May 2012
L
A PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
✭✭✭ SPECIAL EDITION
ong-term employees play an invaluable role in the life of UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Their faithful, dedicated service has helped the institution become what it is today. In this
special edition of Center Times, we showcase some of these employees and their varied
interests. Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, President of UT Southwestern Medical Center, will host a May 8 luncheon
to honor employees with 50, 45, 40, 35, and 30 years of service and to welcome new members of the Quarter
Century Club.
PHOTOS BY DAVID GRESHAM
By Jeff Carlton
The longer James Campbell works at St. Paul
University Hospital, the younger the doctors
seem to get.
“I’m starting to think some of them look like
teenagers,” joked Mr. Campbell, now 69.
After more than 50 years at St. Paul, the
orthopaedic technician estimates that he has
helped place thousands of casts and assisted as
many patients. He was himself a teenager when
he started working at St. Paul in 1961.
At the time, Mr.
Campbell simply was
JAMES C
looking for a better
wage – and an escape
from the heat. He was
working for his uncle,
who did heating and
air conditioning duct
work in Grand Prairie.
A summer spent in
sweltering
attics
convinced him to look
for a new line of work.
“This turned out to be so much better,” Mr.
Campbell said. “And you’re not up in a real hot
attic. In July. With insulation all around you.”
The career in caregiving eventually became a
calling. Mr. Campbell’s motivations remain
simple: an honest paycheck, staying productive,
and a chance to help people.
“When I started in 1961, I had no idea I was
going to be here this long. But once I started, I
liked what I was doing,” he said. “I like helping
people out. I like taking care of them. I like
helping them get better.”
His employment began in a different era. UT
Southwestern Medical Center hadn’t yet taken
over St. Paul. And back in 1961, the hospital was
in East Dallas. The hospital wouldn’t open its
doors on Harry Hines Boulevard until the end of
1963.
Mr. Campbell began as an orderly in the PostOp Recovery Unit, monitoring the vital signs of
patients fresh out of surgery, transporting them
to their rooms, and helping with catheters. In the
mid-1960s, a retired Army sergeant who had
trained Army medics on how to place casts was
hired to set up a cast room.
He recruited Mr. Campbell to come work for
him, then spent two years training the younger
man. Mr. Campbell said he owes his career to his
former boss.
“I was one of the
AMPBELL
first ones he trained,
and I’ve been there
ever since,” he said.
While at work one
day, Mr. Campbell met
a St. Paul employee
named Gloria up on
the ninth floor. She’d
eventually work 19
years for the hospital.
In March, they celebrated 45 years of marriage.
The couple has two children and seven
grandchildren.
“You could say I volunteered to take as many
patients up to the ninth floor as I could,” Mr.
Campbell said.
Mr. Campbell has been an active participant
in the evolution of medical care. Plaster casts
have given way to Fiberglas, and procedures
“that used to keep you in the hospital for two or
three weeks now keep you there for two or three
days,” he said.
What hasn’t changed, he said, is the basic
friendliness and decency of his fellow employees,
who remain focused on delivering high-quality
medical care to their patients.
Mr. Campbell spends his spare time attending
weekly Bible study classes and is a deacon at his
Oak Cliff church, City Temple Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
“Everybody keeps asking, `When you going to
retire,’” he said. “Not anytime soon. I just like
working.”
By Alex Lyda
Addie Roberson’s time at the UT Southwestern
Medical Center has spanned all three presidents
of the institution. And when she arrived at St.
Paul University Hospital, Lyndon Baines Johnson
was the nation’s president.
Fast forward to 2012 and the myriad changes
that have transpired. Too many to list, but when
Addie looks next door to the new University
Hospital rising in the distance, she sees the future.
“I won’t be here next year, but I will go visit
the new hospital when
it’s completed,” said
ADDIE R
Mrs. Roberson, or
“Miss Addie” to her
colleagues.
“This
hospital has been very
good to me, and the
people
here
are
wonderful, but I’m
ready to retire. Nobody
can talk me out of it!”
Mrs. Roberson is a patient care technician on
the third floor of St. Paul, tending to oncology
outpatients receiving infusions and checkups. She
often records the vital signs of patients during the
initial part of their visits, before they receive
chemotherapy.
“Cancer patients are unique because you get
to know them and they become like family over
time with their frequent visits,” she said,
explaining her devotion to those visitors.
A Louisiana transplant who arrived in Dallas
in 1964, she obtained her vocational nursing
degree in 1965 and married the following year.
O
Her husband of 47 years works as a plant manager
at a plastics company on the day shift while
Mrs. Roberson works mostly nights. With her
trademark smile, she jokes that the opposing
shifts are what have allowed them to stay
together for so long.
Her husband also plans to retire next year.
They plan to travel the country together and
spend more time with their seven children and
grandchildren, six of whom were born at St.
Paul.
Reflecting back, Mrs. Roberson says she’s
witnessed several miracles on the third floor
BERSON
where she works. In
the 1970s, a man suffered a heart attack on
her floor and was
pronounced dead by
the cardiac team try ing to revive him.
“I came back in
the room to prepare
the body and there he
was, sitting straight up in his bed looking at
me,” Mrs. Roberson recalled, still amazed after
all these years. “So I immediately called the
cardiologist back in. Everybody on the floor
couldn’t believe it.”
It is no secret among her colleagues that she
plans to retire in 2013. Everybody on her floor
is already wishing her well.
Asked why she couldn’t wait to stay a little
bit longer to hit the half-century mark, Mrs.
Roberson said all good things must come to an
end.
We’ll see about that.
CENTERTIMES
PAGE 2
MAY 2012
By Erin Prather Stafford
The Cowboys, Mavericks, and Stars – Georgia ReedSciabarrasi is a fan of all three. The surgery scheduler for
Operating Room Management and Support enjoys cheering on
her Dallas teams with her husband, Angelo. One of the most
memorable games she attended was Roger Staubach’s last as
quarterback for the Cowboys at the old Texas Stadium.
