VHA is made up of caring and committed people who truly want to help and love what they do.  

In every role, VHA team members lead with purpose, build bonds that matter, and are passionate about providing high quality care, with great heart, to the communities we serve. 

VHA’s annual Client Choice Awards give clients and families an opportunity to nominate and recognize care providers who have really made a difference in their lives. Nominations were collected in April and May of 2023.  

“We’re excited to share that we received nearly 700 nominations this year, setting a new record for highest amount of nominations received in a given Client Choice Award term. Thank you to the many clients and families who took time to share their care stories with us,” says Kelley Myers, Vice President, Human Resources & Organizational Development. 

Client Choice Award winners receive a financial award and an engraved plaque. A special tribute video is also created to highlight their unique contributions and impact. Our selection committee had the daunting task of selecting 10 winners. This year, we have added a new category, Honorable Mention, to celebrate individuals who have received multiple nominations, including some who are nominated year after year. 

We can’t wait to announce our winners and celebrate with our nominees this September at VHA’s Staff and Service Provider Recognition Party, a special night of fun, festivities and most importantly, recognition of the incredible contributions of our team members including those have recently retired and those who are marking new milestones of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service at VHA.  

“By celebrating these success stories and outstanding achievements of our care providers, it inspires and promotes a culture of client and family centered care which is what really matters to us,” says Dan Uzelac, Director, People and Culture.

On that celebratory note, we wanted to share with you just a few moving nominations that clients sent in this year. Please note that personal details have been removed to maintain privacy and edited for length and clarity.  

“[My PSW] has been helping me while I’ve been battling Stage 4 cancer. She has been caring for me with such compassion, patience, and professionalism! I’m blessed to have her helping me through this to regain my strength and independence.”  

“I cannot nominate just one nurse who takes care of my daughter because the entire team who deliver care to her are deserving of this award as they are all exceptional. They provide high quality care in an integrated and collaborative way.  As my daughter’s needs have increased, they provide a safe and seamless continuity of care.” 

“Our scheduling coordinator’s efficiency, helpfulness, and attentive listening skills make her an exceptional candidate for this recognition. What sets her apart is her genuine willingness to go above and beyond. She accommodates last-minute changes, resolves conflicts, and finds innovative solutions with empathy and patience.” 

“The care provider I’d like to nominate is the best Occupational Therapist I have ever met. After I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, I was devastated, the whole world closed to me. Thanks to her, I regained my freedom and independence.” 

Although every client’s story is unique, in reading our 2023 Client Choice nominations – one thing is very clear – the Personal Support Workers, Nurses, Rehabilitation Therapists, Cleaners, and Scheduling Coordinators who provide care to their clients do so no matter what with compassion, dedication and of course, heart. 

Please see a complete list of 2023 Client Choice Award nominees below and check out stories about our previous winners on our YouTube channel.  

