In addition to featuring a panel of industry experts who will discuss Healthcare: From Ideation to Innovation and Delivery, a journey of technology innovation, expert delivery, and positive patient outcomes, the Greater Irvine Chamber will recognize honorees of its 2025 Excellence in Healthcare & Innovation awards, at its cocktail attire event held on Thursday, Jan. 16, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Hilton Irvine, 18800 MacArthur Blvd.
Meet the 2025 honorees and what some nominators had to say:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR
Susan S Huang, MD, MPH
Medical Director, Epidemiology and Infection Prevention
UCI Health
“Specializing in the prevention of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals and nursing homes, Dr. Susan Huang’s research has been developed into protocols that have been adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the OC Health Care Agency, and health institutions across the nation.”
“Dr. Susan Huang is among the nation’s leading clinicians and researchers in the field of infection prevention and combatting multi-drug-resistant organisms. She is responsible for developing infection prevention protocols that have been implemented locally and nationally to protect the lives of patients.”
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Emmanuelle Schwartzman, PharmD, APh
Professor and Chair of Pharmacy Practice
Chapman University School of Pharmacy
“Dr. Emmanuelle Schwartzman is a leading figure at Chapman University's School of Pharmacy, shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals through innovative teaching, research, and leadership.”
“Dr. Schwartzman’s contributions to pharmacy education extend beyond her department, influencing the broader field through mentoring, residency training, and innovative programming.”
INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Peman Montazemi, MSEME, MSMAE, MSBME, MBA
Founder & CEO / Co-Inventor
Finally Quiet, Inc.
“Peman leads innovation and dental care by addressing high-frequency noise, creating serene and safe clinical environments for both the dental staff and the patient. Peman's company, Finally Quiet, will solve the long overdue issue of hearing loss within the clinician community and fear of dental visits. Peman presented at the 2024 Octane Medical Innovation Forum in Irvine.”
“Peman developed and patented medical-grade, AI-driven noise canceling and vibration-neutralizing systems to enhance patient comfort, protect dental staff from Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL), and improve treatment efficiency.”
PRACTITIONER OF THE YEAR
Richard T. Lee, M.D.
Cherng Family Director’s Chair, Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology at City of Hope; Medical Director, Supportive & Integrative Medicine, Department of Supportive Care Medicine
City of Hope Orange County
“Richard T. Lee, M.D. FASCO is the medical visionary who leads City of Hope’s first-of-its kind national integrative oncology program that brings together the best of Eastern and Western medicine to improve outcomes and quality of life for people with cancer.”
“A pioneer in the evolving field of integrative oncology, Lee leads the most comprehensive effort to date to unlock the scientific potential behind integrative cancer therapies such as meditation, acupuncture, and massage therapy with the goal of making them an evidence-based standard of care.”
ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR
Aaron Ritter, M.D.
Larkin Family Endowed Chair in Integrative Brain Health, Director of Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program
Hoag's Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute
“Dr. Ritter has brought access to groundbreaking treatment options, such as a Phase 1 Alzheimer’s vaccine clinical trial, as well as other Alzheimer’s drug infusion trials.”
“Dr. Ritter has expanded Hoag's patient and physician education in memory and cognitive disorders, tools for screening and early assessment, and evidence-based patient-care pathways.”
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Executive Director
KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation
“Sarah spends countless hours reaching out to families of currently diagnosed children as well as newly diagnosed families.”
“Sarah has expanded the foundation's reach, contributing to the foundation receiving a prestigious Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s "Rare As One Network" award and which was awarded a multi-year $200,000 grant.”
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties - Community Education and Outreach
“The health education team at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) provides comprehensive sex education reaching more than 120,000 students, adults, educational professionals and community leaders each year through partnerships with school districts, community groups, and other organizations. Two notable initiatives are PPOSBC’s health education outreach efforts for students with intellectual disabilities through their Equal Voices program, and to young men in the justice system through their Male Involvement program.”
EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH SYSTEM
UCI Health
“As the only academic health system serving the diverse population of Orange and parts of Los Angeles counties, UCI Health is transforming medicine and expanding access to care that goes beyond the standard, as only an academic health system can do. UCI Health plays a critical role in healthcare in the region, offering a higher level of care for the most complex conditions. It is the home of the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in Orange County. The flagship UCI Medical Center is also home to Orange County’s only Level I Trauma center, level II pediatric trauma center, primary stroke center, gold level 1 geriatric ED, regional burn center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and adult hemopoietic stem cell transplant program.”
EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION
Johnson & Johnson MedTech
“This year, Johnson & Johnson MedTech brought forward the VARIPULSE platform for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (Afib), which impacts more than 50 million people around the world. The Platform is comprised of the VARIPULSE™ Catheter a multi-electrode, regional ablation catheter with a loop design; the TRUPULSE Generator™ a multi-channel PFA generator; and the CARTO™ 3 System VARIPULSE™ software, which provides lesion indexing and electrode-tissue contact indication. The VARIPULSE™ Platform is designed to enable AFib treatment with a single device that combines pulsed field ablation (PFA) therapy and mapping with the CARTO™ 3 System, the world leading 3D electroanatomical cardiac mapping system. PFA is a new, minimally-thermal approach to treating AFib.”
Edward S. Kim, M.D., M.B.A., Physician-in-Chief for City of Hope Orange County, will moderate the Healthcare: From Ideation to Innovation and Delivery discussion with panelists Jinny Lee, M.B.A., senior vice president, Exploration, Strategy and Marketing for the Advanced Technology division of Edwards Lifesciences; Kristin Gentry, founder of PulseGraft, Inc., a startup company focused on non-surgical solutions for cardiovascular health; and Tyler Train, M.S., J.D., a registered patent attorney at Fish & Richardson.
Tickets for early-bird registration are $175 for Greater Irvine Chamber members and $225 for non-members. Beginning Dec. 21 individual ticket prices are $200 and $250, respectively. Registration closes Thursday, Jan. 9.
For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Courtney Nakagawa at cnakagawa@irvinechamber.com.
