Meranda Inez Alvarez has been a medical assistant with Kaiser Permanente for a year and a half working in many departments from Primary Care to Plastic Surgery. She has been recognized by doctors, nurses, fellow employees and administrators at Kaiser with many Shining Star Awards for outstanding performance and her highest accolade, the Radiant STAR Award. Meranda provides excellent, caring service all patients. For example, she made sure an elderly patient, dropped off by her daughter, received food during her wait when she was feeling ill and hungry. She is now working towards becoming a registered nurse.

Dr. William Annan has been a skilled, kind and patient physician and surgeon for the people of Garden Grove for 35 years. He is a former President of the Orange County Surgical Society and has served on the Medical Staffs of Garden Grove Hospital, St Joseph Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Western Medical Center - Santa Ana and UCI Medical Center. His positions at these hospitals include Director of Trauma, Clinical Professor, Medical Director of Trauma and Chief of Surgery. Dr. Annan is a former President of The Rotary Club of Garden Grove and received a Community Achievement Award from the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Noel Burcelis is a trained medical social worker serving as Program Director for Helping Hands for Better Living, Adult Day Health Care Center in Garden Grove. The Center serves developmentally disabled adults with medical needs. He received his Master's and Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach. He was invited this year to serve as a member of the Orange County Transportation Authority, Special Needs in Transit Advisory Board. He also lectures in the Social Work Master's Program at Cal State Los Angeles and was recognized by the Long Beach City Council and YMCA Community Development Branch for his service to Children and families.

Dr. Douglas Clark, a caring physician who gives his patients personalized attention, has been practicing medicine in Garden Grove since 1985. A graduate of Loma Linda University, he is board-certified in Internal Medicine, and a member of the Orange County Medical Association. Festival board member Sue Catlin, a patient for eight years, nominated him because he always shows compassion, never makes you feel rushed, and always takes time to explain everything. He'll call on the weekend if he feels you are worried. He goes to other countries to help others. Sue says his compassion and integrity make him a true healthcare hero.

Dr. Sally Dang is a Garden Grove optometrist at Pacific Optometry who reaches out to many Garden Grove families. School nurses send her their students with no health or vision insurance who can't afford glasses and she accepts Garden Grove Lions payment well below standard fees. She is a recent widow with four sons. Her husband, Dr. Rob Soltes, who was also an optometrist was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomber while serving in the reserves. Dr. Dang also teaches at Southern California school of Optometry. An amazing clinician and mother, she is a valued medical resource in Garden Grove and Orange County.

Dr. Emil Dionysian is an orthopedic surgeon and has been In practice at Kaiser Permanente OC for 15 years. He was Director of the Kaiser Orange County Hand surgery fellowship, and received the Kaiser OC Physician Exceptional Contribution Award 2003. He was also named Physician of Excellence by Orange Coast Magazine in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009. As a member of Health Volunteer Overseas he has served in missions to Buhtan, Armenia, and Nepal. Dr. Dionysian holds Degrees in Engineering from UCLA and an MD from Chicago Medical School. He served his residency in Orthopedic surgery at UCLA and in Hand fellowship at Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

Suzanne Engelder, is a Social Worker who for the past 16 years has been working in hospice care with a focus on pediatric end-of-life care. She created and is the Coordinator for the St. Joseph's Hospital Perinatal Comfort Care Program which helps parents who've received a prenatal diagnosis that their baby may be born with a life-threatening condition, and have chosen to continue the pregnancy. It allows families to create a holistic birthing plan, complete with a multidisciplinary team, who will help a family through this process with dignity and compassion, while meeting its specific needs.

Susanna Duron Heapy has been a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for over 35 years, has worked in all areas of nursing at UCLA, UCI, and CHOC, and has been with the Garden Grove Unified School District as school nurse for almost 10 years, working with students from kindergarten through high school. Susanna will use her own money to help children in need of surgery or care, and will devote off school hours to train teachers in emergency procedures. She visits students' homes and even takes them to medical or dental appointments if needed. In the summer she goes on medical missions to Peru, Africa, and Central America. She wishes for more time with sons Ryan and Jeff.

