By Lin Lofley

More than 100 graduating students from the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions took part in the annual Winter Commencement exercises, held Dec. 13 in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium. 

Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, President of UT Southwestern Medical Center, conferred degrees to the graduates, all of whom finished their studies in 2015.

Dr. Jon Williamson, Dean of the School of Health Professions, presided over the event, his first Commencement as leader of the school.

Kim Hoggatt Krumwiede, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the School of Health Professions, provided program descriptions and was joined by alumna Pauline Weatherford, who offered the Opening Words and concluded the ceremony with the Charge to the Graduates. 

Dr. J. Gregory Fitz, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, and Dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, delivered the Commencement address, welcoming the graduates into their various health professions.

In his talk, Dr. Fitz told the audience that Texas has a continuing need for health care professionals.

“There are 25 counties in Texas that have no doctors at all,” he said. “Right now, doctors outnumber physician assistants by somewhere around 10 to 1. If you think about how we provide health care in the future, that’s a number that probably ought to be flipped.”

He urged the graduates to approach their careers with CLASS, a term borrowed from faculty members Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein, who won the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Dr. Brown, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Internal Medicine, and Dr. Goldstein, Chairman of Molecular Genetics, have longed used that acronym – Compassion, Learning, Astuteness, Skill, and Science – as the roadmap to becoming an outstanding health care provider.

“Take these attributes from Drs. Brown and Goldstein,” Dr. Fitz said, “and think about issues such as the team approach, and quality and technology, and prevention, and I think you’ve got something.”

Marshals for the event were Lona Sandon, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition, and Dr. Jason A. Zafereo, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, and of Orthopedic Surgery.

2015 Graduates of UT Southwestern School of Health Professions

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Jill Alexander

Katelyn Elizabeth Bartell

Allison Marie Blassingame

Hannah Katherine Brown

Clinton Robert Buol (degree awarded May 2015)

Cullen Rodriguez Capili

Dustin Sinclair Corbett

Natalie Marie Crain

Michelle Marler Marie Dubret

Lindsey Dyer

Heather Christine Fariss

Michelle Lynne Flatt

Ashley Elizabeth Fox

Blessy Francis

Sara Keylie Franks

Clayton Fredrickson

Alesia Souder Geeslin

Dustin Paul Haley

Allyson Hunter

Coleman Kamp

Melody Gayle Minor

Jessica Melanie Novak

Tin Trung Phan

Tara Michelle Poole

Elizabeth Linae Reed

Catherine Elizabeth Robidou

Lauren Jeannine Runke

Justin Thomas Saliga

Julie Elizabeth Schilb

Anna Lucia Signorelli

Jessica Suzanne Sims

Megan Renee Sturton

Madeline Elizabeth Taylor

Samantha Nicole Walsh

Jenna Marie Yeager

Jessica Mae Yeager

Master of Clinical Nutrition

Skritikaa Agnani

Aya Sherif Embabi

Griselda Falcon

Zohra Gokal

Michelle Conomos Hamilton

Shelli Zimmerman Hardy

Elizabeth Jones

Estefania Lopez

Max Simon Lowenstein

Lilian Chisom Nwora

Udoka Omenukor

Samantha An Presicci

Whitney Rose-Marie Reichlin

Carol Reyes

Jennifer Tou

Jennifer Kathryn Van Zant

Bailey Weiner 

Degree awarded December 2015: Michaelann Carte

Master of Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling

Ian Christopher Abrams

Juan Jose Camacho

Matthieu Jean Chansard

Mary McCormick Danko

Victoria Nicole Dean

Brooke Gomez

Candice Komachi

Alyse Nichole Matlock

Jacquelyn Deanne Matney

Tahnae R’shelle Tarkenton

Lacy Kay Warrington

Victoria Allison Weaver

Master of Physician Assistant Studies 

Summer Nadia Abubaker

Morris Duane Allred Jr.

Caitlin Elizabeth Baran

Shauna Ashley Bonfoey

Jessica Ann Brown

Kelcee Cameron

Heather Ann Campos

Morgan Nicole Carroll

Carolina Carvajal

Lauren Cunningham

Margaret Elizabeth Daume

Gabriela Cristina Fajardo

Michael James Fanning

Marisa Francois

Bethany Marie Gardner

Laura Iturbe Garza

Kaylynn Joelle Gerth

Paige Miller Herlihy

Kourtney E. Holbrook

Jordan Hughey

Kathryn Sims Jester

Michelle Christine Jordan

Katrina Joan Mary Keirsted

Rebecca Ann Logan

Victoria Alexandra Meraz

Angela Miles

Keri Miller

Jessika Leigh Monroe

Kelley Nicole Mulfinger

Cloyce Nelson

Cynthia Eronmwon Noble

Ifeatu Okafor

Samantha Anne Overton

Thy N. Pham

Samuel Landis Pittman

Megan Rasmussen-Bollner

Kiona Mercedez Singletary

Monica Rae Traylor

Whitney Darshea Tucker

Tiffany Renee Webb

Beverly Catherine Weickgenant

Master of Prosthetics and Orthotics 

Ian Burford

Daniel Jeremiah Concannon

Nicole Cook

April Lynn Everatt

Abigail Catherine Genet

Derek Steven Inserra

Elizabeth Joan Isensee

McKenzie Kemp

Kristiana Rhae Kiessling

Vincent Lau

Natalie Marie Lenners

Blakely Jordan Marsh

Andrew Clark Nash

Rachel Ann Thurman

Michael Winters

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Alpha Eta Honor Society (2015 inductees)

Caitlin Elizabeth Baran

 Katelyn Elizabeth Bartell

Morgan Nicole Carroll

Addie Clinesmith

Daniel Jeremiah Concannon

Lauren Cunningham

Michelle Marler

Marie Dubret

Lindsey Dyer

Aya Sherif Embabi

Gabriela Cristina Fajardo

Heather Christine Fajiss

Kaylynn Joelle Gerth

Shelli Zimmerman Hardy

Elizabeth Joan Isensee

Kathryn Sims Jester

Hannah Margaret Keen

Natalie Marie Lenners

Rebecca Ann Logan

Kelley Nicole Mulfinger

Anna Lucia Signorelli

Jennifer Tou

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Dr. Brown, a Regental Professor, holds the W.A. (Monty) Moncrief Distinguished Chair in Cholesterol and Arteriosclerosis Research, and the Paul J. Thomas Chair in Medicine.

Dr. Fitz holds the Nadine and Tom Craddick Distinguished Chair in Medical Science, and the Atticus James Gill, M.D., Chair in Medical Science.

Dr. Goldstein, a Regental Professor, holds the Julie and Luis A. Beecherl, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Research, the Paul J. Thomas Chair in Medicine.

Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery Jr., M.D., Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science.