Saint Mary’s Science Highlights

Alumni, faculty, students continue successful science legacy

Denise Klinkner B’97, M.D.

In 2015, Denise Klinkner B’97, M.D. played a role in successfully separating conjoined twins Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. The highly complicated — and highly publicized — surgery took roughly 18 hours in all. The two girls, just 10 months old at the time, were joined at the chest and abdomen, and Dr. Klinkner had known them since birth.

Christopher Virruso III B’18

An avid outdoorsman and environmental biology major, Christopher Virruso III B’18 works as a firefighter; however, there are no big red trucks in his line of work. As a wildland firefighter and forestry technician with the U.S. Forest Service stationed in White River National Forest, he hiked the Rocky Mountains of Colorado during fire season — sometimes working 16 hours a day for 14 straight days — to suppress wildfires with hand tools and chainsaws.

Jon Roesler

Jon Roesler, Saint Mary’s new Master of Public Health Program director, has more than 35 years of experience working for the Minnesota Department of Health. He recently co-published an article titled “Trends in Deaths Fully Attributable to Alcohol in Minnesota, 2000-2018” in Public Health Reports 2022, Vol. 137(6) 1091–1099 © 2021, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. Conclusions of the study may increase awareness of racial and ethnic disparities and continuing health inequities and inform public health prevention efforts. In December, he also co-authored “Establishing a Baseline Measure for Evaluating Upstream, Primary Prevention Efforts: Quantifying Fatal Events Associated with Law Enforcement Service Calls and Encounters in Minnesota – 2016-2021” for the Minnesota Department of Health.

Joseph Cochran B’00, M.D.

Joseph Cochran B’00, M.D. is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in endovascular surgery, cerebrovascular surgery, brain tumors, skull base surgery, and complex and minimally invasive spine surgery in Houston, Texas. He has co-authored numerous articles regarding cerebral vasospasm, traumatic vascular injuries, and cervical artificial disc replacement. His work has even been featured in People Magazine for helping Meredith Staggers, founder of Cake & Confetti, after she suffered a brain aneurysm. In 2017, he made headlines for rescuing people by boat who were stranded during Hurricane Harvey.

Robert ‘Bob’ Godar B’67

Bob Godar B’67 is the CEO of Scientific Equipment Liquidators in Big Lake, Minn. Godar’s company acquires and relocates health care equipment; he was gracious in donating more than $10,000 worth of exam tables, stretchers, hospital beds, and a medical crib, now part of the Winona Campus nursing simulation lab. He also gifted equipment for the Nurse Anesthesia simulation lab on the Minneapolis Campus. These valuable learning tools, if purchased outright, would have cost the university considerably more.

Quincy Guinadi M’20

Current grad student Quincy Guinadi M’20 was elected 2022 chairelect of the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS), which serves as the main body and voice for Psy.D. students nationwide. During her three-year term, it is her goal to advocate for students who are struggling with loan debt; finances/financial support, scholarships and grants; and equity in graduate training programs. She’s been a leader in Saint Mary’s Psy.D. program and active in the Minnesota Psychological Association’s Student Division, where she served as cochair as a first-year Psy.D. student.