The 2025 ARP President’s & Merit Awards

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.