Voices of U of U Health
Monthly Momentos: January 2026
This ongoing blog series celebrates people, milestones, and achievements from across our health system. Content is adapted from monthly updates shared with the University of Utah Board of Trustees.
The nation’s first diabetes education website in ASL, red-light therapy to prevent brain inflammation in football players, communities identify their greatest health care needs, and more January highlights.
Kudos
- Becker’s Hospital Review named Tracey Nixon, MSN, RN, among Chief Nursing Officers to Know in 2025 for elevating care quality and strengthening clinical excellence while supporting the nurses who deliver care every day.
- Erin Fox, PharmD, associate chief pharmacy officer, received the End Drug Shortages Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award for Drug Shortage Prevention, recognizing her for dedicating her career to improving drug supply resilience.
- The Boston Congress of Public Health selected Sara Bybee, PhD, MSW, assistant professor of nursing, as a recipient of the 2025 40 Under 40 Public Health Catalyst Award for her innovative approach to community-engaged research that advances health equity.
- Joe Machnik, PhD, an alumnus of the University of Utah’s Parks, Recreation & Tourism program, released a memoir about lessons from seven decades of American soccer.
- Christy Jarvis, MLIS, faculty librarian at the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library is known for the expert guidance she provides for University of Utah researchers receiving federal funding. Her work ensures peer-reviewed journal articles are published in a way that provides immediate public access, in accordance with federal policy—keeping the university eligible for additional research funding.
Leadership Announcements
- Michael Hales, MPA, was named chief financial officer for University of Utah Health Plans. He leads financial planning, performance oversight, and strategic coordination with U of U Health Plans leadership to support access, quality, and value for members.
- Danielle Sample, MPH, was named chief of staff to Bob Carter, MD, PhD, in his role CEO for U of U Health. She provides strategic counsel, operational integration, and delegated leadership support across the health system.
- Laura Snow was named senior adviser to Bob Carter, MD, PhD, in his role as executive vice president for Health Sciences. She provides trusted counsel, executive coordination, and institutional continuity.
Achievements in Clinical Care
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Michelle Litchman, PhD, associate professor of nursing, and an interdisciplinary U of U Health team launched Deaf Diabetes Can Together, the nation’s first diabetes education website designed primarily in American Sign Language (ASL). The peer-reviewed platform expands access to reliable diabetes information for the Deaf community through ASL videos, visual resources, and bilingual accessibility features.
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n 2025, U of U Health performed a combined total of 316 heart, lung, kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants—the highest annual total since the first kidney transplant performed at U of U Health in 1965. This historic milestone reflects the extraordinary collaboration required to care for some of the most complex and medically fragile patients, many of whom have exhausted all other treatment options.
- In its first six months, the You Matter Outreach Program at Huntsman Mental Health Institute has already supported more than 3,700 patients after crisis care, completed over 2,600 meaningful check-ins, and helped reduce admissions from 42.5% to 3.6%. The program reflects strong interdepartmental collaboration and early positive impact on patient safety and continuity of care.
Achievements in Education
- Faculty, staff, and students from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine participated in the Rural Health Association of Utah (RHAU) Annual Conference in St. George, leading sessions on rural health challenges, workforce development, and care innovation. Chaz Whitbeck, DMSC, MMSC, PA-C, director of the U’s Physician Assistant Program in St. George, received RHAU’s Rural Health Educator of the Year award. The university’s strong presence underscores a shared commitment to addressing rural health challenges.
- The Research Education Office in the Department of Pediatrics released its 2025 annual report, highlighting the exceptional training and internship programs for undergraduate research at U of U Health.
Achievements in Research
- Jacob George, PhD, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and physical medicine and rehabilitation, and postdoctoral researcher Marshall Trout, PhD, led a study that tested how an AI-powered prosthesis was capable of working intelligently alongside amputees to enhance dexterity. The findings, published in the Journal of Nature Communications, shows the right balance between human and machine control allows for greater grip security and precision with less mental effort.
- Elisabeth Wilde, PhD, associate professor of neurology, led a preliminary study with 26 collegiate football players that shows red-light therapy appears to prevent brain inflammation caused by repeated head impacts. The findings were published in Journal of Neurotrauma.
- Research led by June Round, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology, and MD candidate Kendra Klag, PhD, discovered a specific gut bacterium that reduces blood sugar and levels of fat in the blood and slows weight gain in mice. If their findings, published in Cell Metabolism, hold true in humans, bacteria-derived compounds could be effective therapeutics to promote metabolic health and healthy weight.
Community Collaboration
- Through surveys, community input meetings, and conversations with patient and family advisory boards, thousands of voices across Utah helped shape the 2026–2029 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Access to health care, social determinants, and behavioral health in particular, emerged as top priorities. Over the next several months, insights from the CHNA will be used to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan to address these priorities.