At Saint Mary’s Regional Health System, we recently gathered to celebrate the incredible individuals who help bring our mission of making communities healthier® to life each and every day.

During our 2024 Service Award Banquet, we proudly recognized employees celebrating milestone anniversaries of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of dedicated service. Each honoree received a gold pin in honor of their commitment to Saint Mary’s and to the River Valley community.

These service milestones reflect years of compassion, skill, and dedication—qualities that shape the exceptional care our patients experience every day.

We also had the pleasure of honoring our 2024 Clinical Employee of the Year Kristi Barrett and Non-Clinical Employee of the Year Sandra Alvey. These individuals exemplify excellence in their roles and go above and beyond to support their colleagues and our patients. Their leadership and compassion are an inspiration to us all.

The evening included a delicious dinner, meaningful moments of recognition, and a shared sense of pride in the work we do together.

To all of our honorees—thank you for your years of service and for the care you provide our patients, their families, and one another. Your dedication truly makes a difference.

2024 Years of Service Recognitions

Five years

Pictured: Kayla Shinn; Patricia Dunlap; Denise Graves

Not pictured: Jonathan Bell; Jennifer Chandler-Wynn; Natalie Crowden; Cherie Doney; Sherrie Guinn; Hannah Gottsponer; Paris Hatchett; Rhonda Holliday; Morgan Keeling; Cameron Lacy; Megan Linker; Nadine Martinez; Maxine McConnell; Bryan Person; Christy Turley

Ten years

Pictured: Carey Ellis Laffoon, Tracy Standridge

Not pictured: Julie Berge; Shirley Cooper; Ruth Cummings; Dana Duvall; Stacy Fischer; Cherry Harris; Janice Kindrick; Jenna Mosher; James Parrish; Christopher Tucker

Fifteen years

Pictured: Chandra Rodriguez

Not pictured: Melissa Brown; Deirdre Rose; Jennifer Sanders; Terry Skinner; Elizabeth Tullos; Marion Turner 

Twenty years

Pictured: Lashawnda Cook

Twenty-five years

Pictured: Jackie King; Mandy Koch; Janetta Mason 

Not pictured: Daniel Bessette; Tracie Galla; Bertha Hillis

Thirty years

Pictured: Karla Teeter

2024 Employees of the Year

Clinical Employee of the Year

Kristi Barrett, Nursing Administration

Nonclinical Employee of the Year: Sandra Alvey, Materials Management (not pictured)