CHICAGO—During ACR Convergence 2025 in October, the ACR and ARP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. Here The Rheumatologist profiles the recipients of the ARP President’s and Merit Awards. The ACR Awards of Distinction, Distinguished Fellows and Masters are also featured in this issue beginning on p. 34.
ARP President’s Award
The President’s Award is given to the ACR/ARP member or team performing outstanding service within the present year to advance the goals, standards and ideals of the ARP. ARP President Adam Goode, PhD, PT, DPT, announced the recipient of the 2025 President’s Award: Christine A. Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C, director of the Fibromyalgia Long COVID Wellness Clinic, Katz Women’s Health Center and the Division of Rheumatology, Northwell Health, Huntington, N.Y.
In accepting the award, Dr. Stamatos says, “It is truly an honor to be recognized by a group of such respectable peers in this very important organization. Although I am grateful for the recognition, I want to note that any success is on the shoulders of those in our ARP team who make progress and change happen. Thank you very much!”
Dr. Stamatos has been a rheumatology nurse practitioner (NP) since 2002, when she graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook, completing a post master’s certificate as an adult NP. Since then, she completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, with research focused on non-pharmacologic self-management strategies for chronic pain. She received her Bachelor of Nursing from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and a Master of Science in nursing in trauma/critical care from the University of Maryland at Baltimore.
The Fibromyalgia Long COVID Wellness Clinic program that Dr. Stamatos directs is based on an integrative health delivery model with patients and their families at the center to address the biopsychosocial needs of living with chronic pain and fatigue through evaluation, education, treatment and social support.
Dr. Stamatos is also actively involved in the ACR as an active volunteer throughout the College and is a past president of the ARP. She currently serves on the Workforce Solutions Committee with a goal of increasing access for patients living with rheumatic disease.
Throughout her career, Dr. Stamatos has made significant contributions to the care and education of critically ill and rheumatology patients and their families while serving in the Army Nurse Corps, Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C., Hackensack University Medical Center, N.J., and several rheumatology private practices, and over the past ten years, in Northwell Health’s Division of Rheumatology. Additionally, Dr. Stamatos has worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, Columbia Union College, Takoma Park, Md., Stony Brook University School of Nursing, New York, and currently Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, Hempstead, N.Y.
Dr. Stamatos has published and lectured extensively in the area of critical care and rheumatology nursing for the past 30 years.
ARP Merit Awards
ARP Master Award
The ARP’s highest honor—the Master Award—went to Leigh F. Callahan, PhD, MARP, for her outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology for more than nearly 35 years.
“I have been a member of ARP for 40 years and I am honored to receive this prestigious award,” says Dr. Callahan. “The ARP has been a significant part of my entire professional life.”
The Mary Link Briggs Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine and professor in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Dr. Callahan is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Epidemiology in UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is associate director of the Thurston Arthritis Research Center (TARC) and also the director of the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA), a coalition of more than 150 organizations committed to elevating osteoarthritis as a national health priority. Dr. Callahan holds an undergraduate degree from UNC, and a PhD from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Dr. Callahan has more than 35 years of experience in arthritis and health outcomes research, and experience in public health as a former arthritis epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Her specific areas of expertise are in four major areas: 1) outcomes and epidemiological research; 2) establishing collaborations in communities across North Carolina and the nation; 3) leadership roles in professional and nonprofit arthritis organizations; and 4) setting arthritis public health agendas.
A former editor of Arthritis Care & Research, Dr. Callahan is currently associate editor of Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open. She has authored more than 300 publications and articles, is a frequent presenter at conferences and meetings worldwide, and continues to spearhead projects examining the factors surrounding arthritis, epidemiology, health outcomes and health disparities. She has received numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health, the CDC and foundations. She has mentored numerous graduate and medical students, rheumatology and post-doctoral fellows, and junior faculty and currently co-directs the UNC T32 training program.
