MAY 2013
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. Employees with 45, 40, 35, or 30 years of service will be
honored at a May 10 luncheon, as well as new members of the Quarter Century Club.
P H O T O S B Y D AV I D G R E S H A M
LINDA AHRENS
40
YEARS’ SERVICE
By Alex Lyda
MARGARET MITCHELL
By Jeff Carlton
Though she has stayed rooted to the same job for more than four decades,
Margaret Mitchell enjoys branching out when she’s off the clock.
Her favorite trip, she says, was a three-island tour of Hawaii several years ago.
A brother’s description of Alaska – glaciers, mountains, and moose – has Ms.
Mitchell planning a trip that will take her up north. And most years, several of
her friends from church and her neighborhood take four or five out-of-state trips.
But when she’s not traveling across the United States, Ms. Mitchell stays put.
For more than 45 years, she’s been a Housekeeping Attendant at St. Paul University Hospital. She’s been affiliated with the hospital considerably longer than the
hospital has been affiliated with UT Southwestern Medical Center, which didn’t
purchase the hospital and its surrounding land until 2000.
“I want to say it was 1967, and I was working at a hospital downtown that had
closed,” said Ms. Mitchell, 69. “Somebody told me about St. Paul, and they hired
me the same day that I came out. And I’ve been here ever since.”
At St. Paul University Hospital, Ms. Mitchell cleans hospital rooms, making
sure they are ready for new patients. She changes linens, makes beds, and takes
out the trash.
For more than a decade, she worked double shifts. After an eight-hour day
at St. Paul Hospital, Ms. Mitchell crossed the street to UT Southwestern’s South
Campus, where she worked the 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. shift.
“I was trying to put my girls through school,” Ms. Mitchell said. “I slept on my
days off when I didn’t have anything else to do.”
That sort of hard work was nothing new for Ms. Mitchell, sometimes known
as “Sugar” to her co-workers because of how sweetly she treats everyone. She was
raised on an Arkansas farm, the seventh of 11 children and the only girl among
the siblings. Working alongside her father, mother, and 10 brothers, Ms. Mitchell
helped raise hogs, cattle, and cotton.
At age 18, she traveled to Dallas to visit her oldest brother and ended up staying for good. She’s lived in different parts of the city – East Dallas, South Dallas,
and now Oak Cliff – where she raised a daughter and two nieces. She’s known
around the neighborhood for helping people with their laundry and housecleaning.
“I have a passion for helping those who are in need,” she said.
That extends to her job at St. Paul University Hospital. Although Ms. Mitchell
said she expects to retire in the next year or so, she plans to enjoy what time she
has left on the job.
“UT Southwestern is a good place to work,” she said. “I love being around
people, taking care of people. I’ve always really enjoyed talking to patients and
their families. This job has always been fun.”
Linda Ahrens has seen a lot of changes since she
started her career at the former St. Paul Hospital in
1972. The changes mainly concern the patients,
she said.
“Today’s patient is much more informed,” Mrs.
Ahrens said in a side office near the 3 South nurse’s
station, which attends to a wing of patients fighting cancer. “It used to be that the doctor’s or the nurse’s word was gospel, but now patients come armed with knowledge –
often from the Internet – and the process has become more of a negotiation.”
One thing that has not changed, in her opinion, is where the action is.
Mrs. Ahrens, a Registered Nurse, prefers the life of a nurse coordinator to that of an administrator. For the last eight years
as a cancer nurse, she has deliberately divided her days between the nurse’s station, where she is charge nurse several days
a week, and the back office, where she completes audits and schedules and, more recently, duties related to the staff safety
committee.
“It’s the only way I can keep current on how our patients are doing and how things are going on the floor,” Mrs. Ahrens
said. “There’s no way I would trade it for being in the office all week.”
The office is a relic from the past, with a wood-grain, file-laden, beveled-glass cabinet from the days when St. Paul Hospital
was associated with the Catholic Church and nuns roamed its halls. The space does not have the slick feel of the new offices
being built in the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.
She doesn’t think the cabinet will be part of the move, but she definitely will be.
“I'm going to the new hospital,” she said, unlike some of her colleagues who are retiring before the move next year.
There is plenty of space in the new hospital for nurses with so much experience – and she is determined to be among its
ranks, even after 40 years of working for UT Southwestern Medical Center.
When not at work in the new hospital, she’ll continue her antiquing hobby, seeking to pluck gems from history’s dustbin.
Even more rewarding, she said, are the days spent with her five grandchildren.
PATRICIA KAISER
40
YEARS’ SERVICE
By Russell Rian
When patients become candidates for a heart
or lung transplant, Patricia Kaiser is among the first
members of an experienced transplant team who
help answer the swirl of questions that arise.
Ms. Kaiser has been assisting transplant patients since the heart program was launched by UT
Southwestern Medical Center at St. Paul Hospital
in 1988.
“At the time, I was head nurse on 6 North and was excited to see us entering this new field of medicine,” she recalled.
“You’re giving these patients a new life with a new heart or lung, and they’re so appreciative with their second chance to
live.”
Ms. Kaiser, a Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse Specialist, and Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator, was named one
of the inaugural “DFW Great 100 Nurses” in 1991. As a clinical nurse specialist in the Heart and Lung Transplant programs,
she educates patients about what to expect before and after surgery. She also helps coordinate care for tranplant patients.
She joined St. Paul Hospital right out of college – and has worked there ever since.
“The staff, the patients, and the good Lord have kept me here,” she said. “For over 40 years, I’ve been blessed with good
health and a series of rewarding positions that have enabled me to interact with thousands of patients and staff members.”
In 1972, Ms. Kaiser began working as a medical-surgical nurse at St. Paul Hospital, later earning a master’s degree in
nursing from UT Arlington, with studies focused on cardiology. When UT Southwestern took over the hospital, which was
renamed St. Paul University Hospital, Ms. Kaiser was part of that transition.
Co-workers describe her as caring, giving, and compassionate to patients, and always willing to help when asked.
Outside of work, Ms. Kaiser savors traveling. Her trips have been extensive, including journeys last year to Colorado and
San Diego. She particularly enjoys sightseeing in Europe. “Italy is probably my favorite destination,” she said. On future
excursions, she hopes to take trips to Russia, the Great Wall of China, and Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan site in Peru.
PAGE 2
MAY 2013
UT SOUTHWESTERN
M A R I LY N N B O R D E L O N
EMPLOYEE
SERVICE
AWARDS
35
KAREN ZIMMERMAN
40
YEARS’ SERVICE
YEARS’
SERVICE
SUSAN COX
By Remekca Owens
Even though she has spent her entire life connected to or working at St. Paul University Hospital,
Marilynn Bordelon insists that the past 35 years has
gone by in the blink of an eye. A Dallas native, she
and all three of her siblings were born at the old
St. Paul Hospital. And, when she decided as a
teenager to become a nurse, her dream job was
to serve the patients there.
