“My first encounter with Linh was very memorable.” Vishal Sharma, a research assistant in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, wrote in a letter nominating Linh for the Department of Medicine’s Employee of the Month award.

“On my first day, Linh was caring, sweet and helpful. During my first lab meeting Linh presented her research talk and made sure that I understood everything that she discussed and answered every question I had.” Linh’s thoughtful nature stuck with Vishal and countless others, and is one of the many reasons why she is December’s Employee of the Month.

Colleagues said Linh, a research associate in Dr. Aida Habtezion’s laboratory, is know for her intelligence and her devotion to her work. They described her as supportive and genuine -- someone who strives to make others feel comfortable and appreciated.

“Linh is the epitome of brilliance, diligence and kindness,” wrote Chohee Yun, a gastroenterology and hepatology fellow. “She does not hesitate to go out of her way to help other lab members with her projects. She is not just a great scientist; she’s an amazing person. We are lucky to have her.”

Aida Habtezion, assistant professor (gastroenterology and hepatology), said Linh cares deeply about others. “She does not hesitate to help anyone and has been very supportive in helping others achieve their potential. She supports so many people in our lab and division. For example, when other were going on maternity leave, she stepped up and finished their experiments and data analysis, and continued to support their research needs.”

Path to Stanford

After completing graduate school at the University of Wisconsin of Madison, Linh returned to her home state of California to complete her postdoctoral training in immunology and lymphocyte trafficking with Dr. Eugene Butcher at the VA. In her own words: “ Given that northern California is where I grew up and where my family still is, I was doubly happy to return after graduate school and fortunate to have trained with Dr. Butcher.”

She joined the Department of Medicine three years ago as a research associate in Dr. Aida Habtezion's lab, where she studies inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatitis, with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms that govern lymphocyte migration to the inflamed gut. “My day-to-day job usually entails doing experiments using cell culture, animal models or human tissues,” she explained.

When asked what she loves about Stanford, Linh responded with three answers:

1. Stanford is an exciting place to do research.
2. I’m really excited about my research project.
3. I really respect and admire my supervisor, Aida, whom I had met while working in Dr. Eugene’s lab, and whom I regard as a professional and personal role model. There are nine of us in the lab currently – including postdocs, clinical fellows, instructors and a research assistant – and my colleagues are the TOP reason I enjoy my job. We’re supportive of each other and it’s always fun!

In her official capacity as administrative associate and preceptorship coordinator for the Primary Care Associate Program (PCAP), Cynthia Ahrendsen manages the logistics and administrative work for hundreds of students’ clinical rotations.

Unofficially, she is the heart and soul of the program -- organizing events such as holiday parties, baby showers, and birthday celebrations; encouraging colleagues to participate in the Be Well program; and advocating for sustainable commuting.

Ahrendsen is November’s recipient of the Employee of the Month award, which honors exceptionally dedicated and passionate staff.

Dedicated, thoughtful and positive

Tomiko Oskotsky, PCAP’s data manager, described Ahrendsen as a dedicated and thoughtful administrator, who “often goes above and beyond to ensure that our students have the rotations that they need in order to graduate from our program.”

Andrew Chastain, a clinical instructor with PCAP, said Ahrendsen “exemplifies teamwork in action” and is genuinely committed to the success of the program and its students. He also praised her positive attitude and willingness to venture beyond her job description.

“Recently, Cynthia compiled information about more than 90 new clinical programs. She did so in rapid fashion without ever asking if this was within her job description. Though this is just one example, this type of effort is commonplace for her.”

Ahrendsen also created and organized an Amazing Race team building exercise to introduce new students to the Stanford campus. She organized students and faculty into six different groups, and placed clues at campus landmarks – including the Cantor Museum, Hoover Tower, and Cohos, a popular coffeehouse with live music. The event was widely regarded as a success, and was highly praised by students.

Strong ties to Stanford

Ahrendsen, who moved to Palo Alto when she was two, has strong ties to Stanford University. Her parents were fans of Stanford’s football and basketball teams, so she grew up attending games. She also spent time volunteering at the original Stanford Children’s Hospital, and worked at the Stanford blood bank during high school.

