Cooper University Health Care has announced the recipients of the 2025 Nurses of the Year Awards: Raymond Duma, BSN, RN, who works on a medical-surgical unit at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, and Yulia Schaffer, BSN, RN, CMC, CCRN, a critical care nurse at Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional in Cape May Court House.
Duma received the William A. Schwartz, Jr. Nurse of the Year Award, named in honor of the late William A. Schwartz, a longtime member of Cooper’s Board of Trustees who dedicated significant time and talents to the organization. Schwartz was especially passionate about supporting Cooper nurses and their commitment to patient care.
Schaffer was honored with the Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Nurse of the Year Award. This award was made possible through the generous proceeds of the annual 5K Run for Nurses, hosted by Sea Isle City’s well-known Dalrymple’s Card & Gift Shoppe. All proceeds from the run benefit frontline nurses through donations to the Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional Foundation.
Both awards were presented during Cooper’s Annual Nursing Excellence Awards held in conjunction with National Nurses Week (May 6–12), a celebration of outstanding professional and advanced practice nurses, as well as the collaborative care teams that support them across the health system.
In addition to being named Nurses of the Year, both honorees received individual awards recognizing their excellence in specialized areas of practice (see list below).
“Raymond and Yulia exemplify the highest standards of nursing excellence, and we are incredibly proud to recognize their dedication, compassion and leadership,” said Kathy Devine, DrNP, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing executive at Cooper. “Both have made a lasting impact on their patients and colleagues, and their commitment to advancing nursing practice is truly inspiring.”
“With unwavering dedication and courage, Cooper nurses continue to set the gold standard in patient care. This Nurses Week, we honor the profound impact each nurse has on our patients, our community and the legacy of excellence they uphold every day,” said George E. Norcross III, chairman of the Cooper Board of Trustees. “Congratulations to this year’s winners, who each deliver the high-quality care every patient deserves.”
Award winners were nominated by their colleagues for their commitment to upholding the Cooper mission: “To serve, to heal, to educate” and are supported by gifts from generous donors to The Cooper Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cooper University Health Care.
“Thanks to the tremendous generosity of our donors, these awards continue to highlight the exceptional contributions of Cooper’s nurses. Their support enables us to honor their dedication in a truly meaningful way,” said Philip A. Norcross, Esq., chairman of The Cooper Foundation Board of Trustees.
The 2025 Nursing Excellence Award recipients are:
- Cindy Holtz, Cooper Multispecialty Care at Cherry Hill, Carol G. Tracey Compassion Award.
- Alex Estrella, M.D., Critical Care Medicine, Cooper Camden, Nursing Alumni Excellence Award for Nursing-Physician Partnership.
- Steven DiBlasi, CST, Operating Room, Cooper Camden, Women’s Board of Cooper Hospital Allied Health Professional Excellence Award (Non-Nursing).
- Patrick Cookson, Environmental Services, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Service (Non-Nursing).
- Miranda Maluk, Pavilion 6, Cooper Camden, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Service (Non-Nursing).
- Kelsey Sherman, BSN, RN, Trauma Step Down Unit, Cooper Camden, Shaina Horton Memorial Award for Excellence in Service.
- Shakirat Yusuf, MSN, RN, OCN, BMTCN, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper – Camden, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Nursing Mentorship.
- Christina Hunter, BSN, RN, OCN, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper – Camden, Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Nurse Leadership.
- Faith Weintraub, MSN, APN-C, AOCNP, Hematology/Oncology – Voorhees, Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing.
- Kimberly Twaddell, DNP, APN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, TCRN, Trauma, Cooper Camden, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Nursing Research.
- Sue Wasienko, BSN, RN, OCN, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper – Camden, Franklin Morse Archer, Jr., and Mary Joy Reeve Archer Memorial Award for Excellence in Outpatient Oncology Nursing.
- Jessica Waters, BSN, RN, Pavilion 5, Cooper Camden, Rose Smith and Sue Zamitis Memorial Award for Excellence in Inpatient Oncology Nursing.
- Donisha Jones, MSN, RN, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper – Camden, Women’s Board of Cooper University Health Care Award for Excellence in Ambulatory Nursing.
- Michelle Errickson, BSN, RN, Progressive Care Unit, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Progressive Care Nursing.
- Donna Souder, BSN, RN, Pavilion 6, Cooper Camden, Ruth Parry/Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Geriatric Nursing.
- Janice Erb, RN, Same Day Surgery, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing.
- Frank Averill, BSN, RN, Cooper Surgery Center at Moorestown, Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing.
- Esmanur Ozdemir, BSN, RN, Kelemen 9, Cooper Camden, Selma and Martin Hirsch Award for Excellence in Medical-Surgical Nursing.
- Kristy Pollard, BSN, RN, Two East, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Medical-Surgical Nursing.
- Nicole Luedtke, BSN, RN, Emergency Department, Cooper Camden, Lynn Nelson Award for Excellence in Emergency Nursing.
- Kevin Scullion, RN, Emergency Department, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Emergency Nursing.
- Isabella Massey, BSN, RNC-NIC, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Cooper Camden, John Henry Kronenberger Memorial Award for Excellence in Neonatal Nursing.
- Lindsay Gaudio, BSN, RN, Trauma Surgical ICU, Cooper Camden, Award for Excellence in Trauma Nursing.
- Michelle Forman, BSN, RN, CCRN, Intensive Care Unit, Cooper Camden, William and Eileen Archer Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing.
- Yulia Schaffer, BSN, RN, CMC, CCRN, Critical Care, Cooper Cape, Charles and Barbara Dalrymple Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing.
- Elizabeth Schleyer, BSN, RN, Pavilion 9, Cooper Camden, Cooper Heart Institute and The Heart House Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Nursing.
- Sadie Gonzalez, BSN, RN, Mother Infant Unit, Cooper Camden, Charlotte Tobiason Memorial Award for Excellence in Obstetrical Nursing.
- Sarah Zuzulock, BSN, RN, Pediatrics, Cooper Camden, Dr. Ronald Bernardin Memorial Award for Excellence in Pediatric Nursing.
- Kristine Connelly, BSN, RN, Radiology, Cooper Camden, Lori Osinski Award for Excellence in Procedural Nursing.
- Devyn Schwarz, BSN, RN, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cooper Camden, Lori Osinski Rising Star Award.
- Raymond Duma, BSN, RN, Kelemen 9, Cooper Camden, Lori Osinski Award for Excellence in Self Care and Wellness.
- Jordan Wesley, Patient Care Services Pool, Cooper Camden, Miss Donna Glover Memorial Award.
- The Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cooper Camden, Outstanding Team Award.
“This year’s award winners exemplify the heart and soul of nursing: skillful leadership, boundless compassion, and commitment to healing. We are honored to celebrate their achievements and thank all Cooper nurses for the extraordinary care they provide,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, M.D., JD, MBE, co-CEO at Cooper.
“The strength, empathy, and expertise of Cooper nurses shine brightly across the entire health system. As we celebrate the Nursing Excellence Award winners today, we also express our deepest gratitude to all Cooper nurses for their tireless devotion to those they serve,” said Kevin M. O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO at Cooper.