“As a child, we always came to St. Paul
whenever anyone in my family was sick,” Ms.
Bordelon said. “I can’t remember ever wanting
to work anywhere else.”
Ms. Bordelon, who began her UT Southwestern Medical Center career as a staff nurse
in 1977, is now a Clinical Educator in the University Hospitals’ Department of Education. She
spends most of her time teaching nursing interns and patient care technicians how to handle their caseloads, as well as acquainting them
with hospital policies and procedures. She also
leads continuing education classes for UTSW
nursing staff.
Her career at UT Southwestern has produced
what she calls her “second family,” with each
day bringing its own set of rewards. “I love to
see inexperienced nurses come in as interns and
then finish orientation well-equipped to care for
our patients. That’s the best feeling,” she said.
Beach vacations, romance novels, and
spending time with family are her favorite ways
to escape her daily workload. She hopes that her
dedicated medical career has been some of the
inspiration behind her family’s career choices –
two of her nieces are nurses and one nephew is
an EMT.
“I like to think that I had some influence on
their choices,” she said. “In some ways, I feel
like my career has fulfilled my mother’s dream
of becoming a nurse.”
MAY 2013
PAGE 3
MARIO MORENO
By Debbie Bolles
Whether analyzing blood for a patient at Zale
Lipshy University Hospital or tinkering on his
1992 Toyota Corolla, Mario Moreno feels right in
his element. For 35 years, Mr. Moreno has worked
as a hospital lab technician, a job that suits him
perfectly. He can’t imagine doing anything else.
TERESA SALAS
PATRICIA ELLISOR
By Deborah Wormser
By Jan Jarvis
By Lin Lofley
Susan Cox is known for her intense concentration at the bench as a Medical Technologist in
Pathology’s core and special coagulation laboratories, where she turns her laser focus on critical
hematology tests that measure a patient’s bloodclotting ability.
Her co-workers also know her as someone
who loves a good chuckle and appreciates the
humor in everyday things.
Of her commitment to her work, she said,
“My job is always changing. I am never bored
with my work.” She began her UT Southwestern
Medical Center career at the old St. Paul Hospital,
and she says she is looking forward “to being able
to work in the new hospital.”
Among the things that make her smile are
her two grandchildren, Madison, 9, and Luke,
5. She enjoys sharing her love of gardening with
them. Each year, they plant many seeds, including morning glories that spiral up the legs of the
backyard swing set.
This year, they’ve also planted pansies and
red tulip bulbs. The tulips are a 32-year tradition,
inspired by those that were blooming when she
brought the first of her two children – Aaron,
32, and Allison, 25 – home from St. Paul Hospital, where they were delivered “with the help of
some great nurses. When I came home from the
If Patricia Ellisor has her way, she’ll be known
as the employee who never retired.
“I want to keep working until I pass out,” she
said. “I believe you might as well do something of
value with your time instead of just wasting it.”
With 35 years of working for the University
of Texas System, she’s certainly on her way to
achieving that goal.
Ms. Ellisor spent the first 10 years of her career
at UT Medical Branch at Galveston in Employee/
Student Health Services. For the past 25 years, she
has been in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at
UT Southwestern Medical Center. Quick to take
on any challenge, in her current job she does everything from typing manuscripts to answering
the phones.
“I was hired to do a job, and I have always
tried to do it to the best of my abilities,” she said.
“I don’t say, ‘I can’t.’ I say, ‘If I don’t know, I’ll
find out.’ ”
Over the years, she has had many rewarding work experiences and has enjoyed the opportunity to learn new things. Topping her list
of wonderful employee memories was the 2006
Employee Recognition Program that included a
presentation by Dr. Mary Ellen Weber, a former
NASA astronaut.
With her drive to continue working, it’s no
You can catch up with Teresa Salas most any
day, right after she finishes her cashier shift in
the cafeteria at St. Paul University Hospital. She’ll
be there, surrounded by co-workers who call her
Mother Teresa, or Sweetie, or Little T.
She offers her co-workers the same smiles and
gentle touch that she has for patients, physicians,
and diners.
Most of her co-workers were not yet born when
she started working in Nutrition Services in 1977.
Back then, when the former St. Paul Hospital
was supported by the Daughters of Charity, workers at the old hospital made up a big family. In
some ways that feeling hasn’t changed. The St.
Paul family is still a close-knit group, and Ms. Salas
qualifies as one of the matriarchs.
“These people are like family,” she said. “I’ve
made lifelong friends here. I’ve watched their children grow up to be adults. They’re the reason I’ve
stayed here as long as I have.”
In a career that’s lasted as long as Ms. Salas’
has, there are highlights to be recalled and stories
to be told about the old days.
“I got to meet John Travolta while I was working here back in the late 1970s,” she said of the actor, who once came to visit a friend being treated
at the hospital.
The starring roles in her own life are held by
TERRY HARRIS
By Jan Jarvis
During the past 35 years, Terry Harris has
cared for thousands of patients as a nurse at St.
Paul University Hospital.
But one patient caught her by surprise when
hospital with Aaron, I had the most gorgeous red
tulips blooming. I remember rocking him and
looking out at those tulips.”
In addition to gardening, she enjoys sewing,
cooking, and watching classic movies. A littleknown fact about her: She can make a lamp out
of almost anything, including candlesticks and
ceramic pottery.
she realized, during a conversation with the
young woman, that she had cared for her before,
as a baby.
“A few years ago when caring for a patient
who had just given birth, I realized I was working
here when her mother delivered her,” Mrs. Harris
said. “I probably took care of her as an infant.”
While the discovery was certainly a pleasant
surprise, caring for women after delivery is all in a
day’s work for Mrs. Harris, who is known for her
compassionate care and kindness. It’s that reputation that in 1988 earned her the “Spirit of St.
Paul” award, which recognizes dedication of service. Nominees are chosen by co-workers.
Mrs. Harris began working at the old St. Paul
Hospital in 1977, while still a nursing student at
Texas Woman’s University. In 35 years she has
never left women’s services, though she has held
different nursing positions and worked various
shifts.
It’s the closeness and support of her “sisters”
in the department that she said has made it so
satisfying to work there.
“We are such a family,” she said. “Everybody
really cares about everybody else.”
Away from work, Mrs. Harris enjoys spending
time with her husband, Robert, three children,
and four grandchildren. And although traveling
tops her list of fun activities, she’s always happy
to return to her job on the fifth floor of St. Paul
University Hospital.
“It’s such a warm atmosphere,” she said. “And
with all the new babies there, it’s a time of celebration.”
M A NR AY MHEA H
R ER RI SE O N
By Karen Willenbrecht
Most talk about the new William P. Clements
Jr. University Hospital focuses on the amenities
the hospital will have, but Mary Harrison is also
enthusiastic about what it will lack: carpet.
“When I was in school, I was always interested
in science,” Mr. Moreno said. “I’ve always been
an investigative-type person. What better way to
help people than with their actual health?”
