30 years: A-MA

Employee Recognition 2015

Long-term employees play an invaluable role in the life of UT Southwestern Medical Center. Their faithful, dedicated service has helped the institution become what it is today. In this special edition of Center Times, we showcase some of these employees and their varied interests.

 

Helen Aronovich

A Research Associate, Helen Aronovich works in the Department of Biophysics at UT Southwestern. Her job duties include supporting the Structural Core Laboratory. Ms. Aronovich started her career at UT Southwestern as a Research Assistant in the DNA Synthesis Core, a component of the Department of Biochemistry.


Jeannette Burchfield

Since 1984, Jeannette Burchfield has worked to make life better for mothers and their young children with a career in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology. A Senior Research Registered Nurse, she works in the divisional database for both Children’s Medical Center NICU and Parkland Memorial Hospital NICU. Her first job at UT Southwestern was as an RN involved in a breast-feeding study. After 30 years, Ms. Burchfield still has the same response as to why she has had such a long career at one institution – “I enjoy my job.”


Arthur Cash

Arthur Cash’s goal was to become an accountant, and 30 years ago he accomplished that. As an Accountant III in the Aston Ambulatory Care Center, Mr. Cash prepares departmental budgets, analyzes subledgers for correctness, and manages credit card transactions. He can be described as empathetic, because he cares about all people. One of his favorite memories at UT Southwestern was a winter holiday function given by Dr. Charles Sprague, first President of the medical center. When he isn’t working, Mr. Cash likes to play the piano and spend time at his church. He is the fifth child of a family of six boys and one girl.


Mary Cook

Mary Cook, an Education Coordinator in Neurological Surgery, loves the department she works in. “It has been rewarding to assist more than 40 doctors in completing the neurosurgery residency program,” she says. Ms. Cook first started out at UT Southwestern as Secretary to Bob Heins, Director of Medical Services Planning. Now she coordinates residency programs, elective students, and CME activities. She says the “great people I work with, and the variety of tasks I do” has made her career at UT Southwestern rewarding. She has four nieces and nephews, as well as four great-nephews. Outside of work, she enjoys serving in her church, Mesquite-based Family Cathedral, and researching her family genealogy.


James Crawley

James Crawley has proven his mettle, and metal, while working one of the more heavy duty jobs at UT Southwestern. He keeps people comfortable with his expertise in Building Maintenance and Sitewide Services as a Sheetmetal Worker, where he repairs and welds metal equipment, and fabricates and installs air ducts. Mr. Crawley says he wouldn’t be at UT Southwestern “without my great co-workers.” Mr. Crawley’s most rewarding memory is the time he spent working alongside other shops on special projects. He is a detail-oriented person who wants to be known as the employee who had the knowledge and experience to solve problems. When he isn’t working around the medical center, he works on his house and yard, and goes to auctions.


Shelia Martin

Marilyn Dixon has worked in the Department of Pediatrics for Dr. Philip Shaul, Director of the Division of Pulmonary and Vascular Biology and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics, for more than 29 years. She started out as a Secretary in 1984, but now Ms. Dixon works as an Administrative Associate and assists with grant submissions, reports, travel, and other tasks. While Ms. Dixon is serious when it comes to her job, she recalls a time where she was on the wrong end of a friendly joke. “A co-worker pranked me with a mechanical dead rat years ago,” she says. “I have a good sense of humor, but was only able to laugh about it after it happened to another co-worker.” Two of her long-term goals include staying healthy and overcoming her fear of flying.


Bruce Folchert

Bruce Folchert started his career at UT Southwestern as a Security Officer at St. Paul Hospital before serving there as a Police Officer for four years. Now a Senior Business Analyst, he enjoys working in a place where he can help people and make them smile. “Working in health care, there are too many rewarding memories,” he says. Mr. Folchert loves his job, and being there for people in need. “Health care can literally be life changing for our patients, and I like being part of that,” he says. His co-workers would describe him as a social person who enjoys talking to everyone. Away from work Mr. Folchert likes to spend time with his brother, two sisters, his parents, and his friends. 


Alicia Guzman

A Clinical Data Specialist, Alicia Guzman loves her job within Pediatric Neonatal-Perinatal. She has the opportunity to work with numerous clinical studies, schedule research patients, and coordinate and assist the Developmental Specialist and Neurodevelopmental Examiner. Mrs. Guzman proclaims herself fortunate to have the most wonderful managers. Her co-workers describe her as “dedicated and caring” toward patients. While every day is an interesting one for her, she recalls one instance as more interesting. “The day I got stuck in the bathroom, there was no one in the clinic to open the door,” she says. “I had to wait for security to rescue me.” Her passion is attending church, and she hopes to travel after she retires. She is married and has two adult children.


Meredith Jones

A Senior Administrative Associate in the Physical Plant, Meredith Jones is a dependable and sweet person who is there whenever someone needs her help. As someone whose job is to support the Vice President for Facilities Management and all other members of the team at UT Southwestern, Ms. Jones would like to be known as a co-worker who is resourceful and who goes above and beyond to help. She has stayed at UT Southwestern because of “the camaraderie” and the eventual goal of retirement. Her long-term plans include living a peaceful and fulfilling life.


Jing Kao

A Manager in Faculty Practice Financial Affairs, Jing Kao works to ensure that the Medical Services, Research and Development Plan’s financial reporting is correct and completed. Looking back, she has been witness to many institutional changes. “I’ve watched UT Southwestern grow from five thousand employees to more than 12 thousand; from only South Campus to a ‘big’ campus; from Dr. Charles Sprague to Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky as the President,” Ms. Kao says. She began as an Internal Auditor, and has remained because of “the school environment, and love for the job. I have never been bored here.” In her free time, Ms. Kao enjoys swimming, reading, and walking. She has two daughters and a son, and will become a grandmother for the first time in June.


Shelia Martin

As a meticulous person who loves to help, encourage, and motivate, Shelia Martin is in the perfect position to succeed at UT Southwestern. A Certified Medical Assistant in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ms. Martin escorts patients to exam rooms and performs tasks such as previsit interviews, measuring vital signs, and documenting information. She is most proud of how she interacts with patients, staff, and physicians. Her most rewarding memory was when she received a merit reward. However, she recalls one memory less prestigious. “My funniest memory at UT is when I walked in Dr. [David] Miller’s office and my wig fell off,” she said. When she isn’t helping patients, she spends time with her grandson. Her hobbies include attending church, bowling, and dancing.


Jeff Moore

Jeffery Moore has worked as a Senior Physical Therapist for most of his time at UT Southwestern. His job in Therapy Services at Clements University Hospital entails working with patients in post surgical and general rehabilitation, as well as orthopedic rehab. He says his co-workers would describe him as “homespun and wholesome.” Mr. Moore has stayed in part because of the many friends he’s made over the years, and he would like to be known as an employee who is always ready to help. Mr. Moore is also a Boy Scout chaplain, a musician at his church, and he is even a professional clown named “Dr. Silvester Silly.” He has published a book on Country Dancing and also hopes to eventually be a teacher. He and his wife, Jane, have two children, Ben and Lesley.