By
Jack Wang
Senior Communications Specialist, UChicago Medicine
The University of Chicago Academy of Clinical Excellence has welcomed its founding fellows, honoring their exceptional contributions to the medical community.
Twenty-five clinicians from across UChicago Medicine and the Biological Sciences Division were honored during a February 10 ceremony. Together, they were inducted as the inaugural members of the Academy of Clinical Excellence (ACE), newly created at UChicago to recognize and uphold the highest standards in patient care and academic medicine.
“The establishment of this academy is more than a celebration of individual achievement,” said Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, Dean and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs. “It is the foundation for an enduring community dedicated to fostering the utmost quality in medicine. By honoring these accomplishments, these founding fellows will lay the ground for a legacy that will inspire generations to come.”
In his opening remarks at the event, Anderson thanked the fellows for their unwavering dedication to patients and their families. The honorees included a range of physicians and advanced practice providers — all of whom have elevated the standards of care at UChicago Medicine through their expertise, integrity and collegiality.
Later in the ceremony, Bree Andrews, MD, MPH, Chief Wellness and Vitality Officer for Physicians, acknowledged the fellows’ contributions in simple terms: “All of you have made this a truly amazing place to work.”
Gathered at the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, the new fellows celebrated alongside more than a hundred of their colleagues, friends and relatives.
James W. Mitchell, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, brought with him eight members of his family — including his 92-year-old mother Esther, a former nurse who began “screaming with joy” when she first learned about her son’s honor. Having his mother in attendance, Mitchell added, felt especially significant following the passing of his father two years earlier.
“We’re not only parent and son, but great friends,” he said. “It is so meaningful to have a parent that still is so heavily invested in my life.”
Some honorees needed time to absorb the news themselves. When John Gnezda, PA-C, Cardiac Surgical Physician Assistant, received notice of his induction, the news didn’t sink in until he began receiving congratulatory notes from colleagues. “I was just totally caught off guard,” he said. “It’s surreal.”
For many fellows, joining their esteemed colleagues as part of ACE’s inaugural class underscored the crucial role academic medical centers have in combining research, education and clinical care. “It’s an honor to be recognized for excellence among peers who have contributed so much to the mission to the institution,” said Bansari Patel, DNP, ACHPN, Advanced Practice Nurse.
The 2025 class of fellows for the University of Chicago Academy of Clinical Excellence are:
- Fuad Baroody, MD
- Gini Fleming, MD
- Brian S. Funaki, MD
- John Gnezda, PA-C
- Lawrence J. Gottlieb, MD
- Daniel J. Haraf, MD
- Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD
- John Hart, MD
- Catherine Harth, MD
- Rex C. Haydon, MD, PhD
- Javad Hekmat-panah, MD
- Nora T. Jaskowiak, MD
- Keriann Kordas, MSN, APN
- James W. Mitchell, MD
- Mark Myren, PA-C
- Annemarie O’Connor, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CBRN
- Michael F. O'Connor, MD
- Aytekin Oto, MD, MBA
- Bansari Patel, DNP, ACHPN
- Mitchell C. Posner, MD
- Helene Rubeiz, MD
- Carol E. Semrad, MD
- Wendy Stock, MD
- Debra Stulberg, MD
- Daniel Yohanna, MD
New members will be chosen for the Academy of Clinical Excellence each year, with a broad nomination and selection process that will include input from current ACE members. Retired and posthumous honorees will also be recognized beginning in 2026.
