AT ST. JUDE, WE ARE DRIVEN BY A SET OF CORE VALUES.
These principles help guide us in our behaviors and decisions — ultimately empowering every employee to deliver on our mission.
CONTENTS
1
Always recognize that advancing treatment for children with catastrophic diseases is at the center of everything we do.
8 Kierra McCallum
10 Martha Wells, DMD
12 Michael Rusch
14 Nickhill Bhakta, MD
16 Sarah Camp
18 Leo Old
2
Do what is right; take ownership of what you do.
22 Elizabeth “Beth” Reed, JD
24 Phillip Sisti
26 Ted Morton, PharmD
28 Torya Williams-Sanders
30 Patti Pease
32 Shane Luttrell
3
Work with purpose and urgency — your efforts matter.
36 Tiaire Cole Gray
38 Tracie Gatewood
40 Sharnise Mitchell, PhD
42 Troy Wallach
44 Vinoth Saminathan
4
Embrace the challenge to create a new tomorrow.
48 Crystal Cole
50 Jie Fang, PhD
52 Maris Brown
54 Jessica Farmer
56 Valentina Perez
58 Stanley Pounds, PhD
5
Work collaboratively and help others to succeed.
62 Chenchen Sun
64 Chiquila Benjamin
66 Meghan Stuthard
68 Virgil Holder
70 Megan Bolling
72 Darron Washington
6
7
Always be respectful of your coworkers, our patients and their families, and visitors to our campus.
76 Lisa Laurent
78 Caron Byrd, JD
80 Raja “Bicky” Khan, MD
82 Janice Turner-Jackson
84 Jane Stringfellow, JD
86 Jeanette Lavecchia
Make the most of St. Jude resources, and be mindful of those who provided them.
90 Brooke Bernhardt, PharmD
92 Nicole Fitzpatrick
94 Remington Loose
96 Thiagarajan “Thiag” Sivalingam
98 Suzanne Wiltgen
In the decade since I became president and chief executive officer, I’ve seen incredible growth at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. While our workforce, our campus and our goals have expanded and evolved, our mission remains the same.
We exist to advance cures and means of prevention for catastrophic childhood diseases through research and treatment. Each of our nearly 7,000 employees has their own unique story of how they came to St. Jude, but finding cures and saving children is at the core of our community. We are driven by our mission and guided by our values.
Always recognize that advancing treatment for children with catastrophic diseases is at the center of everything we do.
Do what is right; take ownership of what you do.
Work with purpose and urgency — your efforts matter.
Embrace the challenge to create a new tomorrow.
Work collaboratively and help others to succeed.
Always be respectful of your coworkers, our patients and their families, and visitors to our campus.
Make the most of St. Jude resources, and be mindful of those who provided them.
This year’s St. Jude Living Our Values book highlights examples of our colleagues who live our values, including doing what is right to protect our patients from harmful infections, creating a new tomorrow by using innovative approaches to understand and treat childhood cancer, and making the most of our resources while we grow our campus and global footprint. I hope these 40 stories inspire you to continue making St. Jude a place of discovery, innovation and healing.
James R. Downing, MD President and Chief Executive Officer St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Always recognize that ADVANCING treatment for children with catastrophic diseases is at the center of everything we do.
Kierra McCallum
Nursing
For Kierra McCallum, advancing treatment isn’t just a noble ideal — it’s a daily choice.
McCallum is one of the mainstay nurses in the Hughes Infectious Diseases Clinic, which cares for youth living with immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as well as infants exposed to the virus and their mothers. Knowing that when treated with daily antiretroviral drugs, people with HIV have close to the same life expectancy as peers without the virus, McCallum works tirelessly to manage patients’ complex needs and improve their odds.
She also goes the extra mile in ways large and small, reminding patients about their appointments and using telehealth to make sure they follow through on taking their medications. When a patient had a crisis, McCallum provided much-needed stability for hours without being asked.
After a surge in HIV transmission rates in youth led to an increase in clinic patients, McCallum took the initiative to document patients’ schools, helping staff members with contact tracing and other efforts to connect the dots on new cases. She also initiated the tracking of injection reactions for St. Jude patients on long-acting antiretroviral medication, allowing for early detection of patterns and potential causes.
Whether it’s being present for patients or thinking up solutions to problems, there’s never any question that the St. Jude mission is at the center of McCallum’s work.
NOMINATED BY: Nehali Patel, MD Infectious Diseases
“Whether it’s being present for patients or thinking up solutions to problems, there’s never any question that the St. Jude mission is at the center of McCallum’s work.
Martha Wells, DMD Surgery
A healthy body needs a healthy mouth. That’s a tenet Martha Wells, DMD, compassionately reinforces, taking a bite out of lurking health threats for all St. Jude kids.
In just two years as chief of dentistry, Wells has already made great strides in boosting patients’ oral care. She started with the basics, collaborating with colleagues to introduce new inpatient toothbrushes that do a better job at removing plaque, and zap excess bacteria and gum inflammation in the process. Preventive visits now emphasize cavity prevention strategies that are tailored to each patient’s individual needs and vulnerabilities.
One of Wells’ most significant contributions centers on the dental clinic, which is now open every day for patient appointments — a fact that is now well known by other departments and
has fueled many referrals. To support the clinic’s expansion, Wells has added three more dentists as well as maintained ties to oral maxillofacial surgeons and prosthodontists who can handle the growing and evolving dental needs of St. Jude patients. Wells’ reach stretches far beyond St. Jude: she contributes to scholarly articles and textbooks that can advance dental care for patients like ours across the country.
Wells has proven herself a pioneer in her field.
But her genuine love and care for patients lift everyone on her team, making them also strive for more. The connections she has helped establish have proven just as vital to the St. Jude mission as the connection between mouth and body.
NOMINATED
BY:
Mary Austin Smith, DDS Surgery
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Wells has proven herself a pioneer in her field. But her genuine love and care for patients lift everyone on her team, making them also strive for more.
Michael Rusch
Computational Biology
Michael Rusch is constantly asking himself how the data infrastructure he sets up today will enable lifesaving breakthroughs tomorrow.
As Computational Biology’s director of Bioinformatics Software Development, Rusch plays a pivotal role in creating and maintaining databases crucial to research. He brought this expertise to bear as he worked with others to establish new processes and technical groundwork to support data generated for the Pediatric Cancer Dependencies Accelerator. This large scientific collaboration addresses critical gaps in knowledge related to the biological basis of childhood cancer and how it might more effectively be treated.
Rusch’s strategic thinking and keen eye for detail have helped lay a strong foundation for the project, helping position it to impact children around the world. His work has also helped St. Jude reach multiple strategic plan milestones.
Keeping the St. Jude mission at the center of everything he does, Rusch uses his specialized knowledge to help advance treatment for children with catastrophic diseases everywhere.
Fernanda Guerra, PhD Cancer Center Administration
NOMINATED BY:
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Michael Rusch is constantly asking himself how the data infrastructure he sets up today will enable lifesaving breakthroughs tomorrow.
Nickhill
Bhakta, MD Global Pediatric Medicine
The mission of St. Jude isn’t limited by geographic boundaries — and neither is Nickhill Bhakta, MD.
Bhakta’s pioneering work in innovative diagnostic and treatment tools is improving cancer outcomes in Africa, the world’s second-largest continent. His research sheds light on the unique challenges and disparities faced by young patients in the region, driving groundbreaking initiatives to address the critical needs of children in under-resourced communities.
He’s been at the forefront of developing cuttingedge diagnostic tools such as Diagnostic Innovations using Value-based implementation models to Increase Access (DIVIA), a blue-sky project to detect and accurately diagnose cancer earlier in resource-limited settings. Bhakta has also been instrumental in establishing and expanding the St. Jude Global Childhood Cancer Analytics
Resource and Epidemiological Surveillance System (SJCARES) Registry, a comprehensive database providing critical insights into childhood cancer patterns, causes and treatment effectiveness.
