Honors a nurse practitioner or physician assistant whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, peers and other health care providers.
JESSICA LANCASTER
Title: Physician Assistant
Organization: Wilmington Health Interventional Pain & Regenerative Medicine
What a nominator said: “I was referred to Jessica Lancaster early this year and was feeling pretty hopeless having been sent to doctor after doctor trying to find out what was wrong and had 0 results.
“From the initial call from Jessica’s office, I knew her office was different. The receptionists were kind, polite, engaging and very detailed in their intake and what to expect at the first appointment.
“From check-in at the receptionist counter, to being brought back to the room by her nursing staff, every single person you interact with is a delight. … This is a rare find in healthcare these days where people often arrive feeling like nothing but a number, an invoice for the office, the wait time exceeds the time spent in the office by 2 hours and you leave feeling frustrated and more hopeless than you started. Jessica and her staff are the complete opposite of that… She’s so genuine and caring and I’m so glad that I’ve been blessed to be treated under her care.”
– Lysa Clifton, compliance manager at AutoXcel and founder of GRIT to GROW Inc.
AIEREAL LLOYD
Title: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Certified Perinatal Mental Health Practitioner
Organization: Chrysalis Center for Counseling & Eating Disorder Treatment
What nominators said: “Aiereal is so phenomenal with all her patients, the rapport and trust her clients have with her. As one of 3 WOC in this area as a Psychiatric Nurse practitioner, she exemplifies the role of a provider. She is also the only perinatal prescriber in this area currently. She works after hours; clients have access to her 7 days a week and this is how she likes it. As we are not a crisis facility she is constantly worried about her clients’ mental health.”
– Algernon Williams, MD Chrysalis Center
“She is an amazing psychiatric provider, listens. My appointments are longer than the 15 minutes most offices offer. She ran all the proper tests to make sure I was on the correct meds. She makes you feel at home. She is a lifesaver to my mental health. She is knowledgeable and understanding. No judgment.”
– patient
BRIDGETTE WILLIAMS
Title: Nurse Practitioner
Organization: Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute
What a nominator said: “Bridgette Williams is a force of nature!!! Her story is so impressive. She came to this country in her twenties from South Africa on a scholarship program for nurse education. She was a single mom at the time. She worked hard and got her RN. She worked for NHRMC in the ICU for a time but then moved to Virginia for opportunity and love. …
“She returned to the area 10 years ago when she was hired by our local cardiology team...Immediately in cardiology she stood out as an advocate for patients who were suffering from congestive heart failure. She developed the first Advance Practice Provider-led clinic called HEART STRONG. …
“Bridgette has now transitioned to Novant Health’s Oncology team. This is a passion of hers since her brother was diagnosed with brain cancer. I know what Bridgette has accomplished for our community and our cardiac care, and I am excited to see how she will help create better care for our local oncology patients.”
– Kathleen Jones, physician assistant, Novant Health-Cardiology
