Honors anyone working in healthcare who might not fit in other categories but whose performance is considered exemplary by patients, colleagues and other healthcare providers
MILES DAVIDSON
TITLE: Patient ambassador-food and nutrition
ORGANIZATION: Novant Health NHRMC
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: “Going to the hospital can be challenging under the best of circumstances. Anxiety and fear are common, and it is easy to be overwhelmed by all the information coming at you. In all that maelstrom of emotions and information, something as simple and comforting as food can easily fall by the wayside. Miles seeks to rectify that by meeting with dozens of new patients every day, orienting them to the foodservice process here at the hospital, helping to ensure that newly admitted patients have menus, know how to place an order, understand when to expect their food and know how their loved ones can get something to eat as well.
But Miles does more than just run down a checklist – he takes the time to connect with patients, helping them feel seen, valued and cared for during a difficult time and ensuring no one feels like a number lost in a big hospital. He emanates kindness, whether it be in simple moments of connection with a patient or in supporting and assisting coworkers across departments. Miles embodies a spirit of collaborative and remarkable care and shares encouragement and positivity with everyone he encounters.”
- Greg Nicklas, director of food and nutrition, Novant Health NHRMC
BROOKE MANSFIELD
TITLE: Physical therapist assistant
ORGANIZATION: Well Care Health
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: “Brooke Mansfield does not carry the title of nurse or manager but ask anyone on her team who they would want in the room the moment a patient starts to decline, and her name comes up first every time. As a physical therapist assistant, she is not required to catch subtle medical changes; that is not her job on paper. In practice, she is often the one who notices something is off, picks up the phone to call the physician and makes sure the whole team knows before a small problem turns into a hospital stay. Her manager credits her sharp instincts with helping avoid several hospital admissions this year alone, simply because Brooke treats every single visit as a chance to look at the whole person in front of her, not just the joint or muscle she was sent to work on.
That same instinct is what makes her such a natural teacher. Brooke is the person new hires get paired with when they start, and the one state surveyors are routinely assigned to shadow, because she represents the kind of care every patient deserves and every clinician should aspire to give.”
- Zac Long, CEO, Well Care Health
SANDRA ROBINSON
TITLE: Guest Services II
ORGANIZATION: Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
WHAT A NOMINATOR SAID: She “recently made a profound difference in the life of a mother and her child through compassion, advocacy and unwavering support.
A patient facing significant personal challenges arrived at Brunswick Medical Center feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about her next steps.
As she was leaving, she encountered Sandi.
Sandi immediately recognized that the patient needed support. Her understanding was shaped by personal experience. In 2020, Sandi lost her daughter after a long struggle with addiction. Rather than allowing that loss to close her heart, Sandi used it to connect with someone in need of encouragement and hope.
Sandi took time to listen without judgment, provide reassurance and encourage the patient to access available resources and support services. … By seeing beyond circumstances, responding with empathy and offering hope when it was needed most, she helped a mother move toward a brighter future with her child.
Through compassion, dignity and advocacy, Sandi helped change the course of two lives.”
- Jamie Vogler, patient services manager, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
Read more about all of the 2026 Health Care Heroes finalists
here.