Additionally, his transformative work developing practical treatment guidelines tailored to specific resource levels has been widely embraced, improving the quality of cancer care across various health care settings.
Bhakta’s unwavering dedication to enhancing cancer care in Africa and beyond has inspired his team to achieve extraordinary results. By keeping the mission of St. Jude a priority, he has made a profound difference in the lives of countless individuals.
NOMINATED BY:
Ayo Omotola Global Pediatric Medicine
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Bhakta’s unwavering dedication to enhancing cancer care in Africa and beyond has inspired his team to achieve extraordinary results.
Sarah Camp Patient Experience Office
Just as art can transform both the artist and the admirer, Sarah Camp has transformed the experiences of patients and families seeking comfort and respite at St. Jude.
As the artist-in-residence at Family Commons, Camp has crafted a haven for families to express themselves through their own creativity. Often tired and overwhelmed from coping with catastrophic illness — and the tests and treatments that come with it — these children, siblings and parents look for joy and escape in the facility’s colorful Pop of Art studio.
Camp paints, draws, sculpts and designs alongside patients and their families, offering them an outlet to create works that speak to their journey and who they are as people.
Sometimes it’s easy to guide them toward a fulfilling project, but occasional challenges bring Camp’s astute intuition to the forefront.
Last winter, when a patient couldn’t pinpoint the best way to apply his creative energies, Camp dedicated herself to getting to know him. After learning the boy adored playing board games, she and the teen used the conversation as a springboard to create one together — drawing the board, designing and printing game pieces on a 3D printer, and choosing colors and a layout that worked for the concept.
This was a deeply meaningful experience for the patient, especially when he got to play the board game with two of his favorite St. Jude faculty members. By looking for the potential in everyone, Camp is perfecting the art of caring for our patients.
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Camp paints, draws, sculpts and designs alongside patients and their families, offering them an outlet to create works that speak to their journey and who they are as people.
Leo Old Environmental Health and Safety
Leo Old knows the St. Jude mission to find cures and save children is as fundamental as the air we breathe.
As director of Environmental Health and Safety, Old is keenly aware that safety risks can lurk in the most unobtrusive places. But he’s laser-focused on revealing any hazards and ensuring they don’t threaten patients, families or employees. Maintaining pristine air quality to give young patients their best chance of recovery is a top priority for Old.
To accomplish this, he collaborates with Facilities Operations and Maintenance, Infection Control and other departments to stay on top of air quality evaluations and implement any needed
improvements. When Chili’s Care Center was under construction, he worked with Design and Construction colleagues to make sure the dust and debris inherent to such a major building project wouldn’t compromise the hospital’s air quality.
Old reinforces these efforts by diligently monitoring indoor air quality testing that’s regularly performed by his team throughout campus. And if something goes awry, he’s on top of that, too, steadfastly improving how air quality threats are investigated to resolve them swiftly and prevent them from happening again.
It’s not difficult to appreciate Old’s impact at St. Jude: Just take a deep breath.
Jim Gaut
Environmental Health and Safety
NOMINATED BY:
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It’s not difficult to
appreciate Old’s impact at St. Jude: Just take a deep breath.
Do what is right; take OWNERSHIP of what you do.
Elizabeth “Beth” Reed, JD Legal Services
Everyone wants to feel safe. Because of people like Elizabeth “Beth” Reed, JD, St. Jude patients and families can rest easy when it comes to confidential personal details surrounding their care.
We’ve all heard about medical “snooping” that has led to leaks of sensitive patient data and caused scandals at other institutions. But Reed works diligently to keep that nightmare scenario from happening at St. Jude.
Over the past year, she played a key role in implementing software that evaluates access to Epic, the electronic health records system at St. Jude. This technological fine-tooth comb maintains compliance with HIPAA patient privacy laws — a central task for any health care institution.
The new software helps ensure that staff only access a patient’s medical records on a need-toknow basis and only receive the minimum health information required for their tasks.
Reed’s work also safeguards protected data on a global scale. Recently, she and the privacy team exhaustively researched privacy laws in 24 nations to respond to the needs of the St. Jude Global Childhood Cancer Analytics Resource and Epidemiological Surveillance System (SJCARES) Registry, a pediatric cancer registration and reporting system developed by St. Jude Global.
St. Jude patients and families deserve the highest level of protection in every possible way. When it comes to their personal data, Reed guards the vault.
NOMINATED BY:
Robyn Diaz, JD Legal Services
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St. Jude patients and families deserve the highest level of protection in every possible way. When it comes to their personal data, Reed guards the vault.
Phillip Sisti
Food Services
If you’ve ever requested an event setup, you’ve probably had the pleasure of working with Food Services supervisor Phillip Sisti.
Sisti’s efforts are integral to massive St. Jude events, including Judestock and Heritage Fest, as well as the many conferences and symposiums that draw thousands of attendees to campus each year.
It would be easy to take for granted how the tables, chairs and food at all these occasions seem to magically appear. But behind the scenes, Sisti and other members of the Food Services team carefully map out what’s needed and do the tough, tiring, boots-on-the-ground work to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Sisti is a natural problem solver. Whether it’s adding an extra chair for an information booth on the fly, ironing out last-minute kinks in event plans, or giving advice on the ideal event set up, he is someone his colleagues have come to rely on.
No matter the challenge, Sisti shows up with a smile on his face, radiating patience and positivity. He is always ready to work tirelessly to solve even the toughest problems.
NOMINATED BY:
Lisa Franklin Food Services
“No matter the challenge, Sisti shows up with a smile on his face, radiating patience and positivity.
Ted Morton, PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Treating infections is a constant tug of war between scientists creating new antibiotics and germs adapting to survive them, a phenomenon called antibiotic resistance. Ted Morton, PharmD, isn’t fazed by this challenge, though — not when so many St. Jude children are counting on him.
Morton coordinates the St. Jude Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP). He knows that patients infected with antibiotic-resistant organisms can have a very difficult time overcoming or even dying from their infection. Combating the problem has required an approach that finds Morton at the helm of some of these efforts and collaborating on others.
As part of the transition to Epic, the new St. Jude electronic health records system, Morton and colleagues painstakingly reviewed every antibiotic order and developed new approaches
to integrating ASP into Epic. Thanks to their efforts, this approach now serves as a model for other institutions.
Morton’s leadership was critical to the expansion of a universal antibiotic “time-out” program at St. Jude, ensuring all ordered antibiotics are reviewed within 48 hours of use and that their outcomes are tracked. He also led efforts to have St. Jude re-certified as a national ASP Center of Excellence and to develop a subspecialist training program in pediatric infectious diseases for clinical pharmacists, cementing our reputation for excellence in this realm.
As easygoing as he is, Morton is serious about doing what is right when it comes to lifethreatening infections and the antibiotics we use to treat them.
NOMINATED BY: Shane Cross, PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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As easygoing as he is, Morton is serious about doing what is right when it comes to life-threatening infections and the antibiotics we use to treat them.
Torya Williams-Sanders Environmental
Services
Six decades after “The Jetsons” depicted a cleaning robot named Rosie, St. Jude has its own robots to help clean spaces where children are fighting their toughest battles.
Behind this futuristic fleet of germ-zapping robots is Torya Williams-Sanders, who has become an expert at operating the hospital’s robots. Named for its manufacturer, the Xenex robot uses pulsed xenon gas to generate intense bursts of ultraviolet light that rapidly destroys bacteria and viruses on surfaces.
By embracing this new technology, WilliamsSanders’ performance over the past two years has proven phenomenal. She uses the robot an average of 165 times each month, meeting room disinfection standards. Along with staying on top of any robot repairs in a timely manner, WilliamsSanders also spends time training colleagues to ensure they too can meet the hospital’s critical disinfection goals.
