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Photo highlights: 2026 Pinnacle Awards

Published on: July 17, 2026 By: Staff Reports

Pinnacle Awards gallery banner — The Pinnacle Awards recognize individuals for their significant contributions to the institution. Each honoree, selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by colleagues across the campus, represents one of UTSW’s core values.

On June 17, five outstanding employees and one nine-member team were honored at the second annual UT Southwestern Pinnacle Awards ceremony in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium, followed by a reception on McDermott Plaza. The Pinnacle Awards were created in 2025 to shine a light on employees who do meaningful work. Each honoree represents a core value that brings UT Southwestern to life: excellence, innovation, teamwork, or compassion.

We invite you to view a photo gallery from the event.

Select an image to begin the slideshow.

Members of the Office of Student Financial Aid celebrate their Pinnacle Award for Teamwork with a group photo. From left: Elisha Cruz, Latarsha Evans, M.S., Do’Nisa Hooks, Melet Leafgreen, M.L.A., FAAC, Lindsay Partridge, Danchees “D.” Ingram, M.B.A., FAAC, Deanne Pickney, Ph.D., Liz Rubi, CLSSGB, and Cyndi Truong.

UT Southwestern President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., hosted the event, celebrating colleagues who, he said, exemplify “excellence, innovation, teamwork, compassion, and how it all comes together.”

Five individuals and one nine-member team received honors at the second annual Pinnacle Awards event, which took place in Gooch Auditorium with a reception following on McDermott Plaza.

Event attendees give a standing ovation to Darren Fleming, recipient of the Spirit of UT Southwestern Award.

UTSW executive leaders watch one of the touching videos on an award recipient. From left: Susan Hernandez, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN, Vice President and Health System Chief Nurse Executive; Jeremy Falke, M.B.A., Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer; Jenny Doren, M.B.A., M.S., Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer; Jonathan Efron, M.D., Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs; and Marc Nivet, Ed.D., M.B.A., Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Interim Executive Vice President for Business Affairs.

Four Pinnacle Awards recipients take in the special moment, listening to presentations of other winners. From left: Hugo Lopez, an Automation Integration Specialist in Central Data Acquisition System and Controls; Chelsea Landon, M.H.A., Director of Health System Emerging Strategies; Priscilla Olivares, a Clinic Staff Assistant III for Ambulatory Clinic – Bariatrics, Texas Health Dallas; and Jose “Joe” Flores, an Automotive Mechanic in Fleet Maintenance Operations.

The audience watches a video introducing Mr. Lopez, whose job includes installing, maintaining, and repairing heating and cooling systems.

Mr. Lopez graciously accepts his Pinnacle Award for Excellence, followed by a photo on stage with Dr. Nivet, left, and Juan Guerra Jr., M.B.A., M.Eng., Vice President for Facilities Management.

“Although most people never see the systems he maintains, they benefit from them every day,” Dr. Nivet said when introducing Mr. Lopez.

Dr. Efron introduces the Pinnacle Award for Innovation winner by asking how many audience members had used the UTSWMyCare app – the brainchild of award recipient Ms. Landon.

Ms. Landon, humble in accepting her honor, tells the audience it takes a team to achieve success. “It’s all made possible by nurses, providers, operational teams, and countless other partners across UT Southwestern,” she said.

The audience watches a video introducing Ms. Olivares, who earned the Pinnacle Award for Compassion. “I just want to make a difference,” she said in her video.

Ms. Olivares, who fought back tears through her acceptance speech, thanked God for blessing her to be in a workplace where she can thrive.

Family members stand proudly beside Ms. Olivares with her award following the program.

Mr. Flores, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, holds his trophy in a photo op following the program. His job is to inspect and prepare the UTSW shuttle fleet before drivers begin their daily routes at 5 a.m. as well as support vehicles and equipment used by departments campuswide.

Mr. Fleming, center, a Senior Regulatory Associate in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Office, beams proudly holding his award while surrounded by colleagues. From left: Stephanie Lovely, Yolanda Pitts, Erin Willams, Patty Waldrop, Kelly Kyle, Jeremie Golden, Ellen Siglinsky, and Tianna Petersen.

Enjoying the awards reception on McDermott Plaza are Mr. Guerra, left, and Ruben Esquivel, M.B.A., Vice President for Community and Corporate Relations.

Tasty food items at the reception included brisket elote corn bowls.

Emily Flahaven, M.S.N., RN, Associate Vice President and Chief Nursing Informatics Officer, enjoyed the post-ceremony reception with Chief Marcus Lewis, M.A., left, and Assistant Chief Pete Amaral of the UTSW Police Department.

From left, Isaura Davis, Brittany Jackson, Jodi England-Trevino, and Melissa Sotelo, colleagues in Human Resources, visit and enjoy food and refreshments at the reception.

These delicious skewered hors d’oeuvres are among the numerous culinary selections served to guests.

Frozen fruit pops are popular reception snacks.

Betsy Leal De Lopez, left, and Beatriz Corrales serve frozen fruit pops to many of the guests.

Mr. Lopez, center, attended the reception with, from left, Lucero Hernandez; son Hugo Lopez Jr.; wife Lizette; and son Hassiel Lopez.

Reception attendees from the Human Resources team get into the spirit of the occasion for a photo.

From left: Marcia Schneider, M.B.A., Vice President for Health System Strategy and Business Development and Chief Strategy Officer; Cameron Slocum, M.B.A., Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Academic Affairs and the UT Southwestern Medical Group; and Samir Parikh, M.D., Chair and Professor of Internal Medicine and Professor of Pharmacology, smile for a reception photo.

From left: Ms. Evans and Ms. Hooks, members of the Office of Student Financial Aid team that received the Pinnacle Award for Teamwork, visit with Ms. Hooks’ mother, Wylita Hooks, and Marcus Carroll.

Four members of the Office of Student Financial Aid team, including Ms. Rubi (right), Ms. Truong (next to her), Ms. Ingram (standing at right), and Ms. Cruz (seated, center left), celebrate as they visit with family.

From left: Gregory Martin Jr., Executive Chef with ARG Catering; Maribel Hernandez, a cook in the Simmons Cancer Center Café; and Steven Laham, Catering GM with ARG Catering, ensure plenty of food and drinks are on hand for reception attendees.

A band keeps the Pinnacle Awards reception crowd entertained.

From left: Taryn Salako, Israa Ajroudi, and Rofiat Abubakar, Graduate Administrative Interns, pose for a photo. Ms. Salako is with Hospital Administration at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital; Ms. Ajroudi is with the Texas Behavioral Health Center; and Ms. Abubakar is with the Department of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery.

Ms. Landon chats with Mr. Falke on McDermott Plaza.

One of the afternoon’s many moments of joy was captured during the reception.

Ms. Landon, second from right, is surrounded by family and Health System Strategy and Business Development colleagues, including, from left, mother-in-law Kim Landon, Quynh Smith, Rebecca Tischer, Brittany Saladino, Jessica Cohron, mother Tina Kleen, and Jean Sullivan.

Mr. Flores spends time at the reception with his wife, Miriam, left, and Amanda Brophy, one of his supervisors.