Ahrendsen began working for the Department of Medicine six years ago on a part-time basis, eventually transitioning into a full-time role with the PCAP. Ahrendsen said she loves the Stanford atmosphere. “I love what we do for students, and I love the people that I work with. It’s a great team here. I’ve been here all my life, and I just feel like it’s home.”

In her role as faculty affairs specialist, Marisha Smith, October’s Employee of the Month winner, oversees faculty appointments and manages the promotion process for six divisions within the Department.

Smith has been working alongside DoM faculty since she arrived at Stanford seven years ago. In a letter nominating Smith for the award, Chris Scholberg, director of finance and administration at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, lauded her work. “Marisha provides services to both my divisions and is consistently proactive, thorough, timely, accurate and pleasant in the execution of her responsibilities. Over the past couple of years we have come to depend upon her as an integral part of our academic affairs work.”

Mihaela Bozdog, a faculty affairs specialist, who has worked with Smith over the last three years, echoed this sentiment: “Marisha likes to take initiative and brings work to completion without needing supervisory direction. She has demonstrated the ability to be flexible as needed by responding to situations as they arise. She’s a stellar colleague, and I feel fortunate to be on the same team with her.”

This emphasis on efficiency and flexibility characterizes Smith’s approach to her work. Former colleague Misty Mazzara, who now works as a program manager for the General Medicine Division, wrote: “Marisha is extremely organized and handles juggling many balls with ease…Her division managers and division chiefs all work well with her and appreciate her wealth of knowledge and her efficiency in producing their packets and long forms. Marisha goes above and beyond to produce outstanding work every day for the Department of Medicine.”

Smith, who said she was “completely surprised” to be chosen as the Employee of the Month, said she enjoys Stanford’s academic environment and culture, and the wonderful people she has met through her work.

Lesley Chang, September’s Employee of the Month, provides financial support and management for primary investigators at the Center for Health Policy/ Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research (CHP/PCOR). She monitors grants, assists with budget proposals, and reports monthly budgets to sponsors.

Chang received her award – along with an IPAD and a check – during a morning reception on September 24.

In her nomination letter, Nancy Lonhart, senior manager for CHP/PCOR, described Lesley as “kind, intelligent, and intensely committed and motivated to provide the highest caliber of service to everyone.” Calling Chang her “go-to person” for special projects, Lonhart praised Chang’s ability to “go the extra mile to consider what would improve the budget process and create a better project.”

Chang, who arrived at Stanford in 2005, is known for her calm demeanor and her ability to streamline complex budgets, grants, and contracts. Kathryn McDonald, MM, executive director of CHP/PCOR, explained, “From budgeting to monitoring to suggesting new ways to do things, Lesley is on top of our every financial need. We work with multiple other organizations -- some universities and some think tanks -- and Lesley readily plugs any gaps that arise from their efforts.”

Nomita Divi, a program manger for the Stanford India Health Policy Initiative, agreed, adding: “Lesley is extremely resourceful and is always able to figure out the most efficient and effective way to handle issues.”

A "transformative hire" for the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship.  An "asset to any unit." A  "proactive, facile learner." 

Those are just some of the many accolades used to describe Laura Wang, August's Employee of the Month.  Laura was honored by the Department of Medicine during a recent ceremony with colleagues, hosted by Thomas McGrath, MBA, vice chair of the Department of Medicine. 

Laura is the fellowship coordinator for the Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Program, where she acts as a liaison between program directors and fellows, creating rotation schedules, organizing programs and forums, and assisting with programmatic needs.

Laura began her career at Stanford as a registrar for the Business School. She later left this position and contracted in Biochemistry, working in administration and grant assistance. She returned to Stanford in 2013, joining the Division of Oncology/Hematology as fellowship coordinator.

Jason Gotlib, MD and director of the Hematology Fellowship Program, said Laura's exceptional performance was the "driving force" behind the Division's successful recruitment of fellows in 2013.

"The execution of successful training programs requires a nuanced messenger who can both support the needs of fellows, while reinforcing expectations and educational imperatives.  On our behalf, Laura has been able to successfully navigate a culture of respect, optimism, and re-dedication of purpose between trainee and faculty, a trait that is difficult if not impossible to teach."  Gotlib wrote in a letter nominating her for the award.

"One of the greatest assets that Laura has brought to her position as a fellowship coordinator is a rekindling of an ethos of trust, responsibility, and fair-mindedness."

Sarah Lai, a division manager at the Division of Hematology, echoed these sentiments: "Laura takes initiative, follows through, and communicates results as well as a plan for next steps. Our faculty and fellows enjoy working with Laura and more importantly, they respect the work that she does for them and on their behalf." 

Kristi Townsend is known as someone who goes above and beyond the parameters of her official job. She is mainly responsible for coordinating the fellowship program in the Division of Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism, and for that work she gets extremely high marks. For instance, Ronadip Banerjee said, “I find her daily smile and genuine interest in people in the division rare -- even rarer because it is combined with promptness and diligence in any task related to the division, even when not related to her role as fellowship coordinator.”

Kristi’s attitude has a lot to do with her nomination as the Department of Medicine’s July 2014 Employee of the Month. According to Benita Kaeding, “She fulfills all aspects of her job and as an added bonus does it with a smile. Current clinical fellows have commented that they think very highly of Kristi and that she is always so positive." Ronadip Banerjee agrees: “She is easily one of the most relentlessly positive and cheerful staff members I have worked with since first coming to SHC as a resident in 2005.”

Going beyond the job description seems to be a hallmark of Employees of the Month, and Kristi is cut from the same cloth as her predecessors. Ronadip points out (gratefully) that “she has never declined to help me with tasks even when not related to her role as fellowship coordinator, such as tracking down contact information for hospital transcription issues in the clinic, or helping with credentialing paperwork at the VA.” Benita agrees, saying “When Kristi sees that something needs to be done, whether it is part of her assigned duties or not, she does it. I’ve often seen her sorting mail or ordering division office supplies. She goes above and beyond to help anyone who comes into the office asking for help, regardless of what it is they need help with; she even helps one of our voluntary faculty with computer issues. “

For these reasons, and more, Kristi Townsend was announced as the Employee of the Month Award during a recent ceremony with colleagues, hosted by Robert Harrington, MD, Chairman of the Department of Medicine.

Research manager Bella Chu plays a pivotal role in the Division of General Medical Disciplines, and many of her colleagues wrote about how well she integrates all aspects of her job as they nominated her for Employee of the Month. Donna Zulman explained Bella’s role this way: “her position is at the intersection of research, administration, and human resources. She provides critical support to many investigators in our division, juggling grant applications and IRBs and hiring procedures, training and overseeing research staff, and serving as the primary contact for any question or challenge that arises.”

Bella fosters the research activities of the Division and also encourages the publication of the results of that research. As Sean David said, “by reaching out to clinical investigators across this large division, she has enabled many busy clinicians and others to submit markedly more manuscripts and grant proposals and has contributed at a very high level, serving as a catalyst to many nascent projects.” She also brings together potential research collaborators: “she has a running mental tally of which obscure grant which person should apply for, what everybody in our department is working on (and often plays "matchmaker" by facilitating collaborations), and personally guides budding researchers through every step of the process, all while building up their confidence” (Pooja Dagli Loftus).

Like most administrative associates, Tanya Carrasco has a wide variety of responsibilities. She accomplishes everything on her to-do list with such skill that she is the Department of Medicine’s Employee of the Month for May.

First among her responsibilities is supporting five faculty, several of whom wrote in support of her nomination. According to William Fearon, MD, Tanya’s duties, which she does “with a smile on her face and a graciousness that is unsurpassed,“ can include escorting visitors around the hospital; traveling to San Francisco to arrange visas for international travel of her faculty; running to FedEx to make sure packages get delivered promptly.”

Alan Yeung, MD, wrote about the progress Tanya has made since she joined Cardiovascular Medicine. “Tanya was a temp with us when she started several years ago and really has come a long way to become part of the team in interventional cardiology.”

Yet another side of Tanya came through in the comments that Dianna Jouan wrote about her. “She's also interested in taking classes at Stanford and going back to school at night to further her education. When I asked her why she wants to further her education, she said she wants to be better at her job because she loves it that much. I enjoy working with Tanya and appreciate her dedication.”

