In 1992, when Administrative Manager Madeline Kirven-Gamble married Don Gamble – her soulmate – many of her beloved UT Southwestern colleagues were there to watch her say ‘I do.’ “That’s my best UT Southwestern memory,” she says.

The Gambles’ Texas-style wedding in Mexia included a barbecue cookout and horseback riding on her parents’ ranch.

“One of my co-workers brought their three little boys with them. I am so amazed because one of those boys (Greg Wayne) grew up and has been an Information Resources employee for almost 15 years now and remembers that trip to the country,” says Mrs. Kirven-Gamble, who also works in IR.

Memories like this make UT Southwestern feel like she’s worked with family for the last 40 years. In fact, one of her two children became a UTSW colleague. Her daughter, Destiny Gamble, has worked as a Clinical Staff Assistant at the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute for one year.

“Destiny has always had a passion for helping others. She has witnessed the years of stability and enjoyment I’ve had at UT Southwestern. It gave me great pride to know that after achieving her degree in biology, she chose to share that passion and expand her knowledge and career growth with UT Southwestern,” Mrs. Kirven-Gamble says.

Even before her daughter joined UTSW, Mrs. Kirven-Gamble has always described her work environment as family oriented. This adds to her job satisfaction, she says.

One of the contributions she is most proud of relates to her role in the 2014 opening of William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. IR was heavily involved in ordering all the infrastructure and technology equipment for the hospital. She even had the opportunity to be more hands-on by participating in a hospital “day in the life” drill in which she portrayed a mock patient in various areas of the hospital.

“Being a part of the opening of Clements University Hospital makes me very proud. Knowing that my work makes a difference energizes me, and it’s very rewarding to see positive results,” she says.

When Mrs. Kirven-Gamble began working at UTSW in 1979, she started as a Senior Clerk in Medical Computing Resources, which later was renamed Academic Computing. Information Resources was a spinoff of Academic Computing. Over the years, she has experienced challenges and opportunities that have allowed her to grow professionally and personally.

“It’s very satisfying to work at an institution that attributes its success to the many contributions made by its employees,” she says.

Outside of work, Mrs. Kirven-Gamble enjoys family time and traveling. Her many hobbies include reading, playing basketball, and fishing. And as a fisherwoman, she’s proved to be no slouch.

“A few years ago, my family and I went to Lake Tawakoni to fish. About an hour before it was time to leave, I caught a 32-pound blue catfish. It was a real struggle to reel him in, but I did it. About 15 minutes later, my husband caught a 42- and a 52-pounder. It was the best day ever,” she says.