Over the years, thousands of people have
benefited from Mr. Moreno’s behind-the-scenes
action analyzing units of donated blood and patients’ blood and urine samples. He’s worked the
night shift his entire tenure at UT Southwestern
Medical Center, which began in 1978 with a job
in the lab of the old St. Paul Hospital upon graduating from its medical technology program.
Since 1981, Mr. Moreno has worked as lead
lab technician, first at St. Paul Hospital and now
at Zale Lipshy University Hospital. His job includes supervising two technicians, maintaining
lab equipment, and conducting lab work, mainly
blood-chemistry tests.
Working nights is a good fit for Mr. Moreno
since it is a typically quieter shift and lets him
avoid traffic. He’s also able to spend evenings with
his wife of 32 years, Mary Jane, an Arlington kindergarten teacher.
Outside of work, Mr. Moreno enjoys spending
time with his family, which includes three adult
children and two grandchildren. He considers
himself an avid Texas Rangers fan and a “sometimes” Dallas Cowboys fan.
One of the highlights of Mr. Moreno’s UT
Southwestern career was being named St. Paul
Hospital’s Employee of the Year in 2003. He intends to work as long as he’s able, with no plans
to retire anytime soon.
“I enjoy the job and the people I work with.
There are no real negatives about this job,” he
said. “I have several co-workers who weren’t even
born when I started working here – talk about feeling the years go by.”
surprise that Ms. Ellisor has a reputation for being
dependable and trustworthy.
Away from the job, Ms. Ellisor enjoys spending time with her family, including her five grandchildren and two grown sons, Jesse III and Julian.
On a sunny day, her favorite thing to do is
mow her lawn or clean out the flower beds.
“It’s not work to me,” she said. “It’s therapy.”
Ms. Harrison, the supervisor of housekeeping for floors 3, 4, 5, and 6 at St. Paul University
Hospital, recalls a time when that facility’s floors
were tiled with terrazzo. She welcomes the trend
back to hard floor surfaces at Clements University Hospital, which will be easier for her staff of
13 to maintain.
Keeping up the hospital’s appearance is a fulltime job, and then some, for Ms. Harrison, who
rises at 3:30 a.m. on workdays and arrives at St.
Paul University Hospital hours before her scheduled shift. She likes to make sure everything is
in order before the day surgery professionals and
patients arrive. She checks on what she calls the
“hot spots” – restrooms and lobby – then prepares the housekeepers’ duty list for the day and
does a walkthrough to spot possible problems.
That busy pace continues throughout her day.
Ms. Harrison’s first job was at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and during the past 35 years
she’s built cherished relationships with her colleagues, whom she says are like family. Outside
work, she’s surrounded by biological family; 10
of her 14 siblings live in the Dallas area, along
with son Bryan, daughter-in-law Adrianna, and
grandson Bryan, age 10. She enjoys completing
jigsaw puzzles, reading the Bible and devotional
books, and meeting her sister for a monthly meal.
Her goal is to retire from UT Southwestern,
but not anytime soon. She loves what she does.
Ms. Harrison enjoys talking to the patients, and
she appreciates the sense of teamwork among the
doctors, nurses, and employees.
“I am very proud to work with this staff; they
make me who I am,” she said. “I’ve lasted as long
as I have because of them.”
WANDA SADDLER
By Lin Lofley
Wanda Saddler’s early experiences as an employee at UT Southwestern Medical Center involved a building that’s no longer standing and a
staff optometrist she still calls a friend.
Now a clerk in the Accounting Department,
Ms. Saddler recalls how Ophthalmology employ-
ees were always running out from the now-demolished N Building to feed the parking meters
on Southwestern Medical Avenue – an “exercise”
regimen that didn’t end until the Department
moved into the James W. Aston Ambulatory Care
Center in 1983.
In 1986 she got a new boss, Dr. Edward Mendelson, who later became a good friend. The admiration flowed both ways.
“I feel she’s one of the major reasons that I
have stayed here so long,” said Dr. Mendelson,
a Faculty Associate in Ophthalmology. “She took
me under her wing and showed me the ropes of
the practice and of the Department. She did just
about every job there was to do in the clinic before a patient actually saw the optometrist, and
no less important: I found her to be kind and
friendly.”
Ms. Saddler’s memory is much the same: “We
worked hard in the Department, but we had fun
at the same time. Dr. Mendelson was a great boss
and friend. I’ll always remember fondly when I
worked for him.”
Her main duties now include processing
PeopleSoft payments and reimbursements. She
strives always “to do the job right.”
PeopleSoft operations keep her busy at work
– but she might be even busier when she’s away
from campus. Ms. Saddler has four daughters and
eight grandchildren, and she’s always in demand.
The friendship of her colleagues has a lot to do
with her longevity at UT Southwestern, she said.
“I have enjoyed my co-workers, and many of
them are among my best friends,” Ms. Saddler
said. “The people here are what make this such a
great place to work.”
CHARLES ANDY BOLES
her husband, Pete, sons Jesse and Julio, daughter Margie, seven grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren. “And there’s Sonny, our dog,” she
added. “He’s like a member of the family.”
Ms. Salas’ hobby is attending to the plants in
her yard, and she doesn’t mind saying that she
buys a lottery ticket every day.
UT SOUTHWESTERN
EMPLOYEE
SERVICE
AWARDS
30
YEARS’
SERVICE
DAVID BARNES
EDGAR BUCKLEY
SARAH DAVIS
Switching gears from medical technology to
information resources might seem like a 180-degree career shift, but for David Barnes it all
worked out. After 13 years of analyzing blood and
tissue samples at St. Paul Hospital, he became an
information systems analyst in 2001, a transition
that offered challenges such as searching through
“Gordian knots of patch cords trying to track
down which server was down.” In his current
job as Lead Business Analyst/Architect, providing support for Epic Electronic Medical Records,
Mr. Barnes says UT Southwestern “has offered the
opportunities and challenges that I continually
seek.” Among Mr. Barnes’ hobbies are fossil collecting, hiking, medieval history, and paleoecology. At home, four cats keep him and wife Mary
company.
A make-or-break moment fell upon Edgar
Buckley in 2001 when he was promoted to superintendent of construction and maintenance in
the Physical Plant. “I approached the job with the
attitude that failure was not an option. Looking
back on it, I would say that it was one of the most
challenging and rewarding experiences of my
time here,” said Mr. Buckley, now Manager of Sitewide Services, a group that oversees the shuttles,
auto shop, building managers, and movers. Intent on keeping a strong work ethic, Mr. Buckley
aspires to make lasting improvements in his department. There’s plenty of time for him to think
about workplace goals, considering his 60-mile
work commute. What does he listen to during the
drive? Tapes and CDs on motivational subjects,
nonfiction, and TED Talks. The car-racing fan has
two children with his wife, Susan.