Environmental Services colleagues now joke that they don’t just clean rooms; they “Xenex” them. Because of her dedication, Williams-Sanders has earned a nickname of her own: CID, which stands for “consider it done.”
NOMINATED BY:
Mae Mae McGhee-Alexander Environmental Services
“Because of her dedication, Williams-Sanders has earned a nickname of her own: CID, which stands for ‘consider it done.’
Patti Pease
Center of Advanced Practice
If you want to teach people something important, turn it into a game. That’s how Patti Pease approaches her work to support nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other advanced practice professionals who provide exceptional care to St. Jude patients.
As the first person to step into her newly created position of professional development educator to advanced practice providers, Pease has taken ownership of her role in both fun and functional ways. Recently, she designed an “escape room” to teach advanced practice providers about managing sepsis and emergency responses in children. As the groups sought to outwit others and escape the room first, they were not only laughing but learning lessons that will help them serve patients for years to come.
Pease has also focused on fostering collaboration with St. Jude affiliate clinics. With an eye toward the future, she has traveled to several affiliate locations with advanced practice providers — and plans to visit the rest in time — to further open the lines of communication, smooth patient care transitions and build key partner relationships.
By owning her own role, Pease has empowered her colleagues in Memphis and beyond to excel in theirs.
BY:
Nica Graunke Clinical Operations
NOMINATED
“By owning her own role, Pease has empowered her colleagues in Memphis and beyond to excel in theirs.
Shane Luttrell Supply Chain
Management
Distribution Coordinator Shane Luttrell has made a name for himself around St. Jude by knowing the names of seemingly everyone else.
Luttrell doesn’t just drop off packages, he takes the time to get to know people, ask about their lives, and make them feel valued and not like another stop on his list. He doesn’t just exchange pleasantries, he establishes genuine connection. One example: even though one of the departments he serves has more than 50 employees, he greets each employee by name — a small action that has had enormous impact.
He recognizes these packages are crucial to research and has gone out of his way to make sure team members are immediately aware of anything that needs to be refrigerated or frozen. His thoughtfulness prevents the loss of valuable supplies and setbacks to research projects.
The St. Jude employees lucky enough to encounter Luttrell each day don’t just receive meticulously stacked packages: they receive the gift of kindness, one unique name at a time.
BY: Christina
Wang
Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
NOMINATED
St.
“The St. Jude employees lucky enough to encounter Luttrell each day don’t just receive meticulously stacked packages: they receive the gift of kindness, one unique name at a time.
Work with PURPOSE and urgency — your efforts matter.
Tiaire Cole Gray Animal Resource Center
As St. Jude researchers search for potentially lifesaving treatments, it’s essential for them to have access to healthy laboratory animals. That’s where Tiaire Cole Gray and his colleagues in the Animal Resource Center come in.
Gray and his colleagues in the Donald P. Pinkel, MD, Research Tower clean and sterilize thousands of cages, water bottles and other pieces of housing equipment. The animals can quickly be called to action — sent to labs to contribute to critical research projects — and just as quickly benched until next time. Nimble and flexible, Gray springs into action, performing the often physically demanding tasks that accommodate scientists’ requests.
A recent renovation project in the tower’s equipment processing area spotlighted Gray’s always-ready attitude. Contractors working on weekends and holidays upended normal routines, requiring staff to show up during off-hours.
Again and again, Gray stepped up. Dependable and uncomplaining, he worked in tight quarters where new equipment was being installed and stayed as long as the contractors needed.
It wasn’t the first time Gray has gone above and beyond the call of duty for his team. Mindful of government inspections of animal housing that can occur at any time, he diligently preserves the cleanliness of those quarters — and, at the same time, St. Jude’s reputation for adhering to the highest compliance standards.
Gray works with purpose and urgency every day — all with a smile.
NOMINATED BY:
Leander Mallard Animal Resource Center
“Nimble and flexible, Gray springs into action, performing the often physically demanding tasks that accommodate scientists’ requests.
Tracie Gatewood
Epidemiology and Cancer Control
Groundbreaking discoveries are the mainstay of new cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. But there’s a practical side to this progress — it requires money. Tracie Gatewood works diligently behind the scenes to make sure St. Jude scientists win every possible source of funding for their indispensable work.
As a senior grants and programs coordinator, Gatewood works closely with senior research faculty in Epidemiology and Cancer Control to write grant proposals that shine. She also coordinates the department’s compliance with policies enacted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — a major source of research funding — that focus on data sharing to accelerate scientific progress.
With deep insight into grant application requirements, Gatewood spares no effort or time in preparing comprehensive submissions, at times putting in long hours to meet pressing deadlines. The results speak for themselves: Gatewood supported 27 grant application submissions over several years for just one of the researchers she assists. She shares the joy — and deserves a significant share in the credit — for the many occasions her colleagues win major grants from the likes of the NIH and National Cancer Institute.
With Gatewood’s support, St. Jude scientists are poised to reach new heights in their mission to find cures and save children.
BY:
Zhaoming Wang, PhD Epidemiology and Cancer Control
NOMINATED
“With Gatewood’s support, St. Jude scientists are poised to reach new heights in their mission to find cures and save children.
Sharnise Mitchell, PhD
Chemical Biology and Therapeutics
Inside an innocuous-looking box on a shipping dock, precious cargo awaited St. Jude scientists — small-molecule compounds that might someday become the perfect drug to treat a terrible disease. But the shipment was in the wrong place, sitting in blistering heat that could destroy its potency and promise.
Who saved the day? Sharnise Mitchell, PhD.
It was no surprise to her colleagues in Chemical Biology and Therapeutics that Mitchell would somehow swoop in and salvage the near disaster. Her role as research program manager is part project management and part collaboration, but all of Mitchell’s energies focus on the bigger picture: advancing drug discovery research.
A career scientist, Mitchell recognizes the urgency of making sure the small molecules integral to her team’s research are kept in the best possible condition.
Mitchell knew just who to call to re-route the shipment and get the day — and the project — back on track. Equally as crucial, she deftly handled the financial details that ensured the drug order lined up with the department’s budget timeline.
Mitchell’s ever-present people skills are just as valuable as her professional ones. During the shipment crisis, a quiet “How are you doing?” helped calm a colleague’s anxiety, reminding him all would be well.
Mitchell is proof that heroes don’t have to wear capes — they just have to show up and work with purpose and urgency to make a difference.
NOMINATED BY:
Jason Ochoada Chemical Biology and Therapeutics
“Mitchell is proof that heroes don’t have to wear capes — they just have to show up and work with purpose and urgency to make a difference.
Troy Wallach Nursing
If success comes to those who go above and beyond the call of duty, Troy Wallach is a ready example of how this notion translates into better care for St. Jude kids.
As a float pool nurse, Wallach can adapt to a wide variety of roles. His flexibility, however, extends far beyond his normal duties. One of the first St. Jude nurses to apply for an advanced nursing position that emphasizes leadership, professional practice and teamwork, Wallach has used his position to reap dividends for patient care.
He took it upon himself to improve barcode medication scanning — which can reduce drugrelated errors — as well as enhance the efficiency of admission and discharge procedures. His efforts also optimized nurses’ use of patients’ electronic health records, which can provide important clues that change treatment approaches.
Wallach’s dedication is also apparent beyond the bedside. He’s a member of many shared governance boards, including the Healthy Work Environment and Inpatient councils. There, too, he has gone the extra mile to improve patient care, reviewing data about barcode medication scanning and making tweaks to boost the effective use of this important feature.
Indeed, Wallach is always on the move — ensuring that nursing care for St. Jude kids is always moving up.
Katie Tomaszczuk Nursing
NOMINATED BY:
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Wallach is always on the move — ensuring that nursing care for St. Jude kids is always moving up.
Vinoth Saminathan
Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach
People visiting a website expect it to work seamlessly at the touch of a keystroke — and if it doesn’t, they likely won’t be back. That’s why quality assurance is a critical step in building websites, ensuring every button and menu works no matter the device or operating system. Achieving success for St. Jude in this virtual realm takes people with an eagle eye — people like Vinoth Saminathan.
As lead quality assurance engineer in Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach, Saminathan plays an essential role in the development of websites geared toward outside clinicians, researchers and everyone else interested in St. Jude. As the hospital has grown, so has its external web presence. For Saminathan, that means staying nimble and being involved in complex website projects that touch on nearly all aspects of the institution.
Saminathan has been a key contributor to websites aimed at patients, such as St. Jude Care & Treatment and Together, as well as sites showcasing cutting-edge research, such as St. Jude Research and Progress: A Digital Magazine. His skills are also on display in websites spotlighting ambitious outreach and education programs such as St. Jude Global and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Saminathan is constantly juggling multiple projects on a deadline, but he never lets it overwhelm him. Working with purpose and urgency, he helps St. Jude fulfill its purpose of sharing its knowledge with the world.
NOMINATED BY:
Michael Erskine Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach
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Working with purpose and urgency, he helps St. Jude fulfill its purpose of sharing its knowledge with the world.
Embrace the challenge to CREATE a new tomorrow.
Crystal Cole Human Resources
If coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success, where do you find the glue that seals the deal? Look to Crystal Cole.
Among its many worthy priorities, the St. Jude strategic plan aims to build a workforce, culture and environment that speeds cures for children. Project 2300 aims to attract new employees to St. Jude, and Cole is part of the welcome committee who helps set St. Jude apart. As a member of the Human Resources Learning and Development team, she’s been at the forefront of transforming the New Employee Orientation program into a more inclusive, interactive experience for everyone who comes to work at St. Jude.
Each week, Cole curates a fun and informative experience for new employees, sharing her rich
knowledge of the St. Jude values, strategic plan and mission. She finds new and influential ways to motivate them in early, unsure moments, utilizing her quick problem-solving skills to ensure the orientation program seamlessly navigates delays and setbacks.
Her goal? To make sure new employees complete the experience feeling confident they made the right decision in coming to St. Jude. If nothing else, she guarantees that new coworkers know where to find her: It was Cole’s idea for the orientation team to dress alike so new colleagues can easily pick them out of a crowd.
Many adjectives describe Cole: Dynamic. Passionate. Collaborative. But beyond it all, she’s a friend to everyone who meets her. Cole’s efforts help new employees stick to each other and the St. Jude mission.
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Cole’s efforts help new employees stick to each other and the St. Jude mission.
Jie Fang , PhD
Surgery
At their best, treatments for childhood cancers don’t just kill tumors — they also allow kids to be kids, free from debilitating side effects such as nausea and fatigue. This ideal is the highest ambition of Jie Fang, PhD.
Fang leads a cutting-edge research team dedicated to discovering new treatment pathways that are both effective and less toxic. But this simple goal requires mind-bending effort. Fang and his colleagues investigate how genetic mutations — along with changes in the way genes work that aren’t due to DNA alterations — promote the growth of some of the most stubborn tumors affecting kids.
His pioneering work includes developing lab models for hepatoblastoma and neuroblastoma while also tapping gene-editing tools to pinpoint combination therapies that might throw a one-
two punch at these difficult-to-treat tumors. His intricate lab analyses, some of which involve 3D models, provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving childhood cancers.
Fang’s influence extends far beyond St. Jude. His research is widely published in top scientific journals and he’s also a sought-after speaker at international conferences.
Fang has a long and growing list of luminous achievements, but he doesn’t rest on his laurels. Nothing stops Fang from embracing a new tomorrow for kids whose tomorrows are in peril.
NOMINATED BY:
Shivendra Singh, PhD Surgery
“ Nothing stops Fang from embracing a new tomorrow for kids whose tomorrows are in peril.
Maris Brown Quality and Patient Safety
That St. Jude not only meets but surpasses the highest standards for health care facilities is in large part thanks to Maris Brown.
As director of Quality Systems & Accreditation, Brown recently guided St. Jude through a major transition to DNV, the global health care accrediting body that emphasizes standardization and structures for continuous improvement in hospitals. Because we work to set the standard for patient care, St. Jude now undergoes DNV inspections every year, which gives us more chances to strengthen our processes.
The DNV accreditation standards cover many aspects of St. Jude — including facilities, clinical services, medical records, and even human resources. Brown develops the quality systems that help St. Jude continuously stay ready to answer questions and conform to accreditation standards.
She’s also responsible for the hospital’s quick response if something isn’t quite right. For example, if DNV pinpoints areas of risk, Brown makes sure the right teams act rapidly to fix processes and make sure the new approach sticks. Keeping the paper trail — the immense level of documentation surrounding these efforts — also falls to Brown.
Rallying teammates isn’t always easy, especially during trying tasks, but Brown’s dedication to this transition never faltered. She works tirelessly with colleagues in nearly every department across St. Jude to improve and standardize the work to create a better tomorrow for St. Jude and its patients.
NOMINATED BY:
Jen Lamont
Quality and Patient Safety
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She works tirelessly with colleagues in nearly every department across St. Jude to improve and standardize the work to create a better tomorrow for St. Jude and its patients.
Jessica Farmer
Global Pediatric Medicine
The St. Jude Adapted Resource and Implementation Application (ARIA) Guide program is creating pediatric cancer treatment guidelines for clinicians in countries around the globe.
A program specialist in Global Pediatric Medicine, Jessica Farmer’s contributions to the ARIA Guide program are helping these health care professionals create a better tomorrow. A fundamental aspect of the initiative, which partners St. Jude Global with other leading global organizations, is producing a web portal offering professionals worldwide the necessary information to safely diagnose, treat and manage childhood cancers regardless of available resources.
Neither an oncologist nor a webmaster by training, Farmer nevertheless displays skills belying a keen understanding of the intricate details needed for such a mammoth undertaking. With tenacity and
enthusiasm, she translated content into complex templates as part of the pipeline process for the ARIA Guide’s online platform.
Juggling multiple responsibilities, Farmer also schedules and manages global meetings that serve as critical collaboration points for the highly visible program. Even while keeping everyone on track, she’s become a trailblazer for many new processes being adopted as the team grows, serving as a pillar and resource for others.
Like the ARIA Guide — and indeed, St. Jude itself — Farmer is embracing the challenge to create a new tomorrow, today.
NOMINATED BY:
Monica Key Global Pediatric Medicine
“Even while keeping everyone on track, she’s become a trailblazer for many new processes being adopted as the team grows, serving as a pillar and resource for others.
Valentina Perez Information Services
To Valentina Perez, cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting St. Jude and its patients today — it’s about safeguarding their tomorrow.
Perez’s drive to secure a system that functions simultaneously as a hospital, research institution and business network is unparalleled. Every day, she reinforces the need to strive for the seemingly impossible, all in service of researchers tackling some of the world’s most formidable diseases. She knows that to support groundbreaking research, we must be willing to push the boundaries of what is technologically feasible.
Perez’s efforts also extend beyond largescale projects to individual experiences. She understands the importance of seemingly minute details — such as helping a young patient connect to their favorite video game — that can transform a challenging hospital experience for the better.
Perez advocates for these personal touches because she recognizes that technology is not just about protecting data but improving lives.
Her mindset isn’t just inspirational but transformative, driving her entire team to boost their performance and adopt the same proactive attitude. When colleagues can’t figure out a technical fix, Perez spurs them to problem-solve. “There’s no way we can do this” quickly becomes, “let’s try this instead.”
Perez’s leadership and vision are helping St. Jude foster a culture of innovation and resilience that will create a new — and safer — tomorrow.
NOMINATED BY:
Aaron Hasty Information Services
“Her mindset isn’t just inspirational but transformative, driving her entire team to boost their performance and adopt the same proactive attitude.