Dr. Gary Heidner, DDS, is a much admired Garden Grove dentist who was voted America's Top Dentists in 2009 by the editorial staff of the Consumer Research Council of America. He was also Consumer Business Review’s Dentist of the Year in 1999 and 2002. He received his degree from the UCLA School of Dentistry. Dr. Heidner has been a member of the Garden Grove Elks Lodge since 1994 and was the High Adventure Leader of his son's Boy Scout troop, as well as member of the High Adventure Council. He started a charity bike ride to raise money for boys who could not afford Scout activities.

Dr. Frank Kellogg is a pediatrician who has served the children and families of Garden Grove since 1956, the year the city incorporated. He has shown kindness, patience and concern to all. Dr. Kellogg has volunteered his time as a board president and health educator to the Garden Grove Unified School District. He has fundraised for the YMCA for 40 years, is a charter member of CHOC and former president of the OC Pediatric Society. He has been happily married to his wife Shirley for 58 years and they enjoy their three adult children and their progeny.

Dr. Patricia Nance is currently the Chief of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Health Care Group at the Veterans Administration Long Beach Healthcare System. She also a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of California Irvine, and a frequent guest lecturer on spinal cord injury, spasticity and general rehabilitation issues. Dr. Nance received her graduate degree from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Her background includes extensive research of therapy and treatment options in spinal cord injuries and spasticity. Her training and compassion have benefited numerous returning veterans and patients experiencing difficulty in walking due to injury and illness.

Lynn Perkins is a very conscientious Clinical Laboratory Scientist who will soon celebrate twenty-five years with Fountain Valley Regional Hospital. She and has always received outstanding annual reviews. She was recently selected as March's Champion at Fountain Valley Hospital for going above and beyond the call of duty. Lynn is a long time Garden Grove resident. Lynn takes her job very seriously, is loved by her fellow employees and is the epitome of professionalism. She has a strong work ethic coupled with integrity and a commitment to excellence.

Linda Pierog, N.P., is a nurse practitioner who has been a key member of the Emergency Department at St. Joseph Hospital for many years. She was honored by the Orange County Sheriff's Department with the Medal of Valor Award in March 2009. She continued to use her life-saving skills outside of the hospital recently when she saved the life of a cardiac arrest victim while serving jury duty. The victim required CPR and two shocks with a defibrillator before his pulse was restored. Because of her fast thinking, the person was stabilized taken to the hospital, and was expected to make a full recovery.

Dr. Michael Russo, Q.M.E. has been a Chiropractor who established his clinic in Garden Grove in 1996. He helps patients who need treatment of painful nerve, muscle and skeletal conditions, as well as sports and auto accident injuries, and is a state appointed Qualified Medical Evaluator for worker's comp injuries. He also provides family wellness care and nutrition. He is a nationally advanced rated and certified in Activator Method Low Force Technique as well as Diversified Chiropractic. He uses modern treatment therapies, including rehabilitation and exercises. Dr. Russo is a graduate of Los Angeles College of Chiropractic and holds two Bachelor of Science Degrees with one in Biology.

Dr. Arthur Silk has been a practicing internist serving the Garden Grove community for 55 years and still in active practice. He was Orange County Medical Association Physician of the Year and was Editor of its official magazine for 25 yrs. He represented Orange County as a Delegate to the AMA for 20 years and to the California Medical Association for 35 years. On the medical faculty of the UCI school of medicine since it opened and a full Professor of Medicine for the last ten years. He married Naomi in 1948 and has three daughters and four grandchildren.

Dr. Barbara B. Victor is Chief of Staff at Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, where she was appointed Medical Director of Emergency Services by CEP America. She was formerly Vice Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Quality Improvement/Utilization Management Committee. Since her tenure, she and the hospital's Emergency Department have been recognized for excellence in Emergency Medicine with awards for CEP's Most Improved Emergency Department, The Community Achievement Award from the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce, and CEP’s Distinguished Service Award. Other positions include Assistant Medical Director for Monarch HealthCare, and Trustee for Garden Grove Hospital and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center.

Noemi Vidal is a Social Worker and a leading advocate for many Spanish-speaking cancer patients. She has lobbied on behalf of her patients for low-cost medications and is enthusiastic in calling others to work together to understand, serve the needs, and improve the health of our communities. Because there were no Spanish-speaking support groups for area cancer patients, Noemi started one in 2004 that she continues to facilitate the St. Joseph Hospital program, called Entre Amigos or Between Friends. "Just ask many of the patients whom she has helped and they will tell you that she is truly their hero."