Dr. Callahan has been actively involved in the ACR/ARP and the Rheumatology Research Foundation for 40 years, serving on numerous committees and boards, as well as in leadership positions. She was ARP president in 1990. She received the Distinguished Scholar Award in 1994, the Addie Thomas Service Award in 2006 and the ARP Distinguished Lecturer Award in 2010. She received the ARP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. She is also a long-time volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation on both the state and national levels and received the Charles B. Harding Award for Distinguished Service in 2005 for her work with the Arthritis Foundation.
ARP Lifetime Achievement Award
Among the ARP’s highest honors is the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented to a current or past member who has made meaningful and lasting contributions to the field of rheumatology. This year’s award recipient is Thea Vliet Vlieland, MD, PT, PhD, professor in rehabilitation processes and physical therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
“Receiving the ARP Lifetime Achievement Award is an incredible honor that reflects not only my personal journey, but also the collective efforts of those who’ve inspired and supported me along the way,” says Dr. Vliet Vlieland. “It affirms the importance of collaborative, patient-centered approaches in clinical practice, research and education that help improve quality of life for those living with rheumatic diseases.”
Dr. Vliet Vlieland was born in Leiden and trained as a physical therapist from 1979–83 and physician from 1983–90 at the Leiden University Medical Center. She obtained a Master of Science in epidemiology in 1995 and an MBA-Health in 2009. After completing her PhD in 1996, she had several research positions before being appointed as professor at the Leiden University Medical Center. In addition, she is affiliated with Basalt Rehabilitation Center, The Hague/Leiden, and the Leiden University of Applied Sciences.
Dr. Vliet Vlieland’s research group focuses on the development, evaluation and implementation of rehabilitative strategies for people with rheumatic diseases. Their work has contributed to the evidence base of various single and complex interventions, such as specific exercise programs or multidisciplinary care pathways. The clinical trials led by the group are embedded in a systematic approach, spanning the spectrum from inventories of patients’ healthcare usage, needs and preferences to the larger scale implementation of effective interventions. This integrative approach, employing a variety of research designs, could only be successful through the multidisciplinary composition of the research team and the consistent, active involvement of people with a rheumatic condition.
In total, Dr. Vliet Vlieland has authored more than 425 scientific publications. To enhance the translation of research findings to clinical practice, she has played a leading role in the development of various training courses and professional guidelines, including the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for the non-pharmacological core management of hip and knee osteoarthritis and for physical activity in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Over the years, Dr. Vliet Vlieland has been a strong advocate of research on care delivered by health professionals from various professions in rheumatology: two-thirds of the 39 PhD trajectories in which she acted as (co)supervisor were completed by health professionals other than physicians, and she served as mentor for many, both on the national and international level.
Dr. Vliet Vlieland has held various national and international positions in healthcare organizations and committees. An ARHP/ARP member for decades, she served as a member of the ARHP Research Committee in 2002–03 and on the editorial board of Arthritis Care & Research from 2011–13. She was invited to give presentations at various ACR/ARP conferences, including presentations on implementation research at the ACR annual meeting in Philadelphia in 2022 and San Diego in 2023. Within EULAR, Dr. Vliet Vlieland served, among other roles, as chair of the Standing Committee on and vice president of health professionals and is currently a member of the Advocacy Committee.
Throughout her career, Dr. Vliet Vlieland has received numerous prestigious awards, including the EULAR Health Professionals in Rheumatology Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, the Rheumatology Medal from the Dutch Society for Rheumatology (NVR) in 2018, the Distinguished Scholar Award from ARHP in 2008, the National Rheumatism Prize from the Dutch Arthritis Association in 2004, and the Goslings Prize from the NVR in 1997, and she became an honorary member of EULAR in 2014.
Addie Thomas Service Award
The Addie Thomas Service Award is presented to ARP members in honor of the Association’s first president and recognizes active volunteers in arthritis-related activities. This year’s recipient is Linda Rodamaker, NP, a nurse practitioner and senior instructor at the University of Colorado, Aurora, working in the Department of Rheumatology.
