Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 1

Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 1
Campus Diary
The Wedding Singer
If you heard Stephanie Brown, BSN RN-BC, practice manager
for Interventional Pain Manager, belt out Fiona Apple’s
“Criminal” at the last “UCH: The Voice” talent show, you
might’ve thought that we had a real contender for musical
fame in our midst. And while she probably could hold her own
in any reality show competition, she’s happy to stay at the
hospital and work for the good of others. But still, it must be
cool to have such a good voice.
Welcomes
Who’s new on campus
John Aastrup, Advanced Care Partner
SICU
Uyen Adams, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Jillian Ader, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac Vascular Holding
Cynthia Kay Allen, Social Worker
Social Services
Jessica Asplund, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Takormbi Asuagbor, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac Intermediate Care Unit
Brian Augat, Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Care
Farrah Aukerman, Radiographer
Diagnostic Radiology
Pain Management Practice Manager Stephanie Brown, BSN RN-BC,
might be able, but doesn’t want, to give up her day job.
Jennifer Bailey, Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Care
When did you start singing?
I’ve been singing since I was four. I’ve just always had a love
for music and being the entertainer, performing for others. My
dad was in a band. He played guitar, piano, drums. I grew up
with music in the house. Probably when I was about eight,
my parents realized how good I actually was. So occasionally
I would perform with my dad’s band. He played classic rock
and soul.
Andrea Barocas, Advanced Care Partner
BMT
Where did you perform?
I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma of about 7,000 people,
so any fair that was going on, city meetings, library, any kind
of festival.
Jessica Boell, Clinical Nurse
UFM AF Williams
What did you sing?
Lots of country. I did Shania Twain and Faith Hill and Lorrie
Morgan and kind of all the older country stuff. As I got older
in high school I did everything. Also at that point I sang a lot
at church. When I was 14 I sang for the state fair of
Adam Brous, Surgery Coord.
Interventional Radiology
Lacy Basu, Clinical Nurse
Cardiac Vascular Holding
Amanda Bender, Access/Security Technician
Safety
Alexander Birch, Clinical Nurse
SICU
Nicole Brookman, Care Team Assistant
Pain Clinic
Brandy Brown, Advanced Care Partner
Oncology
Continued
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Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 2
Campus Diary continued
Oklahoma. My dad played for me for at that. I did an hourlong show. We actually wrote a couple of original songs. I
also performed at the Oklahoma Arts Festival, which was a
young people’s talent competition. I didn’t win, but it was a
cool experience.
Since then I’ve sung at every single friend’s wedding and still
love singing. So I do a lot of karaoke.
Any dreams of doing it for a living?
No. I knew I wanted to do something helping others,
something in the medical field. I went to nursing school but
I’ve always had a passion for music. And I hope it will be a
part of my kids’ life too.
I hear your husband is a rock musician.
He’s a guitar player. His band plays R&B/soul music at local
bars in the Denver area. I have sat in with his band some, but
not that often because of our kids. We did get to go to Paris
in November and his band played over there because they
have a French singer. They’re called the Jaywalkers.
Who are your favorite artists?
It’s hard for me to say because I grew up with such a
diverse music library but I really love some of the older soul
artists like Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and Etta James. And
then more current stuff, I like anything from Adele or Amy
Winehouse to Regina Spektor.
What was it like singing Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” in
the hospital’s “Voice” show?
I also sang with the Practice Manager Group. We did a song
and dance number together. I can’t remember the song but
it was by Shania Twain. It’s fun. I like to perform. I’m pretty
used to it. I did it so much as a kid. I remember the first
time I performed in front of a larger audience I was really
nervous but now it’s not a big deal. I still run into people who
remember me singing in the [hospital’s] show.
Are your children musical?
My dad wanted to be a famous musician and he didn’t quite
make it there and he wanted it for me. Not that I want my
Welcomes Cont.
Kali Buford, Care Team Assistant
Pain Clinic
Loana Carr, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac Intermediate Care Unit
Kate Casaubon, Advanced Care Partner
Pulmonary
Ella Choi, Clinical Nurse
Acute Dialysis
Norda Chomthananhsy, Medical Assistant
Cardiac and Vascular Center
Kelsey Christopoulos, Advanced Care Partner
Transplant/Medicine
Andrea Cline, Employee WellBeing Coordinator
Employee Health and Wellness
Maurice Cox, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac Vascular Holding
Jessica Coyle, Emergency Dept. Technician
Emergency Dept.
