"Who's Who" Honorees

The "Who's Who" candidates were chosen based upon personal and professional achievements, and continued contribution to the community.

All honorees are represented in the publication with a biography and photograph. Several employees of Nationwide Children's Hospital were selected to appear in multiple editions of “Who’s Who in Black Columbus" and "Who's Who in Latino Columbus," a publication that serves to highlight the positive achievements of African-Americans and Latinos in the Columbus leadership community.

Nilsa Ramirez, MD

(From Who's Who in Latino Columbus 2011)

Discovering a purpose in life is an ambition that many people aim for, but many struggle to find. For Nilsa Ramirez, MD, medical director of the Biopathology Center at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, finding her life’s intent came rather easily. “Growing up, there were very strong lessons in my house that the main thing in life is to give back and to assist others less fortunate,” says Ramirez. “So with that influence, I gravitated toward medicine.”    

And it’s clear that medicine has captured Ramirez’s heart. In addition to her role at The Biopathology Center, she also serves as the hospital’s director of Surgical Pathology. In 2009, Ramirez became the co-investigator and lead pathologist for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Biospecimen Core Resource at Nationwide Children's Hospital. TCGA is an effort by the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute that aims to develop a complete catalog of the genomic changes in more than 20 types of cancer from tumor and normal tissue samples.

As one of the leaders of the Biospecimen Core Resource, Ramirez ensures the samples submitted to TCGA meet quality standards, and she also assembles expert pathologists to review them. Though she is one of several researchers from across the country participating in the project, its mission is especially touching for Ramirez, who has lost family and friends to the disease.

“There is always that quest that you have as a scientist that motivates you to go into medicine, but I also do it for my children,” says Ramirez. “I know that eventually my daughter and step-daughter may face this disease personally or through family or friends. My goal, through my work, is to make this a lot easier for them.”

Ramirez’s determination to make a lasting contribution to medicine is simply her idea of finishing what she has started. One of the most rewarding aspects of her work has been the chance to give back through mentoring. Her coworkers appreciate her motherly attitude and upbeat sense of humor, qualities that Ramirez attributes to her cultural background. Furthermore, she has always felt the responsibility to make her work purposeful, a value she learned from her mother during her childhood in Lajas, Puerto Rico.

Ramirez grew up as an only child in the small, coastal town, spending most of her time with schoolmates and friends. When she attended the University of Puerto Rico to study biology and medicine, she was grateful for the diversity among her classmates. “It made it more rewarding that you were learning from and assisting people from your environment, and yet, diversity still had a presence,” says Ramirez. “It gave me a better understanding and appreciation for all kinds of people.”

Ramirez moved to Detroit after medical school, and appreciated beginning her career in a setting as diverse as the one she left behind in Puerto Rico. After completing her residency in pathology at Wayne State University and a fellowship in gynecological pathology at Hutzel Hospital, Ramirez worked at the Detroit Medical Center for eight years, followed by two years in private practice. In 2001, she joined the Department of Pathology at The Ohio State University where she still serves as an associate professor of clinical pathology. In 2006, she took on her first of many roles at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“I have the best job in the world,” says Ramirez. “You have to love what you do. It allows you to go home, be happy and have the desire to come back to work day after day.”

Jamie Phillips

(From Who's Who in Black Columbus 2010)

Playing doctor with your friends during your early years is something we are all familiar with. Fantasizing about growing up to be doctors and nurses was a normal part of childhood. But Jamie Phillips' dreams were a little bit different; she wanted to help less fortunate families. She was interested in business and finance, and she wanted to do positive things within the health care industry.

Phillips is vice president of operations at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She is responsible for two main areas within the organization: The Heart Center and supply chain operations. As an exceptional leader and health care manager, she enjoys a career that fulfills her childhood dream. “During a high-school summer career session at Ohio University, there was a professor describing the field of health care administration. Based upon the description of the degree and career opportunities, I believed this profession aligned perfectly with my personal and professional aspirations,” says Phillips. “I do not provide the direct clinical care, but I do have the ability to facilitate and make change happen in improving healthcare for others.”