Ms. Rodamaker began her nursing career in 1978 after studying in Iowa. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s education after she moved to Colorado. Her rheumatology journey started in 2006 when she joined the rheumatology team at the University of Colorado.
“Although I have enjoyed my time as a nurse for so many years, working in rheumatology has been a dream job,” says Ms. Rodamaker. “My colleagues—and especially our patients—are amazing and such a joy to work with.”
Ms. Rodamaker has served the ACR/ARP in many capacities, including as the ARP member on the ACR Committee on Rheumatology Training and Workforce, the ACR Committee on Education, the ARP Annual Meeting Planning Committee and the ARP Executive Committee as Annual Planning Meeting co-chair in 2021. She has also served on the Rheumatology Research Foundation Development Advisory Council, the ACR Committee on Membership and Awards and the ARP Practice Committee.
At the local level, Ms. Rodamaker was previously active with the Denver Chapter of the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses, serving as treasurer for many years, and was co-chair of the Advanced Practice Council at the University of Colorado Hospital.
“I am so honored to receive the Addie Thomas Service Award,” says Ms. Rodamaker. “I have long enjoyed being a volunteer and participating with the ACR/ARP committees.
“When I went to my first annual ACR meeting I had no idea how many people would be there,” Ms. Rodamaker continues. “At that time, I was the only NP in my practice and wanted to start to get involved with ACR/ARP. I knew the way to do that was to volunteer and get to know people. I have made lifelong friends and now know so many colleagues who have helped me along my professional journey. Thank you again for this amazing recognition; I am so honored.”
Distinguished Scholar Award
The Distinguished Scholar Award, presented to an ARP member who demonstrates exceptional achievements in scholarly activities pertinent to arthritis and rheumatic disease, was given to Afton L. Hassett, PsyD, associate professor and director of pain and opioid research, Department of Anesthesiology, Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan (UM) Medical School, Ann Arbor.
A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Hassett serves as a principal investigator at UM’s Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, where she conducts interdisciplinary research focused on the cognitive, affective and behavioral factors influencing chronic pain. She is widely recognized as a leading expert on resilience and pain, and delivered the keynote address at the 2023 National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium Symposium on Advances in Pain Research—Resilience and Pathways to Recovery.
Dr. Hassett’s research centers on the role of positive emotions in people with pain, as well as innovative interventions to foster resilience, enhance life satisfaction and improve pain self-management. Currently, she is a multiple principal investigator (MPI) on the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Mechanistic Research Center, where a sequential multiple assignment, randomized trial (SMART)-design clinical trial is used to apply a personalized medicine approach to improve outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain. She also serves as the site principal investigator (PI) for BACPAC’s multisite collaborative clinical trial, Biomarkers for Evaluating Spine Treatments (BEST). More recently, Dr. Hassett is an MPI on a new UC2 award that is part of the HEAL Initiative’s INTERACT program supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
In addition, Dr. Hassett is the contact PI for a completed randomized, controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of PRISM, an eHealth resilience-based intervention for chronic back pain, and she is an MPI on a current R01 project studying morning bright light therapy for fibromyalgia. She is a co-investigator on two R01 mHealth clinical trials—Roadmap and Positive STEPS.
Dr. Hassett has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in the field of pain and serves on the editorial boards of Arthritis Care & Research and Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. Dr. Hassett has held national leadership roles, including serving as president of ARP. She also served on the ACR Executive Committee and Board of Directors. She is a past recipient of the ARP President’s Award.
Dr. Hassett is the author of Chronic Pain Reset: 30 Days of Activities, Practices and Skills to Help You Thrive, an innovative self-management guide for patients and clinicians.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the Distinguished Scholar Award knowing that there are so many ARP members doing critical research,” Dr. Hassett says. “I am grateful for the recognition but know that there is still much more to do to support those living with rheumatic diseases and conditions.”
