Lee Receives Health Professional Award
BY C.S. HOWARD
Also in attendance at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony Patrick Carnegie, President/CEO of MCR Health, Shauniece Lee, Tidewell Hospital, Jernita Taylor and Dr. Melvin B. Price, MCR Health.
Shauniece Lee was the recipient of the Allied Health Professional Award at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce’s Seventh Annual Champions of Healthcare Awards ceremony honoring individuals, institutions and programs that are making an impact on health and healthcare in Manatee County. The breakfast was held on Thursday, June 20th at The Grove Ballroom at Lakewood Ranch.
The 2019 awards were in nine categories and other winners were David Miller, of Pharmedico Pharmacy, Adult Volunteer Award; Ralph Gonzalez, M.D., Manatee Memorial Hospital, Innovation/ Research Award; Eye Center, Inc.’s Vision Foundation, the Institution/Program Award; Candace Smith, Ph.D., R.N., Manatee Memorial Hospital, Nurse Award; Scott Slulow, DO, Manatee Family Physicians, Physician’s Award and the Individual of Merit Award went to Doug Wagner, School District of Manatee. The Youth Volunteer Award was presented to Emma Bittar of Lakewood Ranch High School, a volunteer with the Healthy Teens Coalition. David Law, M.D. received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lee, a Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN), holds a Bachelors of Applied Science Degree in Health Services Administration. After graduating from high school, she began working as a dietary aide at an ALF. Soon, she obtained her CNA certification and took a job in an ALF/ Memory Care facility. During her five years there, she earned her Licensed Practical Nurse License and joined Tidewell in 2013 in Crisis Care. Since then, she has been promoted to LPN for the ALF Central Team, then liaison on the ALF/LTC North Team. She represents Tidewell as the liaison to more than 50 assisted-living facilities in Manatee County and coordinates referrals to hospice and provides education for healthcare professionals about what Tidewell has to offer patients and their loved ones. Lee is very active with the Bradenton/Sarasota Chapter of Black Nurses Rock and currently serves as the chapter vice president and social media coordinator. She facilitated a partnership between Black Nurses Rock and Care Manatee to offer free breast health and wellness services for African-American women in Manatee County. She is also a parent advisor with the Sarasota NAACP Youth Council. Jacki Dezelski is President/CEO of the Chamber