At UT Southwestern Medical Center, Ms. Reed-Sciabarrasi
enjoys assisting surgeons and patients with scheduling
procedures. It’s important to her that they have a positive
experience at the medical center. She came to St. Paul University
Hospital before it was part of UT Southwestern and has relished
working with colleagues, especially her fellow surgery scheduler
Dale Syverson.
Mark Ms. Reed-Sciabarrasi down, also, as very excited about
the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, which is now
under construction on Harry Hines Boulevard.
“I pass by the construction site every day on my way in to
work,” she said. “I love watching the building’s progress and
knowing that it’s going to be a wonderful addition to campus
and a great resource for the Dallas community.”
Did you know: Since its founding in 1943, UT
Southwestern has graduated more than
16,500 physicians and other professionals in
all areas of medicine. This year alone, the
medical center will train nearly 4,400 medical,
graduate, and health professions students,
residents, and postdoctoral fellows.
G A Y
By Debbie Bolles
M O N T R E E
As she looks out her office window at the
new William C. Clements Jr. University
Hospital under construction, performance
improvement specialist Gay Montree feels
both pride and nostalgia. The changes are
good, a reflection of her own career path that
started 35 years ago at what is now St. Paul
University Hospital.
“When I see the new hospital going up, I
think, ‘Oh well, I won’t be here.’ But I’ll be
one of the first to get in my car, come over
and go on a tour of the new hospital,” said
Ms. Montree, who will retire in 2014.
When she started at St. Paul as a nurse in
1976, the Roman Catholic Daughters of
Charity operated the hospital. She was there
in 1997 when Texas Health Resources
bought the facility, and also in 2000 when it
was acquired by UT Southwestern Medical
Center.
“UT Southwestern came in and provided
stability, safety, and vision for us,” Ms.
Montree said. “They started making
changes, and suddenly it became a very
stable environment.”
Strong leadership from UT Southwestern
enabled Ms. Montree to witness many
milestones along the way, including the first
heart transplant in Dallas, which was
performed at St. Paul.
Outside the office, Ms. Montree participates in church activities, travels, and meets regularly with a
group of church friends called the “Birthday Club.” The soft-spoken mystery book fan also works out
every day.
S I LV E R
A R N O L D
G EG O
E OR RG GI IAA RR EE EE D - SS CC I I AABBA AR RR RA AS IS I
By Patrick Wascovich
G A R Y
G A U L D E N
Gary Gaulden knows how to carve out a
focused career.
A medical technologist in PathologyHematology at St. Paul University Hospital,
Mr. Gaulden has been providing clinical
services in the same department at the same
facility for his entire 35-year career. In fact, the
hobbyist woodcarver was working at St. Paul
even before graduating from Stephen F. Austin
State University.
“I came here because of the training
program,” he said. “SFA’s med tech
program had an association with St. Paul so
I did my one-year clinical rotations here.
When I was done, there was an opening
and I was hired.”
Mr. Gaulden worked at St. Paul when it
was a Roman Catholic medical institution,
then a managed operation, and, since 2005,
part of UT Southwestern Medical Center.
One of his lasting memories is seeing
Daughters of Charity every day.
“Nuns were on every floor,” he said. “It
was a Catholic-based hospital, and they
served as nurses.”
His job includes performing everything
from routine hematology tests to
specialized coagulation tests, like blood
platelet aggregation. The operation has
enlarged through UT Southwestern’s
Veripath Laboratories membership.
Mr. Gaulden’s family includes his wife, Donna; a son, Jake; daughter and son-in-law, Susan and
Art; and 3-year-old grandson, AJ. His continued interest in woodcarving started when Jake was in the
Boy Scouts.
By Robin Russell
If she ever needs a reminder that
she’s worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center for 35 years, administrative
associate Silver Arnold takes a look at
the photos of residents in the hallway
in the Department of Pediatrics.
“I was working here when some of
them weren’t even thought of,” she
said.
Today, Ms. Arnold helps coordinate
the network access between UT
Southwestern, Children’s Medical
Center Dallas, Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital for Children, Dell Children’s
Medical Center of Central Texas/Seton
Medical Center in Austin, and Parkland
Health & Hospital System for pediatric
faculty, staff, and fellows. UT Southwestern pediatricians mainly see
patients at Children’s, but also need
access to patient records at Parkland and
St. Paul University Hospital.
When she arrived at UT
Southwestern more than three decades
ago with a bachelor’s degree in biology
from the University of North Texas, her
goal was to help cure the common cold.
To get her foot in the door, she took a
job as a secretary, working for Drs. John
Kettman and James Forman in the
Department of Microbiology. Ms.
Arnold eventually worked her way up to
a job as a research technician in two
microbiology labs and in pediatrics.
One of her favorite memories is the
pride she felt when she was hired by the
late Dr. Eric Humphries and Dr. Brad
Ozanne to work in their microbiology
labs – where she cultured mouse, rat,
and avian cells – and later in Dr.
Jonathan
Ducore’s
pediatric
hematology/oncology lab, where she
cultivated mouse and human tissue
cells.
“I enjoyed research very much back
then,” she said. “I liked being able to see
something grow from nothing into
something that could be used in
research.”
For two decades, she worked with
pediatric residents, from coordinating
their initial interviews to watching
them grow as doctors. She’s been proud
of UT Southwestern’s international
reputation.
“At least I’ve talked to some Nobel
laureates on the phone,” she said.
When she’s away from the medical
center, she likes to spend time with her
son and four grandkids, and she hopes
one of them will end up as a doctor one
day. Her bucket list includes traveling to
all 50 states. A second soprano in her
church choir, she’s also known for her
Italian cream cakes.
“There was a time when I brought in
a cake for just about anyone who
wanted one, because I enjoyed baking
and making others happy on their
special days,” she said.
C A R O L Y N
Y O R K
CENTERTIMES
MAY 2012
By Lisa Warshaw
SHEILA WOODWARD-MORGAN
By Erin Prather Stafford
After 35 years as a registered nurse at St. Paul
University Hospital, three children, and five grandchildren – all but one born at St. Paul – and
thousands of babies born on her watch, Sheila
Woodward-Morgan has earned her title of
“Grandnan” among her peers in the neonatal and
perinatal units at St. Paul.
“I just love my babies!” she said. “My first love is
babies, and I get to work with them each and every
day. I feel so truly blessed to do what I love and love
what I do.”
From her beginnings in the newborn nursery to
her current position as a perinatal charge nurse and
instructor of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and
neonatal resuscitation, Ms. Woodward-Morgan
fondly recalls the memories she shares with families
she has witnessed through the years.
“I once took care of a mom having her third
child here at St. Paul. I took care of all of her babies,
and it was a thrill to watch her family grow,” Ms.
Woodward-Morgan recalled. “I also take great pride
in watching 1- to 2-pound babies graduate from the
NICU. These are my special babies.”
UT Southwestern Medical Center has offered Ms.
Woodward-Morgan, a Clinical Ladder 4 nurse, the
opportunity for continuous learning and growth. “I
even went back to school to learn Spanish so I could
better serve my Spanish-speaking patients,” she
said. The leadership and pride in watching UT
Southwestern grow are among the reasons she stays dedicated to the institution and looks forward to
continuing caregiving at the new University Hospital.
Her Cajun/creole roots in Louisiana ignite her passion for listening and dancing to the eclectic beats of
zydeco music. Her love of baking yields a family favorite blackberry pie made from scratch. It is the passion
she has, and the love she gives, that makes her a lifetime caregiver to her special babies, and her loving family.
I R E T H A
A D A M S
Throughout her UT Southwestern Medical
Center career, Iretha Adams has worked in
Accounting, and this senior accounting clerk has
a good memory. She recalls Dr. Charles Sprague,
UT Southwestern’s gregarious first president,
who held an annual holiday party for the
medical center. “A lot of great people have come
through the doors here,” Ms. Adams said. “I’ve
made good friends that I’ve cried with, prayed
with, and we’ve supported each other. I
appreciate them and the stable employment the
medical center has provided so I can care for my
family.” Ms. Adams says she’s fortunate to be
with the love of her life. She enjoys scrap booking, sewing, and attending church.
E V E L Y N
G O M E Z
Evelyn Gomez grew up at UT Southwestern
Medical Center. Now transplant financial
coordinator for the Heart and Lung Transplant
Programs, she started her career in emergency
room registration where she learned that
helping patients was her calling. “I work hand in
hand with the doctors, nurses, and social service
workers to help patients receive these life-saving
surgeries,” Ms. Gomez said. “It’s wonderful to
see the patients come back to clinic with their
new heart or lungs, and I have made many
wonderful friends here over the years.” Ms.
Gomez and her husband, Michael, have two
sons and a daughter. She is also a grandmother
and loves to travel with her family.
Occasionally, she’ll also try her hand at bingo.
N I N A
G O R H A M
Nina Gorham fondly remembers the
excitement that engulfed UT Southwestern
Medical Center when Drs. Michael Brown and
Joseph Goldstein were awarded the Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine. Since then she’s witnessed
other faculty being honored with Nobel laurels,
and she is proud to be part of a community with
such achievements in its history. As a clinical
research coordinator for the Department of
Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, Ms. Gorham
has also seen firsthand how technology changed
academic medicine. “I can remember grant
preparation on typewriters and orders from general
stores taking a week to 10 days for delivery,” she
said. Ms. Gorham enjoys spending time with her
family, which includes husband Mike and two
daughters.
PAGE 3
ORNANONG (ORNA) CHARUWORN
A native of Thailand, Ornanong
(Orna) Charuworn and her sister
came to the United States in 1966.
After finishing high school in
Missouri, both began careers in health
care. Her sister is now a dentist, and
Ms. Charuworn is a nurse.
Today she works as a nurse
anesthesiologist for Labor and
Delivery at St. Paul University
Hospital. Ms. Charuworn also
responds to code blues, which means
a patient is in respiratory distress and
must be intubated.
Her family is a large one. In addition to two sons, Ms. Charuworn has
six sisters (one of whom is deceased)
and three brothers. She also has 30
nieces and nephews and 15 great
nieces and nephews.
Away from UT Southwestern
Medical Center, Ms. Charuworn
enjoys reading mystery novels and
researching natural strategies for
health ailments.
“Unfortunately, three of my
siblings have been stricken with
cancer, four with hypertension,” she
said. “I like to read about natural ways
to prevent these diseases for my
family and myself. Despite the
distance, we’re all very close. My
favorite pastime is calling everyone in
Thailand.”
MARSHA CONGLETON
Marsha Congleton has worked in just one
depart ment throughout her career at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. As residency
coordinator for the Obstetrics and Gynecology
Residency Program, she credits her colleagues for
her tenure at the medical center and the feeling
she experiences watching students enter the
residency program, graduate, and embark on
successful careers in medicine. Ms. Congleton and
her husband, Jeff, have been married for 31 years.
Their daughter is completing her master’s degree
in advanced nursing, while their son is completing
his undergraduate degree in kinesiology. Both are
to graduate in 2013.
GAIL GRAYSON-GIPSON
Gail Grayson-Gipson knows the ins and outs
of the Epic Resolute Professional Billing System.
As a manager in the Epic Resolute Training
Department, she oversees the team tasked with
training new employees on using the system.
Her first position at UT Southwestern Medical
Center was accounting clerk for the Department
of Internal Medicine. “Over the years I’ve come
to appreciate the stability working for the
medical center has provided,” said Ms. Gipson.
“I’ve met longtime friends and enjoy what I do.”
Ms. Gipson is married to husband Hayes. When
not at work, she hopefully is traveling or renovating a house project.
G R A C Y
D A V I D
Three nights a week you’ll find Gracy David
in the Labor, Delivery, and Recovery (LDR)
rooms at St. Paul University Hospital. A nurse,
Ms. David assists new mothers at their bedside
with the admissions process. She also promotes
breast-feeding and immediate physical contact
between mother and child after birth. She plans
to work at UT Southwestern Medical Center
until retirement and credits her department’s
teamwork with making this a good place to be.
“I feel I have grown in experience along with the
hospital,” she said. Away from UT Southwestern,
Ms. David spends time with her husband, Jim,
their two daughters and sons-in-law. She enjoys
family gatherings, cooking, and exercising.