“Friendliness and all the love I receive here”
are major reasons Sarah Davis has enjoyed working for 30 years at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She also has appreciated the special Christmas
gift she gets every year from the labs. Ms. Davis,
a Laboratory Helper in Neuroscience, hopes to
set an example for the rest of the Department
and is described by her co-workers as being loyal
and hardworking. After retirement, she plans to
travel to visit relatives, volunteer to aid the sick
and shut-ins, spend more time with her grandchildren, and join a senior citizens center. She
has six children, eight grandchildren, and two
great-grandchildren; she also looks after toddlers.
Outside work, she participates in church activities. A native of Henderson, Texas, she has lived
in Dallas for 64 years.
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LUCY DODD
CHERYL FORMES
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“The residents and fellows have been wonderful, and seeing them graduate is always a happy
occasion,” says Lucy Dodd, an Education Coordinator for the Psychiatry Fellowship Program.
“I hope in some way I have helped them, sometimes just with a hug or a warm smile.” She’s always willing to go the extra step to help students,
colleagues, or Dr. Adam Brenner, an Associate
Professor of Psychiatry for whom she is an administrative assistant. She hopes to have made
a “meaningful and positive contribution” at UT
Southwestern Medical Center. Ms. Dodd enjoys
gardening and reading crime fiction and has a
colorful claim to fame: At age 14, she rode on a
Navy float that won honorable mention in San
Antonio’s Battle of Flowers parade. She has two
sons, two daughters-in-law, three grandsons, and
seven cats.
It’s usually a metaphor when someone compares their busy workplace to a zoo, but for
Cheryl Formes, that description became literal
the day she shared an elevator ride with animals
en route to the General Clinical Research Center.
Mrs. Formes, the Ophthalmology Department
Manager, calls opening the Laser Center for Vision Care her most rewarding workplace memory
at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She hopes to
be known as a conscientious, knowledgeable employee who made a difference. In time off work,
she enjoys reading, gardening, and attending live
theater, and she once tried bungee jumping in
New Zealand, but says “Never again!” She and
her husband, John, have three children and four
grandchildren.
Theresa Stencer Gilbert’s funniest UT Southwestern Medical Center memory involves a photo
she’d rather forget. On her 50th birthday, her husband and co-workers blanketed the 8th floor of
the Cecil H. and Ida Green Biomedical Research
Building with poster-sized pictures of her as a
teen. Her colleagues now know about the huge
Afro she once sported, but they also know her as
a compassionate sounding board when they want
to vent or talk. Outside of work, she enjoys home
decorating, entertaining, traveling, and spending time with her three grandchildren. Her family also includes husband Nathaniel, son Torian,
and daughter Tiffany. Mrs. Gilbert coordinates the
Rheumatology Fellowship Program and is a 1999
recipient of Internal Medicine’s Donald W. Seldin
Award for Outstanding Service.
Being known as a hardworking, loyal problemsolver is important to Suma Saro Abraham, but
her family and faith are even more important.
She says she would tell a new acquaintance about
her children and “how great God was throughout
my life” before talking about her role as an OR
Pharmacy Coordinator, for which she received the
Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence
Award in July 2006. Caring management and good
co-workers keep her at UT Southwestern Medical
Center, with no plans to retire soon. Outside of
work, she can be found teaching Sunday school,
reading devotional books, or watching basketball,
football, or tennis. She and her husband, James,
have two daughters: Julie is a student at UT Austin
and Shalie is in seventh grade.
One of David Arnold’s prized possessions is his
UT Southwestern Medical Center jacket, for good
reason. “When a shop owner outside of work noticed my jacket, he said UTSW had saved his wife’s
life and he was grateful. I felt proud to be a part
of UT Southwestern,” says Mr. Arnold, a Physical
Plant Maintenance Foreman. On the job, Mr. Arnold makes sure all the mechanical equipment is
in top shape, something he has been doing since
he was hired as a mechanic 25 years ago. Co-workers describe Mr. Arnold as trustworthy, honest,
and fair, traits that tie in with his charitable side
as a volunteer helping to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He’s been married for
25 years to his wife, Alicia, and together they have
a daughter, Lesa. Off the clock, Mr. Arnold, who’s
known to call everyone “buddy,” said his passion
is cruising in his Mustang.
Long before automated processes were instituted, it wasn’t uncommon for Patty Ashworth
to work well past midnight to meet budget deadlines. Today, software applications make administrative tasks a bit easier, says Mrs. Ashworth, a
Grants and Contracts Specialist in the Nutrition
and Metabolic Diseases Division of Internal Medicine. A little-known fact about Mrs. Ashworth is
that her identical twin sister worked here for 17
years. Because the sisters often would power-walk
on their lunch breaks, they became known as the
“walking twins,” a reputation that once landed
them a role in a senior film. Outside of work, Mrs.
Ashworth enjoys traveling, church activities, and
spending time with her husband, John Michael,
who works at Parkland Memorial Hospital, and
their two sons, ages 11 and 14.
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On the way to reaching her current milestone
of 30 years at UT Southwestern Medical Center,
Linda Gutierrez was involved in a few other landmark events. She served on the organizing committee for the 50th anniversary commemoration
of UT Southwestern Medical School in 1993, and
she was heavily involved with testing for Y2K. She
also was a part of airline history, working for the
now-defunct Braniff International Airways at Dallas Love Field for 14 years before joining UTSW.
Ms. Gutierrez, an Accounting Clerk Supervisor, is
known to her colleagues as being conscientious
and committed to doing the most accurate and
timely work. After retirement, she plans to volunteer and travel. She enjoys tennis, knitting, crocheting, and playing the piano.
In addition to her three-decade tenure in
the Accounting Department, Bharati Modi has
another successful occupation: She and her husband own and operate a motel in Wills Point,
Texas. She’s very proud of her two sons, who are
on the verge of launching their own careers: One
is earning a doctorate in psychology at UT Austin,
and the other is studying marketing at UT Dallas.
Her older son has encouraged her to retire from
working as an Accounting Clerk after he graduates, but she likes the job and her colleagues, so
she says she’ll work at least two more years. Her
favorite ways to relax outside work are cooking,
growing fruits and vegetables, and traveling to
India to visit friends and relatives.
When Mary Robles started working at UT
Southwestern Medical Center, there was no Burger House at the Southwestern Dining Plaza, no
Hunan Express, no Burrito Jimmy. But the plaza
offered a more competitive dining option: chili
cook-offs. As she worked her way up to a System
Access Manager in Information Resources, she has
seen the paper output she used to file become obsolete and the cooking contests disappear. What
has remained constant is her appreciation for the
people with whom she works. Ms. Robles hopes to
retire in a few years, but until then she strives to
be known as understanding, fair, well-liked, and
respected. She enjoys dancing, reading, traveling,
and spending time with her daughter and grandson.
Winning a Diana and Richard C. Strauss
Service Excellence Award in 2009 was a career
high point for Betty Tasby, but it’s the everyday
things that make her love her job: good people
to work with, a good work environment, and
being known as a dedicated team player. Mrs.
Tasby, who transports patients for discharge and
radiology procedures at St. Paul University Hospital, hopes to keep working at UT Southwestern
Medical Center until retirement. She enjoys shopping, having Sunday dinners with her family, and
playing cards. Her family includes her husband,
two children, five grandchildren, and two greatgranddaughters, both named Armani, who are
the lights of her life.
As a quiet, dependable member of the Information Resources team, Juan Castillo might
seem to blend into the woodwork as one of those
“computer geeks.” But don’t let appearances fool
you; Mr. Castillo has been known to grab the
spotlight on occasion to sing karaoke. He likes
working at UT Southwestern Medical Center as
a Network Engineer and feeling that he is “part
of a bigger purpose, supporting a medical community doing great things in research and patient care.” And that’s a calling that hits close to
home. Mr. Castillo’s father once was rejected as a
candidate for heart surgery at a Dallas-area hospital, but then he was flown to St. Paul University Hospital. “He was operated on here with no
problem at all,” Mr. Castillo says. Off the clock,
the fitness, running, cycling, and golf enthusiast
enjoys spending time with his daughter and two
grandchildren.
Darrel Conger’s first workday at UT Southwestern Medical Center made quite an impression. At
lunch in the cafeteria, Mr. Conger heard a commotion. As he turned, police officers were chasing
a Parkland Memorial Hospital patient, who was
sans clothing. While that memory fit the category
of most unusual, Mr. Conger’s most rewarding
memories have involved working in the Clinical
Center for Multiple Sclerosis, where the lectures,
posters, papers, and research in which he has been
involved have been “incredible life experiences.”
Last year, the Neuro-Ophthalmic Imaging Specialist presented a poster as first author at a meeting
of the American Academy of Neurology. While
imaging is his work passion, off the clock he enjoys scuba diving and travel. Mr. Conger and his
wife, Amy, also a UTSW employee, consider themselves Hawaiians “living in temporary exile in Texas” who wish to move to Maui when they retire.
Fans of historic architecture can see Carol
Cook’s handiwork on the wings of eagles at the
Wilson Building in downtown Dallas. Outside
of her day job as an Occupational Therapist,
Ms. Cook is an established sculptor whose work
has been exhibited nationally. Among her artistic achievements are remaking the eagles’ wings
that adorn the Wilson Building, a historic structure now used as apartments, and taking part in
restoration of the Tower Building at Fair Park. At
work in Outpatient Rehabilitation, she’s used her
artistic skills to help solve patients’ problems with
novel orthotic solutions or devices. “We developed a positioner for low-birth-weight babies that
the University patented. The device was manufactured in a Nerf-ball factory. Working with industry was interesting and helped me understand the
complexity of product design,” she says.
Judy Craig takes pride in the fact that she still
gets calls from residents who graduated years ago.
“For the past 18 years, watching the senior residents graduate as competent surgeons, I have the
reward of knowing I had a part in their development,” says Ms. Craig, Supervisor for Surgery Education Programs. From her first job as an assistant
in the Department of Surgery’s Burn, Trauma, and
Critical Care Division to her current role overseeing the General Surgery Residency Program, Student Surgery Clerkship, and Continuing Medical
Education in the Surgery Department, Ms. Craig
has grown professionally. She was among the first
17 residency coordinators nationwide to be rated
as a Certified Training Administrator of Graduate
Medical Education. At home, Ms. Craig enjoys
car-engine repair, home-improvement projects,
embroidery, and ceramics. Her family includes
two sons and four grandchildren.
R H ONAME
N D A OF
D HONOREE
AUGHERTY
S A NNAME
D R AOFFHONOREE
ERGUSON
D NAME
O N A OF
L D HONOREE
GAGNE
SNAME
Y L Y NOFN HONOREE
GARZA
At UT Southwestern Medical Center, you never
know whom you might run into in an elevator.
Just ask Rhonda Daugherty, Billing Operations
Manager in the Department of Communications,
Marketing, and Public Affairs. When she first started working as a software trainer, a man struck up
a conversation with her on the elevator ride to a
parking garage. “When I asked how he was affiliated with UT Southwestern, he told me, ‘I’m Charlie Sprague and I used to be President here. I just
hope you enjoy working here as much as I have,’ ”
Mrs. Daugherty recalls. When she’s not managing
the office and crunching numbers, Mrs. Daugherty enjoys reading, gardening, and family time
with her husband, Randy, and son Ryan, who is a
junior journalism major at Baylor University.
Creativity is a key skill in all aspects of Sandra
Ferguson’s life. As Human Resources Manager in
the Receiving Department, she finds ways to help
employees resolve difficult situations and handles
EEO issues and recruiting. As a maker of artisan
soaps, lotions, body scrubs, and candles, she loves
the challenge of producing custom-scented, visually appealing products. And during her early
years at UT Southwestern Medical Center, she juggled being both a dedicated employee and a single
mom of two busy children. She’s worked in a variety of departments, including Public Affairs and
the Dean of Allied Health’s office, and she says
there’s never been a dull moment at UTSW. Ms.
Ferguson loves spending time with her two sons,
two daughters-in-law, and six grandchildren.
The legacy of Donald Gagne’s career at UT
Southwestern Medical Center will be visible to
millions of people for decades to come. As Infrastructure Manager for Information Resources, he
installs, designs, and maintains copper and fiberoptic networks across the campus. He anticipates
that working on the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital will be by far his most rewarding
project. “I will be able to drive by it for the rest of
my life and tell everyone that I had an important
part in its construction,” he says. Around the office, he’s known for telling jokes and making people laugh. Mr. Gagne loves to hunt and fish, and
says that everything he does, he does for his family: wife Jenae and children Christopher, Madison,
and John.
Workplace camaraderie means a lot to Sylynn
Garza. She fondly recalls annual Thanksgiving
potluck lunches in the core lab at St. Paul University Hospital, where she and her colleagues would
share dishes and fellowship as a group. She also
appreciates the high standards in the lab, where
she’s a Medical Technologist in Chemistry, Immunochemistry, and Electrophoresis. Known as
hardworking and dedicated, she aims to make a
difference. Mrs. Garza grew up on a farm in rural Oklahoma where she and her family raised
thoroughbred horses. Today, she enjoys yoga,
gardening, bicycling, and going to movies. Her
family includes her husband, two daughters, a
stepdaughter, her father, a brother, a sister, nieces,
and nephews.
Quarter Century Club:
Facts and figures
s The program was established in
1996 to honor employees with 25 or
more years of UT System service.
WILLIE WOODBERRY
Willie Woodberry makes the acquaintance of
just about every employee in his role as Inventory Supervisor, and he’s got a story about everyone. “If you’ve worked here longer than a year,”
he says, “I know you.” One of his favorite stories
is about receiving a letter from UT Southwestern
Medical Center President Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky,
praising him for finding a missing patient. He
also fondly recalls Moe Bridges, who hired him,
and the years in the early 1980s when the staff
got two weeks off for Christmas. The best parts of
his job, he says, are meeting people and “playing
detective” to track down equipment. Mr. Woodberry enjoys yardwork and traveling to San Antonio, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Shreveport, La.
