UAB Medicine’s Advanced Practice Provider Executive Council, in collaboration with the APP Central Office, presented the third annual APP Champion Awards in September. This honor recognizes exceptional advanced practice providers (APPs) at UAB Medicine who exemplify our core values and drive excellence across the organization.
“Our APPs consistently demonstrate excellence in patient care,” said Andrea Boohaker, associate vice president of Ambulatory Services. “Their skill, dedication, and patient-centered approach not only improve outcomes but also strengthen our entire care team.”
Lauren Shultz, senior administrator for UAB Department of Medicine Clinical Programs and Operations, added, “Their contributions ensure that patients receive timely, comprehensive, and high-quality care every step of the way. We are truly appreciative of the vital role our APPs play in caring for our patients. They make a meaningful difference every day.”
The 2025 APP Champion Award recipients are listed below, along with comments from the peers, physician and administrative leaders, clinical faculty, and residents who nominated them:
Amia Bolin, a CRNP in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, is “compassionate, thorough, and provides evidence-based care, and her positive attitude is contagious.”
Kathy Brazeel, a CRNA at UAB Hospital-Highlands, is “the coworker everyone wants on their team. A beacon of compassion, leadership, and teamwork.”
Morgan Burke, a CRNP in Urology, “never turns a patient away, always goes the extra mile, and finds solutions when workflows fall short.”
Crystal Fuller, a CRNP at the Comprehensive Transplant Institute, has a “depth of knowledge and clinical judgment that are invaluable.”
Sheila Lopez, a CNM with Women & Infants Services, “could not be a more fitting APP champion.”
Gracie McGuire, a PA-C in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, is “phenomenal with her patients and consistently puts the team first before herself.”
Stephanie Nichols, a CRNP at UAB Medicine Leeds Primary Care, is “the epitome of an APP champion in our clinic.”
Kacy Tucker, a CRNP in Hematology, is “empathetic with everyone she meets. I’d want my own family treated by someone like her.”
Emily Shelby, a CRNP in Hematology, Oncology, and Infusion Therapy, was recognized for her “integrity and ethical leadership, which define her practice.”
Stephanie Guthrie Spain, a CRNP in Neurology, is “accountable and serves as a resource for patients and physicians alike.”