The Greater Wilmington Business Journal’s 2015 Health Care Heroes awards program honors individuals and organizers that are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in the Wilmington area.

A panel of judges reviewed nominations submitted from the community to decide the three finalists in each of 10 categories and ultimately the winners.

The Health Care Heroes awards will be handed out at an event Nov.  21. (Click here for event and ticket information.)

At the event, a Lifetime Achievement award also will be given to retired physician Bertram Williams Jr. Click here for more about Williams' contributions to the area's health care industry.

Here are this year's Health Care Heroes finalists:
 

Health Care Heroes: Community Achievement

Katrina Knight, Director of the Good Shepard Center, and David Rice, Executive director of the New Hanover County Health Department
Mary Earp, Founder of Brunswick Pink Angels
Carolyn Moser, Director of the Pender County Health Department
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Community Outreach

Lori Manship, Fluid Recovery creator/instructor for the YWCA Lower Cape Fear
Colleen Mistovich, Injury and violence prevention coordinator for New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Stephanie Smith, Director of community engagement and impact and director of the Center for Healthy Communities at UNCW College of Health and Human Services
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: First Responder

Emily Wilkes, Paramedic for New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Stacey Wright, EMS division chief for Pender EMS & Fire
Wilmington and New Hanover County Fire Departments EMT Initiative
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Health Care Executive

Mary Ellen Bonczek, Senior vice president and chief nurse executive for New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Melissa Odom, Director of strategic innovations for Wilmington Health
Shelbourn Stevens, President of Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Health Care Professional

Claire Corbett, AMI and stroke programs manager for New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Tara Everett, Social worker at Northchase Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Carrie Menke, Specialty Court coordinator with the N.C. Courts
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Innovation

Robert DiGiuseppee, Neonatologist at Coastal Carolina Neonatology, and Brandi Page, Neonatal nurse mange at New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Carol Green, Certified music practitioner Harpist on Call
Matt Janik Preventative cardiologist, Founder and CEO of Your Heart Report
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Nurse

Janet Perry, Nurse for New Hanover County Health Department
Demaree Temple, Staff training coordinator/certified wound specialist for The Davis Community
Ellen Walsh, Pre/Post operative supervisor at Wilmington SurgCare
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Nurse Practioner/Physician Assistant

Deborah Adams-Wingate, Nurse practitioner at Patient Centered Care
Sara Brown, Family nurse practitioner at Novant Health
Julie Lane Frederiksen, Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner at Trinity Wellness Center
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Physician

Paul Kamitsuka, Physician at Wilmington Heath
Neill Musselwhite, Physician (recently retired) at New Hanover Medical Group-NHRMC Physician Group
Lydia Wright, Physician at Wilmington Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Click here for more info about their work.
 

Health Care Heroes: Volunteer

Herb Gant, Volunteer with New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Tammy Scott, LFANC support group facilitator with Lupus Foundation of America, N.C. chapter
Donald Thompson, Volunteer with Cape Fear Clinic
Click here for more info about their work.