Dr. Ronika N. Newbold (left) and BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital president Nanette Wilcox shared the scissors while cutting the ribbon at the new BayCare Medical Group offices inside the hospital. (All photos on this page by Joel Provenzano)Â
Congratulations to the new BayCare Medical Group (BMG), which celebrated its Grand Opening on the second floor of BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital (4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Suite 205) with a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting event on May 8.
(l.-r.) Dr. Newbold, BayCare Medical Group director of operations for specialty care Jennifer Jusino, Dr. Vaswani and North Tampa Bay Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy.Â
The new BMG office currently features three medical specialties â General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery and Family Medicine. According to site manager Rjaye Lowe, who led us on a tour of the 8,600 sq. ft. of new offices, the BayCare Medical Group may expand to an additional floor and specialties in the future. Considering that the entire BayCare system has more than 1,100 providers in 54 specialties, that seems like a pretty safe bet.
âWe have the space to continue to grow and expand beyond the current specialties and we are anticipating adding cardiology in the near future,â Lowe said.
The X-ray room at BayCare Medical Groupâs offices located inside the hospital.
He added, âOver 30 rooms are dedicated to the BayCare Medical Group General & Orthopedic Surgery and Primary Care,â Lowe said. âThe benefit to it being in the hospital is that everything is in one location, in just one building. Having the physicians in-house means that patients can get their lab work and imaging services done all in one location.â
Three physicians were introduced during the ribbon-cutting event, with each of them heading up one of the three BMG specialties now available inside the hospital.
(l.-r.) General surgeon Dr. Sahand Bamarni, BayCare Medical Group primary care site manager Alexa Jordan, Dr. Newbold, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ravi Vaswani and BayCare Medical Group site manager Rjaye Lowe at the Grand Opening of the BayCare Medical Group office.Â
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ravi Vaswani can treat patients as young as 12 years old, while general surgeon Dr. Sahand Bamarni and Family Medicine Dr. Ronika N. Newbold see patients ages 18 and older. All three physicians expressed their excitement about being part of the opening of the new BMG offices inside the 86-bed hospital (which also has room to grow).
The new medical offices are designed to provide integrated, patient-centered care, offering residents greater access to primary and specialty services within the BayCare network.
BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital president Nanette Wilcox said, âWeâre very excited to officially open our new BMG offices. As we continue to grow our footprint here in Wesley Chapel, weâre committed to providing seamless access to high-quality care for the community, and this is a big step in that direction.â
Of course, there already is a BMG office on S.R. 54, in the same plaza as Glory Days Grill, but according to BayCare spokesperson Cherie Miller, âThe doctors at the S.R. 54 office will be unaffected. The only change is that their patients will now have the added benefit of being able to utilize the new outpatient imaging and lab services at the hospital.â
For more info about BayCare Wesley Chapel Hospital and BMG, visit BayCare.org.Â
Wesley Chapel resident Shawn Thompson (2nd from left) and his team at Compass Claim Solutions will work hard to make sure you receive the insurance settlement you deserve when your home or business suffers damage, whether from a storm, fire, flood or any other cause. (Photo provided by Shawn Thompson)Â
When disaster strikes, dealing with an insurance company can be one of the most stressful and frustrating parts of your recovery. For many homeowners and business owners in Florida, navigating the complexities of insurance policies and securing a fair settlement can feel overwhelming. Thatâs where Compass Claim Solutions steps in â offering expertise, advocacy and a guiding hand through the often-confusing world of property insurance claims.
Founded by Shawn Thompson in Wesley Chapel, Compass Claim Solutions is a public adjusting firm dedicated to representing policyholders during â and even after â the insurance claims process. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Shawn has built a reputation for helping clients secure the compensation they deserve after damage from storms, fires, floods and other disasters.
From Retail To Advocacy
Shawnâs journey to becoming a public adjuster is an inspiring story of career transformation. A Florida native, Shawn graduated from St. Leo University near Dade City in 2003 with a degree in Business Management. He spent 10 years climbing the corporate ladder in a âFortune 5â retail company, honing his skills in management, negotiation and customer service. However, in 2012, a family connection introduced him to the world of public adjusting, which is when he says he found his true calling.
âWhen I learned about public adjusting from my brother-in-law, I saw how much of a difference an advocate could make for homeowners,â Shawn says. âI knew I wanted to be part of that process â helping people when they need it most.â
After completing a year-long apprenticeship, Shawn obtained his public adjusterâs license and has since helped thousands of clients navigate their insurance claims. Today, Compass Claim Solutions serves homeowners and businesses across Florida, often traveling to communities hit hardest by hurricanes and severe storms.
What Does A Public Adjuster Do?
Insurance policies can be complex documents, full of jargon and fine print that many policyholders struggle to understand. When property damage occurs, the insurance company sends out its own adjuster to assess the damage and estimate the payout â but that adjuster works for the insurance company, not the policyholder.
A public adjuster like Shawn, however, works exclusively on behalf of the policyholder. His job is to thoroughly evaluate the damage, prepare detailed estimates and negotiate with the insurance company to ensure that the client receives a fair settlement.
âOur goal is to level the playing field,â Shawn explains. âInsurance companies have experts working for them â policyholders should have [an expert] on their side, too.â
Compass Claim Solutions handles a wide range of claims, including those related to hurricanes, floods, lightning, wind, fire, mold, theft and plumbing issues. The company offers free consultations, guiding clients from the initial claim filing through the final settlement.
The âUmpire Processâ
One of the unique aspects of Compass Claim Solutionsâ services is Shawnâs involvement in the insurance appraisal and what is known as the âumpire processâ â a little-known but critical step when claims are disputed.
If an insurance company and a policyholder cannot agree on the amount of damage or the cost of repairs, both parties may choose to enter into the appraisal process. Each side hires an independent appraiser to assess the damage. If the two appraisers cannot reach an agreement, they select a neutral third party â known as an âumpireâ â who reviews the estimates and makes a final, binding decision.
As a certified insurance umpire, Shawn is often called upon to serve as that neutral third party in these disputes, bringing his extensive knowledge and fair judgment to the process.
âThe umpire process helps ensure that both sides get a fair shake,â Shawn says. âItâs about finding common ground and making sure the policyholder gets what theyâre owed.
Going The Extra Mile
Clients of Compass Claim Solutions consistently praise Shawnâs professionalism, dedication, and attention to detail. The companyâs 4.9 stars out of 5 on Google (on 50+ reviews) attest to his prompt communication and proactive approach.
âShawn is amazing,â client Brian S. wrote in his 5-star review on Google. âHe was prompt on returning calls, very thorough in his evaluation of the damage, and extremely proactive in dealing with the insurance company. He turned a stressful situation into a positive outcome.â
Client Carol G.âs 5-star review says, âI was denied by my insurance company for not taking pictures after my front doors blew open during Hurricane Ian. Shawn worked wonders for me and got me enough money to fix the important issues in my home. He was very kind and easy to work with. I highly recommend using Compass Claim if you ever need a public adjuster. Iâd give him 20 stars if I could.â
Itâs this commitment to going above and beyond that has earned Compass Claim Solutions a stellar reputation in the community.
Beyond his work in public adjusting, Shawn is an active member of the Wesley Chapel business community. He serves on the Membership Committee of BNI Alliance, a local chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) of West Central Florida, where he collaborates with other professionals to foster business growth and networking opportunities. âI believe in giving back to the community that supports us,â Shawn says. âWhether itâs helping homeowners through the claims process or participating in local events, we want to make a positive impact.â
Navigating an insurance claim can feel like an uphill battle, especially in the wake of a disaster. With Compass Claim Solutions, clients gain more than just an advocate â they gain a partner dedicated to serving their best interests.
From the initial consultation to the final settlement, Shawn Thompson and his team provide the knowledge, persistence and compassion needed to help clients rebuild and move forward. With Compass Claim Solutions on your side, you donât have to navigate the claims process alone â you have a trusted partner and guide every step of the way.
Shawn Thompsonâs Compass Claim Solutions offers free consultations. For more info, visit CompassClaimSolutions.com or call (352) 502-5928.Â
I remember seeing part (but not all) of the 1944 movie classic âArsenic & Old Lace,â starring Cary Grant and directed by the great Frank Capra, one day during my teenage years as I flipped through my 13 channels before the days of cable TV. From what I could remember, I thought the movie, adapted from the 1939 play by Joseph Kesselring, was a âcute, but darkâ comedy.
So, seeing the Wesley Chapel Theater Group (WCTG)âs performance of âArsenic & Old Laceâ at the Zephyrhills Lions Club on Apr. 26 was basically like seeing it for the first time. Directed by Colleen DeFelice (who told the audience she had played one of the lead roles, Aunt Abby, 13 years before), WCTGâs âArsenicâ was a fun, if understandably dated, macabre comedy about some murderous â and sometimes hilarious â family members.
The play starred Alex Peña in the Grant role of Mortimer Brewster, who loves but doesnât seem to want to marry his cheeky, somewhat pushy girlfriend Elaine (performed to perfection by Aliza Rivera). Mortimer is a theatre critic who lives in Brooklyn with his seemingly sweet spinster aunts Abby (played by Danielle Warren) and Martha (Jennifer Peña), while Elaine lives with her father, Rev. Dr. Harper, across a graveyard from Mortimer, his aunts and his brother Teddy (Chad Allen). Teddy believes he is actually former U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt â and everyone who visits the Brewster house plays along because Teddy is a little craz…letâs just say âout there.â
âArsenicâ takes its first sinister turn when Mortimer finds a dead body in the house and Abby and Martha admit that there are eleven more dead bodies buried in the basement â all lonely, older men who drank their homemade elderberry wine laced with arsenic, strychnine âand just a pinch of cyanide.â Teddy has been digging the menâs graves in the basement, thinking they are locks for his Panama Canal, and believing that the men died of yellow fever.
But, it turns out that Mortimerâs long lost brother Jonathan (David Sparano), âwho looks like Boris Karloffâ (and was actually portrayed by Karloff during the stage playâs five-year run on Broadway, and by Raymond Massey in the movie), also is a murderer. Jonathan has traveled the world with Dr. Einstein (James Hernandez), a plastic surgeon who changes Jonathanâs face after every murder. The two have brought along a dead body of their own to dispose of at the Brewster home and Jonathan plans to murder Mortimer (and maybe his aunts and Teddy, too) to replace his brother in the house when he also discovers his auntsâ most recent victim, thinking Mortimer was the killer.Â
But, Officer OâHara (Arturo Delacruz) shows up to pitch his own play idea to Mortimer, which throws a monkey wrench into Jonathanâs plans. Jonathan ends up being arrested, Mortimer signs the papers committing Teddy to a sanitarium and Abby and Martha agree to join Teddy (convinced by Mortimer to keep them from being prosecuted for the murders). Mortimer and Elaine can finally live happily ever after, when Abby and Martha tell Mortimer that he was actually adopted and not related by blood to his murderous family. Still with me?
WCTGâs âArsenic & Old Laceâ was funnier than the plot actually sounds and was well-received, with some out-loud laughs from the sold-out crowds of maybe 100 people at each performance.
The next WCTG performances will be âA Night of One Acts,â also at the Zephyrhills Lions Club, the weekend of July 12-13.
WCTG, which does not have a permanent home of its own, would love to find one in Wesley Chapel and will definitely need to raise more money to be able to afford one.
To make a donation, volunteer to join the group or for tickets to âA Night of One Acts,â visit WesleyChapelTheaterGroup.org. â GNÂ
By the time you read this, the Freedom High Class of 2025 will already have had its graduation ceremony, which was held on May 23 at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.
Every graduate has a story that has led them to this exciting milestone in their lives. Listed below are highlights of some of the extraordinary students from this class.
Outstanding seniors were recognized in the schoolâs annual Red, White, and Blue Awards Ceremony, held his year on Apr. 24.
Congratulations to Freedom High Schoolâs top 10 students, according to their weighted grade point averages (GPAs).
1. Roham Farhardi Valedictorian
GPA: 11.04
College plans:
University of Florida,
Biomedical Engineering
Note – Roham Farhardiâs 11.04 GPA is the highest ever at Freedom, and is also the highest in all of Hillsborough County this year. GPAs above 4.0 are attained by taking college-level classes, including dual enrollment, advanced placement (AP) and AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education, a program offered by Cambridge Assessment International Education). Roham began taking dual enrollment high school classes in sixth grade and completed a total of 47 courses, while only 25-28 is typical. He is leaving high school with 96 college credits already earned, scored a 1580 out of 1600 on the SAT, and was named a National Merit Finalist, ranking among the top 15,000 students nationally of the 1.3 million who took the PSAT as a qualifying exam.Â
2. Rose Khosh
Salutatorian
GPA: 9.36
College plans:
University of Florida, Biology (Pre-Dental track)
3. Elena Le
GPA: 8.96
College plans:
University of Florida, Health Science
4. Zachary Harmon
GPA: 7.96
College plans:
University of Florida, Environmental Science
5. Joseph Afiat
GPA: 7.629
College plans:
University of Florida, Astrophysics
6. Gregory Murashkin
GPA: 7.44
College plans:
U.S. Naval Academy, Mechanical Eng. or
Quantitative Economics
7. Sunjay Bale
GPA: 7.359
College plans: University of Florida, Engineering
8. Anthony Murashkin
GPA: 7.345
College plans:
U.S. Air Force Academy, Mechanical Eng. or military & strategic studies
9. Emma Schroeder
GPA: 7.219
College plans:
University of Florida,
Sports & Business Mgmt.
10. Jorge Gonzalez
GPA: 7.023
College plans:
Hillsborough CC, then
University of Florida,
Criminology
In addition to naming its top-10 students, six scholarships were presented at the schoolâs Red, White and Blue Awards Ceremony. Given by the Freedom Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), each honoree below earned a $500 award:
Joseph Afiat is a leader in chorus, honor societies and campus initiatives. He will attend the University of Florida and plans to pursue a Masterâs degree in STEM, hoping to work with innovative companies to use science to solve global problems.
Sarah McAveety is a campus leader who participates in clubs, sports and rigorous academics. She plans to attend the University of Central Florida and hopes to have a career in aerospace engineering, space exploration, or serving her country as a fighter-jet pilot.
Andrew Switzer is involved in student government, honor societies and created an e-sports program at Freedom. He plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at USF.
Nico Baisley was the manager for the softball team, participated in theatre, Best Buddies and other organizations. Nico plans to attend Hillsborough Community College and hopes to become a special education teacher.
The Radiance Orthodontics Community Service Award was presented to Emma Schroeder, recognizing her commitment to serving others. Emma served more than 400 hours during her high school career as a volunteer with RAISE, tutoring students in reading, writing and spelling, and participated in other organizations such as Key Club and Mu Alpha Theta. She will attend the University of Florida.
The PTSA also offered the anonymously funded Bridge Forward Scholarship, honoring a graduating senior who has demonstrated personal growth, resilience, and commitment to building a brighter future despite challenges. This scholarship was awarded to Jonathan Assefa, who plans to attend USF and pursue a career in cybersecurity. As a student with autism, Jonathan joined chorus to build social confidence and remained open to new experiences,. He hopes to inspire others with autism to break barriers, too.
Congratulations to the entire Freedom High School class of 2025!
Editorâs Note – Although photographer Charmaine George was able to take photos at the awards ceremony for Wharton High, neither myself nor Charmaine was available to attend the awards event at Freedom, so the top-10 photos, which were borrowed from Freedomâs Instagram page, and the information on this page were all we were able to provide for the school.Â
We apologize for not being able to do more to honor the graduating students at both of New Tampaâs high schools. â GN
The Wharton High Class of 2025 will walk across the stage at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall on Thursday, May 29, where they will toss their caps and officially leave high school behind.
Before they go, however, the future graduates are participating in many traditions and lots of âlasts,â such as the last exam, the last day of school and one last ceremony to recognize the most outstanding among a sea of successful students.
Whartonâs Senior Awards Ceremony was held on May 7, where the top students in academics were honored and dozens of students were recognized by individual departments for being the outstanding student in a variety of subjects â everything from math to physical education to art.
