Boston Globe’s Annual Salute to Nurses Honors Hebrew SeniorLife Health Care Professionals
Five employees praised by families, patients, and co-workers through heartfelt nominations
Five nurses working at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Boston-area campuses were nominated by patients, families, and colleagues for the 2026 “Salute to Nurses” special report published in Boston Globe Magazine. This annual feature recognizes area nurses across specialties whose dedication and care have saved lives and improved the quality of life of countless patients.
The nurses work at Hebrew SeniorLife campuses, including Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles.
The nominated nurses include:
- Anna Changxiu Qiu, RN, a charge nurse at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles. She was nominated for a third consecutive year. The Belmont resident was nominated this year by Joanne Peskowitz, LICSW, a palliative care social worker at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, who wrote, “Anna is very dedicated, compassionate, dependable, and competent. I have worked with her for five years now. I am the social worker in the memory support long-term care unit, where Anna is the charge nurse. In addition to her charge nurse responsibilities, Anna is always helping, whether that is fielding questions from family members or helping feed patients on the unit to relieve some stress from the floor staff. Anna steps forward to help household nurses with admissions and attends care plan meetings. Anna advocates for patients in terms of their care and comfort. It is a privilege to work with Anna. The families often praise her competency and compassion.”
- Stephanie David, RN, a Waltham resident and nurse manager at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston. She was nominated by Susan Graff Tolman, DNP, MSN, RN, associate chief nursing officer at Hebrew SeniorLife. Tolman wrote, “I am pleased to recognize nurse manager Stephanie David for her contributions to our team. As a newer member of the leadership group, Stephanie has consistently demonstrated compassion, integrity, and dedication to both patients and staff. She promotes a culture of collaboration, respect, and accountability, supporting nurses in their professional growth while maintaining high standards of care. Stephanie brings a positive and steady presence to the workplace, helping to foster a supportive and productive environment. She exemplifies strong nursing leadership and is well-deserving of this recognition.”
Satish Sapkota, LPN, a Whitman resident and staff nurse at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles. He was nominated by Joseph Rodriguez, RN, nurse manager at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles. Rodriquez said, “Satish started his career at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center at NewBridge on the Charles as a patient care assistant and has proven to be an exceptional PCA during his time there. Satish took advantage of Hebrew Rehabilitation Center’s continuing educational offerings and completed the PCA to licensed practical nurse program offered through Quincy College.”
“Satish leads the way as an advocate for his patients and peers. He leads by example and has his patients’ well-being and safety at the forefront of his practice. This was evident in his role as a PCA and continues now as an LPN. This transition was seamless for Satish. His hunger for knowledge and professional growth continues, as he plans to pursue a degree as a registered nurse in the near future.”
“Satish consistently places staff needs ahead of his own and ensures that households run smoothly with teamwork on his mind. He embodies everything that a nurse should be. He approaches all that he does with a sense of motivation, teamwork, and professionalism. He also upholds Hebrew SeniorLife’s cultural beliefs at all times and this is evident in his practice as well as the interactions he has with patients, families, and his peers. I constantly hear from family members that they can rest assured that their loved ones will be well cared for when Satish is working.”
“Satish is caring, compassionate, and a true professional. He is constantly looking for innovative ways to improve the care that he delivers to the older adults under his care and keep our team members engaged. He approaches everyone with respect, dignity, and compassion.”
- Stephanie Ifezue, MSN, RN, director of nursing of the Rehabilitative Services Unit at NewBridge on the Charles. Stephanie was nominated by Ingrid Scanlon, unit coordinator of the Rehabilitative Services Unit at Hebrew SeniorLife. According to Scanlon, she and Weymouth resident Ifezue, “worked with a patient who was experiencing significant anxiety about her upcoming surgery and required additional reassurance and support. The patient was hesitant to attend her critical preoperative appointment and stated she would cancel the procedure unless someone could accompany her. With no family available to assist, Stephanie adjusted her schedule at the last minute to attend the appointment with her. She dedicated roughly six hours to ensuring the patient received the care she needed, returning home around 8 p.m. Stephanie frequently says that nursing is more than just medical care, it is about caring for the whole person — which is exactly what she showed that day.”
