Good Shepherd Celebrates Service, Innovation at 2025 ACE Awards

BETHLEHEM – More than 200 Good Shepherd Rehabilitation colleagues gathered Feb. 20, 2025, to celebrate outstanding employee achievement at the 2025 Annual Celebration of Employment (ACE) Awards, hosted at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Attendees enjoyed dinner, dessert and an evening full of gratitude.

In addition to recognizing team members celebrating milestones — ranging from five to 50 years of service at Good Shepherd — we also celebrated the recipients of the annual Raker Spirit Award and the brand-new Pathfinder Innovation Award.

Raker Spirit Award: Karen Long

Karen Long, MBA, PTA, started as a physical therapy assistant (PTA) at Good Shepherd 35 years ago, before becoming a site manager, regional manager and, eventually, vice president of operations for outpatient therapy. She has earned a reputation as a respected leader, innovator and advocate for those who need our care.

The Raker Spirit Award has been given annually to recognize Good Shepherd employees who exemplify, in their day-to-day living, the spiritual values we have come to know as the Raker family legacy. The Rakers founded Good Shepherd in 1908.

Pathfinder Innovation Team Award: Inpatient Pediatrics

Over the past year, the Inpatient Pediatrics team at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit has taken an interdisciplinary approach to improving patient care, processes and programs through a variety of research and education initiatives, including:

• Presented posters and presentations at related clinical conferences
• Conducted research on robotic systems for over ground gait in cerebral palsy patients
• Investigated BWSTT as a ventilator weaning modality
• Developed groundbreaking education on neonatal intensive care

The team — Dr. Kimberly Kuchinski, Erika Carter, Erika Steinke, Rebecca Gormley, Kandis Jones, Cheryl Turbett, Amy Morris, Ana Maria Garcia, Brenda Early and Lindsey Nolt —advanced outcomes and improved quality of life for our smallest patients. Dr. Kuchinski, who is the pediatric hospital’s medical director, and Administrative Director of Pediatrics Amanda Kleckner, PT, DPT, accepted the award on behalf of the team.

Pathfinder Innovation Individual Award: Dan Nunnemaker

Dan Nunnemaker’s ideas, research and practice have sustainably advanced care in ways that could significantly improve patient/resident outcomes. He was honored with the Pathfinder Innovation Award for his creativity, innovation and impact to the patient experience.

Dan, a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital, has submitted nearly 70 idea requests to Good Shepherd’s 3D printing lab since January 2024.  Many of these ideas became workable prototypes he personally tested with patients. His concepts and proactive approach have resulted in 350-plus individual items being printed – items that have made life easier for our patients, residents and colleagues.

The evening also celebrated more than 25 Nursing team members who achieved CRRN and NE-BC, as well as nearly 70 clinicians who achieved Advanced Clinician status.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees!

View a full album of the 2025 ACE Awards below: