By Alixandria Wells-Good

Contributing writer

Memorial Health’s Physician Extender of the Year Award for 2024 was given to Jenna Hoffman, certified nurse practitioner (CNP).

Hoffman is a Champaign County native. She grew up on a dairy farm, graduated high school from Triad and was heavily involved in 4-H showing dairy cattle. From Triad, Hoffman went on to get an associate degree from Clark State, her bachelor’s degree from Urbana University, and eventually would receive her masters degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Hoffman’s nursing career began around 2004 as an STNA with Mary Rutan while she was in college. In the fall of 2019 the opportunity came up to come back to her home community and she jumped at the chance. Hoffman says “I love Memorial’s atmosphere and community.” While she’s worked within several different health networks, Hoffman says “I like Memorial’s family unit and community culture.”

Hoffman currently practices in Urbana and Marysville with Memorial Health in the field of oncology (a branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer) and hematology (the study of blood and blood disorders). She says that during her time at Clark State, her preceptor had a feeling that Hoffman belonged in oncology. Soon after that, Hoffman would begin working in the oncology world. Hoffman shared “I had no idea what I wanted to do [as a nursing student]. I had no idea what I was doing, but I fell in love with it.”

She says her favorite part of working in the Urbana/Champaign County area is getting to impact the community, and even people she’s known for years in different aspects of her life, in a deeper way. Hoffman stated “We can connect on that personal level and maybe I can help them out a little bit better because we do have that personal connection.” She went on to say “When I came back to Memorial, it felt like I was actually coming home.”

Memorial Health has an annual employee award program, which recognizes employees throughout the different departments and areas. Robin Coffey, senior marketing specialist and content strategist at Memorial Health, shared that choosing the award recipients begins with employee nominations. From there, the nominations go to the senior leadership team which selects the winners. Coffey said “We had 352 unique nominations this year. Recipients are chosen according to whom best represents the organization’s mission, vision and values.”

Two of the award program categories are a “physician of the year” to an MD (doctor of medicine) or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and a “physician extender of the year” which goes to a NP (nurse practitioner) or physician’s assistants.

Hoffman, who was also a part of a group receiving the Oncology Research Team Award, did not know she was also receiving her own personal award on the day of the ceremony until her name was called to accept the award. She said that the experience of receiving the Physician Extender of the Year Award has been unexpected, honoring, and humbling.

Upon receiving their awards, award recipients also get to read what their fellow employees said in their nominations. One of Hoffman’s nominations said, “Jenna stands out as a provider who seeks to develop both her professional acumen and her sense of genuine caring.” One patient recently wrote: “I was referred to Jenna Hoffman and was so impressed by her down-to-earth demeanor and abilities to listen and provide feedback to ease my mind. I rarely leave a doctor’s appointment feeling like I was going to find the answers I needed. I appreciate the time she takes to be thorough in her approach plus she has a great sense of humor, very relatable.” Another one shared, “She is a great patient advocate and goes above-and-beyond patient satisfaction. All her patients absolutely adore and trust her. She is a team player and provides a great work environment.” Hoffman said getting the chance to read what her peers and even a few patients had to say about her was “very heartwarming and very humbling.”

Looking toward the future, Hoffman hopes to continue growing the program while working with her colleagues Dr. Robert Rupert and Olivia LeMaster, CNP. Hoffman said “All three of us are really looking forward to growing the program and better serving the community in the oncology and hematology world.”

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