Saint Joseph Hospital Honors Outstanding Staff With Employee, Leader of the Year Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 17, 2020) – Saint Joseph Hospital has announced the 2019 Employee of the Year and Leader of the Year award recipients. Jennifer Curd, physical therapist, Saint Joseph Hospital, was presented with the Employee of the Year award, and Cassandra Overby, director, Imaging Services, Saint Joseph Hospital, earned the Leader of the Year award. Jennifer Curd was also named the overall winner for the CHI Saint Joseph Health Employee of the Year award.

Saint Joseph Hospital annually recognizes one outstanding Employee of the Year who demonstrates the core values of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence. This year’s recipient, Jennifer Curd, was nominated by Greg Giles, market director, Clinical Services, Saint Joseph Hospital.

“Jennifer has been part of our team for more than 32 years, and during that time, has had almost perfect attendance, showing true dedication to our health care system and the patients she takes care of on a daily basis,” said Giles. “She always stands up for her patients and what is right and shows true compassion for those needing help. On one occasion, she had a patient that did not show up for therapy. Rather than disregarding the absence, she reached out to his nurses in a different department. When it was discovered he was missing appointments, they reached out to local authorities for a welfare check after unsuccessfully reaching his family. He was found in his home and in severe need of medical care. He may not have received the care he needed had it not been for Jennifer.”

Curd has received accolades from many patients throughout her time with CHI Saint Joseph Health and has been the recipient of numerous awards. Along with helping patients at the hospital, she takes her work home with her, often jumping in to sew compression garments to ensure the best fit for a patient’s needs.

Similarly, Saint Joseph Hospital annually presents one employee serving in a managerial position with the Leader of the Year award. Selection criteria include an outstanding demonstration of leadership led by CHI Saint Joseph Health’s core values of reverence, integrity, compassion and excellence. This year’s recipient, Cassandra Overby, was also nominated by Greg Giles.

“Cassandra is known for being a respectful and encouraging leader,” said Giles. “For nearly 19 years, she has helped break down silos between different teams to ensure seamless transitions of care for patients. She is constantly pushing team members out of their comfort zones, and also pushes herself daily. She would never ask a team member to do something she is not willing to do and demonstrates this by offering to work at night and on weekends to lend support and assist staff. We are lucky to have Cassandra on our team.”

Overby leads the regional imaging affinity group among all the CHI Saint Joseph Health facilities, leading in the development of policies and protocols as well as standardization initiatives. She also leads the radiology support functions that support all CHI Saint Joseph Health facilities. Overby was also instrumental in designing the new Saint Joseph Hospital radiology department during a facility renovation project. She was recently promoted to Director of Imaging, now overseeing all imaging departments at Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East and Saint Joseph Jessamine.

Both award winners were recognized during a special event at the hospital.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of Catholic Health Initiatives, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 135 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to building healthier communities by elevating patient care through an integrated physical and behavioral health delivery system. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Saint Joseph Hospital
Saint Joseph Hospital is a 433-bed hospital located in Lexington, KY. Established in 1877 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky, the facility serves residents of central and eastern Kentucky and is a nationally recognized tertiary medical center. Saint Joseph Hospital is Lexington’s first hospital. The hospital’s original mission was to provide compassionate care to the poor and underserved – a tradition still carried out today.

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For More Information:
Mary Branham, Director, Communications
P: 859.313.2642
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