K I M I
J A C K S O N
Kimi Jackson believes being at UT
Southwestern Medical Center has truly made her
a better person. The document imaging
technician in MSRDP Billing Operations
Administration finds joy in helping colleagues,
while also learning and teaching new skills.
“Laughing and joking with co-workers and
having memorable times … UT Southwestern
has given me all of these things,” said Ms.
Jackson. “I like helping whenever it’s needed.”
That sentiment also includes Peewee football,
where Ms. Jackson acts as a football cheerleader.
When she’s not cheering, you can find her
cooking new recipes or at the movies. Ms.
Jackson has one daughter, Kimiel, two sisters,
and a nephew.
CENTERTIMES
PAGE 4
BRENDA JOHNSON
As a scheduling coordinator for the Vascular
and Interventional Radiology Program at UT
Southwestern Medical Center, Brenda Johnson
has a lot of interaction with patients. The selfdescribed talker schedules procedures and also
checks patients in when they come to St. Paul
University Hospital. Ms. Johnson is looking
forward to the completion of the new William P.
Clements Jr. University Hospital. Off campus she
loves to take her daughter roller skating, an
activity she did often during her younger years.
She is also an avid reader. “I love fiction,” said
Ms. Johnson. “I probably read one to two books
per week. Being a tablet reader makes it easy.
You have so many choices available at your
fingertips.”
JASHWANTI
PARBHOO
Jashwanti (Jasu) Parbhoo is tied to UT Southwestern Medical Center in many ways. Both of her
daughters were born at St. Paul University
Hospital and have pursued careers in health care.
Ms. Parbhoo works as a staff physical therapist and
believes that every day brings a new challenge. “I
have seen St. Paul University Hospital evolve from
its Catholic roots to become a key part of the
academic institution known as UT Southwestern,”
she said. “Despite the changes, one thing has
remained constant: My colleagues and I strive to
always provide top quality care and give our best
to all patients, residents, interns, and students
who walk our corridors.” Ms. Parbhoo lives in
Coppell with her husband, Denesh, whom she
loves taking walks with. The couple have two
daughters. Off duty, she likes to read and watch
HGTV or the Food Network.
C A R L A
W A G G O N E R
Carla Waggoner considers it a privilege to be a
staff nurse in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care
Unit (CVICU). Her career in health care started as
a night clerk at what is now St. Paul University
Hospital, and she finds the evolution of both
medicine and patient care to be thrilling. “I was
actually part of the patient care team for the first
heart transplant performed in Dallas,” Ms.
Waggoner said. “I received specialized training in
anticipation of that moment, and its core lessons
are still applicable today.” She enjoys motorcycle
riding with the Harley-Davidson ladies. Ms.
Waggoner, whose husband, Walter, passed away
in 2003, has one daughter.
B E V E R LY S H A C K E L F O R D
Three decades ago, Beverly Shackelford,
education coordinator in Pathology Education,
planned to earn a master’s degree in social work.
She completed more than half of the required
hours, while working part-time at UT Southwestern Medical Center. But fate and her bosses
stepped in. “I decided I didn’t want to leave my job
here. Our department chairman and another
faculty member seemed to go out of their way to
ensure I was happy. Working on successive
editions of a major pathology textbook and dealing
with medical students and faculty has allowed my
backgrounds in English, psychology, and social
work to dovetail, and I decided I did not want to
be a front-line social worker after all. I work with
great people, and it has been fulfilling to be a very
small cog in a very large machine.” When not at
work, she enjoys playing the piano – she’s played
since age 8 – as well as reading and traveling,
whether to far-away places such as London or back
to her native Kansas.
K A T H Y
W A R R E N
Every year the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(NICU) at St. Paul University Hospital has a
Preemie Party. Parents return to UT
Southwestern Medical Center with their
premature babies. For Kathy Warren, a clinical
coordinator for the NICU, it is her favorite
event. “It is rewarding to know these children
are growing up and the care our unit gave them
had such an impact on their lives,” she said. She
credits the work atmosphere for why she’s
remained at UT Southwestern. Off campus, Ms.
Warren spends time with her husband, Dave,
their two sons, and five grandchildren.
MAY 2012
D A N I E L
J U A R E Z
As an anesthesia technician, Daniel Juarez
assists with caring for patients in surgery at the
University Hospitals. His enthusiasm for UT
Southwestern Medical Center and appreciation
of his co-workers makes Mr. Juarez wish he had
time to promote the medical center as a public
relations specialist. “Two favorite memories I
have of the campus are when my children were
born at St. Paul,” he said. “I love what I do,
especially helping patients. I also like hearing
faculty and staff share stories about UT
Southwestern and its history.” Mr. Juarez has
been married to wife Mellie for 32 years. The
couple have a son, a daughter, and four
grandsons.
P A M
S T E R N W E I S
Pam Sternweis came to UT Southwestern
Medical Center in 1981 as a research assistant in
the laboratory of Dr. Alfred Gilman. As part of Dr.
Gilman’s research team, she contributed to the
studies that would lead to him receiving the Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994. Ms.
Sternweis and her husband, Dr. Paul Sternweis,
now Director of the Cell Signaling course in the
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, were part
of the medical center delegation to that historic
event. “It was a wonderful whirlwind,” she said.
“Dr. Gilman graciously and generously shared so
much with so many by allowing us to bask in the
reflected glory of it all.” Ms. Sternweis is now a
coordinator for special projects in the Office of
External Relations. Her oldest daughter Katie
earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UT
Southwestern. Her younger daughter Elizabeth
works in child care.
E L L E N
W A T K I N S
Ellen Watkins’ cooking would make
physicians at UT Southwestern Medical Center
proud. The office assistant in Obstetrics and
Gynecology is currently perfecting the recipe for
quinoa cinnamon muffins, a creation her nine
step-grandchildren liken to eating cake. Ms.
Watkins began working at the medical center as
a clerk typist. Ms. Watkins likes to travel with
her husband. Norway was a favorite trip (she
wants to go back), and the couple also hopes to
see New Zealand. In addition to her
grandchildren, Ms. Watkins has two stepsons,
five sisters, and a brother.
