PROVIDENCE – Phil Rizzuto, of Rizzuto Eyelid and Facial Plastic Surgery, has been chosen as the Career Achiever in Providence Business News’ 2026 Health Care Summit & Health Care Heroes Awards program.
Rizzuto is a professor of surgery at Brown University and in solo practice in oculoplastic surgery. He teaches medical students and ophthalmology residents, as well as a member of the admissions committee at Brown Medical School. He also teaches at the Providence VA hospital.
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He also serves as a board member of the Academy of Ophthalmology and has lectured nationally and internationally on procedures that he has perfected in Providence. On behalf of the academy, he has traveled yearly to Washington D.C. to lobby for better funding and other related legislation that affects Rhode Island health care.
Rizzuto is one of 16 honorees selected for this year’s program across eight different main categories. In the program’s third year, the honorees were chosen from a pool of applicants and are recognized for their work and making a difference in the health care sector in both Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
Honorees will be recognized during PBN’s annual Health Care Summit on April 2 at 9 a.m. at the Providence Marriott Downtown. Honoree profiles will be published in a special section part of PBN’s April 11-24 print and digital editions.
The other honorees, and their categories, are:
ADVANCEMENT IN HEALTH CARE PREVENTION
Salve Regina University
HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATOR
Morgan Leonard, Clinica Esperanza Hope Clinic executive director
Elizabeth Russell, Saint Elizabeth Community director of operations
MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER/ADVOCATE
Diane Medeiros Gomes, Butler Hospital director of pharmacy
Tara Scungio, URI Health Services psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner
NURSE PRACTIONER/PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
Kaitlin Collins, HopeHealth nurse practitioner
Natasha Dow, PACE Organization of Rhode Island nurse practitioner
NURSE
Terasa Antoch, Westerly Hospital nurse manager
Shelley Grant, Bradley Hospital director of nursing – residential
Barbara Lee Trout, CODAC director of health care services
PHYSICIAN
Dr. Michael Lee, Care New England medical director of Kent Hospital at Home
Leah McDonald, HopeHealth physician
VOLUNTEER
Alexander “Alex” Chow, Rhode Island Hospital volunteer
Billy Partain, New England Donor Services volunteer
William Rapp, Brown University Health volunteer
A buffet breakfast will be served at the summit, which will feature a panel of health experts and business leaders discussing the latest trends within the health care sector. Discussion topics include the business case for employee health and wellness, workforce shortages and the future of health care talent, the role of technology in improving employee health care, and public-private partnerships for a healthier workforce.
Panelists to date have not yet been determined.
Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
(UPDATE: Corrects Kaitlin Collins is a Nurse Practioner/Physician Assistant honoree.)
Veer Mudambi is the special projects editor at the Providence Business News. He can be reached at mudambi@pbn.com.
