Photo caption: Scott Wester, Dr. Randy Katz, Brett Rose
Five local individuals and an organization were recently honored by the Memorial and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundations at the 23rd Circle of Friends luncheon at the Signature Grand in Davie.
Dr. Paula Eckardt, Italia Folleco, Dr. Randy Katz, Dr. Holly Neville, and Craig Zinn were named “Spirit of Healing” award winners for professional excellence, community service, and a commitment to Memorial Healthcare System. The contributions of The Taft Foundation were recognized with the “Wasie Philanthropic Leadership” award.
Paula Eckardt, M.D., is currently medical director of Memorial’s Ryan White Clinic, which provides services for people living with HIV/AIDS, and whose multidisciplinary team helps ensure that patients have access to medications, mental health services and case management services in addition to their medical care. With her leadership, Memorial was a real leader managing a hospital system during a pandemic. She has a true passion for caring and treating at-risk patients and then helping patients stay in care, take their medications, manage their conditions and get better.
Italia Folleco is a member and chair of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s Patient and Family Advisory Council. Ms. Folleco’s daughter, at age nine, learned that she had osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive childhood bone cancer, and passed away in 2007 from complications of her cancer treatment. Ms. Folleco and her family have worked ever since to keep Daniella’s legacy alive.
Randy Katz, D.O., FACEP, is the District Medical Director of Emergency Medicine at Memorial Healthcare System, and believes he’s in a unique position to benefit the patients and families he serves. Dr. Katz spearheaded a proactive 2020 initiative to confront COVID-19 in nursing homes and established an outreach plan offering critical services to nearly 60 unaffiliated facilities throughout south Broward County.
Holly Neville, M.D., is a pediatric general surgeon, chief of pediatric surgery at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Associate Chief Medical Officer for Memorial Healthcare System. Dr. Neville is also Program Director of the General Surgery Residency Program in Graduate Medical Education. She is making a tangible difference in children’s lives daily. She serves on the education and wellness committee for the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA), and, as a certified coach, co-founded and leads the ASPA Coaching Program.
Craig Zinn is an entrepreneur that has spent four decades in the automotive industry. The Craig Zinn Automotive Group operates in South Florida and is made up of Toyota of Hollywood, Lexus of Pembroke Pines, Lexus of North Miami, Acura of Pembroke Pines, and Subaru of Pembroke Pines. As a generous supporter of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Mr. Zinn has created an endowment to underwrite costs associated with the Animal Assisted Therapy program at the children’s hospital. Additionally, Subaru of Pembroke Pines and its “Share the Love” campaign provided funding that was part of the capital campaign for the expansion of the pediatric facility.