LORI McGARRY
As a clinical coordinator for the
Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU),
Lori McGarry supervises and evaluates the care
provided to patients in the unit. She also chairs
the Lab-Nursing Partnership Committee and is
co-chair of the Code Blue Committee. “The
commitment toward excellence is why I’ve
stayed at UT Southwestern Medical Center,” Ms.
McGarry said. “I value the teamwork in my area,
especially from the managerial side. Having
support and involvement is important to
ensuring the best possible care is being delivered
to patients.” On her days off, Ms. McGarry
swims or reads. She also enjoys spending time
with her two daughters.
M A R I A
T E L L O
As a health information management
assembly and analysis clerk, Maria Tello assists
with maintenance and care of health records at St.
Paul University Hospital. She is inspired by all the
changes occurring at UT Southwestern Medical
Center and applauds the direction in which the
medical center is going. “I am proud to be part of
a medical institution that makes groundbreaking
strides to prolong and improve the lives of so
many people,” Ms. Tello said. When she’s not
spending time with her daughter and twin
grandsons, Ms. Tello is making improvements
around her home or traveling with friends.
Did you know: UT Southwestern
faculty, residents and students
annually provide direct care to nearly
100,000 hospitalized patients.
E U N I C E
W E B B
Eunice Kay Webb describes the work at UT
Southwestern Medical Center as always engaging
and challenging. Those are just some of the
reasons she’s stayed at the medical center, as are
her colleagues. Ms. Webb is a research tech at
the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer
Center. “My first job was in the Department of
Biochemistry,” she said. “You can learn so much
if you stay at UT Southwestern Medical Center.”
Outside of the labs, Ms. Webb enjoys singing in
her church choir, watching movies, reading, and
playing with her grandchildren. She also has a
great-grandson.
CENTERTIMES
MAY 2012
PAGE 5
EVELYN FULLER
O P A L
W Y A T T
Opal Wyatt loves UT Southwestern Medical
Center and the lifelong friends she’s made in her
career. As an administrative associate for client
services in Information Resources, Ms. Wyatt
ensures that each member of her team has what is
needed to get the job done on a day-to-day basis.
“I am amazed at how much UT Southwestern has
grown, especially the past five years,” she said.
“It’s been a joy to see several new buildings go up
and all the major advances in technology.” When
she’s not on campus, Ms. Wyatt spends time with
her husband and two sons. Her eldest is married
with two children, and the family tries to get
together for Sunday dinner twice a month. They
also enjoy traveling together.
SANDRA OVERSTREET
CHERYL SMITH
MARY TURNER BALDWIN
Mary Turner Baldwin counts “the excitement
of working at an academic medical center” as
the primary reason she’s logged 25 years at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. As manager of
quality improvement programs, Ms. Baldwin has
experienced firsthand the growth and expansion
of the medical center, with one of her favorite
memories being attending the groundbreaking
of Zale Lipshy University Hospital. When not at
work, she enjoys traveling with her “lots and
lots of friends,” especially to Nantucket, Mass.,
and Montana, as well as going to estate sales,
and playing with Daisy, her longhaired
dachshund.
T E R R E
J A C K S O N
AZIZA YOUNG
Every day, Aziza Larkin Young thinks about
the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital
and is ecstatic about the resources that the stateof-the-art facility will provide the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit. As manager of the NICU at St.
Paul University Hospital, she witnesses firsthand
the care that UT Southwestern Medical Center
provides its youngest patients. “The first time I
ever stepped foot in the NICU, I realized that I had
found where I wanted to be,” Ms. Young said. “It’s
a great feeling to go through the day feeling
needed and knowing you really can make a
difference.” In 2003 she was a recipient of a Cyndi
Bassel Guardian Angel Award. Ms. Young lives in
the Dallas area with her husband, Chuck, and
their two daughters.
D O R I S
D I A N A
C A R O L
MARIA MANZO
S C O T T
E D
Serena “Carol” Bales joined UT Southwestern
Medical Center as a single mom with a 3-year-old
daughter, fresh from a divorce and the loss of a job.
Her new position, senior accountant for
Alternative Delivery Systems at what is now St.
Paul University Hospital, proved to be “exciting
and rewarding,” as she helped set up new business
programs for the hospital. Ms. Bales is now
financial manager for St. Paul Medical Foundation,
and her daughter is completing nursing school,
having been influenced her entire life by
individuals “who helped her develop that
understanding of health care and how much our
organization does for people.”
H .
N G U Y E N
A M E S
I I I
Ed Ames has enjoyed seeing the transfor mation of the UT Southwestern Medical Center
campus during the past 25 years. But more
importantly, he’s enjoyed the culture of commitment within the campus community that has
accompanied and supported this growth. As
director of systems and data center operations in
Information Resources, Mr. Ames played an
integral role in the design of the new UT Southwestern Data Hall and relocation of the
department to the Paul M. Bass Administrative
and Clinical Center, in preparation for the
construction of the William P. Clements Jr.
University Hospital. “Having the opportunity to
participate in the continuing success of a worldclass institution like UT Southwestern is both
challenging and compelling,” he said. When not
at work, Mr. Ames enjoys cycling, traveling,
reading, hiking, and fly fishing.
T H O M A S
B A L E S
A N H
D A V I D
B A R N E S
From blood and tissue samples to computer
screens and programming, David Barnes has seen
the lab at St. Paul University Hospital from all
sides. A lead business analyst/architect in
Information Resources, which provides Epic
Electronic Medical Records support for St. Paul
laboratories and radiology areas, Mr. Barnes spent
the first two-thirds of his career at UT Southwestern Medical Center as a medical technologist. In
2001, he joined St. Paul’s laboratory information
systems team. Mr. Barnes lives with Mary, his wife
of 20 years, and four cats. In his spare time, he
enjoys collecting fossils, hiking, medieval history,
and paleoecology.
J I M M Y
C A W T H O N
As a safety specialist in Environmental
Health and Safety, Jimmy Cawthon visits
laboratories on campus, checking for the proper
use of radioactive materials. He’s also been
treated at the UT Southwestern Medical Center.
