The 2026 Robert Kemper Award for Professionalism in Medicine is presented by the Key Biscayne Community Foundation & the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University.
This year’s recipients are Rima Avellan and Joel Mantilla.
Rima Avellan is a fourth-year medical student at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, graduating in April 2026. Before pursuing medicine, she spent seven years as a licensed physical therapist, where she developed a deep appreciation for movement, rehabilitation, and the power of patient-centered care. Her transition from physical therapy to medicine reflects a lifelong curiosity about the human body, from the cellular level to whole-person healing, and a desire to serve patients more comprehensively. She is actively involved in research, leadership, and community engagement, with scholarly work spanning pathology and clinical medicine, and she is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
Beyond the hospital, Rima is a passionate entrepreneur and community leader. She is the founder of Women-Only Fitness Bootcamp (WOFB), where she empowers women through strength training, running programs, and martial arts. A devoted wife and mother of three, she balances academic excellence with family life and mentorship, modeling resilience, discipline, and compassion. Whether in the clinic, classroom, or community, she strives each day to grow stronger, in knowledge, character, and service, living by the belief that excellence is built through consistency, heart, and purpose.
Joel Mantilla is a fourth-year medical student at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, graduating in April 2026. Born and raised in Miami, Florida and is the first person in his family to attend college. He attended his first two years of college at Miami-Dade Honors College, then transferred to Johns Hopkins University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and history. Additionally, he graduated from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health twice, first in 2014 with a Master’s in Health Sciences in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a concentration in cancer biology, and in 2020 with a Master’s in Applied Sciences in Population Health Management, for which he was inducted into the Delta Omega Public Health Honors Society. From 2014-2020, Joel was the Director of Health IT for Primary Care Physicians of Florida, a large multidisciplinary primary care practice in Broward County, Florida, where he led quality improvement transformation and led reporting to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In 2020, Joel branched out on his own and established a medical consulting firm, in which he advised South Florida physicians, large practices, and hospital systems on value-based care transformation and federal reporting.
Joel was inspired to pursue medicine as his true calling after being inspired by his father and mentor, Dr. William Pena, who established deep professional collaborative bonds and friendships with everyone they met. Joel chose FIU for his medical education due to their emphasis on a holistic education to health beyond the four walls of the exam room. In medical school, Joel has excelled, being awarded national honors such as being one of 50 students nationwide to win the 2024 Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn Kucklein National Research Fellowship for his work in health policy research, one of 30 students nationwide to win the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Conquer Cancer Foundation Medical Student Research Award for his interest in cardio-oncology outcomes research, and was named the 2025 Florida American College of Physicians Medical Student of the Year. He was also inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society and the Arnold P. Gold, Gold Humanism Honors Society. Inspired by his father, who passed away from cancer during medical school, Joel will be pursuing an Internal Medicine residency after graduation, with plans to pursue a fellowship in Cardiology and continue research in cardio-oncology health policy. Inspired by his lived experience and mentors, he aims to treat patients and colleagues with empathy, respect, and compassion, and mentor future generations of physicians in academic medicine.
The Robert Kemper M.D., PhD. Award for Professionalism in Medicine is named in memory of Dr. Robert Kemper, who exemplified the highest qualities of medical professionalism until his life was cut short by Cancer. This award is presented to a recipient who has demonstrated:
- Respect for patients, faculty, staff members, and peers.
- Altruism, compassion, and empathy towards patients.
- A sense of commitment, duty, responsibility, and dedication to the ethical practice of the medical profession.
- Comportment, courtesy, and exemplary personal demeanor becoming of a physician.
- An ability to convey hope, be a healer of patients, be a team builder, and foster harmony in the group and the workplace.
The Key Biscayne Community Foundation underwrites the award and is made possible thanks to Dr. Kemper’s grateful patients, friends, and family contributions.