Christian Health Applauds its Three Finalists for 2019 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards

Douglas A. Struyk, CPA, LNHA, CHCC President and CEO; Brittany McNaboe, CHCC Volunteer, and Sofia Magnifico, BSN, RN-BC, Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health Geriatric Nurse Manager.

Christian Health (CHCC) is proud to have three individuals representing CHCC named as finalists for the 2019 Healthcare Heroes Awards hosted by NJBIZ. The annual awards program honors individuals and organizations that are making a significant impact on the quality of health care in New Jersey. CHCC’s finalists include President and CEO Douglas A. Struyk, CPA LNHA, for Healthcare Professional of the Year; Geriatric Nurse Manager for Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health Sofia Magnifico, BSN, RN-BC, for Nurse of the Year; and CHCC volunteer Brittany McNaboe for Volunteer of the Year.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized alongside Sofia and Brittany, two valuable and beloved members of our organization,” said Douglas A. Struyk, CPA LNHA, President and CEO of CHCC. “We will continue to work together to positively impact the quality of life for our residents, patients, clients, and consumers, and hope to set an example for quality health care in New Jersey.”

Mr. Struyk is a finalist for 2019’s Healthcare Professional of the Year. During his 30-year leadership with CHCC, he has led with integrity, professionalism, and strong core values that are largely responsible for the outstanding reputation and immense growth of the organization. A longtime resident of Wayne, Mr. Struyk was instrumental in expanding CHCC’s footprint into the township with the inclusion of Siena Village and Summer Hill of Wayne, two independent living communities for seniors. On CHCC’s Wyckoff campus, The Longview Assisted Living Residence was also established under Mr. Struyk’s leadership, as a home for nearly 100 seniors, some of whom exhibit early- to mid-stages of dementia, and has been awarded Advanced Standing distinction by the New Jersey Department of Health for eight consecutive years. Mr. Struyk is committed to the health and well-being of the community, even far beyond CHCC’s campuses, meeting with state and federal legislators to advocate for resources necessary for the delivery and accessibility of high-quality health care.

Ms. Magnifico is a finalist for 2019’s Nurse of the Year. In her 20 years of service at Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health (RRBH), a 58-bed psychiatric hospital accredited by The Joint Commission, Ms. Magnifico has exhibited clinical excellence, exemplary leadership, and limitless compassion for her patients, their families, her colleagues, and the community. She is an outstanding and proud ambassador for CHCC and mental-health awareness in the community, and is certified by the New Jersey Hospital Association as a language interpreter to ensure that all patients, residents, clients, and consumers receive equity of care. She was also instrumental in RRBH earning the distinction of “Disease Specific Care Certification for Dementia” from The Joint Commission, making it the only hospital in the state with this distinction. Ms. Magnifico, a resident of Hawthorne, attended the awards ceremony with her 15-year-old son, Joshua.

Ms. McNaboe, a finalist for 2019 Volunteer of the Year, has contributed more than 2,000 hours of her time over the past 10 years to the betterment of residents and patients on CHCC’s Wyckoff campus. She created a newspaper circulation program at CHCC’s Heritage Manor Nursing Home, and also helped to start an in-house volunteer program with Shining Stars, a group of adults with developmental disabilities for which she serves as an ambassador. The Shining Stars join CHCC’s robust volunteer pool of 300 individuals, junior volunteers, and corporate groups. Last year, Ms. McNaboe, a resident of Ramsey, was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Health Care Association of New Jersey. Throughout her time volunteering at CHCC, Ms. McNaboe has grown as both an individual and a volunteer, and along the way she has help to improve the lives of countless residents, fellow volunteers, and staff members.

“CHCC is incredibly blessed by its dedicated and compassionate leadership, clinical team, and volunteer pool,” said Rick DeBel, Chair of the Christian Health Board of Trustees. “Mr. Struyk, Ms. Magnifico, and Ms. McNaboe all exemplify the compassionate values upon which CHCC was founded and continue to operate today.”

All finalists and winners of the 2019 Healthcare Heroes Awards were recognized at a ceremony in June 2019, at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, NJ. An independent panel of judges evaluated the nominations and selected a winner for each of the categories.

About Christian Health

CHCC provides a broad continuum of high-quality, compassionate care, offering superior senior-life, short-term rehab, and mental-health services. As a non-profit organization, we deliver Person- and Family-centered Care to our community based upon the Christian principles on which we were founded more than a century ago. For more information, visit ChristianHealthCare.org.