Peggy Sue Costello is a Case Manager for the Oncology unit at St. Joseph's Hospital. Her goal is to help prepare for their transition home. Sometimes, it might be to help someone prepare for a wedding to make their dying wish come true. Other times she organizes the unit to celebrate as a patient is able to make it home after being in the hospital for months. Or, she might help make them comfortable as they prepare for their final journey. Whatever the need, she is a blessing to all the patients in the unit in meeting their individual needs.

Laurie Beeler, PT, PCS, is a well-respected physical therapist, with United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County, who has done so much to change the lives of children having physical disabilities and to increase the accessibility to quality therapy services in Orange County. During her 30 year career, she has treated more than 2500 children personally and 10,000 children through her clinics, and provided specialized training in Neuro-Developmental Treatment to more than 2700 other physical, occupational, and speech therapists. She will soon complete a doctorate in Physical Therapy and a PhD in Pediatrics.

Judith Brill, MD, a dedicated medical volunteer with Operation Smile and its speakers bureau, specializes in pediatric anesthesia and pediatric critical care at the UCLA's Mattel Children's Hospital. Dr. Brill has served on more than 14 Operation Smile medical missions in the last 4 years, traveling to 7 countries, where she serves as a full-time medical team volunteer during countess surgeries. Families find her gentle, loving and caring, even if she does not know their language, and they absolutely adore her. Since 1982 Operation Smile's volunteers have provided free reconstructive surgery to repair facial deformities for over 130,000 children and young adults around the world.

Marita A. Fortades, MD, FAAP, is a full time pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County Clinic at Garden Grove. She also works some nights at the Clinic in Orange. She is loved and respected by her colleagues, recently receiving the Shining Star Award from the Garden Grove Staff who call her a great teacher, and an amazing, inspirational, kind and compassionate doctor who always places her patients’ well-being above all else. In addition to providing comprehensive health care, diagnosis and referrals, Dr. Fortades creates a caring medical home for children with Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, genetic disorders and developmental delay. She also does pre-op exams for Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County, and often refers patients to the Boys & Girls Club for after-school activities, tutoring, counseling, vision care, and transportation.

Lisa Manheim is the Director of the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. In 1998, after her husband Ron Hirshberg lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, Agi Hirshberg established the Foundation, which is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on the disease. The Ronald S. Hirshberg Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research Laboratory and the Ronald S. Hirshberg Chair in Translational Pancreatic Cancer Research, were both established at UCLA. Lisa Manheim is dedicated to increasing awareness and raising funds for research. Her primary role is to oversee all Foundation Fundraising and Communications. Under her leadership as Chairperson, the LA Cancer Challenge 5K/10K Walk and Run has raised more than 2.1 million dollars and has become one of Southern California’s premier running events.

Lilly Mucarsel is the Associate Director of the Western Division of the American Diabetes Association and an Area Manager for Latino Programs and Outreach. She is an expert on Diabetes and teaches patients in both English and Spanish how to manage their diabetes. In six years, she has educated 3,650 participants, not only through Conference and weekly classes, but by helping people find medical clinics with resources and screenings at an affordable price. Lilly organized the "United Against Diabetes Health Fair" and "Family Retreat" event, serving more than 50,000 people in Santa Ana, helping those afflicted and educating prevention. Her community involvement is exemplary. She is currently developing a partnership with The Heart and Cancer Association to expand education efforts. Lilly has received many awards, including the Latino Health Access award, and several others for her advocacy efforts by the Members of the Santa Ana Council.

Paul Vollucci, MD is the Physician-in-Charge at the Kaiser Permanente Garden Grove Medical Offices. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2000 through the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, as a board certified family medicine specialist. He teaches new doctors through his role as administrative faculty in the Kaiser Permanente Family Medicine Residency program, and gives back to the community by providing medical care to the homeless. Born and raised in Southern California, he was the first in his family to obtain a graduate degree and the first in his family to become a physician. He graduated from University of California, Irvine, with degrees in both Biological Sciences and Psychology, then graduated in 1997 from Western University of Health Sciences. Dr. Volluci is proud of his wonderful family, his wife, Deinyell of 16 years and three children ages 7, 9, and 12.