He’s gone to a casino on New Year’s Eve annually
since 2000.
A NNAME
G E L OF
A PHONOREE
EOPLES
J U NAME
D Y SOF
L AHONOREE
UGHTER
s Almost 4 percent of UTSW’s 9,083
classified employees – 355 in total –
make up this group.
s The current employee with the
longest tenure is James Campbell,
an Orthopaedic Technician at St. Paul
University Hospital, with 51 years of
service.
D E MNAME
E T R OF
I C HONOREE
E W A LT O N
G L NAME
O R I AOFWHONOREE
ILLIAMS
s The Department with the most
Quarter Century Club members is Internal Medicine, with 15.
PAGE 6
MAY 2013
MAY 2013
PAGE 7
LNAME
I N DOF
A HONOREE
GREER
F E L E CNAME
I A H OF
A NHONOREE
NAH-BISHOP
KATHY HILL
J ONAME
H N N OF
I E HONOREE
NORRIS
N A NNAME
C Y NOF
O RHONOREE
THINGTON
DARR ONEY
The clinicians in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics Division hear all sorts of unexpected and interesting stories, but one thing
they’re not likely to hear is, “Linda’s out sick
today.” Registered Nurse Linda Greer, who provides phone advice to Ob/Gyn patients as well
as patient care inside the office, has more than
700 sick hours banked to date at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Mrs. Greer says she enjoys
the one-on-one patient care too much to miss
work. Plus, she likes being regarded as steady and
reliable. Mrs. Greer’s hobbies include sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She also admits to being a
dedicated Trekkie. Her family includes husband
Danny and daughter Hannah, who will graduate
from college this spring.
Felecia Hannah-Bishop has spent her whole career at UT Southwestern Medical Center, so she’s
witnessed a great deal of change along the way.
For her, the most rewarding development was her
department’s switch from cathode-ray tubes and
green-bar spreadsheets to computers. Today, she
supervises customer service representatives in the
Medical Service, Research, and Development Plan
Department, where she takes pride in “being part
of an institution that has such a great impact on
the community and that is highly respected in the
health care industry.” Her goals include increasing
her knowledge of the health care field and being
known as dependable, compassionate, and dedicated. She enjoys reading, sports, church activities, and spending time with her family: husband
Marcus and daughters Hannah and Samantha.
The clinical researchers in the Division of
Mineral Metabolism are like family to Kathy Hill.
She began her UT Southwestern Medical Center
career in 1982, right after earning her master’s degree. Working under the direction of Dr. Charles
Pak, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and
founder of the Division, she learned how to put
her education into practice doing both basic and
clinical research. Today, she helps supervise a
Mineral Metabolism clinical laboratory, which
analyzes patient samples and collects research
data. She says her most rewarding experience at
UTSW has been working with Dr. Pak in his research and development of various orphan drugs
and formulations. Ms. Hill loves quilting and
crafting.
“Being a good pharmacy technician comes
from a combination of good management and
good skills,” says Johnnie Norris, who manages
distribution of controlled substances at St. Paul
University Hospital. “We have both.” She’s passionate about working to create the best pharmacy in the country, as well as bicycling, tennis, and
teaching a Sunday school class of 4- and 5-yearolds. Her colleagues, she says, would describe her
as a no-nonsense type of person, but they’d be
surprised to know she’s “really an old softie.” Mrs.
Norris and her husband, Jerry, have been married
47 years and have three children: Lydia, LaDonna, and Jermaine. She finds her career rewarding.
“I would recommend our pharmacy to anyone,”
she says.
Nancy Northington says she’d like to be
known as the employee who can beat all odds. In
her 25 years at UT Southwestern Medical Center,
the Senior Business Analyst has faced situations
that tested that ambition – and she has persevered
every time. She’s overcome the high failure rate
for small businesses, as the co-owner of the successful Delish Bubble Tea shop in Plano/McKinney. While working in the Anesthesiology Department, she once fought off sleep to help a faculty
member finish a grant submission at 4 a.m. But
her greatest claim to fame is beating stage 4 lymphoblastic lymphoma. After three months of chemotherapy treatment, she was declared cancerfree. Ms. Northington enjoys a close relationship
with her 6-year-old niece, Genna, and appreciates
the “interesting and challenging work” at UTSW.
Darr Oney can’t pass up a chance to indulge
his love of stand-up comedy. Give him a generic question and he’ll give you a witty one-liner:
What keeps him at UT Southwestern Medical
Center? “My get-rich-slow plan.” His long-term
goals? “They are in my rearview mirror and closer
than they appear.” In a serious moment, Mr. Oney
says that as Assistant Director of Materials Management, he tries to get the right stuff to the right
place at the right time while conserving University
resources, giving his employees the tools and skills
they need, and accomplishing good things for the
University while having fun. His other hobbies include motorsports, cycling, travel, Mexican food,
and sarcasm. His closing quip: “This feels like writing my obituary, so thanks for the practice!”
NAME
K A T HOF
Y HONOREE
J O L LY
M A R Y A N N K E L LY
C H UNAME
C K KOFE THONOREE
TLEWELL
C O NAME
N N I EOFK HONOREE
NEUPPER
NAME
OF HONOREE
SHERRI
OSBORNE-LAWRENCE
NAME
DEIR
D R EOFPHONOREE
EBWORTH
E S TNAME
E L L OF
A HONOREE
PENWELL
JNAME
U L I EOFRHONOREE
AMSEY
Being named Employee of the Month in a
large organization is quite an honor. Winning
the award twice is a sure sign of a top performer.
Kathy Jolly, a Billing Coordinator in the Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics at UT
Southwestern Medical Center, earned both honors with her reputation for being hardworking.
She says she strives to make sure things are done
in a friendly and efficient way for patients and
others, and is always willing to go beyond the call
of duty to help people. Mrs. Jolly enjoys riding
on the back of a Harley-Davidson, shopping with
family and friends, reading, going on cruises, and
traveling. She has a husband, two daughters, and
a grandson.
Mary Ann Kelly says she has to borrow a “greatest claim to fame” from her son Ryan, who caught
San Francisco Giant Buster Posey’s first World Series home run in 2010. Her colleagues would probably say she has her own claim, though, as someone who’s thorough, detail-oriented, and can be
counted on to do her best and help someone else
out. Mary Ann, RN Quality Assurance Coordinator in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics
Division, says certain co-workers and faculty are
why she stays here, along with the great benefits.
She’s a fan of the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys,
Dallas Mavericks, and college sports, as well as
ornament-collecting, church, scrapbooking, and
holiday decorating. Her other son, Aaron, will
graduate from UT Arlington in May, while Ryan
attends Kansas State University.
