Colleagues Honored at 2025 Hartford Business Journal Health Care Heroes Event

Congratulations to Trinity Health Of New England's 2025 Health Care Heroes!

William Rabitaille, MD, FACP

Dr. Rabitaille was honored in the Physician category. He has been with Saint Francis since 2017 and currently serves as Regional Chief of Primary Care for Trinity Health Of New England Medical Group, Lead Physician for the three Safety Net Clinics at Saint Francis and Chair of Medicine at Saint Francis. He focuses on ensuring patients receive the same quality of care regardless of which location they visit and that every practice continues to carry out the Trinity Health Of New England Mission of serving as a transformative, healing presence in the community. Dr. Rabitaille is passionate about providing high-quality care to underserved populations and is dedicated to encouraging and instilling a passion for whole-person care to the next generation of providers. 

Joan Thompson, BSN, RN

Joan, Director of Surgical Services at Saint Mary’s, was recognized in the Nursing category. A member of the Saint Mary’s family for over 40 years, Joan embodies the qualities of leadership, compassion and innovation in nursing. Her commitment to patient-centered care, combined with a strategic business mindset, has transformed surgical services and elevated the experience for patients, staff and physicians alike. Joan oversees two Operating Rooms, one in Saint Mary’s and an outpatient surgical center, Naugatuck Valley Surgical Center, ensuring seamless coordination, communication and efficiency across all sites. Her proactive approach to scheduling and resource management allows for optimal OR utilization, reducing patient wait times and enhancing the experience for both patients and physicians. 

The Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry at Saint Francis Hospital

The team from the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry at Saint Francis was honored in the Healthcare Staff category, which recognizes non-clinical teams and individuals. For almost 50 years, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry at Saint Francis Hospital has provided food assistance, nutritional counseling, and case management to families and individuals in the greater Hartford region. The program is coordinated by the Trinity Health Of New England Community Health and Well-Being department, including dedicated Community Health Workers (CHW) who help ensure clients are connected with the resources and support they need, and is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers.

Today, the Joan C. Dauber Food Pantry is more than just a food resource – it is a critical Community Benefit Initiative that fully embodies the mission to address social determinants of health and create sustainable change. The Food Pantry serves over 1,500 in-person clients each month for food assistance, has partnered with a local church-based delivery service to provide support for community members who are elderly, disabled, or new moms, and runs a monthly Diaper Clinic that serves over 200 families. Additionally, the Food Pantry has partnered with COMPASS Youth Collaborative’s Training for Employment Program (TEP) that helps young adults affected by gun violence develop job skills, offering youth a safe environment to learn and grow with the guidance of trained mentors.

Trinity Health Of New England’s Thoracic Oncology Program

The Trinity Health Of New England Thoracic Oncology Program was recognized in the Innovation category. Through a collaborative approach between Interventional Pulmonology, Thoracic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, and Primary care, the program provides timely, innovative, comprehensive treatment that delivers excellent outcomes via customized treatment plans for every patient.

Led by Anil Magge, MD, Director of Interventional Pulmonology, and Stefan Kachala, MD, Chief of Thoracic Surgery, the team also includes Daniel Gerardi, MD; Amrita Krambelkar, MD; Emily Collier, MD; David Grew, MD; and Amber Newman, FNP; along with countless other advanced practice providers, nurses, and support staff. The program offers a level of lung cancer care that is not widely available in the region, including early detection, accurate diagnosis, and expert, coordinated care, all with the most state-of-the-art options available. Through a deep commitment to patient care, Trinity Health Of New England is setting the bar for patients by eliminating delays, improving the coordination of care across multiple specialties, and expediting a patient’s journey to wellness, offering up the most innovative, state-of-the-art treatments from start to finish, with the goal of changing lives of individuals across the region.

Congratulations to Trinity Health Of New England’s 2025 Health Care Heroes!