Suma Saro Abraham

Long before she made the move to William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital when St. Paul University Hospital closed, Suma Saro Abraham once worked for a diamond import-export company. Her life really began to shine, however, when she started at St. Paul. Ms. Abraham was impressed by the passionate patient care she observed - and by the commitment to team-based health care. She embraced the team concept, leading to a Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence Award in 2006. As Operating Room Pharmacy Coordinator at Clements University Hospital, she manages daily operations of the Surgery and the Anesthesia Departments. Those responsibilities also encompass Zale Lipshy University Hospital and Outpatient Surgery Center operations. Working in health care runs in the family: Her husband, James, works in the Pharmacy Department at Children's Health, and a daughter works in Information Resources at UT Southwestern while pursuing a degree in health care leadership. Ms. Abraham's second daughter is a high school senior.

David Arnold

A Maintenance Foreman in Facilities Management Administration, David Arnold joined the UT Southwestern community on Feb. 11, 1987.

Patty Ashworth

Celebrating 30 years at UT Southwestern, Senior Administrative Associate Patty Ashworth can think of multiple reasons for her longevity. "I love the good benefits and retirement plan," she says, "but what has kept me at UT Southwestern for so long is that I feel we are accomplishing things for the greater good, and that's a very good feeling. There's also the camaraderie we share in the Department of Internal Medicine, and among the Division administrators. It all works together." Mrs. Ashworth's first job at UTSW was Accounting Clerk in Radiology; today she serves in the Division of Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases. Her experience makes her think the University's next 75 years will be amazing. "I foresee major discoveries that will change the landscape of research and patient care," she predicts. Mrs. Ashworth and her husband, John Michael, have two teenage sons: Michael and Aaron. Their leisure activities revolve around church, travel, and the family.

Juan Castillo

Celebrating 30 years at UT Southwestern is no small thing to Juan Castillo, Network Engineer in the Office of Network Services. "I have stayed here because this is a great place to work," he says without hesitation. "There is always something new to work on, and the opportunities to work on cutting-edge technology are readily available. I am honored to be a part of this distinguished organization." Mr. Castillo's job is to design, maintain, and troubleshoot the campus computer network. He foresees an exciting future ahead: "I know that UT Southwestern will be on the leading edge of research and patient care, and one reason for that is use of the best of technology to achieve our goals." In his leisure time, Mr. Castillo enjoys playing golf and shopping with his wife.

Carla Childers

In her first job at UT Southwestern, Carla Childers witnessed history in the making with the late Dr. Alfred Gilman's receipt of a Nobel Prize. "I was an Administrator in the Department of Pharmacology when Dr. Gilman won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994. It was truly beyond exciting," Ms. Childers says. Another highlight: when Graduate Program coordinators were brought together under the umbrella of the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. "It had been discussed for a number of years," she says. "Having all of us together created a thriving, collaborative environment for the coordinators and students." Ms. Childers says her co-workers are the reason she's worked at UT Southwestern so long. She and her husband of 21 years, Mike, like to hit the road when they can, and owning a recreational vehicle makes that easier. Where do they like to go? "Anyplace in Colorado works for us," Ms. Childers says.

Darrel Conger

Darrel Conger has perhaps the most interesting "what happened on my first day at work" story. While trying to find his way around campus, Mr. Conger wound up in the middle of a police and security personnel foot chase involving a Parkland Memorial Hospital patient attempting an escape - sans clothing. These days, work is much less chaotic in his job as a Senior Neuro-Ophthalmic Imaging Specialist in the Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics. Mr. Conger performs specialized vision-related tests used in patient care and research. As a result of his data analysis, he has presented posters at meetings of the American Academy of Neurology and the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society and has co-authored a number of peer-reviewed journal articles and a book chapter. "This place feels like home," he says, "and the culture of cooperation in the quest for knowledge is something I believe would be difficult to match anywhere else."

Carol Cook

The patients that Carol Cook works with as an Occupational Therapist probably have no idea that she is also an award-winning artist and exceptional problem-solver. Her skills range from the ability to find treatments for patients with tough cases to expertise fabricating and testing a positioning device that prevents head flattening in premature infants. "UT Southwestern is a stimulating learning environment," she says. "We are blessed to have a lot of people here, people who are willing to share." In the clinic, Ms. Cook focuses on the rehabilitation of patients with upper extremity impairments. Off-duty, she takes her creative talents in a different direction. She is a sculptor, with a Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramic sculpture, whose work will be featured at a University of Dallas one-person art show later this year. A Best of Show winner in the University of Dallas Regional Ceramics Juried Competition in 2017, her work also can be seen in a remaking of eagles' wings that adorn the historic Wilson Building in downtown Dallas.

Pamela Dunham

A blend of compassion and complexity have kept Pamela Dunham excited about coming to work for 30 years. "I enjoy the people that I work with - such caring and compassionate attitudes toward our patients," she says. "I also enjoy the challenge of our complex patient population." Ms. Dunham began as a Staff Nurse in 1987. Now, as a Nurse Manager on a 32-bed unit at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, she provides care to heart and lung transplant patients as well as LVAD (left ventricular assist device) patients. Co-workers know her as dedicated and caring to her patients and fellow staff members. They might be surprised to learn that she has aspirations to start her own YouTube channel. Ms. Dunham, who has one daughter, loves "anything to do with yarn." As for the next 75 years, Ms. Dunham says: "UT Southwestern will continue to grow and provide our community with excellent care - making life-changing discoveries through continued research and innovation."