Stanley Pounds, PhD
Biostatistics
What Stanley Pounds, PhD, does every day at St. Jude is far from simple. But his ability to make it seem that way is a gift that keeps on giving to the next generation of scientists seeking cures for kids.
As a biostatistician, Pounds sifts for compelling patterns in genomic data to better understand how normal cells transform into cancer cells and which drugs might be tailored to thwart them. Despite this intricate expertise, he’s able to translate these complex concepts into easily digestible nuggets for scientists in training.
Over the past few years, Pounds has taught biostatistics to students in the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Science and the Global Scholars Program. Those efforts are now compounded by his efforts to create a new Master’s in Data Science program to educate and mentor future researchers to advance the field.
Selflessly, he makes himself available to answer questions, provide insights, and offer support, helping young investigators refine their skills and develop their own scientific thinking.
To Pounds, it’s simple: Anyone can achieve great scientific discoveries tomorrow if they’re given the right guidance and support today. In the quest for a cure, he’s stacking the odds in favor of children with catastrophic diseases.
NOMINATED BY:
Dora Obodo, PhD Biostatistics
“Selflessly, he makes himself available to answer questions, provide insights, and offer support, helping young investigators refine their skills and develop their own scientific thinking.
Work
COLLABORATIVELY and help others to succeed.
Chenchen Sun
Global Pediatric Medicine
Building bridges between people is challenging enough when they’re just down the hallway — and even more so when they’re 7,000 miles away with an ocean in between.
But that hasn’t stopped Global Pediatric Medicine Program Manager Chenchen Sun.
Sun is responsible for developing connections between St. Jude and its partners to advance cures and treatment for children with catastrophic diseases in China. It’s a role that requires an ability to seamlessly navigate cultural nuances, develop relationships based on mutual trust, and communicate clearly and effectively — something she does “brilliantly,” with unfailing joy and kindness, according to her coworkers.
A recent trip to Shanghai showcased her collaborative skills and relational leadership. She deftly moved between diverse partners — from physicians and nurses to professors and clinicians — using her characteristic light touch to create the consensus needed to move initiatives forward. It looked effortless, but that was only because she had already done the hard work to earn the esteem of her colleagues across disciplines and countries. Her reputation for selflessly elevating others clearly precedes her.
Sun leads by example, showing that whether you’re building bridges between people or places, you start by building a sure foundation.
BY:
Suzette Stone Center of Advanced Practice
NOMINATED
“
Sun leads by example, showing that whether you’re building bridges between people or places, you start by building a sure foundation.
Chiquila Benjamin Clinical Trials Administration
Scientists spend months or even years planning new study protocols, but their herculean efforts can’t proceed without finely tuned documentation.
This is where Chiquila Benjamin and her colleagues shine.
Before research projects can begin, Benjamin works with clinical research groups throughout St. Jude to organize and correctly format and sequence study documents. New clinical trials — some offering young patients hope for new treatments of deadly diseases — can’t begin without someone like Benjamin paying attention to the details.
Patient and knowledgeable, she’s comfortable when faced with specifics about clinical trials that can stymie others. Team members, and even different work groups, know they can count on her to freely share her insight during training sessions, offering solutions and sitting in on committees to implement change.
Benjamin’s commitment to St. Jude extends beyond her professional role. She’s there at patient bingo games, Habitat for Humanity projects and other volunteer opportunities, ever ready to lend a hand.
With Benjamin’s help, St. Jude scientists can launch new treatment studies for children with catastrophic diseases.
Clinical Trials Administration
“
With Benjamin’s help, St. Jude scientists can launch new treatment studies for children with catastrophic diseases.
Meghan Stuthard
Strategic Planning and Decision Support
Creating a cohesive, high-quality internship program for 250 students across a variety of disciplines — from biomedical research and health care administration to information services and beyond — requires next-level collaboration.
And that’s exactly what Strategic Planning and Decision Support’s Meghan Stuthard and her colleagues across St. Jude demonstrated over the summer.
Working collaboratively with other internship leaders in her role as a strategic planning associate, Stuthard not only enhanced the internship experience but showcased St. Jude as a great place to work and Memphis as a great place to live.
Along with her colleagues in Academic Programs, James Marmion and Chris Cotton, Stuthard helped bring interns from all disciplines together for
structured educational programs and social events throughout their time at St. Jude. She assembled a calendar of events that was equal parts serious and fun, interspersing shared learning opportunities — such as project management training for administrative interns — with an ice cream social, an Overton Park Shell concert, and other activities.
In helping craft a rewarding experience for interns, her colleagues, and the entire institution, Stuthard exemplifies what it means to help others to succeed.
NOMINATED BY:
Sally McIver, PhD Academic Programs
“In helping craft a rewarding experience for interns, her colleagues, and the entire institution, Stuthard exemplifies what it means to help others to succeed.
Virgil Holder Administration
Collaboration is second nature to Virgil Holder, who has spent his career honing his ability to build bridges to accomplish institutional goals.
A decade ago, he was called upon to grow the St. Jude Liaison Office, which laid the foundation for the hospital and ALSAC to work together in new and exciting ways in service of founder Danny Thomas’ vision. As chief liaison officer, he continues to support this important collaboration between the two institutions.
When chief of staff to Dr. Downing was added to his responsibilities, he brought his characteristic diplomacy and enthusiasm to his new role. Holder has since become a cherished mentor to countless individuals. He’s often said to colleagues that he chooses to see the world as a good place filled with good people. He has an innate ability to view each situation, good or bad, as an opportunity to build a relationship.
His technique is deceptively simple: he asks others questions, walks them down a path, and allows them to develop conclusions independently. Instead of just providing the answers, he teaches them how to think for themselves. The results are undeniable: Holder’s process builds confidence and leadership, producing lasting ripple effects by teaching others to be mentors as well.
Few people can blaze a path forward while leaving a trail of goodness behind. Count Virgil Holder as one of those few — to the eternal gratitude of St. Jude colleagues whom he’s helped lift to their highest potential.
NOMINATED BY:
Christie Walters Liaison Office
“
Holder’s process builds confidence and leadership, producing lasting ripple effects by teaching others to be mentors as well.
Megan Bolling Nursing
Physically and emotionally, the little girl was wrung out. Her cancer had returned despite a bone marrow transplant. She arrived at St. Jude ready to embark on a second one — a grueling process, but one that held hope she might still be cured. This was a low point, and she needed someone to boost her outlook. That person was Megan Bolling.
As a pediatric oncology nurse, Bolling always searches for ways to brighten patients’ hospital stays, decorating their rooms or creating personalized games. She learned the key to this girl’s heart was her dogs and capitalized on that idea to design a canine-themed scavenger hunt. Smiles followed, but something more miraculous, too — the girl got out of bed, moved around, and played for the first time in days.
Bolling is just as big a champion for her colleagues as she is for patients. Always willing to guide new staff members, she helps educate graduate nurses and other hires during their orientation period and beyond. Bolling enthusiastically joined multiple groups that support staff members and help them succeed, including the New Resident Advisory Board and the Professional Achievements and Advancements Council.
But she’s not just willing to help colleagues rise up — she’s there to cheer them on when they do. Bolling is one of the first staff members to nominate her coworkers for awards, constantly seeking out ways to honor her peers.
Selfless. Empathetic. Collaborative. Whether she’s focused on patients or coworkers, Bolling effortlessly blends these virtues for the benefit of St. Jude.
BY: Tori Hutchison Nursing
NOMINATED
“Always willing to guide new staff members, she helps educate graduate nurses and other hires during their orientation period and beyond.
Darron Washington Environmental Services
Darron Washington knows that making St. Jude a more welcoming place for families during trying times starts from the ground up.
Washington’s stellar leadership skills quickly became apparent when he began working as a floor technician in Target House, the apartmentstyle housing facility for nearly 100 families at any given time.
