Health Educator Heroes

Ryan Bailey, MS, PhD

Dr. Bailey just started at the U this semester and has made the best of it. Volunteered to handle a difficult student situation and develop/present a new seminar to address ethics in these stressful times. 

Steve Bell, PhD

Dr. Bell is a champion in our department for diversity, inclusion and equity issues- makes sure these are considered and included in the modified classrooms and online teaching, while continuing to meet the students’ unique COVID needs.

Kelly Brown, MEd

Kelly Brown keeps the ship afloat and responds to all faculty and student requests (complaints). Helping the new students adjust to the first semester of graduate school in an online format.

Beth Cardell, PhD

Dr. Cardell’s commitment to teaching is consistently incredible and she has gone above and beyond since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to adapt her approaches and ensure that our occupational therapy students continue to receive the highest level of education and hands-on experiences to prepare them for their careers. She is truly always a health educator hero, but is standing out during COVID-19 even more!

There is no member of our faculty who has not benefitted from her mentoring and there is no one who cares about our students and teaching quality as much as Beth.

Beth Cardell has had continuous dedication to keeping the quality of her teaching at the highest level during this pandemic. A shout out also goes to Kelly Brown, who as student advisor, has carefully scheduled students and figured out classroom spaces for the in-person content to keep faculty and staff safe.

Lynn Farley

Lynn taught a heavy summer load and jumped in to teach a new course, in a new format.

Sarah Gray, OTD/L

Sarah Gray teaches an in-person course with two sections while also managing our faculty clinic and finding ways for our students to experience client treatment in these uncertain times.

Dr. Gray is the Clinical Director of the Life Skills Clinic, located within the Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies.  Dr. Gray demonstrates leadership through her mentoring of MOT students and thoughtful educational approach. In the past year, she has guided the team of occupational therapists at the Life Skills Clinic to become one of the top pediatric occupational therapy clinics in Utah.  

Amy Hawkins, PhD

To meet the challenges and educational questions that students have had during COVID-19 and our national reckoning with racial injustice, Dr. Hawkins has refocused class sessions to address health disparities, what it takes for a lab to develop a new diagnostic test and obtain Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA, and the intersection of genetics education, Direct-to-Consumer genetic testing, and our overlapping definitions of race, ancestry, and ethnicity.

Anne Kirby, MS, PhD

Dr. Kirby has been teaching a course in a modified format, managing classroom tensions while also leading the faculty in the navigation of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity issues.

Jeanette Koski, OTD

Dr. Koski has managed in person/online classroom teaching and students in clinical education sites, all with demanding and varied expectations. Adjusted a course to teach in a condensed format in a different semester so students would stay on track to graduate.

Rhonda Nelson, BME, MEd, PhD

Dr. Nelson has been teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in modified formats while assisting PhD students in adjusting dissertation studies to fit COVID restrictions.

Pollie Price, PhD

Dr. Price picked up an extra course in the summer and is teaching a course in a modified format this fall.

Lorie Richards, PhD

As the Chair she has supported every faculty member to meet both their needs and the students’ needs during COVID while ensuring we maintain educational standards.

Rhonda Roth, OT

Rhonda teaches a course in a new format while also providing clinical experiences for our students.

Yda Smith, PhD

Dr. Smith has been providing students with experiences in community-based learning using a modified telehealth format.

Alex Terrill, PhD

Dr. Terrill has assisted several PhD students in modifying dissertation studies to fit within COVID restrictions, while still giving them hope of graduating on time

Melissa Zahl, PhD, MTRS, CTRS

Dr. Zahl manages undergraduate and graduate courses in modified formats, while adapting research to fit COVID restrictions.

DNP-PMHNP Faculty-Practice members

Sara Webb, APRN, MSN; Nick Baggett, APRN, MS, RN; Sheila Deyette, PhD, APRN, PMHCNS-BC; Zoe Robbins, MS, PMH-NP; ElLois Bailey, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC; Ann Hutton, PhD, APRN; Susan Scott, DNP, APRN, FNP, PMHNP; Deborah Morgan, DNP; Randy Bullock, PhD

When most clinical sites closed under COVID mandates, College of Nursing, DNP-PMHNP Faculty-Practice members supported DNP-PMNP students' graduation in May 2020 and enabled the continued progression of current students through extensive networking and the provision of essential clinical opportunities and direct patient care hours via tele-mental health services.

