Employee Recognition 2017

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.
Meet the 2017 honorees 
Snapshot of 1981

Jashwanti ‘Jasu’ Parbhoo

By Heather Svokos

A Physical Therapist with 35 years’ experience, Jashwanti “Jasu” Parbhoo speaks with an elegant calm, and somehow simultaneously conveys wisdom, confidence, and a take-charge command.

It’s no wonder she’s viewed by many of her colleagues as a mentor and “work mom.”

Starting as a Physical Therapist at St. Paul University Hospital in October 1981, Ms. Parbhoo now works in the Rehabilitation and Fitness Department at the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

She treats a variety of patients, including those undergoing heart and/or lung transplants, and with general cardiac issues, and those facing lung surgeries. She also mentors physical therapy students.

Because she’s a private person, Ms. Parbhoo says she thinks some of her co-workers might be surprised to learn a few kernels of her story. They might not realize, for instance, that she was the Physical Therapist who worked on the first successful heart transplant performed in Dallas in 1985 by Dr. Gerald Geisler at St. Paul Hospital. “I also worked with the first lung transplant and first LVAD [left ventricular assist device],” Ms. Parbhoo says.

She admires the dedicated staff that surrounds her, and she loves what she does.

“Working in Clements University Hospital, you might see a patient in the ICU who was really, really sick,” Ms. Parbhoo says. “They’re barely able to open their eyes or wiggle their toes. And then two or three weeks later, you see them walking down the hall and smiling. It’s such a good feeling. That’s what keeps me going.”

Away from work, she loves to explore new countries and cities and take long evening walks with her husband of 41 years. Considering her deep love of her health care work and experience, it’s no surprise that Ms. Parbhoo’s family includes others who have similar career tracks: Her older daughter is a trauma nurse, her younger daughter became a Pediatric Physical Therapist, and her son-in-law did his medical residency at UT Southwestern.

Cheryl Smith

By Heather Svokos

When reflecting on her 35 years in UT Southwestern’s Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, Cheryl Smith says she hopes her co-workers might describe her as a good listener, a confidante, and a good source of knowledge.

One of her co-workers, passing by during an interview, confirms this with a flurry of praise. “She floats like a butterfly,” says Clinical Research Coordinator Nina Gorham. “She’s Point Central, and she puts up with all of us very well.”

As a Senior Administrative Associate, Ms. Smith provides support for the Neuromuscular Division and approves PeopleSoft forms for her Department. After starting her career on campus in 1981 as a secretary, she has made some lasting connections.

“One doctor I used to work for would give a group of us a tin of chocolate-covered nuts at Christmas,” she says. That doctor left UT Southwestern 15 years ago, but he still sends those tins of nuts to Ms. Smith and two of her colleagues. “It’s like a family,” she says.

And in her case, it really is family: One of her two daughters – Brandi – works in Neurology as an Administrative Assistant.

“Cheryl is my go-to person,” says Dr. Jaya Trivedi, Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics and Medical Director of the Neurology Clinic. “She’s been here longer than I have, and I know that I can rely on her for anything. She’s indispensable.”

Ms. Smith loves traveling and spending time with her husband, a retired Dallas firefighter, and she’s thinking of retiring sometime in 2018. But Dr. Trivedi might not be on board with that plan.

Dr. Trivedi glances at Ms. Smith and says, only half joking: “Tell Cheryl she cannot retire next year.”

Pam Sternweis

By Lin Lofley

Pam Sternweis has been a part of UT Southwestern Medical Center since 1981, and it might be difficult to find anyone on campus outside a faculty role who has had a more varied experience.

Ms. Sternweis came to UT Southwestern 35 years ago as a Research Assistant in the laboratory of the late Dr. Alfred Gilman, and she contributed to the studies that would earn him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994.

