Saint Joseph Health Recognizes Outstanding Medical Staff and Leaders

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April X, 2025) – Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Jessamine have announced their 2025 Physician of the Year, Advanced Practice Provider (APP) of the Year, Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year award recipients. This year’s recipients are:

Saint Joseph East

• Physician of the Year – Edgar Emerick, MD, Vieques, Puerto Rico
• APP of the Year for Saint Joseph East and overall APP of the Year for Saint Joseph Health – Katie Cranfill, PA, Lexington 
• Employee of the Year – Pueblo Rico, Lexington
• Leader of the Year – April Jennings, Lexington

They will be recognized during a hospital celebration on Wednesday, April 23, from 3:30-4:40 p.m. at the Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East conference room.

Saint Joseph Hospital

• Physician of the Year – Samy Elayi, MD, Lexington

• APP of the Year – Micah Short, PA-C, Lexington

• Employee of the Year – Chelcie Scifres, Lexington

• Leader of the Year – Heather Raygoza, Lexington

They were recognized during a hospital celebration in April.

Continuing Care Hospital

• Physician of the Year – Eliseo Colon, MD, Lexington

• APP of the Year – Sara Staab, NP, Nicholasville

• Employee of the Year – Nautica Beasley, Lexington

• Leader of the Year – Terri Caldwell, Winchester

They were recognized during a hospital celebration in April.

Saint Joseph Jessamine

Employee of the Year – Carly Smits, Nicholasville

She was recognized during a hospital celebration in April.

Additional Saint Joseph Health winners include:

• Saint Joseph Health Corporate - Amanda Scarbrough, Employee of the Year; Joseph Higgins, Leader of the Year

• Saint Joseph Medical Group - Dr. Amanda Smith, Physician of the Year; Autumn Westmoreland, APP of the Year; Tasha Vest (Rosalyn), Employee of the Year; Sonja McCarty, Leader of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Leader of the Year

• Flaget Memorial Hospital - Dr. Patrick Williams, Physician of the Year; Teresa Michelle Mattingly, APP of the Year; Hobert Humphrey, Employee of the Year; Mashonda Smalley, Leader of the Year

• Saint Joseph Berea - Dr. Jessica Pennington, Physician of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Physician of the Year; Teshla Ratcliff, APP of the Year; Melissa Agee, Employee of the Year; Andrew Shoemaker, Leader of the Year

• Saint Joseph London - Dr. Cliff Freeman, Physician of the Year; Kyra Gambrel, APP of the Year; John “Tyler” Morgan, Employee of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Employee of the Year; Kelly Helton, Leader of the Year

• Saint Joseph Mount Sterling - Dr. Jan Veloso, Physician of the Year; Robert Coleman, APP of the Year; Stevee Caudill, Employee of the Year; Bridgette Jones, Leader of the Year

About Saint Joseph Health

Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Saint Joseph Hospital 

Saint Joseph Hospital is a 433-bed hospital located in Lexington, Kentucky. Established in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky and is a nationally recognized tertiary medical center. Saint Joseph Hospital is Lexington’s first hospital. The hospital’s original mission was to provide compassionate care to the poor and underserved – a tradition still carried out today.

About Saint Joseph East

Saint Joseph East is a 217-bed full service community hospital located in the southeastern section of Lexington, KY. Established in 1983, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky. At Saint Joseph East, ambulatory surgery, 24-hour emergency care and women’s health services are supported through a vast array of inpatient and outpatient programs. 

About Continuing Care Hospital

Continuing Care Hospital is a 57-bed, long-term acute care hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, located within Saint Joseph Hospital. Established in 2002, the facility is licensed as a general acute care hospital that serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky, and addresses the unique and complicated physical, emotional, spiritual, nursing and rehabilitation needs of long-term patients.

About Saint Joseph Jessamine

Saint Joseph Jessamine is located in Nicholasville, Kentucky. Established in 2009, the Saint Joseph Jessamine RJ Corman Ambulatory Care Center serves residents of Jessamine, Boyle, Fayette and Garrard counties. The facility is Jessamine County’s first and only full-service, 24/7 emergency room, and also offers primary care and a full range of services.