The Brightest STARs Shine at Fox Chase

At Fox Chase Cancer Center, the stars are so bright you can even see them in the daytime. On the afternoon of June 16, 2026, Fox Chase employees, friends, and family gathered to gaze at the latest recipients of the STAR Award-Special Talent Achieving Results-one of the institution's highest honors for employee recognition.

The STAR Award recognizes employees who exemplify Fox Chase's organizational goals, leadership competencies, and core values through exceptional service, innovation, collaboration, and commitment to patients, colleagues, and the broader mission of prevailing over cancer.

"One of the markers of a true community is when its members genuinely root for the success of others, which is what we see here today," said Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS, President and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center, at the ceremony. "It is a pleasure to recognize our STAR recipients for your selfless work, for sharing your talents, and for serving as leaders among us."

"So often, this work is not done to seek accolades or favor," Uzzo explained. "Instead, it is about quietly and steadily doing all that you can to make our patients' lives better."

These STAR Award recipients represent a wide range of departments and disciplines, but they share a common commitment to excellence and a willingness to go above and beyond in service of patients, colleagues, and the institution.

Blaine Dinkin - Operational Support

Blaine Dinkin, Operations Manager for the Thoracic and Head & Neck Service Lines, has built a reputation for developing innovative ways to improve patient access to care across Fox Chase.

Over the past year, Dinkin has led the development of several initiatives designed to reduce barriers to care and improve patient experience. Among the most impactful is the Thoracic Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Intake Clinic, a program that helps patients be seen more quickly, improves scheduling efficiency, and reduces treatment delays.

Blaine Dinkin (center), with Joshua Lahav, MBA (left), and Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS

"As our patient volumes increase, we just can't invent new physicians," explained Dinkin. "We can, however, connect a new patient with an APP within 24 to 48 hours. We still give that patient a warm embrace into the system and start additional work-up to expedite treatment when they do meet with a physician."

The idea emerged from a recurring challenge: patients were often waiting weeks for appointments with physicians due to growing demand. Dinkin brought together stakeholders from Patient Access, Practice Management, Navigation, Billing, and clinical leadership to design a new model that would connect patients with care sooner and create a more efficient entry point into the health system.

The APP Intake Clinic model is being rolled out across Fox Chase disease sites, more recently in Gastrointestinal.

"Blaine sees a problem and immediately starts thinking about how to solve it," wrote Joshua Lahav, MBA, Vice President of Cancer Center Operations. "She brings people together, listens to different perspectives, and keeps moving until a solution is in place."

She also played a key role in creating the Incidental Clinic Program, which helps identify and rapidly evaluate patients whose imaging studies reveal findings suspicious for cancer.

"Let's say a patient arrives in the ED after an accident, and say a nodule appears in a lung X-ray," Dinkin explained. "The nodule may or may not be significant-and is not the focus for being in the ED-but we wanted to create a safety net that captures patients who may be appropriate for follow-up after their ED visit."

The program has been implemented for other disease sites, including Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary.

In addition, Dinkin piloted an executive rounding program aimed at enhancing relationships between staff and leadership. In the last year, she joined the CHEER - Cultivating High Engagement and Employee Recognition - Committee, where she champions events, including an annual trivia contest.

According to Lahav, Dinkin is a boundless source of ideas and enthusiasm. He attributes her success to her ability to build consensus among diverse teams and maintain a relentless focus on patient needs.

Mary Ellen Day, RN - Clinical Operations

For patients undergoing some of the most complex procedures performed at Fox Chase, Mary Ellen Day, RN, is often a steady and reassuring presence throughout their journey.

A staff nurse in Urology, Day has spent years caring for patients undergoing major surgical procedures, helping guide them through what can often be an overwhelming experience. Her colleagues describe her as an expert clinician whose calm demeanor, deep knowledge, and unwavering commitment to patient care make her indispensable to both patients and the clinical team.

Mary Ellen Day, RN (center) with Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS (left), and Alexander Kutikov, MD, FACS

Prior to joining Urology at Fox Chase, Day practiced nursing at Temple University Hospital's Main Campus for nine years, where she served in the COVID unit during the pandemic. Day acknowledged that the struggle for caregivers during COVID was real, but the opportunity to move to Urology at Fox Chase also provided a moment to re-focus and renew her commitment to nursing.

"I know so many who left the nursing field after the pandemic but being here helped bring that spark back to me," said Day. "The team here is doing such amazing work with patient care, and it really made me fall in love with nursing again."

Day's impact extends far beyond bedside care. According to her nominator, Alexander Kutikov, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Urology, Day continually identifies opportunities to improve workflows, patient education, and post-operative care processes. Her efforts have helped streamline patient transitions, improve communication, and reduce complications through proactive follow-up and intervention.

One recent example involved the introduction of a new approach to prostate biopsies. Recognizing the operational challenges that accompanied the change, Day coordinated with multiple departments to ensure protocols, workflows, and patient education materials were updated and implemented seamlessly.

Colleagues credit her with helping define the culture of the Urology practice.

"Mary Ellen is the person the rest of the team measures themselves against," wrote Kutikov. "She combines extraordinary clinical expertise with genuine compassion and an unwavering commitment to patients."

Whether mentoring new nurses, educating patients and families, or helping improve practice operations, Day's influence is felt throughout the department every day.

Jenna Booth, MSN, RN, PCCN - Management

Exceptional leaders create environments where others can thrive, and colleagues say Jenna Booth, MSN, RN, PCCN, Senior Clinical Nurse Manager, Intensive Care Unit and Surgical Stepdown Unit, has done exactly that throughout her career at Fox Chase.

Booth oversees some of the institution's most complex and demanding clinical environments. Yet those who work alongside her consistently point to her calm presence, empathy, and commitment to supporting her team.