Taylor Custer, Advanced Care Partner
Birth Center
Elise Dalton, CT Technologist
Radiology CAT Scan
Heidi Daugherty, Advanced Care Partner
SICU
Chris Davis, Advanced Care Partner
BMT
Alison De Benedet, Certified Nursing Assistant
THRU Unit
Caitlin Deeming, Care Team Assistant
Orthopaedics
Janet Deras, Advanced Care Partner
Surgery
Camber Doniach, Advanced Care Partner
Women's Care Center
Stacy Fine, Clinical Nurse
OR - AIP
Continued
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 3
Campus Diary continued
girls to be famous but I think having an interest in music is a
good thing. It makes you a well-rounded person. I think the
chances are good that at least one of them will love music.
My daughter Ella, four, knows all the words to “Do Re Mi”
from the “Sound of Music” already and has that dramatic
performer in her. Maya, one, she sits there and rocks to the
music. She knows how to do “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
Welcomes Cont.
Whitney Firth, Clinical Nurse
SICU
Vanessa Fleming, Surgical Technologist Cert.
OR - AIP
Arend Folkens, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Kally Fox, Medical Assistant
UFM AF Williams
Any plans to give up your day job?
No, definitely not. I love what I do.
Diamond Garcia, Food Service Worker
Food & Nutrition Services
.............................................................
Joseph Gerber-Higgins, Certified Nursing Assistant
Med/Surg Progressive Care
A Pearl of a Job
Getting to know: Melissa Jones, patient resident liaison
Jennifer Giunta, Advanced Care Partner
Med/Surg Progressive Care
What does a patient resident liaison do?
They call us “Pearls.” We work with a team of doctors on
a specific floor. We’re basically their right hand. We get
things for patients like their health records or make follow-up
appointments for them.
What group do you work with?
I’m still in training right now so I won’t know what team I’m
on. Right now I’m on the [Medicine Specialties] floor training.
I’m hoping for Oncology or BMT [blood and marrow
transplant] because I’m a cancer survivor. I had Hodgkin’s
lymphoma. I’m in remission.
Ashley Gochanour, Care Team Assistant
Neurology
Sarah Gonzales, Medical Assistant
Gynecology
Veronika Gonzalez, Advanced Care Partner
BMT
Daniel Griffin, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac ICU
Meghann Griffin, Speech Language Pathologist
Speech IP
Keira Guisinger, Nutrition Assistant
Food & Nutrition Services
How did you get into this field?
I’ve always wanted to get into the health care field and I have
two friends that work here and I kind of picked their brain on
how they liked it here and what type of jobs were available.
And so when I realized I could work on the admin side and still
work here without being a nurse or a doctor, I started applying.
Sara Hanke, Certified Nursing Assistant
BMT
What did you do prior to coming to UCH?
I worked for the American Cancer Society. I was a Relay for
Life specialist. I was in charge of five different relay events in
the metro area.
Crystal Hernandez, Medical Assistant
Otolaryngology
Sandra Hartwig, Coder
UCHlth Outpatient Coding
Kathy Hays, Advanced Care Partner
Transplant/Medicine
Shanni Hernandez, Advanced Care Partner
Orthopaedics
Continued
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 4
Campus Diary continued
What’s Relay for Life? Some sort of race?
It’s a big race and you raise funds and you have people on the
track all night with your team but you don’t have to run. It’s
not a real race but it’s to symbolize that cancer never sleeps.
It’s an all-night event.
What brought you to UCH?
Just something different and I’ve always wanted to go to
graduate school for health care. I was hoping this could be
my foot in the door to determine if that’s really what I want
to do.
Welcomes Cont.
Anai Herrera, Medical Assistant
CV Pre and Post Procedure
Hjardist Hodge-Mcdonald, Human Resources Representative
UCHlth Talent Acquisition
Perla Holguin, Perioperative Svcs. Assistant
OR - AIP
Ryan Holman, Medical Assistant
Pain Clinic
Lisa Hoover, Clinical Nurse
SICU
Brittany Horrigan, Advanced Care Partner
Pulmonary
Chhanny Im, Cashier
Garden View Café
Darin Johnson, Emergency Dept. Technician
Emergency Dept.
Cordelia Kim, Certified Nursing Assistant
THRU Unit
Patient Resident Liaison Melissa Jones is happy to
work on the admin side of health care.
But you don’t want to be a nurse or a doctor?
Not now. Not after you see everything. More like the health
care administration side.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to be outdoors. I love being a Coloradoan. I love playing
with my nephew, and spending time with friends and family
going to movies or hanging out.
Where are you from?
From Aurora, born and raised.
What’s your favorite lunch place on campus?
Jimmy Johns.
What’s the last great book you read or movie you saw?