Cheryl Armstrong, DNP, MS, RN

Dr. Cheryl Armstrong orchestrated online group NCLEX/licensing review sessions and 1:1 consultations providing focused study for graduating baccalaureate students.

Ann Butt, EdD, RN, CHSE

No matter the hurdle, she takes on simulation problems and turns them into wonderful educational offerings… and she does it with a smile.

Sue Chase-Cantarini, DNP, RN, CHSE

Dr. Sue Chase-Cantarini established a comprehensive series of online leaning modules consisting of case studies, pod casts, webinars, and reflections enabling nursing students to complete clinical and leadership hours outside the clinical setting.

Tamara Ekker, MS, RN, CCRN-K

Ms. Tamara Ekker developed online nursing critical care learning modules/resources to supplement for missed capstone hours when students were removed from clinical agencies.

Stevi Gire MS, RN, CHSE

Stevi goes beyond expectations in simulation by helping each and every faculty member create, edit, and deliver creative simulations and simulation electronic products.

Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH

Dr. Kepka developed and incorporated a well-received COVID-19 focused module into her Context for Advancing Science Course for Nursing PhD Students this past summer (Nurs 7106) and is integrating COVID-19 related epidemiological content into her current Fundamentals of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Nurs 6701) course. Lastly, Dr. Kepka is in the process of surveying about 500 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Utah to assess how COVID-19 has impacted their health behaviors, mental well-being, and vaccine perceptions.

Carolyn Scheese, DNP, RN, CHSE, NE-BC, CPPS

Dr. Carolyn Scheese arranged online modules, case studies, consultation and AORN membership for graduating nursing students unable to complete their clinical hours in perioperative settings.

Jeri Lynn Bullock, DDS

Dr. Jeri Lynn Bullock has both created and administered COVID safety and testing protocols specific to the complex clinical and pre-clinical experiential learning environments of the School of Dentistry that have enabled the School to excel nationally as an example of high-level educational operation, high-level clinical engagement, and high-level safety.

Dr. Bullock, in her role as Covid Safety Liaison (aka “Czar”) creates, implements and modifies protocols and monitors outcomes so that dental student education has safely continued with minimal disruption.

James Keddington, DDS

Dr. James Keddington has brought together academic colleagues, student leaders and dedicated support staff to create a simulation learning environment for the development of dental skills that, despite the challenges and risks of COVID, is safe, flexible and highly effective.

Dr. Keddington tirelessly designed and reconfigured scheduling of dental student simulation experiences as we went from closure to 50% capacity to 25% capacity, and he, with cooperative simulation course directors, are on track to have all courses completed before the Thanksgiving break.

Lea Erickson, DDS, MSPH

In response to the risks posed to students and faculty in the time of COVID, Dr. Lea Erickson, Dr. Bart Watts and Ms. Marjean Nielsen have overseen a rapid, almost error-free transition from universal in-person didactic teaching, learning and assessment for a wide array of dental didactic courses to them now being delivered and received on-line, both safely and very effectively.

AJ Smith, DDS

Dr. AJ Smith has lead a team of dedicated dental clinical educators and support staff in adapting to major changes in clinical protocols in response to COVID, allowing more than 100 dental students and residents to continue learning though patient care at a very high level of engagement and productivity, and an even more impressively high level of safety for all involved; patients, students, residents, staff and faculty.   

Stacey Swilling, DDS

Dr. Swilling, in addition to clinical teaching, classroom teaching and administrative responsibilities, assumed responsibility for ordering Covid tests for more than 300 learners, faculty and staff who treat patients, for tracking compliance and making necessary referrals.

Bart Watts, DDS

Dr. Watts assumed full responsibility for leading the conversion from in-person to online education, learned and taught new technologies and successfully accomplished what seemed to be impossible in his supportive and grace-filled style.

Paloma Cariello, MD, MPH

In spring 2020 Dr. Cariello simultaneously adapted the Host & Defense course to a successful remote format while simultaneously taking on the role as Associate Dean of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the medical school.

