Employees celebrating 25 years of service: J - M
Adriana Jenkins
An Administrative Associate in the Department of Ophthalmology, Adriana Jenkins joined the UT Southwestern community on May 29, 2007.
Enna Jeudy
As part of the Pre-surgery Assessment Department at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, Registered Nurse Enna Jeudy reviews heaps of tests and reports - labs, EKGs, X-rays, and histories - revealing any acute or chronic diseases a patient may have before going into surgery. She and the team also check in with physicians and specialists, such as cardiologists or pulmonologists, before clearing a patient for a procedure. But perhaps just as important, if not more, is the counseling that Ms. Jeudy provides to the patients - giving them instructions before and after surgery, coordinating discharge planning, alleviating anxiety, and "trying our best to make the patient feel comfortable and at ease going into surgery." She has complete confidence in UT Southwestern's future as an institution, having seen teams pull together to research, develop, and innovate the best ways to serve patients and increase medical knowledge throughout the country. Ms. Jeudy stays at UTSW because, she says, it's "the place to be if you want to practice 21st-century medicine that leads to good results and provides the best possible care."
Samkutty Koshy
Since 1992, Samkutty Koshy has steadily morphed his career at UT Southwestern, holding seven titles over 25 years. Now, as a Financial Affairs Manager for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology's Business Office, he manages the Department's finance, budget, and accounting functions. He continues to work at UTSW thanks to the opportunities for career growth, a positive work environment, great benefits, and the joy of working with friendly colleagues and managers. Born and raised in a remote village where English was not the first language, Mr. Koshy has worked on three different continents (Asia, Africa, and North America) over 36 years. He remains impressed with the "amazing" growth he's seen at UT Southwestern - and fully expects that within the next 75 years, it will be the top medical center in the nation. Outside of work, Mr. Koshy enjoys church activities, travel, and spending time with family. Married for more than 31 years, he and wife Lizy have a son, Charles, and a daughter, Charlene.
Chi Yin "Gab" Kwong
Chi Yin "Gab" Kwong joined UT Southwestern 25 years ago as a Staff Pharmacist at the former St. Paul University Hospital. These days, he specializes in bone marrow transplant, working with the inpatient BMT team to provide clinical pharmacy care to malignant hematology and stem cell transplant patients at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. This rewarding clinical work keeps him at UTSW. He says he "works hard to avoid the spotlight," but still takes pride in being recognized as a source of knowledge among his co-workers. He hopes that in the next 75 years, UTSW will be among world-class medical centers. In addition to his high performance at work, he also enjoys high-performance driving as a hobby. He is married and has a son who lives in Los Angeles.
Ruqi Lai
The health care trifecta of professionalism, compassion, and teamwork has kept Ruqi Lai at UT Southwestern for a quarter of a century. Her commitment to those values is reflected back in her own work as a nurse in the surgical specialty areas of urology and plastic surgery: She won a 2016 Meritorious Service Award, which is given to clinic and hospital employees who provide the highest quality work and performance. Ms. Lai began her tenure at the former St. Paul University Hospital, and though she's now stationed at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, she still works in the same unit. She says her co-workers might describe her as someone who's humming with energy. Looking ahead to UT Southwestern's next 75 years, Ms. Lai envisions the institution continuing to advance and innovate on the leading edge of technology. She also sees UTSW maintaining its ranking as the No. 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth, even advancing to become a Top 10 hospital in the nation. A classical music enthusiast, Ms. Lai enjoys exploring the world through travel - including a very memorable trip to Norway. She and her husband, Choi, have a college-age son, Kevin.
Yatice May
There's one patient Yatice May will never forget. When she started working as a Clinical Staff Assistant in Pediatric Neurology, she got to know a young boy with a disease that made his body age rapidly. "He had the personality of a giant," Ms. May says. "He and his mother were the most humble, loving people you could ever meet." This standout memory is just one among a bevy of things that have fueled Ms. May's "inquiring mind" through a quarter century at UT Southwestern. Add to the list a familial atmosphere, interesting new cases, treatments, research, and learning opportunities. Ms. May, now a Customer Service Representative in Neurology at the James W. Aston Ambulatory Care Center, is always eager to learn something new. But she also loves to share her wealth of knowledge by training others. Her co-workers would likely describe her as funny, loyal, and detailed. "Just look at any of her documentation," they say. As for the patient she remembers so well, Ms. May stays in touch with the boy's mother. "The bond we formed back then is still alive," she says. "We will forever be connected because of a brave young giant."