“300.” That was a really good movie. My boyfriend’s an avid
moviegoer so he drags me along quite a bit.
Cody Knoll, Materials Technician
Central Supply
Nicholas Kuno, Clinical Nurse
Med/Surg Progressive Care
Benjamin Lantow, Clinical Nurse
OR - AIP
Christine Larzelere, Physical Therapist
Lone Tree Health Center
Amber Lewis, Medical Assistant
Neurology
Rodney Lim, Radiation Therapist
Radiation Therapy
Corry Little, Food Service Worker
Food & Nutrition Services
Seth Long, MRI Technologist
Radiology MRI
Brittany Lordemann, Advanced Care Partner
Medicine Specialties
Continued
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 5
Campus Diary continued
Family Unit
Brother Justin, 31, works for Toyota and is dad to nephew
Landon, one and a half, with another nephew on the way.
Sister Amanda, 28, teaches at KIPP, a college prep school.
Dad, Craig, is in sales for American Paper Optics (he sells
3-D glasses), and mom, Tammy, works with her friend on
wedding toppers.
.............................................................
It’s a Sign
Clinical Laboratory Director Joan Coleman sent us this
unique sign she spotted while on vacation in Las Vegas.
“Here’s a sign you don’t see every day!” Coleman wrote. She
explained that in the spring, the desert tortoises come out of
hibernation. I’m guessing the crossing is a leisurely affair.
Welcomes Cont.
Ashlee Maldonado, Advanced Care Partner
Surgery
Marnie Mannino, Advanced Care Partner
Birth Center
Jerret Matson, Advanced Care Partner
Medicine Specialties
Ian McClernan, Invasive Cardiac Technologist
Cardiac Cath Lab
Angela McClure, Clinical Nurse
OR - AIP
Sara McPherson, Advanced Care Partner
SICU
Alexandra Meihofer, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Aisha Meisner, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac Vascular Holding
Sadie Miller, Advanced Care Partner
Cardiac ICU
Anthony Misciasci, Medical Laboratory Scientist
Clinical Lab
Tim Nelson, Manager Cardiac & Vascular Center
Cardiac Cath Lab
Sign spotted while hiking in Red Rock Canyon. No word on whether a tortoise
was spotted as well, but there would have been plenty of time to pick one out.
Nadine Neswadi, Advanced Care Partner
Neurosciences
Michelle Nordstrom, Clinical Nurse
OR - AIP
Margaret O'Connor, Advanced Care Partner
Transplant/Medicine
Alexandra Oren, Occupational Therapist
OT IP Acute
Chandni Patel, Advanced Care Partner
ACE Unit
Either the sign, or the man who modeled for the sign,
might need to cut back on desserts.
Alexandra Peck, Advanced Care Partner
Med/Surg Progressive Care
Kandi Perry, Clinical Nurse
CT ICU
Continued
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 6
Campus Diary continued
When Marketing Director Brad Fixler saw the turtle sign, he
commented, “I like how anatomically correct that tortoise is.”
He then sent us a sign he spotted in Florida of another figure
– perhaps a sign of our overweight times.
“I took this one while in Florida a couple of years ago,” Fixler
explained. “Is it me, or are our pedestrian men getting a little
chunky?”
.............................................................
Saving Lives, One Mammogram at a Time
Getting to know: Melody McLeland
I know this is a strange question, but what do you do
as a mammographer?
I X-ray breasts to locate different kinds of cancers or
problems that people are having. Problems can be pain,
swelling, if they feel a lump that they haven’t felt before, etc.
Welcomes Cont.
Naira Petrosyan, Advanced Care Partner
Neuro ICU
Laura Pondm, Advanced Care Partner
Rehabilitation
Kimberly Powersm, Certified Nursing Assistant
THRU Unit
Marcy Prickett, Clinical Nurse
THRU Unit
Meryl Quizon, Certified Nursing Assistant
Transplant/Medicine
Candice Rademeyer, Emergency Dept. Technician
Emergency Dept.
Whitney Ray, Advanced Care Partner
Oncology
Jessica Ray, Advanced Care Partner
Oncology
Phillip Reynolds, Cashier
Garden View Café
Ariana Roe, Food Service Worker
Food & Nutrition Services
Robin Ruhstaller, Advanced Care Partner
CT ICU
Erica Schick, Advanced Care Partner
SICU
Mammographer Melody McLeland found her dream job.
How did you get into this field?
I was an X-ray tech for five years and decided that I wanted
to do something to help people more and mammography
seemed to fit.
What did you do prior to UCH?
This is my first job as a mammographer. I worked as an X-ray
tech at Longmont United Hospital.
Did you have to do additional training?