Dr. Fearon summed up the sentiments of many when he said: “Without Tanya, our section and division would be lost.”

With that in mind, her colleagues recently joined Robert Harrington, MD, Department Chair, and Thomas McGrath, MBA, Vice Chair, Administration & Finance, in celebrating Tanya’s success.

In an unusual situation, April’s Employee of the Month is no longer in the position for which she was nominated. Jennifer Robinson, currently Nutrition Studies Program Manager, was nominated by employees in the BeWell Numbers Program, where she worked for three years. Both positions are part of the SPRC.

When the BeWell Numbers Program was launched, according to Julie Anderson, Jennifer “stepped into a brand new program and took it to a higher level than we could have imagined. She put procedures and practices into place and set an extremely high bar to make sure every BeWell participant received excellent service.”

As the BeWell Numbers Program was envisioned, it would be a resource for faculty and staff at a single location. Over the three years she was involved, Jennifer significantly expanded the Program, which now serves faculty and staff as well as their family members and domestic partners in four locations plus yearly visits to Monterey and Livermore with a staff of over 30 people. She also helped set up a similar screening program for personnel at Stanford Hospital and Clinic.

Other responsibilities that fell to Jennifer required a different set of skills. For example, according to Rosalyne Tu, “in her position, there is the need for her to debate every single issue, from the tasks of our daily operations to larger more strategic talks with the Provost and CFO. She is sharp and ‘brave’ and will voice her opinion as necessary.”

Jennifer is known not only as a highly organized administrator and inspirational manager, but also as a first-rate mentor. “Jennifer meets with all of her staff on a 1:1 basis to discuss job satisfaction and career goals,” says Rosalyne. “During these conversations, she has made me continually think about what I want to achieve next, rather than allowing myself to settle or to get too comfortable.”

Julie Anderson agrees wholeheartedly: “As good as she was at organizing, designing and implementing programs, Jennifer’s passion was for managing and mentoring her team. She was fiercely protective of her team, making sure they had opportunities for challenge and growth while pursuing their passions.”

Julie concludes with this comment: “She’s a valuable asset to HIP who will be both sorely missed and much welcomed in her new role in Nutrition Studies.”

In the presence of many of her coworkers in SPRC, Julie was recently announced as April 2014 Employee of the Month by Thomas McGrath, MBA, Vice Chair, Administration & Finance.

"I wish I could clone her."

This may be the sentiment for many employees -- and likely for all Employees of the Month. But in the case of Ching Shang, Lab Manager of the Ashley Lab, someone (Dianna Jouan) actually wrote it down.

According to CV Division Chief Tom Quertermous, MD: “I often refer to Ching as a directed force of nature. Like forces of nature, she is strong and unremitting and can achieve incredible feats to accomplish her assigned tasks. Unlike the forces of nature, however, she is directed, employing her great native intelligence and her good will to direct her energies in a way that accomplishes goals but respects and supports her supervisor and her colleagues.”

The past year has been especially challenging for Ching. The CP Chang lab in which she worked needed to be shut down as Dr. Chang transitioned away from Stanford. Ching stepped in and did the impossible.

As remembered by Valerie Williams: “Ching took on the responsibility of decommissioning three labs in CCSR and Falk Building. This involved arranging transfers of lab equipment for two PIs moving to other states, contacting the movers, and packing the items. Clearing the labs of chemical waste - labeling and cataloging each one. Coordinating moves of equipment between CCSR and Falk and also within Falk. Cleaning lab surfaces and many other tasks. Meeting with EH&S for decommission inspections. Correcting any items noted. She even came in during the winter break to complete everything. When the timetable was moved up to clear CV 187 for CT Surgery use she stepped up, cleared and decommissioned the lab in record time.”

Other colleagues had equally illustrative and wonderful comments:

Yiqin Xiong: “Last weekend, our -80° freezer's temperature went down because somebody left the door unlocked earlier; she came to the campus and had it fixed.”

Emily Amaro: “She is an integral part of our lab, and I'm not sure how we would fare without her.”

Pei Han: “I truly believe she is the employee that makes Stanford a better place for research and academic excellence.”