Sterling Mayes
Sterling Mayes worked for the Texas Attorney General's Office for 12 years before joining UT Southwestern as a Secretary in the Office of Legal Affairs. Twenty-five years later, she's still in the same Office, now working as a Senior Legal Assistant. It's a job that offers the variety she enjoys. "This is definitely not the kind of job where you sit and work on one thing all day," she explains. "Things are constantly moving, and there's always something interesting going on." Variety isn't the only reason that Ms. Mayes has been at UT Southwestern for so long. She credits the pleasant work environment, great co-workers, and employee engagement efforts for her tenure. "I feel like employees here get to be a part of the decisions that are made, and that's really important to me. I know it doesn't happen at every company," Ms. Mayes says. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and a variety of music, but her favorite way to spend her free time is with her husband of 35 years, Bruce, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Alexandria.
Kaffie McDowell
It's no wonder that Kaffie McDowell can't choose just one rewarding memory from her 25 years at UT Southwestern: She's a Labor and Delivery Nurse. "I literally have awesomely rewarding experiences over and over again, month after month," Mrs. McDowell says. "This is a truly amazing unit to work on." She began work at UT Southwestern in 1992 as a Nurse Extern, and now also serves as a Charge Nurse and Preceptor when needed, always trying to infuse her work with compassion. Mrs. McDowell takes pride in the "great care that we give here at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital" and envisions UT Southwestern continuing to lead as a trailblazer in technology and medicine - well into the future. She thrives on the bonds she's made with her co-workers, who might describe her as easy to get along with. That persona seems to fit a former college volleyball player like Mrs. McDowell, who also loves home decor and DIY projects. She and her husband, Ronnie, have two sons, Izaiah and Jakari, and a daughter, Selah.
Almetra Meadows
Co-workers of Administrative Associate Almetra Meadows might be surprised to learn that she's quite the mechanic. "I started working on cars with my dad and he showed me how to change everything from a flat tire to spark plugs," Ms. Meadows says. "He always told me that if I wanted a car to last, I had to take care of it, and that's where it all started. I like knowing I can take care of things myself." At UT Southwestern, she takes care of administrative duties for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, ensuring the office runs smoothly. "I'm still at UT Southwestern because I like the people and I like knowing that what I do here will help someone in my Department and in others," Ms. Meadows says. Outside of work, she enjoys playing tennis and running. Ms. Meadows is the proud mother of one son, Darrell Jr., and grandmother to 8-year-old Drayden.
Angie Mobley
Angie Mobley's love of research drew her to UT Southwestern. Hired 25 years ago as a Research Technician in the Department of Microbiology, Ms. Mobley now works as Technical Director of the Flow Cytometry Core Facility and as a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Immunology. Her passion for science helps in training others on flow cytometry, analyzing data, running experiments, and more. Since few labs have their own flow cytometry facilities due to cost, part of Ms. Mobley's job involves training other researchers on how to run flow cytometry experiments. "I like knowing that we're giving people more tools to work with," she says. Ms. Mobley's job requires superb time management and organization skills - so much so that her co-workers describe her in just one word: busy. One of Ms. Mobley's favorite things about her job is the diverse group of people she gets to interact with on a daily basis. "Everyone has a vast amount of knowledge to share," she says. When she's not in the lab, Ms. Mobley enjoys participating in outdoor sports. She has completed two 100-mile bike rides with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training. This year, to celebrate being cancer-free and off chemotherapy for 30 years, she will participate in her first triathlon benefiting the LLS.
Santana Moreno
In thinking about items that matter during a hospital stay, sheets and pillowcases aren't necessarily the first things that come to mind. But keeping them clean and getting them onto the floors is a crucial piece of the health care puzzle. This is all part of Santana Moreno's job on the Environmental Services team. The Laundry Attendant recalls one patient at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital who had an allergy to the regular hospital linens, so it was Mr. Moreno's responsibility to make sure that the patient was given a special type of sheet and pillowcase daily. "He was very nice, and he had a smile on his face every day," Mr. Moreno says. Colleagues describe him as hardworking, helpful, and someone who does his job well. "I've been blessed to have a job that I enjoy for the last 25 years," Mr. Moreno says, "and I'm looking forward to many years to come." In his spare time, he is an avid gardener who enjoys home maintenance. Mr. Moreno is proud to say that he taught all eight of his children how to ride a bike and drive a car. He and his wife, Veronica, have 15 grandchildren.