“Knowing that I work for one of the world’s
foremost research institutions, I was able to be
one of the first participants in the cutting-edge
use of deep brain stimulation in the treatment of
medication-resistant depression. Being a lifelong
depression sufferer, this technology has been a
life-changing event for me.” Mr. Cawthon says
he’s also grateful for the “outstanding” benefit
packages offered by the university.
CENTERTIMES
PAGE 6
L U E V E N I A
C O A T S
Luevenia Coats, a quality assurance
coordinator in payment support services in the
Adjustments Department, said, “UT Southwestern Medical Center has been a good place to
work.” Mrs. Coats also has praise for her coworkers. “The adjustments staff is the best!”
Married to Raymond Coats Sr., she and her
husband have two daughters and a son, as well
as three grandchildren. She enjoys spending
time with her family and traveling.
Did you know: UT Southwestern’s
400-acre campus of almost 11
million-square-feet of building space
includes more than 30 facilities.
S A N D Y
D U R R
For Sandy Durr, administrative manager in
Radiation Oncology, her favorite memories of the
past 25 years revolve around individuals with
whom she’s worked and the continued learning
opportunities each day provides. “They’re all
people memories: weddings and baby showers for
co-workers, holiday lunches, Christmas parties,
and more. Lots of laughter throughout the years!
And, it has been great to work with so many
talented people. Every day since I started on Feb.
1, 1987, has been an interesting and exciting
challenge – with no two days in a row having ever
been the same!” Mrs. Durr and her husband,
Steve, have two goddaughters and a cat, Sheila.
When not at work,she enjoys working on projects
around their five-acre farm, quilting, needlework,
and training for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk,
to be held this fall.
P A M
G O A D
Twenty-five years at UT Southwestern Medical
Center have allowed Pam Goad to wear many
hats. Currently a lead business analyst/architect
with Information Resources, Ms. Goad is part of
the team assisting with implementation of the
Epic Electronic Medical Record System. A
registered nurse, she also has worked in clinical
nursing and management in General Internal
Medicine, as an exposure control nurse, as a CPR
instructor, and with worker’s compensation for
the James W. Aston Ambulatory Care Center, with
managed care/insurance/billing/compliance/Medicare regulations, and as a telephone triage nurse.
“If you are willing to learn, change and grow, the
sky’s the limit for what you can do and
accomplish at UT Southwestern.” Ms. Goad has
two daughters, McKenzie and Madison, and
enjoys walking on the greenbelt near her home.
M A RY
E W I N G
Mary Ewing recalls when she sent her resume
to the late Pathology chairman, Dr. Vernie
Stembridge. It was 1985, and she was working as a
pathology transcriptionist in a Denver hospital
and ready to move to Dallas. “He knew my boss in
Denver and called for a reference, and then called
me. He asked if I would I like to work at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. The rest is history.”
Ms. Ewing began as an administrative assistant in
the Department of Pathology. Today, she is the
department manager in the Department of
Clinical Sciences, directing financial, personnel,
and clinical research activities. When not working,
Ms. Ewing enjoys traveling to such “out-of-theway places as Bhutan and Antarctica,” as well as
cooking, skiing, bicycling, and “discovering great
red wines at bargain prices.”
RUBEN JIMENEZ
Working behind the scenes to keep UT
Southwestern Medical Center facilities operating
smoothly is what keeps Ruben G. Jimenez Jr.,
maintenance foreman in the utilities area of
Physical Plant, interested and challenged daily.
“When an emergency occurs – like a broken shaft
on an air handler or a broken steam line – my
shop is on the front line to contain or repair the
problem. Fixing such a problem, so that the
university center’s staff and students can excel on
doing a great job for human lives, makes me feel
good inside.” Mr. Jimenez said he’s stayed 25
years because he “enjoys a good challenge and
loves the people he works with like family.” Mr.
Jimenez and his wife, Blanca, have two daughters,
three sons, and five grandchildren. He enjoys
camping, traveling, the outdoors, and playing
fantasy football.
MAY 2012
D E B O R A H
C O B B
Deborah Cobb, administrative associate in
Ophthalmology, counts the camaraderie she has
with her coworkers and associates as one of her
favorite things about her job. “I’ve developed
friendships over the years with people I have
continued to work with and others who have
retired. Also, the university has made a big shift
toward patient care, and the focus on research
has kept us in the national spotlight. It’s great to
be a part of that.” Mrs. Cobb and her husband,
Wayne, have two daughters, two sons, and a
granddaughter, and are expecting another
grandchild in September. Mrs. Cobb enjoys
spending time with her family, traveling,
attending church, and participating in her book
club of 15 years.
B R U C E
F O L C H E RT
For Bruce Folchert, the people he has met are
the best thing about working at UT Southwestern
Medical Center. A senior business analyst in
Information Resources, Mr. Folchert says the
friendships he has made during the years are
amazing. “I can walk through St. Paul and run
into people I met 25 years ago. I have seen a lot of
changes since I began working here [as a security
officer]. New buildings are great, but it’s the
people in them that make them great!” He enjoys
spending time wakeboarding on area lakes, and
with friends and family, and he says he stayed at
UT Southwestern because of the difference the
medical center makes. “Even though I do not
provide direct patient care, working in health care
can be rewarding if you focus on the big picture
and realize the life-changing system of which you
are a part.”
D A V I D
K O L L E R
David Koller laughingly says his current job
description pretty much involves answering
questions about PeopleSoft, the new business
management and purchasing system. A senior
buyer in Purchasing, Mr. Koller has seen several
system changes during the past 25 years, and says
it always takes time before people learn to use
them. He enjoys his job because of “the friendly
and professional environment, good co-workers,
and a different challenge every day. My friends and
co-workers, and the professionalism of our office,
are what make it easy for me to come to work each
day and feel like I have made a difference.” Married
to wife Robbie for 41 years, Mr. Koller has three
children and four grandchildren. In his spare time,
he travels to Canton monthly as a vendor at First
Monday Trade Days, selling tubular wind chimes,
T-shirts, and other items.