As he ensured a clean, safe living environment for patients, parents and siblings, Washington also became a mentor to peers during a time of rapid change for his team. His critical thinking and ability to connect easily with others fostered collaboration between departments, helping make Target House a welcoming outpost for families in the throes of a health crisis.
After five years at St. Jude, Washington was promoted last year to a new position at The Domino’s Village, where he continues to shine. Capably supervising new employees as they become accustomed to the fast-paced environment, Washington pivots wherever needed, going above and beyond in myriad ways. Blending technical expertise with heaping doses of encouragement and praise, he keeps staff members’ productivity and morale high during moments when a crush of tasks might otherwise get them down.
Families have noticed Washington’s positivity, too, asking to see him and calling him their friend. But his efforts don’t just brighten their days. In ways large and small, Washington collaborates with his colleagues to help them — and their kids — reach for better outcomes.
BY:
LaToya Richards Environmental Services
NOMINATED
“Blending technical expertise with heaping doses of encouragement and praise, he keeps staff members’ productivity and morale high during moments when a crush of tasks might otherwise get them down.
Always be RESPECTFUL of your coworkers, our patients and their families, and visitors to our campus.
Lisa Laurent
Biostatistics
Lisa Laurent and her fellow biostatisticians may go days or weeks without seeing a St. Jude patient, but they interact with their data almost every day.
To combat feelings of isolation and to foster a culture of respect for patients and each other, Laurent has organized several outings for herself and her team members. She and her coworkers volunteered for patient art projects, helping them paint rocks and color socks. To keep those good vibes going, she decided to combine her department’s annual retreat with a series of volunteer activities.
Laurent’s energy, approachability and inclusive attitude were on full display as she coordinated with staff at Target House and Tri-Delta Place
to organize five service project opportunities surrounding the retreat. For one of them, she leveraged the department’s rich diversity by asking colleagues to create welcome cards and goody bags in many different languages — such as Hebrew, Turkish, Chinese and Hindu — so new patients would feel embraced at St. Jude, whatever their language.
By looking beyond the numbers, Laurent has helped her team grow in respect — for each other, for patients and for what their work is accomplishing for children everywhere.
“By looking beyond the numbers, Laurent has helped her team grow in respect — for each other, for patients and for what their work is accomplishing for children everywhere.
Caron Byrd, JD Housing and Patient Services
Arriving at St. Jude for treatment can be a jolting experience for St. Jude patients and families, whether it’s their first time or they’ve lost count.
Caron Byrd, JD, offers them stability in a sea of change.
The success of Target House, Tri-Delta Place, and most recently The Domino’s Village is due in large part to Byrd, who collaborated with many groups to create an exceptionally supportive environment for kids and parents alike. Working with teams in Design and Construction, Facilities Operations and Maintenance, Environmental Services, Food Services, the Patient and Family Experience Office, and many others, Byrd was integral to the design and development of The Domino’s Village, ensuring it provides St. Jude families the best experience possible during a very difficult time.
Before The Domino’s Village opened, Byrd led St. Jude leaders through the new facility,
becoming a tour guide extraordinaire in a place she knows like the back of her hand. She not only shared key details, but greeted every staff member by name, already aware of their role in getting it ready for the grand opening.
Byrd’s influence extends even to the Memphis International Airport, where she worked closely with airport staff to develop the St. Jude Airport Patient Lounge. This private, spacious area eases the travel experience for our families by making sure the passage to and from campus is smooth and welcoming.
Byrd’s ability to bring people together — and ease transitions for everyone at St. Jude — has made our housing facilities more than just a place to stay. They’re communities where families have a home away from home.
NOMINATED BY: James R. Downing, MD Administration
“The success of Target House, Tri-Delta Place, and most recently The Domino’s Village is due in large part to Byrd, who collaborated with many groups to create an exceptionally supportive environment for kids and parents alike.
Raja “Bicky” Khan
, MD Pediatric Medicine
The boy’s seizures were unrelenting. When he came to St. Jude in dire need of care for an array of devastating neurological problems, it was the bowtie of Chief of Neurology Raja “Bicky” Khan, MD, that caught his attention.
Khan’s sartorial choice was far from unusual — he wears a different colored bowtie every day — but he knew this small detail could make a major difference in the boy’s motivation to improve his condition. “You can have my bowtie when you walk into your outpatient clinic appointment without the use of any ambulatory devices,” he promised the patient. The trick worked: At a follow-up visit a few months later, the boy indeed walked in unassisted — and Khan gave him his bowtie on the spot.
In the same way he pushed that patient to strive for success, Khan inspires his fellow employees to reach for the best within themselves. He leads by example, tackling clinical care and research projects with an eye on results. Approachable and kind, he makes each member of the team feel valued.
Colleagues have never once seen him agitated or rattled — they have only marveled at his refreshing sense of humor. Even when team members leave the department for new roles — which could inconvenience his own practice — he cheers them on, believing their well-being is essential to the future success of St. Jude.
It’s second nature for Khan to give that support — even if it’s a bowtie.
NOMINATED BY: Kelley Rohman Pediatric Medicine
“
He leads by example, tackling clinical care and research projects with an eye on results. Approachable and kind, he makes each member of the team feel valued.
Janice Turner-Jackson
Food Services
Over her quarter-century of working at St. Jude, Janice Turner-Jackson has delivered tens of thousands of meals to patients fighting their toughest battles. But she’s known since day one the love and compassion she serves up are just as nourishing as any food that’s on the plate.
A colleague whose son was once a St. Jude patient remembers how Turner-Jackson didn’t let anything get in the way of showing her care. The family didn’t speak English back then, but every visit she made to the boy’s room blasted through this would-be barrier, representing far more than the delivery of a meal.
“It was about making a meaningful and lasting connection, and about being genuinely caring and compassionate at a moment in life it was needed the most,” her colleague recalls.
Recognized as a 2024 St. Jude Patient FamilyCentered Care Champion, Turner-Jackson still asks, 24 years later, how her coworker’s now-adult son is faring.
When Turner-Jackson shows up at any patient’s door, tray in hand, they know her kindness is always on the menu.
“
She’s known since day one the love and compassion she serves up are just as nourishing as any food that’s on the plate.
Jane Stringfellow, JD
Hematology
Even the best treatments or procedures are meaningless if their value can’t be communicated to patients and families. Bridging that crucial gap in Hematology is Jane Stringfellow, JD.
Helping kids with blood disorders often means forging years-long alliances between St. Jude clinicians and families. When it comes to the best ways to promote programs, instill new concepts, and learn what families really need from staff members, Stringfellow gets the answers, helping both sides shape a shared path.
She recently founded the Hematology Clinic Steering Council, a standing group of parents who offer input on a wide variety of hematology offerings. But forming the group — which replaced piecemeal efforts that took far longer to act on — required more than just a great idea. Step by step, Stringfellow worked through the logistics with Volunteer Services to bring the plan to fruition.
This newly cohesive family “voice” has already resulted in changes in the hematology clinic that make it a more efficient, gratifying place for everyone involved.
Stringfellow’s organizational talents also shine when planning groundbreaking events. A family and patient education day that showcased cutting-edge gene therapy for sickle cell disease couldn’t have come together without her efforts. Stringfellow’s vision also brought to life an event honoring the late St. Jude CEO Arthur Nienhuis, MD, that has now become an annual lecture series.
Her colleagues describe Stringfellow as the calm in the storm, someone whose clear and steady vision leads everyone toward a common goal. This respect — for her coworkers, patients and most of all herself — is why she’s one of the first people they call for help.
BY:
NOMINATED
Yvonne Carroll, JD Hematology
“
She recently founded the Hematology Clinic Steering Council, a standing group of parents who offer input on a wide variety of hematology offerings.
Jeanette Lavecchia
Social Work
After cancer, it’s both a privilege and a challenge for survivors to walk into the next critical phase of their lives. Jeanette Lavecchia helps lead them through the transition.
