LEWISBURG, W.Va. – Flags, patriotic pinwheels and all manner of red, white and blue served as decor for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) Employee Celebration, which paid tribute to the United States’ upcoming 250th birthday. The event’s theme for 2026 was “Celebrating Service, Honoring America,” with school administrators praising faculty and staff for contributing to something larger than themselves in the same spirit that built the nation.
During the June 12 celebration, hosted by the school’s Office of Human Resources, WVSOM distributed 17 awards in six categories and recognized new retirees.
James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM’s president, commended employees and retirees for their service to medical students and for a consistent willingness to exceed expectations to help their colleagues.
“We’re in the business of producing quality osteopathic physicians, and we do it at a very high level. Each of you is a part of that. I hope you feel how important that work is,” Nemitz said. “We all know that medical education is not an easy road. You help us by not only taking care of our students but also taking care of each other. This is what makes WVSOM such a great place.”
The event recognized seven retirees: Jimmy Adams, D.O., Druann Dalton, Debra Hanson, Kim LaBrie, Art Rubin, D.O., Kevin Williams and Betty Wingler.
The President’s Outstanding Employee Award, given annually to employees identified by WVSOM faculty and staff as outstanding employees for the current academic year, recognizes exceptional and dedicated service to WVSOM. Ten employees were nominated. They were Chad Burns, Tiffany Burns, Marina Diioia, Ph.D., Brian Griffith, Ph.D., Marietta Harvey, Kathy Hoke, Shelden Mullens, Jake Neumann, Ph.D., Jason Thomas and Katie Williams, Ph.D. This year’s winners were Brian Griffith, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Katie Williams, Ph.D., WVSOM’s senior director of academic technology and faculty development.