JEANETTE COLEMAN
Theresa Jeanette Coleman, clinical
coordinator of the NICU, considers the
department’s annual reunion one of her favorite
days of the year. “Babies and their families come
back to see us, which is extremely rewarding,
considering the difficulties many went
through.” A part of the NICU since starting at
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Mrs. Coleman
considers the unit “a close-knit family,” and
counts her manager and her “love for babies” as
reasons she’s stayed so long. “I also feel as
though there is a very big plan in the future. I
see things all around that show how successful
UT Southwestern is, including new research
coming out every day.” Married to husband Bill
for 36 years, Mrs. Coleman has three daughters,
a 4-year-old grandson, and a 6-month-old
granddaughter.
B A R B A R A
G I L B E RT
“What have I gotten myself into,” Barbara
Gilbert remembers asking herself on her first day at
UT Southwestern Medical Center. The first coworker she met was a “nutty nurse” spewing
horror stories and proclaiming how difficult it was
to work there. Two days later, the “nutty nurse”
was fired, and Ms. Gilbert was the only nurse in
the internal medicine clinic at the James W. Aston
Ambulatory Care Center. Thanks to gastroenterology nurse Ann Sakhaee, who today is her best
friend, and an administrative assistant, she
survived and thrived. Ms. Gilbert is a research
nurse and coordinator in the Eugene McDermott
Center for Human Growth and Development,
assisting Dr. Helen Hobbs with genetic research
studies. “The challenge of coming to work here
every day and being exposed constantly to new
projects and new people is the most rewarding
thing that could have ever happened to me.”
JULIE LANDESBERG
Julie Landesberg has worn a number of hats
during the past 25 years, starting as a secretary in
Public Affairs. Today, she is the director of the
Office of the Vice President for Clinical
Operations, as well as director of the Patient
Assistance Office, overseeing the process for
addressing patient concerns. She credits her
experiences in Clinical Affairs and Clinical
Operations for providing her the opportunity to
learn about the clinical enterprise and to grow
professionally. “I really enjoy the dynamic
atmosphere of a large academic medical center.”
Away from the office, she likes to spend time at
home with her husband, Pete, and her “critters,”
which include horses, goats, pigs, emus, cats,
assorted reptiles, a cockatoo, and a mastiff named
Rocky.
CENTERTIMES
MAY 2012
D A L E
L E S T E R
Sometimes crossing the street can change one’s
life. Dale Lester, public safety officer, met his wife
of 20 years while directing traffic at the south
campus crosswalk. “My wife told mutual friends
that she’d go out with any police officer except
the ‘mean guard at the crosswalk.’ Eventually, she
agreed, and the rest is history.” Today, the couple
have three grown children, a dog, and a cat. When
Mr. Lester joined UT Southwestern Medical
Center, there were only five buildings and one
patrol car. “I’ve observed the expansion of the
campus to what it is today, and the police
department go from one car, sharing a radio
frequency with the physical plant, to a modern
professional high-tech police agency.” When not
at work, he enjoys camping, working with the Boy
Scouts, traveling, and Dutch oven cooking. He
also serves in the Texas State Guard, with the rank
of corporal.
CAROLYN J. PARKER
Carolyn J. Parker has helped patients survive
and thrive for 25 years now – answering their
phone calls and helping ensure that they receive
the right food orders while staying in St. Paul
University Hospital. A diet clerk in the room
service area of Nutrition Services, Mrs. Parker
“enjoys working with people and being able to
help others.” In addition to taking food orders
and answering patients’ questions about menus,
she must make sure each order meets any dietary
restrictions the patient’s doctor may have
mandated. Married, with a grown son and
daughter, Mrs. Parker enjoys baking and
watching movies. Her baking specialty is cakes,
one of which recently earned her a first-place
trophy in a church bake-off competition.
D O N N A
S H A F E R
Of the 25 years Donna Shafer has worked at
UT Southwestern Medical Center, 19 were for
the same boss, Dr. A. John Rush, Professor of
Psychiatry and later Vice Chairman of the
Department of Clinical Sciences. “There was
never a dull moment working with Dr. Rush.
When he moved to Clinical Sciences, he took
me with him.” Upon Dr. Rush’s retirement, Ms.
Shafer moved to her current position as
administrative associate in the Division of
Biostatistics. She has two grown children, a son
who is 38 and a daughter 24, and two large dogs.
She enjoys anything “revolving around food,
such as cooking shows, magazines, trying new
recipes, and collecting cookbooks.”
DR. JOSE A. LOPEZ
Few people on campus likely appreciate the
medical center’s Waste Handling Facility quite as
much as Dr. Jose A. Lopez, Director of Environmental Health and Safety. Completed five years
ago, the facility represents a major accomplishment. “I feel a pride and satisfaction related to its
completion, after many years in the making,” he
said. Dr. Lopez also takes “great pride” in the
accomplishments of his staff. “I have a very strong
team in my EH&S staff, which makes my job
easier, satisfactory, and worthwhile.” In his spare
time, Dr. Lopez enjoys digital photography,
Photoshop, genealogy, and South Texas history.
He is married to Queta Lopez, whom he calls “the
queen of crochet.” The couple have a married
daughter (a pediatrician) and his “pride and joy,”
two grandchildren, as well as a son and his wife,
both ministers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
T E R E S A
P A Y N E
An abstractor in the Elaine D. and Charles A.
Sammons Heart, Lung and Vascular Comprehensive Center at St. Paul University Hospital,
Teresa Payne deals daily with patient files and
data – but what she most enjoys is meeting in
person the individuals represented in those files.
“Being able to share in the joy and happiness of
a patient who has received a transplant and has
come back to the clinic to visit is very special.”
Mrs. Payne, who started at UT Southwestern
Medical Center as an EKG technician, also
enjoys the friends she’s made during the past 25
years. “I have been able to advance into different
positions and have worked with some awesome
people along the way.” When not at work, Mrs.
Payne enjoys going to movies, listening to jazz,
and spending time with family and friends.
