Family Medicine Faculty and Physicians Honored at 2026 Foothills Faculty Appreciation & Teaching Awards

 Bardsley Teaching Award winners: Kelsey Walker, MD, (left) and Kalina Ehrenreich-Piot, DO (right). 

The CU Anschutz School of Medicine recently hosted its annual Foothills Faculty Appreciation & Teaching Awards, honoring the 2026 recipients for their exceptional contributions to medical education. The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) is proud to recognize the faculty members, residency graduates, and Family Medicine physicians whose commitment to mentorship, clinical excellence, and role modeling earned them recognition at this year's ceremony.

About the Awards

The Foothill awards celebrate the meaningful contributions of teachers and preceptors within the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC), a cornerstone of the CU Anschutz Trek curriculum. Through year-long relationships with faculty mentors across specialties, students gain continuity in both patient care and clinical learning while benefiting from ongoing teaching, assessment, and professional guidance. Preceptors also describe these roles as one of the most rewarding aspects of their professional careers.

Nominated by students, these awards shine a light on the exceptional leadership, curiosity, and commitment to mentorship demonstrated by LIC preceptors. Among them, the Bardsley Award is a distinguished honor made possible through the generous support of the Bardsley Family Foundation. The award recognizes faculty members who exemplify humanism in medicine through compassion, collaboration, personal growth, and a commitment to caring for patients as whole people. This year, two Family Medicine physicians received the honor: Kalina Ehrenreich-Piot, DO, and Kelsey Walker, MD (a CU Anschutz Rural Program alumna).

We are proud to celebrate the following Family Medicine physicians, DFM faculty members, CU Family Medicine Residency graduates, and School of Medicine Rural Program alumni who were recognized at this year's awards ceremony: (Names listed alphabetically within each group.)

Bardsley Awards for Humanism (selected from nominations by students across all LICs for outstanding role modeling of patient care) 

• Kalina Ehrenreich-Piot, DO (Denver Health) 

• Kelsey Walker, MD (Rural) CU School of Medicine Rural Program graduate 
  
  

Family Medicine Teachers of the Year (selected from nominations by students across all LICs for outstanding teaching) 

• Stephanie Augustine, MD (Denver Health) 

• David Flick, MD (Colorado Springs) 
  
  

LIC Teacher of the Year (selected from nominations by students for outstanding teaching, one faculty member selected per LIC) 

• Liberty Amador, MD (VA) 

• Christian Lobo, MD (CHCO) CU Family Medicine Residency graduate 

• Nicholas Stephanus, MD (Northern Colorado) CU School of Medicine Rural Program graduate 

   

LIC Seminar Teacher of the Year (selected for outstanding classroom teaching and facilitation, one faculty member selected per LIC)

• Dara Lowe, MD (Colorado Springs)

• John Waldmann, MD (Community Health)
  
  

LIC Champion (selected by LIC leadership for extraordinary contributions to the LIC) 

• Banner Clinic in Brush, CO (Rural) 

• Charles Nielsen, DO (Colorado Springs) 

• Rochelle Palmiscno, MD (Northern Colorado) 

• Lorraine Rufner, MD (Community Health) CU Family Medicine Residency graduate 
  
  

LIC Career Contribution Award (in recognition of those who have made extraordinary curricular contributions and are leaving their roles) 

• Mark Deutchman, MD, FAAFP (Rural) 

• Kari Mader, MD (Community Health) CU Family Medicine Residency graduate 
  
  

Additionally, there are two Rural LIC preceptors receiving awards who are affiliated with the CU School of Medicine Rural Program 

• Daniel Renner, MD: Rural LIC Teacher of the Year (Emergency Medicine Pagosa Springs Medical Center) CU School of Medicine Rural Program graduate 

• Patrick Johnston, DO: Surgery Teacher of the Year Award (Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute) 
  
  

Congratulations to these incredible teachers whose guidance and mentorship continue to inspire future Family Medicine physicians! 

Dan Renner, MD, Rural LIC Teacher of the year.

Bardsely Teaching Award Winners, Kelsey Walker, MD,  and Kalina Ehrenreich-Piot, DO.

Jen Adams, MD, and Mark Deutchman, MD, FAAFP.

Kari Mader, MD, and Mark Deutchman, MD, FAAFP, LIC Career Contribution Awardees.

Kelsey Walker, MD, Bardsely Award Rural Family Medicine.

Linda Montgomery, MD, and Kari Mader, MD.

Linda Montgomery, MD, and Mark Deutchman, MD, FAAFP.

Linda Montgomery, MD, and Stephanie Augustine,MD, Family Medicine Teacher of the Year Award.

Patrick Johnston, DO, Surgery Teacher of the Year with Jen Adams, MD.

Brush Clinic  group LIC Champion

 (Photos courtesy of Melissa Darzins, MBA)