Dayton Children's honors four physicians with prestigious awards

Dayton Children’s celebrates physicians who have put the wellbeing of children first in all they do during the annual professional staff dinner. 

Wallace B. Taggart Award

John Duby, MD, FAAP, CPE, is named the 2024 Wallace B. Taggart Award honoree. This is Dayton Children’s highest physician honor.  It is given to someone who lives up to the standards set by its namesake, Dr. Wallace B. Taggart, who worked alongside surgeon Alan D. Shafer, MD, and Elsie T. Mead to establish Dayton Children’s in 1967.

Dr. Duby retired this June after nearly nine years at Dayton Children’s as the vice president of academic affairs and community health, as well as serving as the chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.  This was Dr. Duby’s second time at Dayton Children’s. He was the hospital’s first developmental pediatrician in 1990, created the division and led it for 10 years.   

In his most recent position, he provided leadership for medical education, research endeavors and community health initiatives. He advanced strategic priorities for Dayton Children’s as a member of the Board of Trustees. He led several quality improvement initiatives focused on enhancing developmental and mental health services in pediatric primary care and the community, including championing the On Our Sleeves initiative and supporting the creation of the Student Resiliency Coordinator program.

One of his last accomplishments was developing curriculum for a mental health rotation for the residency program. Thanks to his work, Dayton Children’s will be among the first programs across the country to implement this rotation.

Dr. Duby was a key supporter and frequent participant in “Walk with a Doc” and led the “Reach Out and Read” initiative here – the first site in Ohio – to help pediatricians encourage early reading to families.

Congratulations, Dr. Duby!

Alan D. Shafer, MD, Distinguished Service Awards

Edward Walz, MD, is celebrating 30 years as a pediatric anesthesiologist and is also the clinical co-director of the south campus. His steady leadership here was vital following the pandemic, as he implemented evidence-based guidelines to safely reopen.

He serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, where he often volunteers to staff the airway lab. During his tenure he served as medical director of the division for nine years and chair of the department of surgery for two years.

His colleagues say his steadfast professionalism, compassion and integrity serve as a beacon, inspiring everyone on the team to pursue excellence. Dr. Walz will be retiring in the coming year. We wish him well but will certainly miss him.

Congratulations, Dr. Walz!

Vipul Patel, MD, has been the chief of critical care since 2001. During his tenure he’s helped reshape the future with an expansion of the PICU in 2006 and then, reimagining critical care delivery with the move to the tower in 2017. He’s also served in roles for the professional staff, including as the chair.

It is no secret that Dr. Patel makes safety the top priority. Colleague Harsh Kothari says, “Dr. Patel is laser focused.  Under his leadership, I can proudly say that our PICU team provides care comparable to any other center in the nation.”

Dr. Patel is also well-known for his calm under pressure and steps up to help his colleagues and team in times of high volumes in the unit. He is a role model for younger physicians with his expertise in clinical care and his ability to lead through difficult and challenging times. Dr. Patel is not only a stellar physician, but a mentor, author and role model.

Congratulations, Dr. Patel!

A Child's Voice Award

One physician was honored with A Child’s Voice Award. This honor is given every two years to members of the Dayton Children's professional staff who demonstrate outstanding efforts on behalf of children and lead in the development of programs that improve the health and well-being of the children of the Miami Valley.

Kelly Blankenship, DO, associate chief medical officer for behavioral health, received this honor for 2024.

Dr. Blankenship has exponentially expanded our mental health offerings in the past few years. She is a rallying force for her teams to come together and overcome what seem like insurmountable obstacles.

She is always up to date on the latest policy, law and practice guidelines and makes sure the staff is informed as well. She is forward-thinking, asking for input while planning for what’s to come.

As a prominent advocate for children’s mental health, she has effectively represented the hospital in the community, never shying away from speaking engagements or media interviews. She serves as a board member of Girls on the Run.

Most importantly, despite her extensive responsibilities, she never loses sight of the individual needs of patients and their families.

Congratulations, Dr. Blankenship!