J O H N
S H E L T O N
John Shelton admits to having an exciting life,
both in and away from UT Southwestern Medical
Center. As a senior research scientist for Internal
Medicine, he manages the Molecular Pathology
Core, consulting lab clients and overseeing
anatomic and histopathology production. “The
reason I’ve stayed boils down to my pride in
establishing and building the ‘Mole Path Core’
from scratch with Dr. James Richardson, Professor
of Pathology. Among my favorite UT South western memories are meeting Stephen Hawking,
receiving the Donald W. Seldin Award, my first
‘first-author paper,’ and the many journal coverart successes.” Mr. Shelton and his wife of 25
years, Vicki, have two daughters, Spencer and
Skyler.
J A N E
PAGE 7
P A C L I B A R E
A registered respiratory therapist-neonatal
pediatric specialist, Jane Paclibare counts the
camaraderie between co-workers as one of the top
reasons she’s stayed at UT Southwestern Medical
Center so long. “The staff and friends I work with
are amazing, and I feel a great sense of loyalty
because of the people I work with.” She also
enjoys monthly department dinners that take the
staff to different restaurants in the area, and the
fact that the department offers a “clinical ladder
program that inspires us to obtain our certification
and provides us an opportunity for leadership.”
Mrs. Paclibare, who has two grown children,
enjoys reading, going to movies, attending
cooking classes, Zumba dancing, going to aerobics
classes, and doing volunteer work.
R O B B I N
P E C K
One of the things she likes best about working
at UT Southwestern Medical Center is seeing
patients recover, said Robbin Peck, an administrative associate and assistant to Dr. Carol
Tamminga, Chairman of Psychiatry. “The first
time I saw a patient who had participated in a
depression clinical trial, whose improvement was
so dramatic that I didn’t recognize her, it gave me
great joy to see the transformation.” Ms. Peck
began her career at UT Southwestern as a secretary
in the psychiatry clinic at the James W. Aston
Ambulatory Care Center. “UT Southwestern has
been a wonderful place to work. I refer to the
people I work with as my work family, with some
becoming lasting friends.” When not at work, she
enjoys quilting, reading, spending time with
family and friends – and her three cats – and
cooking for family and friends.
L E T I C I A
S I L V A
Leticia Silva, senior administrative associate
in Biochemistry, counts the “great bosses” she
has had during the past 25 years as the primary
reason she’s stayed with UT Southwestern
Medical Center. “I’ve had some great bosses who
were nice and generous to me.” It also helps that
she can ride to and from work every day with
her husband, Robert Silva, who works at UT
Southwestern in Physical Plant. The couple have
two daughters and two grandchildren, and enjoy
spending time with their grandkids – attending
baseball, basketball, and soccer games and
practices, as well as dance classes, performances,
and recitals.
L O U
P A R E D E S
Lou Paredes cherishes riding his motorcycle
across the country and participating in activities
that keep his body moving. The tech support
specialist for Information Resources says the
reason he’s stayed at UT Southwestern Medical
Center is simple. “I love what I do and have
established some great relationships through the
years,” he said. “It makes the job fun, and
knowing I’m helping with our overall mission to
provide extraordinary patient care means a lot.”
Did you know: The NCI-designated
Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center is
one of 66 top-tier cancer centers in
the nation.
J A M E S
P H I L I P
As a parking enforcement officer for the
Department of Auxiliary Enterprise, James Philip
knows the UT Southwestern Medical Center
campus like the back of his hand. His tasks
include ensuring visitors to campus are parking
their cars safely. Mr. Philip has witnessed
firsthand the medical center’s growth, including
the construction of the North Campus. He
credits his colleagues as the reason he has
stayed. “I am looking forward to the completion
of the William P. Clements Jr. University
Hospital,” he said. “It’s inspiring to be part of
this community.” In his spare time Mr. Philip
plays the keyboard and spends time with his
loved ones, including his wife, Rhoda, and two
children, Jesse, 21, and Rebekah, 14.
K A R E N
S M I T H
Karen Smith has had the opportunity to work
in OB/GYN and in Oncology Research, as well as
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, where she
serves now as nursing supervisor. “The level of
knowledge is so high, as are the expectations of
excellence. There are also many learning
opportunities and the ability to play a part in
helping with novel concepts and procedures.” She
has a grown daughter and son, as well as a 7-yearold granddaughter and a new “blind grand
puppy.” Ms. Smith enjoys gardening, medical
mission trips, and adventure travel – including
trips that had her snorkeling with sharks in Belize,
paragliding off a mountain, and hiking on a
glacier in Switzerland.
CENTERTIMES
PAGE 8
MILAGROS URANZA
For Milagros Uranza, the “rapport that one
gets from co-workers and management” and the
joy she feels every year at the NICU reunion are
the primary reasons she’s stayed at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. A registered
respiratory therapist in the unit, Ms. Uranza
enjoys the daily duties of her job, as well as
instructing and helping with RN orientation to
respiratory therapy. “”I love being a part of the
NICU team and enjoy being involved in the care
of critically ill babies and providing them with
the support they need to survive in the early
stages of life, and then seeing them discharged
and going home with their families. My favorite
time is when they come back all dressed up and
happy during the annual Preemie Party.”
V I C T O R I A
S U P
E S S E R
O H
S I LV I A
G O N Z A L E S
S T E V E
P E T T Y
MAY 2012
J E R R Y
A S H M O R E
K A R E N
K Y L E
S H E R I
C U B A
K E R R
R E I B E R
K E N
B E A C H A M
P A M E L A
D U N H A M
ROBERT MACKINNON
D O R I S
S V E T L I K
Notice anything different?
P E G G Y
T H O M A S
20-, 15-,10- and 5year employees listed
To see a list of colleagues who are
celebrating milestone years in their careers at
UT Southwestern Medical Center, please visit
www.utsouthwestern.net/employeerecognition.
UT Southwestern is an equal opportunity
institution.
DAVID GRESHAM
The sign at the main entrance to the campus recently underwent a renovation, although the change might not be readily discernible. What’s new? In the wake of a
decision by the UT System Board of Regents to approve a name change, the words “at Dallas” are no longer a part of the UT Southwestern Medical Center
name.