For Radiology Tech I went to Pima Medical Institute in Denver.
Jennifer Seale, Clinical Pharmacist Pharmacy IP
Gailan Shear, Advanced Care Partner
Med/Surg Progressive Care
Erin Shelly, Nurse Navigator
Oncology Services Admin.
Lisa Sheridan, Clinical Nurse
Interventional Radiology
Chelle Smith, Sr. Executive Assistant Ambulatory Administration
Alison Sorkin, Assistant General Counsel
UCHlth Legal Services
Continued
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 7
Campus Diary continued
It’s a two-year program. And then for mammography I went to
Aims Community College in Greeley and that was a semesterlong program.
What brought you to UCH/Colorado?
I’m a Colorado native. I got online the week before I took my
mammography registry to become certified and thought this
would be my dream job if there was an opening, and sure
enough there was.
Why was it your dream job?
They always have top-of-the-line equipment and they do a lot
of very specialized procedures as well.
Where are you from?
Born in Greeley, raised in Platteville for part of it, then
Longmont for the other part, and still live in Longmont.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I’m kind of a nerd. I crochet and I knit.
What’s the last great book you read or movie you saw?
“The Hunger Games,” all three books and both the movies.
I’m excited for the third one.
What’s your favorite thing about UCH so far?
I love the people I work with. They’re an amazing bunch of ladies.
Family Unit
Cat, named Kida
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog, named Dixon.
Family all lives in Colorado.
Evelyn Sotelo-Robles, Medical Assistant
Endocrine/Diabetes
Anastasia Spaeth, Advanced Care Partner
CT ICU
Stephanie Steffens, Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Care
Nathan Stone, Clinical Nurse
Medicine Specialties
Carla Stone, Physical Therapist
Lone Tree Health Center
Samantha Sumner, Advanced Care Partner
Orthopaedics
Lynette Tacoronte, Information Operator
Switchboard Services
Elizabeth Taylor, Care Team Assistant
BMT Clinic
Kathy Thai, Advanced Care Partner
Surgery
Ryan Thies, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Nicole Torres, Advanced Care Partner
Oncology
Bronson Tremblay, Information Operator
Switchboard Services
Victoria Trujillo, Certified Nursing Assistant
Transplant/Medicine
Emily Tucker, Food Service Worker
Food & Nutrition Services
.............................................................
Grace Uhls, Advanced Care Partner
Neuro ICU
Cardiology Couture
You may have noticed that I changed the title of this regular
feature from “Campus Couture” to “Cardiology Couture.”
That’s because my two featured fashion finds this week are
both members of the Cardiology Department.
Rachel Ullom, Clinical Nurse
OR - AIP
Crystal Vigil, Pharmacy Tech Level I
Pharmacy IP
Melissa Volkmann, Pharmacy Tech Level I
Pharmacy IP
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 8
Campus Diary continued
When I stopped Assistant Professor of Cardiology
Stacie Daugherty, MD, to ask if I could photograph her
for Campus Diary, she suggested I wait for her lunch date,
Fred Masoudi, MD, also a professor of cardiology, who
frequently sports a bow tie.
Katelyn Wabol, Systems Analyst
UCHlth Epic
Amanda Weeks, Clinical Nurse
SICU
Jason White, Traveler RN
Resource Pool
Heather Willis, Clinical Nurse
THRU Unit
Lynn Wilson, Advanced Care Partner
ACE Unit
Ashley Winter, Clinical Nurse
THRU Unit
Kyle Wintersmith, Food Service Worker
Food & Nutrition Services
Grace Worland, Advanced Care Partner
Neurosciences
Assistant Professor of Cardiology Stacie Daugherty, MD,
rocks a cinch-waisted black-and-white checked coat and black boots.
And he was worth the wait. Dressed all dapper in a striped
spring-colored, button-down shirt with a matching bow tie,
and bright smile, I just had to snap him as well. Who knew
the Cardiology Department faculty were so stylish?
Professor of Cardiology Fred Masoudi, MD, has a spring in his step,
and his style.
Craig Zadra, Surgical Technologist
OR - AIP
Volume 7 | Issue 20 | April 15, 2014 | Page 9
Campus Diary continued
See anything weird, wonderful, amusing
and/or interesting around UCH
Anschutz Campus? Please let us know at
[email protected].
Or send ideas directly to Diary
dynamo Joelle Klein (pictured) at
[email protected].
Klein is a Denver-based freelance writer who specializes in
health and wellness issues. When she’s not searching for
quirky UCH campus incidents or interviewing fascinating new
employees, she’s reading, enjoying the outdoors or spending
quality time with her family.