Vote for USA, USA Health finalists in 2026 Nappie Awards

The University of South Alabama, USA Health and their representatives have been named finalists in more than 45 categories in the 2026 Nappie Awards competition.

The readers’ choice awards, presented by Lagniappe, recognize local individuals and businesses in categories ranging from health and medicine to music and professional services.

You can support our finalists by voting early and often – that is, once per day per category – at votenappies.com. Nappies finals voting is open and runs through Sunday, May 31, at midnight. To vote for the first time, you must register online with an email address.

Winners in each category will be announced in the July 15 issue of Lagniappe, with an awards ceremony planned for Friday, July 17, at the Saenger Theatre in downtown Mobile. This year’s theme is “A Rhinestone Rodeo.”

In 2025, USA and USA Health landed 11 Nappie Awards. USA was named Best Local College; and USA President Jo Bonner was voted Best Local College President. USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute was recognized as Best Oncology Practice, while several USA Health physicians and providers were individually honored.

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These are the USA and USA Health finalists for 2026:

Best Local Company to Work For (Over 500 Employees) 
University of South Alabama

Best GP 
Dr. Peter Rippey  
Dr. Amy Woodward

Best General Medicine Practice 
USA Mobile Diagnostic Center

Mobile Bay's Best Specialist (Doctor) 
Dr. Brad Clay, Orthopaedic Surgery  
Dr. Charles Rodriguez-Feo, Orthopaedic Surgery  
Dr. Price Sessums, Orthopaedic Surgery

Mobile Bay's Best Specialist (Practice) 
USA Health Digestive Health (Commons) 
USA Health Orthopaedics

Best Allergist 
Dr. Robert Greer

Best Lung Doc 
Dr. Philip Almalouf

Best Orthopedic Doc 
Dr. Brad Clay 
Dr. William Cutchen  
Dr. Tyler McDonald 
Dr. Price Sessums 

Best Sports Medicine Specialist 
Dr. Bishop Carmichael 
Dr. Brad Clay  
Dr. Price Sessums  

Best Orthopaedic Practice 
USA Health Orthopaedic Surgery

Best Cardiologist 
Dr. Luanda Grazette

Best Cardiology Practice 
USA Health Cardiology

Best Heart Surgeon 
Dr. Dimitris K. Kyriazis  
Dr. William Ricks 

Best Urologist 
Dr. Kristie Burch  
Dr. Lorie Fleck  
Dr. Christopher Keel  

Best Vein Doc 
Dr. William Hardy III

Best Neurologist 
Dr. Daniel Dees  
Dr. William Kilgo

Best Neurosurgeon 
Dr. Richard Menger  
Dr. Jai Thakur  
Dr. Asra Toobaie  

Best Rheumatologist 
Dr. Thomas Myers  
Dr. Sonia Savani  

Best General Surgeon 
Dr. Alexander Blankenship

Best Doc to Kick Cancer's Ass 
Dr. Ahmed Abdalla 
Dr. Nate Jones

Best Oncology Practice 
USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute  
USA Health Pediatric Oncology

Best Surgical Oncologist 
Dr. Harrison Howard 
Dr. Rachel Hunter 
Dr. Spencer Liles

Best Hoo-ha Doctor - OB/GYN 
Dr. Nicolette Holliday  
Dr. Amy McCoy  

Best OBGYN Practice 
Coastal OB/GYN USA Health

Best Menopause Specialist - NEW CATEGORY 
Dr. Constance Dabezies  
Dr. Amy McCoy  

Best Pediatrician 
Dr. Ladonna Crews  
Dr. Kelly Ison  
Dr. Alfred Shearer 

Best Pediatric Group 
Pediatric Associates USA Health

Best Pediatric Specialist 
Dr. Stephanie Anderson, Pediatric Development and Behavior  
Dr. William Cutchen, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery  
Dr. David Gremse, Pediatric Gastroenterology  
Dr. Tyler McDonald, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery 

Best PA 
Caitlin Clark, USA Health Orthopaedics   
Brian Gronewold, USA Health Orthopaedics 
Whitney Hunter, University Urology

Best Medical Assistant 
Andrea Wallace, USA Health Orthopaedics

Best Audiologist  
Peyton Williams, AUD, CCC-A

Best Anesthesiologist  
Dr. Brian Gelpi, USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital

Best CRNA  
Tracey May, CRNA, USA Health Providence Hospital

Best ER Doc 
Dr. Kyle Duncan, USA Health Providence Hospital

Best Overall Hospital 
USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital  
USA Health Providence Hospital  
USA Health University Hospital

Best Place to have a Baby 
USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital 
USA Health Providence Hospital

Best Plastic Surgery Practice 
USA Health Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Best Plastic Surgeon- Breast  
Dr. Ronald Brooks

Best Facelift Doc 
Dr. Kimberly Donnellan

Best Tummy Tucker 
Dr. Ronald Brooks

Best Butts and Guts Doc (Digestive Health) 
Dr. Mary Caitlin Marshall

Best Butts and Guts Surgeon (Colorectal Surgeon) 
Dr. John D. Hunter III 
Dr. Leander M. Grimm, Jr. 
Dr. Paul Rider

Best Weight Loss Doc or Clinic 
USA Health Center for Comprehensive Weight Loss

Best Weight Loss Doc – Surgical 
Dr. Danuel Laan  
Dr. William Richards 
Dr. Richard Rieske

Best Local College 
University of South Alabama

Best Local College President 
President Jo Bonner