while remaining open to exploring new therapies and enhancing patient outcomes. Medicine is constantly evolving, and being willing to question the status quo and expand the limits of what is achievable is important. Staying curious and adaptable ensures we offer the best care today while preparing for the breakthroughs of tomorrow.

Tracy Hocker, Therapy Services, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital

Tracy Hocker, of a quaint town named Graham in Muhlenberg County, had a wonderful childhood there and says family is everything to her. Tracy has been married to her husband, Johnny, for nearly 24 years and is a mother to their two daughters. Her greatest pride in life is being a wife, mother and her associate’s degree in arts. She has a deep passion for God, family and helping others. She cherishes spending time with her family, singing on her church's praise team and being outdoors. Integrity is her favorite core commitment. Its meaning holds a special place in her heart and she believes that upholding moral integrity is so important. She recognizes that staying true to one's words and actions fosters trust and builds a foundation of credibility in relationships.

Stefanie Rager, RN, Observation Medical Care Unit, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Stefanie Rager, of Bremen, Kentucky, a small town in Muhlenberg County, is married to Greg, her husband of 21 years, and a mother to their two sons. She’s proud to be a mom, an RN for 27 years and counting, an elected member of her local Muhlenberg County school board, where she is the board chair, and has been serving since 2015. Stephanie has a passion to give back, whether talking to youth about leadership development and healthcare career pathways or providing quality patient care to the patients she cares for, she truly has a servant’s heart. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, hanging out by the pool, attending concerts with her husband, going to the beach and relaxing at home. Her favorite core commitment is integrity. Having integrity as a person, to her, means that you respect your colleagues and your organization, you develop trust within them, which in turn, empowers excellence through the daily tasks in your job and in the care and service of your patients. She feels fortunate to help build teamwork and innovation in her daily work. Ultimately, aligning each core commitment with the others.

Gayle Rhodes, MD, Occupational Health, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Dr. Gayle Rhodes grew up on a farm in Daviess County, Kentucky. He enjoyed tending to livestock, driving tractors and hauling in hay. He especially enjoyed working with kind people at nearby farms and attending church picnics. Dr. Rhodes is married to Ada, with whom he shares a large, blended family with seven kids and eight grandkids. He was in the Air Force for 20 years. He started after high school and worked hard until becoming a Lieutenant Colonel. He is also a Catholic Church deacon, leading and serving others. When he’s not working as a doctor or helping at church and shelters, he likes going on long walks and hikes. It allows him to stay physically and mentally strong. Dr. Rhodes believes teamwork is very important. He learned this on the farm, playing basketball in high school, and helping medical teams in the Air Force. His work caring for patients at Owensboro Health has reinforced his belief that teamwork is essential, providing everyone with a sense of worth and accomplishment.

Laura Stiles, PharmD, Pharmacy, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital

Laura Stiles, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, is married to Dr. Todd Stiles, who works at a hospital in Paducah. They have three sons. One lives in Washington, D.C., one lives in Dallas, Texas and the youngest goes to college in Rhode Island. For the past 14 years, Laura has led the pharmacy team and is proud to serve as a preceptor for the University of Kentucky. Several students have completed their rotations with her team and have been fortunate to hire and retain several of them within the system. In her free time, Laura likes to visit her children, cheer for the Tennessee Titans football team and serve on the Muhlenberg County Opportunity Center Board. Teamwork is her primary core commitment, as it fosters the inclusion of everyone’s ideas, aids in problem-solving, builds relationships and ensures that her team remains engaged. She and her team prioritize their patients, serve family and friends in the community, and strive to deliver pharmacy and infusion services close to home.

Pat Vanwinkle, Facilities, Healthpark, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Pat Vanwinkle was born and raised in Owensboro. He is a proud husband to his wife, Teresa, a loving father to their daughter, and a devoted grandfather. Pat works hard to provide for his family and feels fortunate to have a job that values family. He enjoys working at the Healthpark, where he feels part of a larger community. Pat appreciates the variety of tasks his job entails, which include electrical work, plumbing and painting. He prefers this mix of activities over doing the same thing every day. He enjoys model trains and amateur radio (Ham Radio) in his spare time. Teamwork is his favorite core commitment, and he believes a person’s success depends on their team. He feels he wouldn’t have received this award without the support of his team. It makes him feel like he is part of something bigger.

Mischelle Wathen, CMA, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Owensboro Health Medical Group

Mischelle Wathen grew up in Philpot, Kentucky. She says her childhood there was simple, happy and carefree, helping shape who she is today. Her husband is her greatest supporter, their daughter and son-in-law bring them great joy and their grandchildren are the center of their universe. Mischelle cherishes her mom, who keeps their family close. Her three sisters are her best friends, and their dog is part of the family, too. Her faith and family inspire her daily. She enjoys teaching her grandchildren the wise lessons her mom taught her. In her free time, she likes to garden and have family cookouts with lots of laughter. Service is her favorite core commitment because it is about leading with heart, faith and the desire to make a positive difference. Working in OBGYN allows her to offer compassionate care and support to families during significant moments in their lives. 

Kassie Winder, MLA – ASCP, Laboratory, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Kassie was born and raised in Owensboro, where she met her husband, Adam, and they’ve been happily married for 22 years. They have three sons and four sweet grandchildren. Kassie is also a proud aunt, called “KK,” and she loves having family cookouts, fish fries, ball games and watching dance shows. Kassie followed her dream of entering the medical field and working in microbiology. She feels proud to win an award for doing what she loves. Integrity is her favorite core commitment because being honest and following procedures is crucial, as patients' diagnoses depend on it.