As Registrar and Director of Student Financial
Aid, Chuck Kettlewell plays a vital and hands-on
role in the development of future physicians, researchers, clinicians, and health care professionals. Mr. Kettlewell directs enrollment management and related services, including admissions
processing, student records, student financial aid,
enrollment reporting/research, and commencement and white coat ceremonies. He’s held that
role for his entire tenure at UT Southwestern Medical Center, earning a reputation for caring about
students and supporting his staff. Outside work,
he pursues hiking, skiing, jogging, photography,
woodworking, traveling, and playing with his
dogs (Lucy, Molly, and Copper and AJ – the granddogs). He and his wife, Mary Jane, have three children: Bryan, Jenny, and Emily.
As one of four charge Registered Nurses at St.
Paul University Hospital’s 7 West Intensive Care
Unit, Connie Kneupper is devoted to caring for
critically ill patients. But she puts just as much
effort into helping her fellow nurses. She’s a preceptor for newly hired RNs and ICU interns as
well as a mentor to Garland High School students
in Health Occupations Students of America. She
prefers to lead by example, and says her younger
colleagues call her “Mamma Connie” because she
takes them under her wing. Her family includes
husband Greg, daughter Katie, son Ben, daughter-in-law Angela, and grandson Ian. In her spare
time, she loves playing with Ian, age 3, and is a
closet “American Idol” fan.
Sherri Osborne-Lawrence is known around
Internal Medicine’s Division of Hypothalamic Research for being meticulous and reliable, so she
was less than thrilled when a New York newspaper reporter interviewed her about the hunt for
the gene responsible for early-onset breast cancer
– and then misrepresented what she said. Her colleagues know, though, that the Senior Research
Scientist is dedicated to her laboratory work and
to her family: husband John and children Sydney
and Connor. She’s also passionate about physical fitness and running, once finishing 48th in
the White Rock Marathon and fourth in her age
group in the Turkey Trot. Mrs. Osborne-Lawrence
intends to continue learning and contributing to
biological research, given that she values the personal fulfillment that comes from knowing her
work is important to society.
Deirdre Pebworth’s life always seems to take
her to St. Paul University Hospital. She was born
in the original facility, and son Nicholas was born
in the current hospital. Although she started her
UT Southwestern Medical Center career in the
Otolaryngology Clinic in the James W. Aston
Ambulatory Care Center, she’s now a Registered
Nurse Case Manager at St. Paul University Hospital. During her time at Otolaryngology, she and a
co-worker won first place in a poster exhibit at the
Society of Otolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses
national meeting. Ms. Pebworth, known as always
organized, coordinated moves for both the Otolaryngology Clinic and the Surgical Dermatology
Clinic. She’s looking forward to the opening of
the new William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, even though that means yet another move.
She enjoys traveling and dining out.
When her time at UT Southwestern Medical Center ends, Estella Penwell has a good life
to look forward to: She and her husband have a
lakeside retirement home where she can enjoy his
company and pursue her passions of fishing and
gardening. Until then, though, her work as an Administrative Associate in the Department of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs will
do just fine. She appreciates the rapid growth and
scientific accomplishments of UTSW, where along
the way she’s met some of the Medical Center’s
most illustrious personnel: Nobel Prize winner Dr.
Bruce Beutler, also Director of the Center for the
Genetics of Host Defense; former President Dr.
Kern Wildenthal; and her surgeon, Dr. Duke Samson, Professor of Neurological Surgery. Another
thing she’s eagerly anticipating: “I cannot wait to
see the new state-of-the-art hospital.”
As a Registered Nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Paul University Hospital, Julie Ramsey says she aims to deliver quality care
and to have compassion for patients and families.
Her colleagues believe she excels at those goals: In
2008, she was named one of the Great 100 Nurses of Dallas and Fort Worth, a peer-nominated
award that recognizes excellence in nursing. Mrs.
Ramsey credits “my manager, Aziza Young, RN,
and the wonderful, caring, and skilled co-workers
of the NICU” with keeping her at UT Southwestern Medical Center for 25 years. She is married to
Dale and has a son, Michael, who is a paramedic
student at UTSW.
NAME
D O N OF
N AHONOREE
LABO
NAME
N A N OF
C YHONOREE
LANE
K ANAME
R E NOFL HONOREE
EONARD
MNAME
A R Y OF
M HONOREE
ALLORY
OFL HONOREE
RNAME
EYNA
DO RAY
S NAME
U S A NOF RHONOREE
OSSON
NAME
PR
I Y A OF
R AHONOREE
MA SEN
C H ANAME
R L E OF
S SHONOREE
HERIDAN
Retirement would give Donna Labo more
time to relax along the tranquil ocean beaches of
Cancun, but there’s a downside that keeps pushing that date further and further into the future:
“After this many years, it almost seems like you’re
leaving family when you leave UT Southwestern,”
she says. She also enjoys the everyday challenges
of her position as a Senior Administrative Associate in General Internal Medicine and her relationships with her co-workers. Mrs. Labo, whose
father was in the Air Force, lived all over the U.S.
and in Germany growing up, but she’s spent the
most time in Texas. She still enjoys traveling, especially to Cancun, and visiting with her extended
family and friends. She and her husband, Ron,
have a chiweenie dog named Prancer.
Nancy Lane says she tries very hard not to let
using a wheelchair define what she can do. Instead, she’s defined herself as a researcher, pianist,
and co-author of several articles in peer-reviewed
journals. Her research in Hematology/Oncology
seeks to improve methods of capturing circulating tumor cells from carcinoma patients and to
increase the number of tumor markers that can be
measured in each cell. As a Senior Research Scientist, she aims to bring out the best in everyone and
singles out “great co-workers and the wonderful
Teacher Retirement System” as her favorite things
about UT Southwestern Medical Center. Mrs. Lane,
who used to play in duet piano competitions, now
enjoys spending time with her husband and their
four dogs, two cats, and two horses.
Karen Leonard credits “the friendly people
I’ve worked for and worked with, as well as the
opportunities for advancement,” for her long tenure at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She started her UTSW career as a Claims Analyst and now
manages the Department of Surgery’s Reimbursement Office. Retirement isn’t in her plans for the
near future, she says: “I’d like to work as long as
I can.” Mrs. Leonard, who was born and raised in
Houston, loves to vacation anywhere that has a
beach. In her free time, she likes to relax at home,
go shopping, see a movie, or have dinner with
friends. She’s been married for 28 years and has a
son and a daughter.
Mary Mallory loves her job, but she looks forward to a day when it doesn’t exist. As a Registered Nurse and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, she
provides primary care to infants and children exposed to HIV. She’s dedicated to ensuring her patients and their families get the care and services
they need and aims to make a difference in their
lives “until HIV is not an issue.” She also assesses
children born internationally and works to expand the International Adoption Medicine Clinic
at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Ms. Mallory,
a distinguished alumna of Longview High School,
has a 15-year-old daughter, Grace, and enjoys
scrapbooking, travel, and cooking. She appreciates the “challenging work and great medical
teams” at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Fellow nurses know Reynaldo Ray as a practical joker. But despite that reputation, he says
people would be surprised to know that intellectually, he’s very serious. Mr. Ray, RN Clinical
Coordinator for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
at St. Paul University Hospital, aids the NICU
manager with daily operation of the unit, assists
nurses in caring for neonates, and attends highrisk deliveries. He aims to be known for his focus,
fairness, and excellent patient care. His passions
include carpentry, the outdoors, music, and dancing. He has a spouse, two sons, and two daughters, plus one grandson and two more on the way.
