Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Medical Staff and Leaders Earn Awards

MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (April 28, 2026) – Saint Joseph Mount Sterling recognized its 2026 Physician of the Year, Advanced Practice Provider (APP) of the Year, Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year award recipient during a hospital celebration on Wednesday, March 18. This year’s recipients are:

• Physician of the Year – Kayla Hollins, MD, Lexington
• APP of the Year – Jenna Newkirk, PA, Mount Sterling
• Employee of the Year – Amanda Cline, Executive Assistant, Salt Lick
• Leader of the Year – Jim Hamm, Supervisor, Environmental Services, Richmond

Each year, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling recognizes an outstanding Physician of the Year and APP of the Year who help build healthier communities and exhibit Saint Joseph Health’s core values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, excellence and collaboration. Kayla Hollins, MD, was nominated for Physician of the Year by her colleagues.

“Dr. Hollins is an example of humanity at every touch point. She starts talking to patients, staff and family members as soon as she sees a person come through the ER doors. She always treats others the way she wants to be treated, or even better. She is a doctor who is willing to help a person no matter who they are. She shows compassion to the broken and the weak. She sits with them during their darkest time. She gives good news and sometimes painful news that will change someone else's life forever,” said her nominator. “She is a true person that knows what she does today is for someone else's future. She has a heart of gold and always goes the extra mile for everyone.”

The 2026 APP of the Year is Jenna Newkirk, a Physician’s Assistant at the hospital.

“Jenna Newkirk makes significant contributions to the success of our team and clinic. She enhances operational efficiency by actively assisting clinical staff and readily helping colleagues locate crucial information within EPIC. Her proactive initiative in developing and revamping orthopedic-specific templates in her personal time directly contributes to improved documentation and workflow, ultimately benefiting patient care and staff productivity. These efforts demonstrate her commitment to continuous improvement and her direct impact on the clinic's successful operation,” said her nominator.

Saint Joseph Mount Sterling also recognizes an Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year who go above and beyond their duties and demonstrate the health care system’s core values.

Saint Joseph Mount Sterling’s 2026 Employee of the Year is Amanda Cline.

“Amanda meets every person with a smile each day. She demonstrates the core values of Saint Joseph through her daily actions. Amanda has been instrumental in helping to boost morale in the hospital with her work with the spirit team. Amanda is a rock star in advancing our mission. She provides a warm welcome to each and every person she encounters.”

Jim Hamm has been named the 2026 Leader of the Year, recognized for his outstanding leadership in a managerial position.

“Jim has worked to ensure his team is performing at the top of their game and their cleanliness scores are proof. He ensures that he flexes his team to work within the productivity targets,” said his nominator. “Jim is an amazing supervisor and has done a tremendous job. He collaborates well with other departments and ensures that his team pays attention to detail to provide excellent service.”

Additional Saint Joseph Health winners include: 

• Saint Joseph Health Corporate - Mersi Lawhorn, Employee of the Year, Lexington; Elizabeth Sword, Leader of the Year, Lexington

• Saint Joseph Medical Group - Benjamin Neltner, MD, Physician of the Year, Lexington; Jessica McMaine, APP of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health APP of the Year, Richmond; Julie O Nan, Employee of the Year, Harrodsburg; Jasmine Ellis, Leader of the Year, Lexington

• Continuing Care Hospital - Ibrahim Shahoub, MD, Physician of the Year, Lexington; Regina Mullins, APP of the Year, Pikeville; Jennifer Osborne, Employee of the Year, Carlisle; Joann Rose, Leader of the Year, Richmond

• Flaget Memorial Hospital - Sanjiv Mehta, MD, Physician of the Year, Louisville; Scott Ohler, APP of the Year, Elizabethtown; Paige Cissell, Employee of the Year, Bloomfield; Sarah Gabeheart, Leader of the Year, Bardstown

• Saint Joseph East - Eric Schafer, MD, Physician of the Year, Charlestown, MA; Ashley Frankowski, APP of the Year, Lexington; Danny Hunt, Employee of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Employee of the Year, Lexington; Jen Spegal, Leader of the Year, Richmond

• Saint Joseph Hospital - Kathleen Martin, MD, Physician of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Physician of the Year, Woodbury, NJ; Isaac Hughes, APP of the Year, Lexington; Alban Hayden, Employee of the Year, Versailles; Elizabeth Hatfield, Leader of the Year and overall Saint Joseph Health Leader of the Year, Charlestown, IN

• Saint Joseph Jessamine - Joseph Grossman, MD, Physician of the Year, Greenville, NC; Josh Sykes, APP of the Year, Palestine, TX; Stanley Puumala, Employee of the Year, Crab Orchard; Rosetta Tuggle, Leader of the Year, Lancaster

• Saint Joseph Berea - Joshua Huffman, MD, Physician of the Year, Lexington; Kristina Rose, Employee of the Year, Berea; Raylee Kirkland, Leader of the Year, Berea

• Saint Joseph Mount Sterling - Kayla Hollins, MD, Physician of the Year, Lexington; Jenna Newkirk, APP of the Year, Mount Sterling; Amanda Cline, Employee of the Year, Salt Lick; Jim Hamm, Leader of the Year, Richmond

Learn more about Saint Joseph Health.

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 15 cities, 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 to build 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 Mount Sterling

Saint Joseph Mount Sterling is a 42-bed community hospital located in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. Established in 1918, the facility serves residents of Montgomery, Bath, Menifee, Powell and Rowan counties. An investment of $60 million opened the current facility in 2011.