And finally, Kristin Reese: “Ching is the epitome of what Employee of the Month is all about.”

To return to the thoughts of her Division Chief: “In my twenty plus years in this business, I have known no other single individual who could have accomplished what Ching has accomplished. While I think that she almost certainly fully deserved this honor while she was simply the lab manager for the Chang lab, her tremendous effort over the past year makes her an incomparable choice for this award.”

In a joyful celebration surrounded by her lab colleagues, Ching Shang received the March Employee of the Month Award from Thomas McGrath, MBA, Vice Chair, Administration & Finance.

"Debra is the key to the success of the laboratory group." With these words, Ronald Levy, MD, Professor of Medicine and head of the Ronald Levy Lab, nicely summarized the value of February’s Employee of the Month, Debra Czerwinski.

Debra has managed the Levy Lab in the Division of Oncology for over 30 years, and in that time has acquired a personal memorybank full of coworkers and patients and critical lab procedures, making her an invaluable employee. Dr. Levy continued: "Debbie knows everything that has ever been done in the lab and every person, every reagent, every cell line, and every patient we have ever worked with. And she knows where to find them all."

Some people serve capably in such a position, performing their assigned tasks efficiently and well. Some others exceed expectations, also becoming the heart and soul of a work group. Debbie falls into the latter category. “Debbie is the social conscience of the lab group, arranging for birthday cakes, organizing events such as showers for newlyweds and upcoming births and our most popular white elephant end-of-year party.”

There’s an academic side to Debbie’s efforts as well, as she is coauthor of over 20 publications from the Levy Lab. Her expertise with flow cytometry has made it a crucial part of every project the Lab does. And her technical wizardry with lab instruments, including tissue banking, computers, and data bases has become a critical asset. Dr. Levy concludes: “With her crucial contributions we have made many important discoveries and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

Some people serve capably in such a position, performing their assigned tasks efficiently and well. Some others exceed expectations, also becoming the heart and soul of a work group. Debbie falls into the latter category. “Debbie is the social conscience of the lab group, arranging for birthday cakes, organizing events such as showers for newlyweds and upcoming births and our most popular white elephant end-of-year party.”

There’s an academic side to Debbie’s efforts as well, as she is coauthor of over 20 publications from the Levy Lab. Her expertise with flow cytometry has made it a crucial part of every project the Lab does. And her technical wizardry with lab instruments, including tissue banking, computers, and data bases has become a critical asset. Dr. Levy concludes: “With her crucial contributions we have made many important discoveries and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

Surrounded by her labmates, a very surprised Debbie received her EOM Award from Thomas McGrath, MBA, Vice Chair, Administration & Finance.

Department Chair Robert Harrington, MD, and members of the 2014 Employee of the Month Committee kicked off the 2nd year of the Employee of the Month Program (EOM) with their first presentation to Nancy D’Amico, Student Services Officer. A joyous atmosphere filled the room as a stunned Nancy accepted the award. Smiling through the applause, she listened to the comments her colleagues had submitted suggesting her as Employee of the Month.

Dr. Harrington took a minute to remind everyone how a Department of Medicine as large as ours is like a village that needs dedicated people to get its work done, on the clinical side, the research side, and the educational side, which is where Nancy comes in.

For the past six years, Nancy D’Amico has played a pivotal part in the education of hundreds of medical students and residents. She coordinates students in four hospitals and seven clinics. Thanks to her time and attention, medical students who rotate through the inpatient and outpatient services have a positive experience. “She is also a vital member of our Stanford 25 initiative,” said Errol Ozdalga, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine.

“Impact” was a word Harrington used to describe Nancy’s efforts in the Department. “Before you and Abraham Verghese, MD, Vice Chair of Education, Linda R Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor, formed this incredible team, Stanford reached a nadir of eight medical students going into internal medicine,” said Harrington. “We have a graduating class each year of about 80 or 90, and less than 10 percent were going into the most important specialty. And now we have 25. That’s impact, because it makes Stanford a place that turns out great students who go into internal medicine, a place that allows them to realize their dreams afterward and help with what the country needs: more internists, more primary care physicians, and more medical subspecialists. You’ve played a role in that, and we thank you.”