In her 25 years at St. Jude, Lavecchia promotes the intense collaboration needed between social workers, doctors and advanced practice providers to collectively identify what these strong but vulnerable patients need — which often deviates wildly from what they require while still in active treatment.
For example, Lavecchia and a former colleague developed the Speak Up! Handbook to help kids and their parents counter the bullying-related concerns that some patients face upon their return home. She also encouraged her team to push for cognitive testing for patients who may have late effects from childhood cancer treatment. These effects can show up months or years after treatment.
Lavecchia knew that if these kids get cognitive testing prior to turning 18, it can help them get long-term support from government agencies and in school. Patients with fertility concerns related to their treatment have also found an ally in Lavecchia, who advocated for St. Jude clinical social workers to pursue education in this realm.
Through it all, Lavecchia never takes her eye off the bigger picture. She ensures her teammates receive many hours of continued training in motivational interviewing, a technique that tackles issues common to survivors, such as substance use or a reluctance to connect with their local health care providers.
St. Jude doesn’t just want patients to survive — it wants patients to thrive. Thanks to the work of Lavecchia and others, that goal is being realized every day.
NOMINATED BY:
John Boatner
Social Work
“Patients with fertility concerns related to their treatment have also found an ally in Lavecchia, who advocated for St. Jude clinical social workers to pursue education in this realm.
Make the most of St. Jude resources, and be MINDFUL of those who provided them.
Brooke Bernhardt , PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
How it started: Brooke Bernhardt, PharmD, was recruited by St. Jude in 2023 as a recognized expert in medicines that treat childhood cancer.
How it’s going: Her contributions to St. Jude are far surpassing her core expertise.
Bernhardt knew long before she arrived here that safe, effective drugs are as integral to improving children’s outcomes as any other type of therapy. She was also keenly aware that it takes more than cutting-edge medications to advance the cause of an institution like St. Jude: it takes great stewardship.
In only a year’s time, Bernhardt has transformed an already outstanding pharmacy service into one that’s even better. Determined to improve every aspect of how St. Jude pharmacy professionals deliver care, she reorganized leadership to take advantage of superb staff members with proven
track records. Perceptive and supportive, she noticed not only the strengths of the St. Jude pharmacy practice, but also opportunities for staff advancement, recruitment and policy.
But that’s only one side of the coin. Bernhardt blended her keen understanding of financial factors guiding pharmacy management with drug pricing challenges posed by huge pharmaceutical companies to brainstorm a big idea: a blue-sky proposal in pharmacoeconomics. This scientific discipline compares the costs and benefits of one type of drug therapy to another, striking a delicate balance between the needs of vulnerable patients and the value of specific drugs to their care.
With Bernhardt on the job, it’s a sure bet that St. Jude resources — whether people or medicines — are being used to their best possible advantage.
NOMINATED BY:
Ellis Neufeld, MD, PhD Administration
“In only a year’s time, Bernhardt has transformed an already outstanding pharmacy service into one that’s even better.
Nicole Fitzpatrick Revenue Integrity
Thanks to Nicole Fitzpatrick, the proverb “Waste not, want not” is just as relevant today at St. Jude as it was when it was first coined.
As a pharmacy revenue chargemaster analyst, Fitzpatrick is integral to the hospital’s billing process. She serves as a starting point for billing insurers for all the medications and procedures kids at St. Jude need to reach better tomorrows.
Because of her efforts, St. Jude resources don’t go to waste — even down to the last drop. After St. Jude went live with Epic, the new electronic health records system, team members from Pharmacy, Clinical Applications and Revenue Integrity implemented cost-recouping strategies by documenting the remaining volume in a vial of certain medications that cannot be used by patients. Nicole completed the final audit of waste documentation to ensure compliance with the program and to ensure that St. Jude could maximize reimbursement opportunities.
Fitzpatrick’s keen eye and attention to detail made it possible for these teams to mobilize on the prospect. She helped select, prepare and audit billing codes for IV medications to maximize the payback to St. Jude. Because of Fitzpatrick and her colleagues, St. Jude netted more than $1.2 million in reimbursements in the first year of the new billing process.
At a time when medication costs are rapidly rising, Fitzpatrick makes it possible for St. Jude to provide more care to its young patients with the resources at hand.
NOMINATED
BY:
David Aguero, PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
“At a time when medication costs are rapidly rising, Fitzpatrick makes it possible for St. Jude to provide more care to its young patients with the resources at hand.
Remington Loose Information Services
It’s easy to take for granted well-constructed roads and bridges that keep traffic humming along. Similarly, there’s an intricate network of equipment and devices that transport the reams of St. Jude research data fueling new cures for kids.
Remington Loose makes this vital research infrastructure come together seamlessly. Loose connects and secures these essential pathways using deep expertise in systems integration, data center management and technical support. Several recent projects — some requiring coordination among multiple departments, researchers and external vendors — showcased his stellar work.
A massive data center project in the Department of Developmental Neurobiology required Loose to add hardware and other connections to avoid extended server outages and enhance
the setup’s performance. On a short timeline, he also helped connect and configure a new superresolution microscope to the St. Jude network and data center, working with a developmental neurobiology investigator and vendor to understand the technical specifications of the instrument.
Through it all, Loose’s passion and enthusiasm for supporting St. Jude innovations shines through. Even though his work is behind the scenes, his attention to detail and efficient use of St. Jude resources is helping advance the mission of the hospital, including its critical research on nerve cell development and function.
NOMINATED BY:
Marcus Hobgood Information Services
“Even though his work is behind the scenes, his attention to detail and efficient use of St. Jude resources is helping advance the mission of the hospital, including its critical research on nerve cell development and function.
Thiagarajan “Thiag” Sivalingam
Facilities Operation and Maintenance
Making the most of St. Jude resources can mean something as simple as conserving paper — or, if you’re Thiagarajan “Thiag” Sivalingam, as complex as reducing the energy consumption of St. Jude.
Soon after he arrived at St. Jude, Sivalingam was assigned the herculean task of creating an entirely new energy management program at St. Jude. He admirably met the moment, presenting a comprehensive action plan and staffing proposal, gathering and organizing necessary data, and leading his team toward better performance.
His meticulous approach is expected to achieve huge savings. Using five years of data, Sivalingam
developed an energy-usage baseline for campus — a vital foundation to gauge future energy and efficiency measures. Next, he implemented energy-reduction measures in multiple buildings across campus that are forecasted to save $350,000 a year. These measures will soon be expanded to other buildings as well.
Thoughtful, compassionate and tireless, Sivalingam thinks big and works hard to ensure that every dollar donated to St. Jude is being used as efficiently as possible.
NOMINATED BY:
Kevin Sutton
Facilities Operation and Maintenance
“Sivalingam thinks big and works hard to ensure that every dollar donated to St. Jude is being used as efficiently as possible.
Suzanne Wiltgen Grants and Sponsored Programs
The grandest plans often rely on the success of the smallest components. Suzanne Wiltgen takes this to heart by rooting out vexing details that could stop crucial funding that’s needed to save kids’ lives.
Wiltgen capably leads a team that hones in on the small stuff. She and colleagues review proposals to major funding organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, carefully combing through documents to make sure they comply with all regulations surrounding such weighty requests. And when funding is awarded, they spring into action again, negotiating the terms of the awards and ensuring that all protocols are approved related to St. Jude patients, animal care and use, and more.
Wiltgen knows it can be a thorny process. She doesn’t wait for problems to crop up, deciding instead to head them off at the pass. Case in point: A recent grant application involving several studies and multiple institutions seemed destined to hit snags. But Wiltgen proactively got involved earlier than usual in the proposal process, connecting with researchers to coordinate all the details and smooth the submission.
In her two years at St. Jude, she has taken on progressively more responsibilities. This includes a lead role on a proposal that would enhance the continuity she fosters every day. The project would create a shared pool of research administrators to step in for weeks or months at a time when others are on leave — erasing gaps in staffing that could create hiccups in the funding proposal process.