- Victoria Gorodetsky, NP, a nurse practitioner at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston. Victoria was nominated because she is “the kind of nurse who becomes the steady heartbeat of a place where life is often fragile. As a family nurse practitioner at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, she cares for hundreds of elderly patients, including those in the dementia unit, my mother among them. Her days are as full and demanding as it gets, filled with complex medical decisions, urgent situations, and families who are scared, exhausted, and searching for reassurance. Somehow, Victoria is always there, present, calm, and completely on top of things.”
“She moves through her work like a lighthouse in rough water. When situations feel overwhelming or even life-threatening, she responds quickly and decisively, while never losing her humanity. She speaks to patients with respect and dignity, even when dementia has taken so much from them, and she speaks to families with clarity, honesty, and compassion. She doesn’t just communicate, she listens. She makes space for questions, fears, and grief, and answers them with patience and understanding.”
“For families going through one of the hardest experiences imaginable, watching a loved one decline with dementia, having someone like Victoria is nothing short of lifesaving. She has guided my family for over a year now, and I truly cannot imagine getting through this without her. With more than 20 years of service, she has not lost her kind heart or her deep sense of purpose. She advocates fiercely for her patients, supports staff with leadership and trust, and ensures that every person in her care receives the greatest possible comfort, dignity, and respect. Victoria doesn’t just provide care; she carries people through their most vulnerable moments. That is compassion in action, and it deserves to be honored.”
According to Sarah Sjöström, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, “Every day, our nurses bring extraordinary skill, compassion, and dedication to the people we serve. In addition to exceptional clinical care, Hebrew SeniorLife nurses also bring comfort and reassurance to residents, patients, and families during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Their recognition in the Boston Globe’s ‘Salute to Nurses’ reflects the profound difference they make in our community every day.”
Hebrew SeniorLife offers many opportunities for nurses to advance their careers through professional development, tuition assistance, and leadership development, helping all employees build meaningful careers.
The Lunder CareForce Institute is transforming how to train, support, and launch the next generation of caregivers, starting with nursing assistants, and then establishing other programs designed to advance career opportunities for frontline staff. The Institute aims to reduce barriers by providing financial support, English language and computer training, and academic and life coaching. The Lunder CareForce Institute focuses on more than just passing the exam — it trains people to succeed on the job. The Institute’s hands-on training focuses on building the skills, confidence, and compassion necessary to thrive in real-world health care settings.
Hebrew SeniorLife’s Certified Nursing Assistant training program is based at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston and offers a five-week, fully paid program that combines classroom time, lab skill training, and supervised time with patients.
As a clinical training site for students seeking RN, LPN, or CNA degrees, Hebrew SeniorLife trains nursing students from partner schools, including Academy Health Care, Regis College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, MGH Institute of Health Professions, and Labouré College, in inpatient and outpatient settings.
Hebrew SeniorLife has been named a Top Place to Work by the Boston Globe five times and a Certified Age-Friendly Employer by the Age-Friendly Institute. If you are interested in joining our team for a fulfilling career, please visit our careers page.
About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife is a national leader working to create a world where aging is defined by possibility, not limitation. We care for more than 4,500 older adults each day across seven campuses throughout Greater Boston, and offer support for families in the aging journey. Our services include in-home care, outpatient therapies, an outpatient memory clinic, short- and long-term inpatient care, hospice, independent and assisted living, and affordable housing with services. We conduct influential research on aging at our Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a grant portfolio of $87 million, and train future health care workers at the Lunder CareForce Institute. Hebrew SeniorLife is a Harvard Medical School affiliate. Follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
