Two of our faculty members have been selected to receive 2025 UPMC Physician Excellence Awards in recognition of their outstanding clinical performance, leadership, and dedication to patient care across the UPMC system.
Isabela (Cajiao) Angelelli, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of Engagement, and Director of Clinical Operations for the Pediatric Sedation Service at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, has been awarded the UPMC Physician Excellence Award for Excellence in Leadership.
This award recognizes physicians who demonstrate exceptional clinical leadership and contribute to enhancing clinical infrastructure and the professional fulfillment of providers.
Over her 18-year tenure at UPMC, Dr. Angelelli has become a national voice in environmentally conscious medicine. She co-founded Clinicians for Climate Action at UPMC, a grassroots network of more than 500 clinicians committed to integrating sustainability into clinical care. Under her leadership, the group helped shape UPMC’s climate strategy. Her work has been recognized nationally, including as a finalist for the 2024 American Climate Leadership Award, and featured by NPR. As a board member of Tree Pittsburgh, she also helped lead the One Tree Per Child initiative, integrating community environmental action with public health. Dr. Angelelli’s impact exemplifies UPMC’s values and reflects clinical leadership at its finest.
Danielle Zheng, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director of the UPMC Pain Medicine Fellowship, has received the UPMC Physician Excellence Award for Early- to Mid-Career Physician Excellence in Clinical Care.
This award honors physicians in practice for four to 10 years who have demonstrated outstanding performance in patient care. Dr. Zheng was nominated by numerous colleagues who praised her as a compassionate, meticulous, and dedicated clinician, deeply valued by both her patients and her peers.
Her nominators highlighted Dr. Zheng’s consistently patient-centered, thorough, and empathetic clinical care, strong leadership in education, including the development of training materials and mentorship of fellows and students, as well as collaborative spirit and supportive team leadership, fostering an environment where colleagues feel heard and valued.
Despite the demands of her clinical role, Dr. Zheng maintains a humble and approachable demeanor, earning high praise from those she works with and serves. Her commitment to excellence in chronic pain care and team development is widely recognized and highly commendable.
Drs. Angelelli and Zheng will be honored during the 2025 Dr. Loren Roth Quality and Patient Safety Awards Celebration, which will be held virtually on October 13, 2025, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Congratulations to Drs. Angelelli and Zheng on this well-deserved recognition of their outstanding contributions to UPMC!