The ceremony included recognition of the schoolâs Valedictorian and Salutatorian, along with the other eight students who round out the schoolâs top 10 by weighted grade point average (GPA). They are:
1. Shruti Mishra, Valedictorian (right in top left photo), with a GPA of 8.3082. Shruti will attend the University of Florida to study Computer Science.
2. Ananda Ravinder, Salutatorian (left in top left photo), with a GPA of 7.6767. Ananda will attend the University of South Florida (USF) to study Data Science.
3. Ayush Patel
4. Samantha Leyva Suarez
5. Radhika Dhanpat
6. Sean Kwon
7. Jesus Contreras*
8. Aaron Wonderley
9. Gavin Raitt*
10. Nishtha Hirapara
Twelve students will leave Wharton High with perfect unweighted GPAs of 4.0. Of those 12, only two are among the schoolâs top-10 students listed above â Jesus Contreras and Gavin Raitt. The other 4.0 unweighted GPA graduates are Gina Cocchiola, Shriya Patnaik, Marisol Peak, Isabella Pena, Danielle Pliego, Brady Quinn, Andria Santhosh, Dylan Stamper, Kayla Strocchio and Abigail Welsh earned nothing less than an âAâ in all of their high school classes.
Margaret Alma (at right in photo right) was recognized as a National Merit Commended Student. Of the 1.3 million students who took the PSAT screening exam, only about 34,000 students nationally (2.6%) were recognized with this honor.Â
Several scholarships were awarded by the schoolâs Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). Each of the scholarships required an application, essay and letter of recommendation. A volunteer committee reviewed the submitted applications with all personal information redacted and scholarships were awarded to the highest-scoring students.
Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera presented two of the scholarships, including a new one introduced this year called the PTSA CTE (Career & Technical Education) Award, specifically to honor students pursuing a vocational career after graduation.
âThe CTE scholarship was something I introduced this year because I am passionate about the trades,â said Shannon Briones, PTSA president. âOur winner completely embodied the concept behind the scholarship, as someone who was taking one of the great trade classes offered at Wharton, finding that passion, and then going on to pursue that trade at the next level at a local school in our community.â
Christian Perna (with Viera in photo above ) earned a $1,000 award towards his upcoming enrollment at Erwin Technical College, where he will continue studying culinary arts, as he did at Wharton. Christian was recognized as a consistent leader in both the kitchen and the classroom, graduating with a GPA of 4.6 and having won a local baking competition.Â
âItâs great to celebrate the 4.0 students and the valedictorian,â said Briones, âand also great to celebrate those who are the service professionals you hire for your home and car, and who work in the restaurants and shops. Thatâs what makes the community.â She said she is excited that the PTSA will continue to offer the CTE scholarship next year.
Viera also presented the Radiance Orthodontics Community Service Award to Abigail Alt (at right in photo with Viera). This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the community, regardless of GPA, but Abigail achieved both with a weighted GPA of 6.6 and more than 120 hours logged serving others through local organizations such as Tampa Parks & Recreation, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Bay Chapel Food Pantry, Relay for Life and others. She will attend the University of South Florida and pursue a career in pediatric nursing.Â
Four additional PTSA scholarships were presented by HCPS School Board Chair Jessica Vaughn to outstanding students.
Samantha Leyva Suarez (right in left photo with Vaughn), who earned a weighted GPA of 7.60 and was honored through the National Hispanic Recognition Program, will attend USF to pursue a degree in medicine.Â
Lucas Sauer, who demonstrated a commitment to academics, community service and athletics as captain of the Wharton baseball team, will attend Greensboro College to pursue a degree in sports management. Samantha and Lucas each earned $500.
Michael Jensen (at right in right photo with Vaughn), who excelled in academics and was captain of the golf team will attend Mississippi State University in Starkville in the schoolâs PGA Golf Management program.Â
Adrianna Castillo, who is graduating with a GPA of 6.41 and served as senior class president, will attend Florida State University in Tallahassee to pursue a degree in health sciences. Michael and Adrianna each received $250.
Wharton principal Taryn Anello presented her âTurnaround Awardâ to Adolfo Castillo (below left) and âGolden Wildcatâ awards to Cyron Gray (bottom center photo) and Gabriella Hawkins (bottom right).Â
Congratulations to these outstanding students and the entire Wharton class of 2025!