Distinguished Clinician Award
The Distinguished Clinician Award is presented to an ARP member who is engaged in clinical practice and demonstrates outstanding clinical expertise in arthritis and rheumatic diseases. Laura Nemoy, PA-C, Arnold Arthritis & Rheumatology, Skokie, Ill., was this year’s recipient.
Ms. Nemoy is a physician assistant who completed her medical training at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program in Chicago in 2016. Following graduation, she began her rheumatology career under the mentorship of William Arnold, MD, FACP, MACR, and Erin Arnold, MD, FACR, in the private practice setting. Nearly 10 years later, she continues to work at Arnold Arthritis & Rheumatology, a practice known for delivering evidence-based, patient-centered care in rheumatology.
Throughout her career, Ms. Nemoy has been committed to incorporating innovative treatment strategies into everyday clinical practice. She optimizes patient outcomes by utilizing such techniques as ultrasound guided intraarticular joint injections and routine musculoskeletal ultrasound exams to diagnose and manage inflammatory arthritis. She also completed the American Academy of Physician Associates Obesity Management in Primary Care Certificate and went on to develop a weight loss program within her rheumatology practice, improving patient outcomes while highlighting the interplay between inflammatory disease and obesity. She continuously looks for ways to incorporate state of the art medical technology to help patients’ overall health and well-being.
Beyond clinical care, Ms. Nemoy is engaged in professional leadership and advocacy. She has held numerous volunteer roles in the ACR and ARP, including serving on the Government Affairs Committee, ARP Executive Committee, Practice Committee and Committee on Training. She is especially passionate about education and workforce development and is engaged in initiatives to increase educational opportunities in collaboration with the ACR and ARP. She also is an active member of the Association of Women in Rheumatology, the Chicago Rheumatism Society, the Obesity Medicine Association and the Illinois Obesity Society.
Ms. Nemoy lives in Chicago with her husband, Matthew, a pulmonary critical care and sleep physician. They have embraced their new roles as parents after welcoming their first child this summer.
“It is a privilege to work alongside dedicated colleagues to deliver high-quality care and improve patient outcomes,” says Ms. Nemoy. “Being recognized with the Distinguished Clinician Award is a true honor and a meaningful affirmation of this work.”
ARP Award of Appreciation
Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award
The ARP Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award recognizes students advancing rheumatology in education, practice, research and/or advocacy, and is open to non-physician health professional students who have not yet achieved the highest academic degree in their field of study. This year’s awardee is Sydney Liles, PT, DPT, MS, a PhD student in biomechanics and movement science at the University of Delaware, Newark.
Dr. Liles earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Science from the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Va. She is a licensed physical therapist who integrates clinical expertise with academic scholarship and serves as a teaching assistant in the Department of Physical Therapy, supporting courses in research methods, biophysical agents and clinical gross anatomy.
Dr. Liles’ research centers on physical activity and treatment strategies for individuals with arthritis, focusing primarily on knee osteoarthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Her work uses clinical trial and cohort data to explore physical activity patterns, pain and treatment utilization in adults with rheumatic conditions. Her long-term goal is to identify barriers to physical activity and enhance communication among adolescents with JIA, their families and healthcare providers. She was awarded the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research’s Promotion of Doctoral Studies (PODS) I Scholarship and has presented her research at prominent national and international meetings including the ACR/ARP Annual Meeting and the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Congress.
In addition to her research, Dr. Liles serves as a senior PhD trainee and mentor in the Delaware ACTIVE Lab, where she guides junior students and leads collaborative projects examining physical activity behavior and treatment beliefs. She is an active member of the ACR and the American Physical Therapy Association. Her commitment to advancing rheumatology research and education has been recognized with several honors, including the 2023 ARP President’s Choice Award and the University of Delaware Graduate Scholars Award.
“Receiving the ARP Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award is deeply meaningful to me as someone living with JIA,” says Dr. Liles. “It not only recognizes my research and educational efforts but also inspires me to improve care, support, and outcomes for others navigating rheumatic conditions.”
Patrice Fusillo is a writer and editor based in Oakland, Calif.