Alumni Spotlight

Alumni in

HEALTH CARE

RUBY DEHKHARGHANI A’04

As a surgical resident in Boston, Dehkharghani’s day-to-day schedule turned upside down at the onset of COVID-19. While her operating room reopened in July, she continues to catch up on delayed surgeries and has seen many of her pre- and post-op visits go virtual.

Though her routine in the hospital was impacted, perhaps more so was her desire to combine her love of politics with her medical background. Dehkharghani majored in biochemistry and math and minored in political science at the University of Tampa, leading to a health care analyst position with Congresswoman Kathy Castor and then an internship with former First Lady Michelle Obama. Dehkharghani worked her way up from correspondence to public affairs, and eventually researching the science behind obesity and how it impacts children.

Her love of Washington, D.C., kept Dehkharghani in the district for medical school at Georgetown University. In Boston, not only did Dehkharghani work on her residency but she also earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School. With a background in medicine and policy, Dehkharghani wants to inspire change through a political career.

“This public health crisis we are in right now has solidified that we need more scientists and physicians in the state, federal and local levels. … Prevention can be presented clearly through the eyes and knowledge of scientists and physicians. When combined with policy, this is a recipe for success,” said Dehkharghani.

CLAIRE CARDILLO A’15

Cardillo works as a registered nurse on the night shift at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. She describes her experience in the COVID-19 ICU the past few months: “There were times when our unit was full, but luckily, we never experienced the surge that was expected due to social distancing practices put in place in Nashville. There have been some hard shifts, but I have an amazing team of nurses around me. I also have a great support system at home, and I have received many sweet phone calls and texts from all my Academy sisters!”

Alumni in HEALTH CARE

JENNIFER GRIFFIN BUSH A’00

Bush is a nurse practitioner with Infectious Disease Associates of Tampa Bay. During the pandemic, her roles have expanded to visiting long-term care hospitals where people are recovering from the effects of COVID-19. Although the pandemic has created a new, hopefully temporary normal, she says it isn’t all bad. Bush explains, “COVID-19 has made everyone take a step back and realize that sometimes we need to reassess what matters. Maybe we shouldn’t be moving at 1,000 mph all the time. When most of us had to follow stay-at-home orders, we had a rare opportunity to spend more time with our families. Having those moments is truly what’s most important.”

AMANDA VALDES A’11

Valdes works as an anesthesiologist assistant on the intubation team at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. She and her team are responsible for placing breathing tubes in COVID-19 patients when they need to be supported on a ventilator. Valdes says, “When I get to see some of the sickest patients recover and be discharged home to their families, it is a really inspiring feeling. I am so grateful and honored to play a part in the recovery process for these patients.”

JOSE PORTER A’01

Porter works as an electrophysiology and catheterization lab nurse in Tampa, Florida. In April, he transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He was brought in as a cardiothoracic surgery ICU nurse, his original specialty prior to working as a cath lab nurse, and he has worked in several COVID-19 units with cardiacrelated care. Recently, Porter was featured on the “Today” show holding up signs with other traveling nurses.

LAURA DOERR A’93

Dr. Doerr is a pediatric hospitalist in Atlanta and shares some of her experiences adjusting during the COVID-19 pandemic after recently returning to work following maternity leave. “Having a child has made me more steadfast in trying to protect others, so as I go from room to room, I am so much more conscious of my gear, trying to ensure I keep every other child safe as well. It is a difficult time to be a first responder and a physician, but we can’t forget the reason why we chose this profession, to begin with; we want to help heal and help patients get better. It’s never been more critical to do this than it is now.”

BRYNN WILEY GIBBONS A’12

Gibbons is a registered nurse working in the medical ICU in Macon, Georgia. She never expected to be working in the ICU during a pandemic and was shocked at how critically sick her COVID-19 patients were as they needed a much higher level of care than a standard ICU patient. She says, “I think one of the best feelings as a nurse that I have experienced thus far into my career has been sending a recovered coronavirus patient home or out of the ICU!”

STEFANIE RODRIGUEZ ANDERSON A’90 AND AMANDA DEL CUETO DILLINGER A’07

In an effort to keep hospitals from being overburdened during the coronavirus pandemic, Anderson and Dr. Dillinger continued to care for emergency dental patients during the pandemic shutdown.