2025 National Health Information Awards Judges

We would like to thank our 2025 judges for their time and expertise in reviewing this year’s entries. Please note: Judges were not permitted to review any entries submitted by their organizations.

Laura Milani Alessio, MA, is Managing Editor of HealthyChildren.org, the parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Previously at AAP, Alessio managed AAP’s flagship blog and was a Staff Writer in the division of news, media and public relations. She has also served as Editor of The New Physician, the American Medical Student Association magazine, and a correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, the University of Chicago website and other platforms.

Gary Ashwal is a co-founder of Booster Shot Media, a health-focused creative company that makes comic books and animated videos to explain complex medical information. Gary earned a master’s degree in Health Communication from Emerson College and Tufts University School of Medicine.

Pranav Bhanushali
Physical Therapist — Primary care clinician — Leading and supervising Physical therapist in geriatric home health for Sutter care at home Marin county. Responsibility includes Start of care — Admitting patients to agency, OASIS scoring for Medicare, complete physical therapy evaluation, developing and executing Plan of Care, supervising PTA’s and guiding them to provide appropriate care to patients, case managing and supervising complete care of patient with keeping other disciplines — (Nurses, Occupational therapist , Home Health aide , Medical Social worker) in loop and engaged in care and meeting patients needs.

Susan Cottman, Executive Editor, Ebix

Anne Halston is director of member news for the 67,000-member American Academy of Pediatrics, overseeing a daily breaking news website, a monthly news magazine and a 3x/week email newsletter. An award-winning journalist, Anne previously served as editor of suburban publications for the Chicago Tribune, as opinion page editor for the Daily Herald and as a reporter for multiple newspapers.
Alyssa Delaney Nyen is an Executive Creative Director with over 20 years of proven leadership in brand, content, and creative strategy across Fortune 500 organizations and a range of industries, including healthcare/health services. Recognized for her strategic rigor and creative vision, she builds high-impact content ecosystems grounded in strong messaging and bold visuals—delivering results that resonate with audiences and drive lasting brand value.

Julie Kenneally, Sr. Dir. Marketing, Parkinson’s Foundation

Abby McCoy is an experienced RN who has worked with adults and pediatric patients encompassing trauma, orthopedics, home care, transplant, and case management. She has practiced nursing all over the world from San Francisco, CA to Tharaka, Kenya. She now writes health content for trusted health outlets like Everyday Health and Next Avenue.

Cheryl Miller, Sinai Health

Alyssa Nyen, Head, Global Brand, C.H. Robinson
LinkedIn

Susan Okonkowski, Well-Being Project Mgr. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Dr. Melisa Pereira, Sr. Consultant/Med. Comms., Royal Exports Enterprises

Ashley Prairie-Larocque, Assoc. Mtkg. Dir., UHC

Liz Proper is a Managing Editor at Mayo Clinic in the Department of Health Education & Content Services. Content she has developed has won more than thirty National Health Information Awards. Liz is a four-time presenter at the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) annual conference, sharing expertise in plain language, health numeracy, and visual literacy. She also co-chaired a task force for AMWA’s most recent curriculum certification program on health communication. This is Liz's second year judging the NHI Awards, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing health communication and literacy.

Tim Rinehart (he/him) has been working in health communications for over 10 years, spanning a range of organizations, from non-profits to large medical publishers. He holds a Master of Science in Science Communication from Drexel University as well as a Health Literacy Specialist certificate from the IHA. He lives in Philadelphia.

Prabagar Sankar, Sr. Engineer, Intuitive Surgical

Panayiotis (Pani) Sphikas is the Head of Pharmacy Operations Manager at University College London Hospitals and a Pharmacy Technician with over 20 years of NHS experience. He is also part of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, where he develops digital solutions to support healthcare education and safety. Pani is best known for founding Pills2Pixels, a free and open-access initiative that combines game design, technology, and healthcare training to engage professionals and students in playful, effective learning.

A passionate advocate for innovation, inclusion, and systems thinking, Pani has led a wide range of digital projects—from developing pharmacy systems to implementing robotics that enhance clinical workflows and support long-term sustainability. Over the years, he has successfully introduced and embedded multiple technologies across NHS services, always driven by user-centred design and a commitment to improving how health information is accessed and applied in practice.

Gina Steiner, MS is Director of Communications for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. She previously has overseen the public information and education programs of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. She also has served as a journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times Group and Thomson Reuters. She has a Master of Science in Health Communication from the University of Illinois.

Melody R. Waller led team efforts that launched the African American marketing communications for Walmart Health Centers in Chicago, and a successful launch of the first-ever private brand analog insulin, providing greater access to people managing diabetes care. Most recently, she joined the Community Engagement Team of Advocate Health Care and is very proud to work on efforts that build trust and expand access to quality healthcare. She is currently a second-year student at the Morehouse School of Medicine, working towards a Master of Public Health. She also holds certifications in Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and Leadership Coaching from Harvard University.

Amy Wulff, Medical Content Writer and Editor, Mayo Clinic