Nationwide Children's Hospital is a top-ranked pediatric hospital and research institute offering outstanding clinical programs for children and adult patients with congenital disease. Their preeminent, high quality heart care and heart surgery programs are recognized throughout the world. One of Phillips’ next goals at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is to be a part of a movement that will bring these services into geographical regions that lack the ability to invest in highly specialized clinical physicians and clinical providers.

One of Phillips’ most rewarding experiences is being able to mentor young and upcoming leaders at Nationwide Children's Hospital. “I have a passion for growing young talented minorities seeking education and success in health care administration. Today, health care populations are more diverse, so I truly believe the hospital staff, including management and boards, needs to represent the communities they serve. I have made it a mission to take these individuals under my wings to help with coaching and mentoring on how to become an influential administrator, and thrive in corporate America,” Phillips explains. “At Nationwide Children’s, I’ve continued to mentor young minorities within our organization. One of the things most rewarding is to see when these individuals move on to higher positions. I want to be remembered as an inspirational leader, mentor and coach to others, since I have been blessed by others that have helped me become the leader I am today.”

Phillips received a Bachelor of Science degree form Ohio University and master of Health Administration degree form The Ohio State University. She recently completed her credentialing to become a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

She completed the United Way Project diversity Leadership Program in 2007, and was the 2002 recipient of the YMCA Black Achiever Award in Cincinnati, Ohio. Phillips completed the Greater Cincinnati Urban League Leadership Development Program in 2001, and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

This Bronx, New York, native is a proud wife and mother of two, and is a devoted soccer, basketball, track, and football mom. She is a Big Brother Big Sister School-based mentor and enjoys working out at least three days a week.

Jose Balderrama

(From Who's Who in Latino Columbus 2009)

Jose Balderrama, vice president of human relations for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is helping to evolve the culture and the staff of Nationwide Children’s Hospital into a world-class institution. Jose knows it isn’t easy to go beyond the familiar, but the combination of deep roots and soaring aspirations guarantees success.

Born in northern Mexico, Jose grew up learning the importance of family and the strong roots they create for you. At age 15, he moved in with his grandparents to take advantage of a better school system and a notable college where he earned a degree in industrial relations. He then headed north and sought a master’s degree in human resources at The University of Texas at Arlington. After earning a degree, he went back to Mexico and began his career in human resources as a quality and productivity coordinator for a copper mining company in Sonora, Mexico.

Jose’s strong family ties gave him the courage to take advantage of his ambitions, whether it was attending a new school or moving to a new country, as was the case a few years into his career. In 2000 he moved to the United States once again as he was named the company’s director of compensation and benefits for U.S. operations. Shortly after that, he was promoted to the vice president of the Human Resources Department. It was in this position that he was approached by Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the best pediatric hospitals in the nation,” says Jose, “and an inspiring place to work.” He believes that you can’t have a top class organization if each of the pieces of the organization is not at the same level of excellence. His goal is to make the Human Resources Department one of the best, so that the hospital as a whole continues to be one of the best.

Getting great results from his department isn’t a problem for Jose, especially with his unique approach to leadership. “Leadership is about the followers, not the leader, because you are only a leader if your followers want you to be a leader,” explains Jose. By spending the time to get his department and the hospital’s administration behind him, he is giving great ambition and direction to a department that touches every employee from recruitment through retirement.

One of the main messages human resources sends to all hospital employees is the importance of a work and life balance – a balance that Jose has perfected through the years. He makes the most of his time at the office by following one of the hospital’s principles, “Be Here Now.” However, once he gets home to his wife and son, his motto changes to “Aqui Estoy.” His language changes back to Spanish and he works to be a successful father and husband by spending time with extended family in Mexico and teaching his son about their culture. 

Angela Mingo

(From Who's Who in Black Columbus 2009)

Angela M. Mingo, director of community relations at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is helping to implement an unprecedented vision of the board to improve the lives of all children in the community, not just the hospital’s patients. As a woman who knows the value of extending her own boundaries, she is thinking globally and acting locally.