Jenna Booth, MSN, RN, PCCN (center), with Christina Passio, MSN, RN, NE-BC (left), and Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS

She manages a team of about 120 people, one of the largest groups at Fox Chase. While she admits it is a struggle to get to know all of them as well as she would like, she does her best to understand everyone's differences.

"I am aware I make mistakes, and a big lesson for me has been to learn how to admit to that," said Booth. "Every nurse has a unique set of expectations, but at the end of the day, it is about the patient."

"I try to guide everyone to meet their passion for patient care," Booth said, "and to treat every patient as if it were their mom, their friend, their loved one."

Booth is known for fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Through mentorship, transparent communication, and a focus on professional development, she has helped nurses at all career stages build confidence and grow as leaders.

Her leadership extends beyond daily operations. Over the past year, Booth played an important role in implementing remote patient monitoring technology in the ICU and supporting major clinical and operational initiatives across the health system. During periods of change, colleagues say she remains highly visible and actively engaged, providing guidance and reassurance to staff while maintaining a steadfast focus on patient care.

"Jenna creates an environment where staff feel heard, supported, and empowered," wrote Christina Passio, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Senior Clinical Director, Inpatient Nursing Services and Operations, in her nomination. "Her leadership strengthens not only the teams she manages, but the broader organization as well."

Denise Madell - Everyday Excellence

When we think of patient care, we often think of those, like many past STAR awardees, who become important, visible presences in the lives of the patients they serve. Most patients, however, will never know of the heroic efforts made on their behalf by inaugural winner of the STAR Award for Everyday Excellence.

For more than a decade, Denise Madell, Authorization Specialist within Fox Chase's Retail and Specialty Pharmacy, has quietly helped ensure that patients receive access to the medications they need, often behind the scenes and without recognition.

Denise Madell (center) with Andrew Beothy (left) and Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS

"It is my job to advocate for patients to insurance companies, and I specialize in oral oncology medications," said Madell. "Our priority is to get the medicine covered as their physician prescribed, and when that fails, we appeal, again and again, if needed."

Madell navigates the complex world of insurance approvals and financial assistance programs. While grateful for the recognition, Madell, in true Fox Chase STAR fashion, points to her teammates, Erika McCalister and Annie Tuch.

"Sometimes it feels like a fight, and we fight together for our patients," Madell said. "We know that Fox Chase patients are already going through a difficult time, and getting medication approved by insurers should not be their worry."

According to Madell, she began her career on the other end of the telephone, working in management at an insurance company. She found the work frustrating and saw Fox Chase as a way to escape what she called "the Dark Side." That combination of wanting to do good while doing well carried with her to Fox Chase.

Colleagues describe Madell as deeply empathetic, exceptionally knowledgeable, and tireless in her efforts to help patients overcome barriers to treatment. Over her 11 years at Fox Chase, she has become a go-to resource not only for patients but also for providers, pharmacists, and coworkers seeking guidance on difficult cases.

"Her work never stops, her volume has only increased, and it's a total behind-the-scenes job that her patients mostly don't even know exists," wrote Andrew Beothy, Manager, Outpatient Pharmacy and Madell's nominator, "but she's a huge reason that they get their medications in a timely manner, let alone at all!"

Michele Rhodes - Research

When a challenge arises in a Fox Chase lab, many people know exactly where to turn: Michele Rhodes, Senior Scientific Associate in the laboratory of David Wiest, PhD, Scientific Director of the Research Institute of Fox Chase Cancer Center.

Rhodes has spent more than three decades driving scientific discovery through her technical expertise, problem-solving ability, and willingness to support others.

Michele Rhodes (center, on the monitor) with Robert Uzzo, MD, MBA, FACS (left), and David Wiest, PhD

According to colleagues, Rhodes is the person who keeps the laboratory running. She supports experiments, trains students and postdoctoral fellows, troubleshoots technical challenges, and frequently assists researchers throughout the institution who need advice or assistance.

Her contributions extend well beyond the Wiest laboratory. She has helped develop new research methods, maintained critical shared equipment, and routinely volunteers her time to support colleagues facing difficult experimental challenges.

"Michele seems to be the go-to person whenever anyone has a problem," wrote Wiest in his nomination. "She takes time to listen, thinks deeply about the issue, and then works with determination to come up with a solution."

Rhodes credits much of her success to the collaborative culture of the Wiest laboratory.

"One success is a lab success," Rhodes said. "We really are a team. The students, postdocs, technicians-everyone contributes, and when somebody achieves something, we all celebrate it together."

For Rhodes, science remains as exciting today as it was when she began her career.

"The thing about science is that it's like solving puzzles every day," she said. "It can be difficult, but when things work, and you get those wins, it's incredibly rewarding."

Her technical expertise, institutional knowledge, and generosity have made her an invaluable resource and a cornerstone of Fox Chase's research community.

While knee replacement surgery kept her from attending the ceremony in person, Rhodes' telepresence was still felt-on a big screen in the Fox Chase Cafeteria. Even when she's not there, Rhodes remains the kind of person who will always be there for you.

Recognizing Excellence Across Fox Chase

While their roles vary widely, this June's STAR Award recipients share a common commitment to excellence, service, and teamwork.

Whether improving access to care, supporting groundbreaking research, mentoring colleagues, or helping patients navigate treatment, each recipient demonstrates the values that define Fox Chase Cancer Center.

"Our awardees embody that sense of Fox Chase we all talk about - that spirit of collaboration, friendship, mentorship, and collegiality that makes us who we are," Uzzo said. "Fox Chase succeeds because of the hard work of everyone here in lowering barriers to success. It is part of who we are and what we do every day for people who walk through our doors."