2023 Client Choice Award Nominees

Name of Nominee	Job Title
Agustina Haynes	PSW
Al Vincent Chio	PSW
Aleli Yumol	PSW
Alesia Francis	PSW
Alexandra Lizano	PSW
Alma Mendoza	PSW
Alma Pineda	PSW
Almaz Abebe	PSW
Almohena Mendoza	PSW
Alyssa Becker	OT
Amalia Vitto	PSW
Amelia Baduya	PSW
Amor Buntag	PSW
Ana Marie Baltazar	PSW
Anabel Mueller	PSW
Angelica Balagot	OT
Ann Yvonne Gill	PSW
Anna Tan	Nursing
Anne-Marie Majer	PSW
Annette Hall	Extreme Cleaner
Anupa Hundani	Physiotherapist
Arcely Roxas	PSW
Aries Sanchez	PSW
Arnie Aquino	PSW
Ashita Ritchie	Nurse
Ashley Laplante	Cleaner
Audrey Letouze	Physiotherapist
Aurorita Cruz	PSW
Avelino Flauta	PSW
Barbara Croal	PSW
Beatriz Cawis	PSW
Belinda Chico Mendoza	PSW
Bella Li	PSW
Beratriz Aguilar	Nursing
Betty Ducosin	PSW
Bibi Khan	PSW
Brenda Charles	PSW
Brendalyn McDonald	PSW
Bridget Afe	PSW
Carlos Garcia	PSW
Carlos Herrera	PSW
Carmen Bayle	PSW
Carmen Villatoro	PSW
Caroline Asemota	PSW
Cassandra Sam	PSW
Chandra Naipaul	PSW
Charmin Sinnette	PSW
Cherry Ann Cervales	PSW
Cheryl Esteban	PSW
Chona Junsay	PSW
Christine Froude	PSW
Colleen Beaumont	PSW
Colleen Crosbie	PSW
Concepcion Talisayon	PSW
Cricilda Escabellas	PSW
Criselda Gabisan	PSW
Curtis Hiemstra	OT
Dawattie Sankar	PSW
Dely Paraiso	PSW
Denise Morgan	PSW
Dian Hoyte	PSW
Dolores Manuel	PSW
Dona Dinulong	PSW
Donnabella Labasan	PSW
Edna Babao	PSW
Eileen Navarro	PSW
Elda Cabauatan	PSW
Elizabeth Olalemi	CFSW
Eloise Glasgow	PSW
Elvira Pangilinan	PSW
Emelita Maria Soriano	PSW
Emelyn Del Rosario	PSW
Erhieyovwe Momodu	PSW
Erlinda Perez	PSW
Ethlyn Francis	PSW
Farida Kamran	OT
Faustina Adjei	PSW
Favour Jolly	PSW
Fe Morante	PSW
Felicia Mensah	PSW
Fritzie Manibog	PSW
Genesis Gallardo	Operations Support Staff
Gina Fernandez	PSW
Giovanna Di Matteo	PSW
Girlyn Dinulong	PSW
Glenda Dela Cruz	PSW
Grace Sem	PSW
Hannah Mahon	OT
Hannah Njenga	PSW
Hazel Florida	PSW
Heather Schneider	PSW
Helen Chen	PSW
Helen Astillero	HSW
Holly Woo	PSW
Irene Estrada	PSW
Irene Tejada	PSW
Ivy Yap	PSW
Janette Blas	PSW
Jasodra Bacchus	PSW
Jeanette Ong	Nursing
Jenny He	PSW
Jeremay Ramiscal	PSW
Jessilyn Biscocho	PSW
Jeya Kaneshalingam	PSW
Joan Bissoondyal	PSW
Joan Marshall	PSW
Joemarie Castro	PSW
Joveline Tun	PSW
Joynie Llanto	PSW
Judith Apps	Physiotherapist
Judith Doctolero	PSW
Julie Ann Sambajon	Nurse
Jullie Ann Sayco	PSW
Junalyn Calaro	PSW
Kafayat Olalere	PSW
Kaila Jonsen	PSW
Karen Harkins	PSW
Kasepae Mendono	PSW
Kharina Villagomez	PSW
Kimberly Mcfadden	PSW
Kristine Aleah Alvarado	PSW
Kuneta Kanhai	PSW
Kyra Kielesinski	CSW
Lailanie De Ocampo	PSW
Laneer Pirote	PSW
Laxmi Baral	PSW
Lei Zhang	Nursing
Leigh Scholl	Nursing
Leilyn Baranda	PSW
Lelivet Cortez	PSW
LemLem Khsay	PSW
Lenora Rawlinsmoses	PSW
Leonila Alcantara	PSW
Lili Ann Morales	PSW
Lilibeth Hill	PSW
Lilly Li Feng Hua	PSW
Linda Dunlop	PSW
Lorelie Baysa Laurente	Nurse
Lorna Powell	PSW
Lu Rios	PSW
Lubaba Ayane	PSW
Lucy Bourgeois	Office Assistant
