Different roles, same dedication to excellence: Meet the newest Strauss Award winners
Congratulations to the latest recipients of the Diana and Richard C. Strauss Service Excellence Awards!
The winners for the third quarter of 2025 were celebrated during a virtual event on Nov. 21, hosted by Jonathan Efron, M.D., Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs.
Each quarter, six Health System team members are nominated by their peers for exemplifying excellence and professionalism on the job.
Three things define Strauss Award winners:
- They excel at their jobs.
- They serve as role models for the next generation of employees.
- They share a spirit of volunteerism that strengthens our community.
Watch: Dr. Efron honors the winners during the virtual event.
Beth Green, B.A., RT (R)(MR)(ARRT)
Operations Supervisor
Imaging Services at The Mary Nell and Ralph B. Rogers Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center
“Beth leads by example. Her leadership style is grounded in kindness and humor, setting a positive tone for her team and interactions with other departments. She is a trusted resource and is frequently praised for her helpfulness and professionalism.”
UTSW career: A veteran imaging professional with 26 years of experience, Mrs. Green has worked at UT Southwestern for the past six years.
In her role: She leads a team of 29 MRI technologists, two nurses, and three Certified Medical Office Assistants (CMOAs), working to ensure patients receive timely and accurate diagnostic imaging.
What she loves most about her job: “I do a lot of process improvement, and I think that is one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” Mrs. Green said. “Not only do I get to help the techs at my location, but the improvements we make are often rolled out campuswide – patient instructions, informing people about what to expect during an MRI, and safety screening – it’s very rewarding because those things are very visible. I can see the difference that’s being made.”
Access granted: The power of medical imaging relies on making the technology accessible to those who need it. Mrs. Green has worked tirelessly to create more access for patients by establishing evening and weekend hours for people in need of MRIs. In all, she’s added more than 200 appointments a month to the schedule.
Minor issue, major solution: “We had a patient who was a minor and had aged out of Children’s Medical Center Dallas,” Mrs. Green said. “The family was having a lot of difficulty. I was able to help them get things worked out, and the family was so appreciative. They’d struggled for months to get something scheduled, so to be able to help them out in that way really makes me happy.”
Off the clock: Away from UTSW, she works with the Hill County Christmas Angel Tree. In 2024, her family fully supported eight children during the holidays.
Sharonna Hawkins, CMOA
Certified Medical Office Assistant Coordinator
Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Clinic
“Sharonna exemplifies collaboration. She seamlessly anticipates needs across departments and willingly supports others. She has a global clinic perspective, seeing how each action impacts the patient journey and is truly the eyes and ears of the clinic.”
UTSW career: Mrs. Hawkins, who has been a UT Southwestern team member for seven years, was inspired to apply here after hearing her sister-in-law’s stories about what a great place it is to work at.
In her role: For Mrs. Hawkins, ensuring that every visit goes as planned is job No. 1. Before patients even arrive, she has been in all the exam rooms to see to it that they are stocked and prepared. When people arrive, she checks them in, updates their charts, takes vital signs, and reviews their medical history to set them up for a seamless visit.
What she loves most about her job: “I love to make a difference for patients. I had an adult special needs patient who needed to take a six-minute walk test. Her parents were concerned she wouldn’t get through it. But I got her talking and laughing and then invited her to go for a walk with me. Her parents were amazed and grateful. Seeing their relief and joy filled me with such a deep sense of purpose!”
Faster and better: An ace at optimizing workflows and streamlining procedures, Mrs. Hawkins makes patients happy by keeping them moving. She has made the check-in process and the handoff to providers easy and stress-free. The reduced wait times in the clinic have resulted in improved patient satisfaction scores.
Born leader: Being promoted to CMOA leader was a transformational experience for Mrs. Hawkins – and not just because it was a boost to her career. She said being able to help her team members succeed unlocked a whole new level of personal satisfaction for her.
Off the clock: If you’re looking for her outside of work, you’ll probably find her line dancing somewhere in the metroplex. Just about every Saturday night, she hits the floor to scoot her boots and soothe her mind.
Snoben Kuruvila, D.M.S., M.S.P.A.S., PA-C
Physician Assistant
Psychiatry
“He is patient-centered, compassionate, and caring, scheduling appointments specifically to meet patients’ needs. Very collaborative, he proactively identifies and solves problems, always finding new and better ways to complete a task.”
UTSW career: Dr. Kuruvila came to UT Southwestern 6 1/2 years ago, specializing in addiction psychiatry. He divides his time between caring for patients in the clinic and in the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care, where he searches for and analyzes prospective new treatments.
In his role: Appointed as the co-lead of the Clinical Trials Unit within the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care, Dr. Kuruvila greatly increased its productivity, doubling the number of research visits it hosts.
What he loves most about his job: “I will never forget inheriting a patient more than six years ago when I first started at UT Southwestern and was feeling completely overwhelmed. Over the years of gaining the patient’s trust, we were able to stabilize them on low-dose medications. The patient was full of gratitude on follow-up visits, but I am thankful to the patient for allowing me to learn along the way and become a better clinician for it.”