Studying abroad in high school put Angela on a global path that ended back in Ohio. After returning from Brazil, she pursued bachelor’s degrees in Portuguese and international relations, and then a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. “Having studied in Brazil and Portugal, and experiencing different cultures, I learned that all great cities are based on good infrastructure and community,” Angela says. “It was the social aspects of urban planning, understanding what folks value and treasure, that I was able to relate to as a minority who grew up in the city.”

After marrying attorney Clarence E. Mingo, Angela’s feet were firmly planted in Columbus, where she worked for the State of Ohio and the City of Columbus. It wasn’t until she Spent time as the director of community affairs for the Columbus City Council that she began working with Nationwide Children's Hospital.

“From the outside looking in, I saw the hospital as an organization committed to communicating with and serving this community,” Angela explains. “That was of great interest to me because of the benefit both businesses and the community receive when they agree to maintain an open dialog and discuss areas and items of mutual interest.”

Angela’s involvement with the hospital became a full-time affair in 2007, when she was appointed director of community relations for Nationwide Children's Hospital. She is focused on ensuring that the hospital is an engaged partner with its surrounding neighborhood, sharing the benefits and responsibilities that come with being one of the city’s largest employers.

With support from the hospital’s board of directors and chief executive officer, Angela is helping to lead an innovative new community partnership called Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families (HNHF). The hospital is investing several million dollars into growing partnerships with the city and local not-for-profits aimed at neighborhood revitalization in the area surrounding Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Affordable housing has been an early focus and HNHF has already sold its first renovated home, with the goal of selling 50 to 60 more homes during the next five to seven years. Additionally, health and wellness efforts are a natural fit for the pediatric institution. For example, the epidemic of childhood obesity has become a rallying call for HNHF and other efforts to unite around providing improved nutrition and physical fitness opportunities for local children and their families.

“I feel so fortunate to be in a position to work daily with our neighbors to seek input to shape and mold an initiative that will bring the incredible resources already available to our patients to all the children in our community,” Angela shares.

Okey and Ihuoma Eneli

(From Who's Who in Black Columbus 2008)

Okey and Ihuoma Eneli of Nationwide Children’s Hospital have dedicated their lives’ work to building strong community foundations. Yet, this couple does so using two very different approaches. To Okey, this effort takes a very physical and tactical approach in his role as vice president of engineering services. Meanwhile, Ihuoma, ambulatory pediatrician and associate director for clinical programs at the Nationwide Children’s Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition, battles the growing pediatric obesity epidemic challenging the health and well-being of Columbus’ children.

The Enelis are originally from Nigeria. Okey moved to the United Sates after receiving an undergraduate degree from the University of Nigeria, and settled in Michigan, where he achieved master’s degrees in environmental and civil engineering, business administration and economics. Shortly thereafter, Ihuoma joined him in Michigan and completed a residency in pediatrics, a master’s degree in epidemiology and led a two-year community-research project with obesity as her area of focus.

New to Columbus in 2006, both Enelis are current leaders at the forefront of their respective fields. Okey manages the daily engineering functions critical to running a health care operation. He also oversees construction of Nationwide Children's 12-story replacement hospital, slated for completion in 2012, and related facility upgrades. Ihuoma focuses on combating pediatric obesity, which Nationwide Children's recently identified as the No. 1 public health threat for children in Franklin County.

Ihuoma has been closely monitoring the trend in pediatric obesity since 1998 and knows her message is incredibly important for the African-American community to hear. “We’re aware that obesity rates are higher in the African-American community and not just for the kids, but adults too,” shares Ihuoma. “We have the resilience ourselves, families and community to tackle this problem.”

Okey’s focus is on ensuring that excellent medical care is supported by world-class facilities. That is a goal at Nationwide Children's Hospital. “In health care, there’s a lot of emphasis on utilities. For instance, power must be available 24 hours, seven days a week, so backup generators are routinely tested. From pressurized rooms to light balance, no small detail is overlooked. Great care is taken to make sure the environment in which kids or patients receive their care is not compromised at all,” says Okey.

Throughout their careers, the Enelis have kept one mantra close to heart – hard work and a positive attitude. Thankfully for the children and families of Central Ohio, they are continuing to achieve success here in Columbus.