Luisa Llanes	PSW
Luzuiminda Ancheta	PSW
Ma Elena Alipat	PSW
Ma Lomahan	PSW
Mae Anne Magdirila	PSW
Mae Magdaluyo	Nursing
Maggie Tang	OT
Magnan Bamba	PSW
Maksim Barolli	PSW
Malik Hudani	Physiotherapist
Margaret Mensah	Nurse
Maria Casido	PSW
Maria Lercy Del Sole	PSW
Maria Reyes	PSW
Marie Persaud	PSW
Marie Quinto	PSW
Marie St. Amour	PSW
Marilou Sabuero	PSW
Marilyn Eclar	PSW
Marivic Resultan	PSW
Marjorie Estrada	PSW
Marsha Dzieciol	PSW
Marshalene Drummond	PSW
Mary Benliro	Scheduling Coordinator
Mary Dammit	PSW
Mary Jane Ramil	PSW
Mathivathany Nithiyananthan	PSW
Maureen Blair	PSW
May Cabural	PSW
Maylene Guanzon	PSW
Meaghan Sturges	PSW
Medhanit Negusse	PSW
Melanie Tabugsoc	PSW
Melecia Joseph	PSW
Meng Zhu	PSW
Merlin Brown	PSW
Meselu Teka	PSW
Meseret Woldeselassie	PSW
Mica Ledesma	Nurse
Michelle Garcia	PSW
Michelle Salanga	PSW
Mike Adam Kowalska	OTA/PTA
Molina Marquez	PSW
Mpanzu Mputu	PSW
Munira Emamshifa	HSW
Murayo Guled	PSW
Mylene Bayaoa	PSW
Najwa Mahfouz	Nursing
Nancy Garcia	PSW
Naneth Castro	PSW
Naya Kumi	PSW
Ndodyei (mercy) Makombese	PSW
Nena Javier	PSW
Nenita Purisima	PSW
Nicole Jones	OT
Nilla Aman	PSW
Nora Palacio	PSW
Nurun Rupa	PSW
Odette Asuncion	PSW
Olivia Oliphant	PSW
Patrisha Alkuino	PSW
Perlita Felicita	PSW
Perlyn De Luna	PSW
Preeta Persaud	PSW
Princesita Perin	PSW
Qi Fen (Annie) Liang	PSW
Ranjini Vaikunthavasan	PSW
Raquel Adecer	PSW
Raquel Gabriel	PSW
Rebecca Quiocho	PSW
Regat Ogbasilasie	PSW
Remdemeir Cueto	PSW
Rhonalissa Bodington	PSW
Ria Samuel	PSW
Ridwan Abdi	PSW
Rita Persaud Lariviere	PSW
Rogelyn Agati	PSW
Rohelita Guinawa	PSW
Rong Yin (Vicky) Yang	PSW
Rosalina Pedro	PSW
Rosalyn Caubang	PSW
Rosalyn Parilla	PSW
Rosanna Edwards	PSW
Rose Sullivan	PSW
Rosewell Anne Delos Reyes	PSW
Rozanne Brown	PSW
Ruby Arce	PSW
Ruby Jane Abuan	PSW
Ruchi Sharma	Nursing
Rushita Patel	Physiotherapist
Ruth Agdales	PSW
Ruth Nicholson	OT
Saleema Rohoman	PSW
Saleena Kc	Nursing
Samantha Patterson	PSW
Sami Barat	Nurse
Sandeep Kaur	PSW
Sarah  McGregor	PSW
Shamara Ince	PSW
Shannon Leger	PSW
Sharon Davis	PSW
Sharon Semple	Nursing Coordinator
Sharron Leeder	OT
Sheila Franco	PSW
Shermy Waoi	PSW
Sophia Chowdhury	OT
Stephine Joseph	PSW
Sunisa Desousa	PSW
Susan Lu	PSW
Susana Lopez	PSW
Susana Perlas	PSW
Suzette Villones	PSW
Tamlyn Nicole Alba	PSW
Tatiana De Vilhena	PSW
Taylor Schmidt	OT
Tecla Munez	PSW
Teisha Lee	Nursing
Theresa Trinh	PSW
Trichia Grant	PSW
Tricia Campbell Bascoe	PSW
Trixia Principe	Scheduling Coordinator
Uma Sud	HSW
Vaidehi Patel	PSW
Valder Amoako	PSW
Van Bation	PSW
Vercilia Alexandre-Dufreine	PSW
Veronica Foisyloares	PSW
Vigitha Gnanaratnam	PSW
Vijitha Jeyakanthan	PSW
Vilma Cerbas	PSW
Vilma-Imelda Dunuan	PSW
Vivalda Lemos	CFSW
Vivian Arellano	PSW
Vivian Batayola	PSW
Wai-Kwan Ng (Polly)	PSW
Weda Causing	PSW
Wilfred Leung	OT
Wilfreda Silang	PSW
Worlanyo Matsakawo	Nurse
Yan Zhou	Nurse
Yematawork Berle	PSW
Yin Zhang	PSW
Ylemuel Luna	Nurse
Yolanda Lacap	PSW