No detail escapes Wiltgen that could lead to success for St. Jude scientists.
NOMINATED BY: Paul Below Grants and Sponsored Programs
“
Wiltgen capably leads a team that hones in on the small stuff.
2024 VALUES AMBASSADORS
2023
Hubert Cole Food Services
Johnnie Bass, AuD, PhD Rehabilitation Services
Lynn Rodriguez Center of Advanced Practice
Sylvia Miranda, PharmD Interpreter Services
Tekeima Townsend-Billups Spiritual Care Services
2022
Alberto Pappo, MD Oncology
Alejandro Molinelli, PhD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Donald Wallace Diagnostic Imaging
Erica Sirrine, PhD Social Work
Lisa Gaddy Human Resources
Roderick Okoth Security
2021 3K Nurses
Chris Sinnock Social Work
Elena Govorkova, MD, PhD Infectious Diseases
Elroy Fernandes, PhD Clinical Trials Administration
Jingjing Liu, PhD Computational Biology
Richard Rochester Center of Advanced Practice
2020
Debbie Crom, PhD Center of Advanced Practice
Diane McGarry Patient and Family Experience Office
Kathryn Berry Carter Family, Guest and Volunteer Services
Mary Griffin Neuro-Oncology
Shawn Brasher and Chizuko Takemoto Child Life
2019
Amanda Curry Rehabilitation Services
Courtney Wilkerson Surgical Services
Elizabeth Walker Communications
Leander Mallard Animal Resource Center
Seth Dixon Biomedical Communications
2023
Josh Greer Information Services
Katherine Walker Surgical Services
Michael Copponi Campus Operations
Tasha Richards Office of Quality and Patient Safety
Verna Crutcher Housing and Patient Services
Vontarrius Ross Environmental Services
2022
Cara Davis-Goodrum Animal Resource Center
Carist Neal Center of Advanced Practice
Justin Veneman Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach
Matthew Cuneo, PhD Structural Biology
Terry Geiger, MD, PhD Administration
William “Chris” Thorne Facilities Operations and Maintenance
2021
Diego Hijano, MD Infectious Diseases
Grover Williams and Walter Spears
Environmental Services and Spiritual Care Services
Janet Miller Human Resources
Jonathan Walters Critical Care Pulmonary Medicine
Kathy Steuer, JD Legal Services
Sri Suganda Pathology 2020
Colette Hendricks Clinical Operations
Janice English Patient and Family Experience Office
Jose Grenet Tumor Cell Biology
Mike O’Kelly Communications
Naomi Echeandia Global Pediatric Medicine
Summer Freeman Administration 2019
Anna Baker Hospitalist Program
Daphne Williams Administration
Dean Griffin Facilities Operations and Maintenance
Kristen Molina Epidemiology and Cancer Control
Lisa Franklin Food Services
2023
Anne Bremer, PhD Structural Biology
Elizabeth Fox, MD Clinical Trials Administration
Brittney Walker Outpatient Clinics
Fanny Williams Surgical Services
Tanuja Coletta Human Resources
Whitney Foster Global Pediatric Medicine 2022
Antonio Monaco Facilities Design and Construction
Crissy Murphy Supply Chain Management
Debra Coleman Animal Resource Center
Jacquline Wicks-Callahan Security
Sarah Strain Human Resources 2021
Jamie Flerlage, MD Oncology
Markeda Montgomery Animal Resource Center
Maysam Homsi Global Pediatric Medicine
Randy Thompson School Program
Supply Chain Management 2020
Barthelemy Diouf, PharmD, PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dorothy Carodine Environmental Services
Franklin “Spanky” Steward Environmental Services
Frederick Hunt Information Services
Hana Hakim, MD Infectious Diseases
Tabatha Doyle Oncology 2019
Hiroto Inaba, MD, PhD Oncology
Jackie States and Mickey Weeks Information Services
Jeana Cromer Cancer Center Administration
Marcus Steward Materials Management
Robert Webster, PhD Infectious Diseases
Xiangjun ‘Jean Cai’ Demeter Pharmaceutical Sciences
2023
Beth Anne Miller Global Pediatric Medicine
Beth McCarville, MD Diagnostic Imaging
Jared Andrews, PhD Developmental Neurobiology
Kim Allison Infectious Diseases
Robert Britton Biomedical Library
Tiffany Derrick Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach
2022
Blaire Benavides Campus Operations
Janet Evans Rehabilitation Services
Jennifer DeBeauchampNewman Infectious Diseases
Taisiya “Taya” Yakimkova, MD Global Pediatric Medicine
Tomi Mori, PhD Biostatistics
Yvonne Carroll, JD Hematology
2021
Austin Springer, PhD Human Resources
Cameka Woods Oncology
Catherine Willis, PhD Children’s GMP, LLC
Connie Gray Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research
Haley Arceneaux Center of Advanced Practice
Owen McGuire
Strategic Communication, Education and Outreach
2020
Abbas Shirinifard, PhD Developmental Neurobiology
Daniel Stabley, PhD Developmental Neurobiology
Rob Clark Government Relations
Sara Federico, MD Oncology
Suzanne Baker, PhD Developmental Neurobiology
Tangie Thomas Clinical Trials Operations
2019
Brian Sorrentino, MD Experimental Hematology
Cindy Kenner
Accreditation and Regulatory
Dennis Reber, EDD, and Thonda Barnes Human Resources
Jim Morgan, PhD Scientific Director
Suzette Wingo Therapeutics Production and Quality
2023
Cornelius “CJ” Johnson Information Services
Dana Wallace Cancer Center Administration
Guolian Kang, PhD Biostatistics
Hema Devarakonda Office of Quality and Patient Safety
Janet Towles
Academic and Biomedical Operations
Kristen Hughes, PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
2022
Arzu Onar-Thomas, PhD Biostatistics
Doni Anderson Child Life
Jennie Bledsoe Human Resources
LaResa Young Office of Legal Services
Mary Caples Nursing Research
Namrantha Intha Cancer Center Administration
2021
Cindy Brasher, PharmD Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Gang Wu, PhD Center for Applied Bioinformatics
Jason Sumlin Materials Management
Joseph Gonzalez Information Services
Nehali Patel, MD Infectious Diseases
The Science of Childhood Cancer Team
2020
Andrea Stubbs Infectious Diseases
Jennifer Parris Developmental Neurobiology
Kim Woody Center of Advanced Practice
LaWanda Payne Food Services
Shirley Steward Children’s GMP, LLC
Victor Santana, MD Global Pediatric Medicine
2019
Anitria Cotton Oncology
Daniel Bastardo Blanco, PhD Immunology
Jimmy Winton Environmental Services
Nick Zerwig Information Services
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We VALUE You
Kierra McCallum Nursing
For Kierra McCallum, advancing treatment isn’t just a noble ideal — it’s a daily choice.
As one of the mainstay nurses at Hughes Infectious Diseases Clinic — which cares for youth living with HIV as well as infants exposed to the virus and their mothers — McCallum works tirelessly to manage patients’ complex needs. Knowing that people with HIV who are treated with daily antiretroviral drugs have close to the same life expectancy as peers without the virus, McCallum focuses her work on helping patients improve their odds.
She also goes the extra mile in ways large and small, reminding patients about their appointments and using telehealth to make sure they follow through on taking their medications. When a patient had a crisis, McCallum provided much-needed stability for hours without being asked.
After a surge in HIV transmission rates in youth led to an increase in clinic patients, McCallum took the initiative to document patients’ schools, helping staff members with contact tracing and other efforts to connect the dots on new cases. She also initiated the tracking of injection reactions for St. Jude patients on long-acting antiretroviral medication, allowing for early detection of patterns and potential causes.
Nehali Patel, MD Infectious Diseases
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