His philosophy is: “Music and humor lessen the
pain of everyday living.”
A quarter-century in one department can
provide an employee an extraordinary level of
expertise. For Susan Rosson, that institutional
knowledge makes her the go-to person in the Otolaryngology Clinic. She’s worked in the Otolaryngology Department her entire career at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in the academic offices
and now as a Senior Administrative Assistant. Ms.
Rosson enjoys spending time at her church and
with friends and family: sons Jeremy and Jason,
daughter-in-law Shannon, and granddaughters
Ella and Jenna. She and Jeremy have made many
friendships through her involvement with the
Special Olympics, which she calls inspiring and
rewarding. “I am proud to have been at UT Southwestern for as long as I have,” she says, “and am
thankful for the knowledge that has come with
being part of a leading health care institution.”
“All my co-workers and supervisors are so
nice and funny that I look forward to coming
to work every day,” says Priyarama Sen, an Administrative Coordinator in the Division of Basic
Science at UT Southwestern Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences. Ms. Sen cites her Division’s
friendly environment, support structures, and
excellent teamwork as reasons she’s stayed here
for 25 years and for making her feel genuinely
appreciated. She strives to display loyalty, kindness, intelligence, and compassion daily, and
said her colleagues Carla Childers, Amy Haughey,
and Harmony Hilton set a standard to aspire to
at work. She enjoys reading, music, cooking, and
traveling; she is married and has a son who is a
freshman at UT Austin.
You know you’ve led an interesting life when
your best stories are unprintable. Charles Sheridan only will say that he’s encountered “countless unusual and funny circumstances” during
his career in the University Police Department.
One memory he can share: the rewarding experience of graduating from the UT System Police
Academy. Mr. Sheridan, an evening shift Patrol
Lieutenant, plans to work for UT Southwestern
Medical Center until retirement, then pursue a
career in private-sector security management. He
enjoys riding bicycles and motorcycles, reading,
watching movies, traveling, and furthering his
education. He’s proud to have been part of the
“phenomenal growth” of UTSW during the past
25 years and calls his fellow department members
his extended family. His actual family includes
daughter Patricia, fiancée Celmira, Celmira’s sons
David and Julian, and dog Kaya.
PAGE 8
MAY 2013
TO THAI
DINA TRUJILLANO
ANGELIQUE WHORTON
Science has always been To Thai’s favorite subject, and in his role as a Research Scientist in the
Department of Psychiatry, he says his “dream has
come true.” Mr. Thai performs in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and polymerase
chain reaction for genotyping, and he takes care
of laboratory animals. He’s known around the lab
as helpful and hardworking, aiding colleagues
with projects and research and often staying after
everyone else has left for the day. His long-term
goal is to help get more work publicized for his
Principal Investigator. Mr. Thai, who volunteers
at the Vietnamese American Community Center
in his spare time, has a wife and three children.
If Dina Trujillano offers you some homecooked food, you’d be wise to accept; she was
once the chef in her family’s restaurant. The multitalented Mrs. Trujillano also owned a business
in Peru before she came to the U.S., where she
started working as a lab assistant at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Today, she provides administrative support and library medical research
in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
where she also assists the residency coordinator.
She prides herself on being dependable, positive,
and punctual. Outside work, she enjoys cooking,
gardening, and traveling. Law enforcement runs
in her family – her husband, Hector, was an intelligence officer with the Peruvian National Police,
and her son Pedro is a detective in the Dallas Police Department’s Robbery Unit.
A UT Southwestern Medical Center career provides endless opportunities for a lifelong learner
like Angelique Whorton. One of her favorite
things about her position as a Senior Administrative Associate in the Nancy B. and Jake L. Hamon
Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, she
says, is the opportunity to learn how various
cultures handle different situations. She’s also
enjoyed working with Hamon Center Director
Dr. John Minna, Deputy Director Dr. Adi Gazdar,
and “some wonderful supervisors.” One thing she
can’t seem to master is “keeping nice stacks on my
desk!” Her newest pursuit is golf; other hobbies include road trips, fishing, camping, sports, and going to the beach. She’s also a certified shorthand
reporter for the state. Her large family and her
dog, Hurricane Hannah, keep her busy.
Quarter Century Club: By the numbers
Years of service Number of current classified UTSW employees
50+
45-49
40-44
1
6
10
35-39
34
NORMA WILLIAMS
JANIS ZERWEKH
Norma Williams says the opportunities she’s
had through the years to expand her knowledge
and work experience, forging friendships along
the way, are the driving forces that have kept her
at UT Southwestern Medical Center for a quarter century. Ms. Williams, now a Senior Business
Analyst in Information Resources, started working at UT Southwestern as a medical technologist
and was involved in the startup of the Zale Lipshy
University Hospital lab. She has supported many
different IR systems throughout her career and is
now a member of the newly formed Quality Assurance Test Team, which performs rigorous IT
testing of software. Her hobbies include biking
and traveling.
If you only recognize Janis Zerwekh as a name
from your inbox, you’re not alone. The Division
Administrator says General Internal Medicine
has become so large that many of her colleagues
know her as “that lady who sends all the emails.”
While she regrets that she doesn’t get to develop
close personal relationships with all Division faculty members, she enjoys working with the “really smart people” at UT Southwestern Medical
Center and “being part of the behind-the-scenes
team that collectively shares ideas and combines
expertise.” When not sending emails, Mrs. Zerwekh is dedicated to working out at the Bryan
Williams, M.D. Student Center, selling her handmade jewelry in her online Etsy store, and spending time with her family.
G E O R G E F U LT Z
A NNAME
N H OF
E NHONOREE
DERSON
JNAME
O H NOFHHONOREE
OWELL
C NAME
H I - J OF
U NHONOREE
G SHIH
V I NAME
C T O ROF SHONOREE
TASTNY
DNAME
A V I DOF THONOREE
HAYER
S NAME
Y L V I OF
A HONOREE
TORRES
VNAME
A L E OF
R I HONOREE
E WINE
30-34
103
25-29
201
S O U R C E : U T S W D E PA R T M E N T O F H U M A N R E S O U R C E S , DATA A S O F A P R I L 2 0 13
20-, 15-, 10-, and 5-year employees listed: To see a list of other colleagues celebrating milestone years in their UT Southwestern careers, please visit utsouthwestern.net/employeerecognition.
Note: Some long-term employees chose not to participate in this Employee Recognition edition.
Others only wished to include a photograph with no biographical information.