By Joy Vann
“Accolades” features the achievements of 㴫ý’s faculty and staff, highlighting the honors and awards they have received and displaying their dedication, expertise and contributions in their respective fields. You can find theon the University Communications web page.
Arkaitz Rodas Bilbao, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the College of Sciences and a staff scientist at Jefferson Lab, received the 2025 Simon Eidelman Prize for outstanding contributions to hadronic physics. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of the Basque Country and a master’s and a Ph.D. from the Complutense University of Madrid. He was a postdoctoral research associate at the College of William & Mary and a Nathan Isgur Fellow at the Center for Theoretical and Computational Physics at the Jefferson Lab. His research includes Lattice QCD studies of strong interactions, the creation of particle reaction amplitudes and models and AI/ML applications in nuclear physics. He is part of the Exotic Hadron Collaboration, Hadron Spectrum Collaboration and Joint Physics Analysis Center collaboration.
Joy Himmel, director of 㴫ý’s Counselling Center, won the 2025 Edward Hitchcock Award for outstanding service to the American College Health Association for her outstanding contributions to advancing the health of all college students. She holds a doctorate in psychology, a master’s degree in mental health counseling and a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor and registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience in behavioral health in hospital-and community-based programs and college health. She has been a surveyor for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Healthcare since 2009, is part of its teaching faculty and is the chair for its board of directors. Her recent publications and presentations at national meetings have focused on suicide prevention strategies, achieving accreditation, quality improvement strategies, well-being, telehealth and integrated patient-centered models of care.
Tameika Serrano, program manager of the 㴫ý Research Foundation’s The Mustard Seed Women’s Business Center, was honored as a 2024 Women in Business Award winner for her leadership in supporting women entrepreneurs. She has helped expand the center’s reach, providing essential resources like counseling, mentorship and access to capital. Previously, as community troop and grants manager at Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, she led programs serving more than 1,100 girls and built partnerships with schools, nonprofits and government agencies. She volunteers as a mentor with the ForKids AIM program, serves as an ombudsman for the Navy’s Operational and Test Evaluation Force and is chair for the WHRO Emerging Leaders Board. She holds an MBA from Longwood University.
㴫ý made a strong showing in the “Healthcare Heroes” annual awards sponsored by Inside Business magazine.
, an assistant professor of pediatrics, received the pediatrician award. Dr. Foley has been a trusted clinician and adviser at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters for nearly 30 years. As its chief clinical operations officer, Dr. Foley oversees all patient care for the health system.
, a fourth-year medical student, who received the community service award. She was honored in part for her work to establish a gymnastics program for children with disabilities, for her support of HOPES — the school’s free clinic where she is co-director — and for her advocacy for children with neurological and intellectual disabilities.
, a professor of medicine and medical director of advanced heart failure and heart transplantation at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, received the cardiologist award. A veteran of 36 years with Sentara, Dr. Herre also has led Sentara’s Advanced Heart Failure program for 25 years and has served as board chair of LifeNet Health, the organ procurement organization, for 21 years.
, is an associate professor of medicine and a vice president and chief academic officer at Sentara Health. Dr. Hooper received the healthcare leadership award for the instrumental role he played in the integration of Eastern Virginia Medical School into 㴫ý and for his leadership in developing impactful partnerships with Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at 㴫ý.
, MD, an assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine with extensive experience in care of complex disease, received the primary care physician award. He is a founding member of the What Matters Most Virginia coalition, which focuses on educating the next generation of family doctors in palliative medicine, complex disease management and geriatrics.
won the Community Health award for providing free, holistic care for unhoused people. The Community Care clinics are unique in that they are led by advanced practice nursing faculty and run by students. Students benefit from experiential learning opportunities under the direct guidance of faculty; nursing students are from the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs at 㴫ý.
Sentara-EVMS Cardio-Obstetrics Center received the award for innovations in healthcare. Honorees Petra Lynch, MD, a cardiologist with Sentara, and Gloria Too, MD, chief of Maternal-Fetal Medicine within Obstetrics and Gynecology, created the region’s first, multidisciplinary program focused on the cardiovascular needs of pregnant women. It is one of only a handful of such programs nationwide.
received the award for advancement in healthcare. Medical Director Madeeha Deo, MD, and Michael Hooper, MD, chief academic officer for Sentara Health, worked with a team to establish the clinic. It is the region’s only one focused on the unique needs of adults with sickle cell disease, bringing together specialists from internal medicine, hospital medicine, pain management and psychiatry.