Prolific producer: Dr. Kuruvila has been the lead or a clinician in nine studies over the past year, contributed to two publications, and delivered five research presentations.
Revered recruiter: He supervised a team of research coordinators and assistants to work on multisite studies through the National Institute of Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. He also ensured UTSW was the highest-recruiting site in all the studies.
Off the clock: An avid sports fan, Dr. Kuruvila enjoys coaching youth sports, helping children learn to work as a team, get along, and reach their greatest potential.
Ruth Limones
Policy Management Coordinator
Ambulatory Nursing Operations
“Ruth has a natural gift in active listening, encourages innovative new ideas, and maximizes the contributions of others. She has mastered the art of persuasion to effectively garner consensus.”
UTSW career: Mrs. Limones joined UT Southwestern in 2008, working as a CMOA Supervisor in Radiation Oncology before transitioning to her current role two years ago.
In her role: Her job includes working with stakeholders to review policies, ensuring they’re up to date and in step with legislative standards. She also helps to research and draft new policies when changes are necessary.
What she loves most about her job: “One of the things I love the most about UT Southwestern is that there is always room to grow, and it doesn’t necessarily always have to be in a straight line. There are just so many opportunities to grow.”
A helping hand: One especially meaningful initiative Mrs. Limones helped lead was the development of a discreet resource card designed to provide additional support information to individuals who may be in vulnerable situations and unable to openly seek help.
Building relationships: She established a new, in-person rounding rotation in clinics on the Dallas campus and at our regional centers, serving as a mentor to clinic leaders and educating them on how to overcome barriers to policy compliance. Her outreach efforts have built stronger relationships and encouraged staff to actively participate in shaping and improving policies, helping shift perceptions around the importance of written guidelines.
Off the clock: Mrs. Limones has spent the last year preparing to run in her first marathon, which will take place in Dallas on Dec. 14. She’s checked off her first 5k and 10k from her to-do list along the way.
Anne Karen Lowe, B.S.N., RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM
Assistant Nurse Manager
5 Blue Labor and Delivery
“Karen is widely recognized by her peers and leadership across sister units for her strong motivation, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to improvement. She stands out for her willingness to take on challenging tasks and engage in difficult – but necessary – conversations, all in the interest of optimizing workflows and enhancing patient safety.”
UTSW career: Mrs. Lowe has worked here for three years, originally inspired to come work at UT Southwestern after witnessing the expert care and touching compassion a family member received while undergoing a complicated surgery and delicate stay in intensive care.
In her role: As an Assistant Nurse Manager, Mrs. Lowe works two charge shifts and two office shifts each week. Cases range from straightforward and simple to critical and complicated, the latter requiring top skills and close collaboration.
What she loves most about her job: The things that stood out to her three years ago to make her want to join UTSW are the things that still make her job meaningful every day. “I left a team and a hospital I adored because I shared a vision and a calling with the team and with UT Southwestern as a whole,” Mrs. Lowe said.
Caring for the caregivers: A powerful example of her impact came during a particularly complex and emotionally taxing obstetric emergency. She worked for several hours to help stabilize a critically ill patient, and afterward, she rounded on members of her team of nurses, physicians, and techs to check on their emotional well-being.
She knows best: Mrs. Lowe played a vital role in relaunching the Product and Service Delivery Surgical Program at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, contributing her clinical expertise and operational insight to ensure the guideline reflects current best practices and supports high-quality care. Her contributions have not only elevated the standard of care within the team but have also earned her the respect and appreciation of colleagues throughout the organization.
Off the clock: Mrs. Lowe is dedicated to her church and her family, supporting her five children in their wide-ranging extracurricular activities.
Juliet Varghese, B.S.
Monitor Technician
Central Monitoring Unit
“Juliet consistently brings positive energy to the workplace, uplifts team morale, and fosters a collaborative, respectful environment. Her ability to handle challenges with grace and deliver high-quality work make her a standout performer and an invaluable member of her team.”
UTSW career: Ms. Varghese has worked at UT Southwestern for two years, monitoring patients across Clements University Hospital and Zale Lipshy Pavilion.
In her role: She works 12-hour shifts watching the telemetry of patients, constantly keeping an eye on heart rates and rhythm, oxygen levels, and other patient vital signs, typically observing 48 people at a time.
What she loves most about her job: For Ms. Varghese, the most rewarding part of her role is knowing that her focus and quick thinking help protect patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. She enjoys being the quiet but essential support behind the scenes that helps keep patients safe.
Taking charge: Her many contributions include enhancing communication between the Central Monitoring Unit (CMU) and nursing units to reduce response times, leading a project to reduce telemetry low-battery alerts, and constantly reviewing monitoring standards to ensure the latest and best evidence-based practices are followed. By eliminating the battery alarms, it allows monitors to better focus on listening for important notifications.
Repping her team: Ms. Varghese serves as the CMU’s representative at the Shared Governance Coordinating Council (SGCC) meetings, where she effectively communicates the unit’s progress, shares news on initiatives, and conveys staff feedback.
Off the clock: Ms. Varghese finds joy in singing, strumming her ukulele, and being with her family. Her faith plays a central role in her life, and she stays engaged by attending youth Bible study and church events.