Ty Dickerson, MD, MPH

A big shout out to Dr. Dickerson for swiftly organizing and co-directing the COVID-19 Exploration in Real Time course in April 2020 for medical students, graduate students, postdocs and faculty to embrace the uncertainty of the emerging pandemic together as a community!

Kathleen Digre, MD

Dr. Digre, a virtual ophthalmology education pioneer and founder of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Virtual Education Library (NOVEL) and the open-source education site Moran CORE, has been able to provide a curriculum to ophthalmic students around the world during a time where in-person learning is often not possible.

Karen Eilbeck, PhD

In March 2020, one week into the 9-credit, first year medical school Host & Defense course, Dr. Eilbeck in calmly and confidently co-lead it’s adaptation to become a successful, fully online course with less than a week’s notice.

Scott Holmstrom, MD

With confidence, mastery and dependability, Scott co-lead the adaptation and improvement of the challenging second year medical school Metabolism & Reproduction course to become a well-received, fully remote course this fall.

Maija Holsti, MD, MPH

Dr. Holsti transformed her undergraduate course in pediatric research to provide virtual education, and trained the students on proper use of PPE in anticipation of a return to the clinical setting during the COVID pandemic.

Griffin Jardine, MD

In response to the extra mental, physical, and emotional toll of COVID-19, Dr. Jardine has created increased mentoring opportunities and championed resident wellness half days for each residency rotation. 

Sara Lamb, MD

As the Associate Dean of Medical Education in charge of the medical school curriculum, Dr. Lamb deserves a huge standing ovation for her swift and sure-footed leadership for ensuring that our students can still safely learn to become effective physicians in the midst of a pandemic while balancing the needs and concerns pf patients, faculty and staff.  

Mark Metzstein, PhD

With a commitment to employing frequent student feedback, rapid adaptation and clear communication, Mark used his good humor to co-lead the first completely remote teaching/learning of the challenging second year medical school Metabolism & Reproduction course this fall.

Caroline Milne, MD

Dr. Milne is the Vice Chair for Education for the Department of Internal Medicine and Residency Program Director. She has contributed to the successful education of our entire residency and fellowship program during the COVID-19 pandemic by thoughtfully redesigning the clinical rotations to accommodate the changing participation of medical students, reassignment of clinical rotations for residents to ensure their safety while enhancing the safety of our patients through the expansion of acute care and ICU care, and changing the entire department-wide educational programs to online-only with resulting greater participation than we have seen before.

Kathryn Moore, PhD

Dr. Moore has single-handedly and tirelessly adapted the 17-credit hour (!!) Foundations of Medicine course to a hybrid of online Team-Based Learning, Interactive Sessions, and lectures together with in-person labs while providing additional community building times for the new medical students to get to know each other. Wow!!

Randall J Olson, MD

As CEO of the John A. Moran Eye Center, Dr. Olson has been a role model for fellows and residents, taking a leadership role in creating and enforcing precautions designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Jeff Pettey, MD, MBA

Dr. Jeff Pettey and the ophthalmology trainees have introduced a diversity, inclusion, and outreach curriculum for house staff and faculty, including a book club to increase fluency and awareness of essential issues for training underrepresented communities in ophthalmology.

Amy Powell, MD and Joy English, MD

Drs. Powell and English were masterful in rapidly adapting their Skin, Muscle, Bone & Joint course, which includes lots of hands on anatomy and physical exam skills, to a fully remote format with only a few days warning.

Danielle Roussel, MD

Dr. Roussel has tirelessly worked with faculty in the clinical learning environment to creatively find ways to keep medical students learning and progressing towards their identity development as future physicians.

Rachel Simpson, MD

Dr. Simpson designed and implemented an innovative ophthalmology resident education curriculum, focused on active learning and reverse classroom principles to improve quality and decrease face-to-face face exposure during COVID-19.

Joyce Soprano, MD

Dr. Soprano worked tirelessly in the Emergency Department to ensure our students and residents had adequate PPE and instructions on its use, and facilitated the safe care of potential COVID patients while maintaining an educational experience.

Judith Warner, MD

Dr. Warner and her ophthalmology mentees answered the call for racial justice this year by creating a scholarship focused on diversity, inclusion, and outreach for away rotations, as well as a research scholarship for traditionally underrepresented groups in Moran's residency program.