“I spent many happy and exciting years in the cold room (4 degrees Celsius) in a down parka, running columns and purifying proteins,” she recalls. “My co-workers in the cold room became friends, and in one case my co-worker became my best friend – and my husband!” She and Dr. Paul Sternweis, Professor of Pharmacology and holder of the Alfred and Mabel Gilman Chair in Molecular Pharmacology, have been married for 34 years. They remain best friends and look forward to retiring together from UT Southwestern in 2018.

The highlight of Ms. Sternweis’ glittering career came when Dr. Gilman invited her to travel to Stockholm to attend the festivities when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work on G proteins.

“Being included in this magnificent occasion was absolutely astounding,” she says. “The excitement was electric at each Nobel event throughout the week … the Nobel Lecture, the Award Ceremony, the banquet, the balls, the concert, the Nightcap, the Feast of St. Lucia, and more.”

The event became even more perfect when, after an overnight flight home, “We were stunned by the enthusiastic UT Southwestern community’s warm ‘welcome home celebration’ in a packed Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium,” she adds.

“Dr. Gilman gave an emotional, enthralling and hilarious rendition of the Nobel festivities, and it’s still a treat to recall how honored I felt to fleetingly bask in the glow of his reflected glory! Thank you, Al.”

Ms. Sternweis moved out of the cold rooms and into more administrative roles in a variety of areas on campus and is now Director of the Special Assistance Office, which is part of the Office of the President of UT Southwestern.

Diana Thomas

An OP Surgery Central Sterile Technician II, Diana Thomas works at Clements University Hospital – OSC Support. She joined the UTS Southwestern community on July 20, 1981.

Eunice Webb

By Valerie Garcia

Eunice Webb is dressed in lavender from her eyeglasses to her scrubs. “It’s the color of royalty,” she says, as she raises her arm with a regal gesture.

A Research Assistant II at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ms. Webb is celebrating her 35-year service anniversary in 2017 at UT Southwestern. Her career began in the Department of Biochemistry, where she sterilized glassware in the laboratories. Over the years, her responsibilities have increased, and now she is in charge of the care and maintenance of liquids, glassware, incubators, and other materials for the 10 labs located on the second and third floors of the T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Building.

“I am the go-to person for everything,” Ms. Webb says. “It’s my job to make sure these labs have whatever they need to continue and be successful in their cancer research experiments. It feels really awesome to know that I am supporting something good and something that will help people.”

A Dallas native, Ms. Webb has identified two key things that make it easy to stay at UT Southwestern: the people and the pride.

“I love people,” she says. “I love making them smile. I like to learn their stories and to understand their personalities. Over 35 years, I’ve seen a lot of researchers’ and doctors’ careers take them elsewhere, and I’m always sad to see them go. But also I love the opportunity to meet someone new and to make them feel comfortable at UT Southwestern.” Ms. Webb says she also has a great sense of pride when she tells someone she works at UT Southwestern.

“The name UT Southwestern means integrity and honor,” she says. “Great cures come from here, and it’s not all because of one person. It’s a community of great people that make great things happen.”

Ms. Webb’s other life passions include singing in her church choir; she says she’s been in a choir since she was 2. She also enjoys going to the movies. She has three children, 12 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Opal Wyatt

By Heather Svokos

When Opal Wyatt says her co-workers are family, she means it. She remembers their reaction one time after news spread that she had gotten sick.

“My phone blew up,” Ms. Wyatt says, laughing. “Even people who had left here were calling to see if I was OK. It made me feel pretty loved.”

Ms. Wyatt, an Administrative Associate for Information Resources’ Client Services Division, started at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 1981 as a Clerk Typist in the Budget Office, well before the digital revolution.

Data entry involved entering the information by hand on a piece of legal paper. “And we had rows and rows of file cabinets to file subledgers. That was back in the Stone Age,” she quips.

As UT Southwestern evolved with technology, so did Ms. Wyatt. She has a voracious appetite for learning, so she took advantage of numerous training opportunities and classes – on campus and at local colleges. She became more proficient with budget, purchasing, travel, billing, and Human Resources processes.

“Some people get stopped in their careers and don’t get to expand,” Ms. Wyatt says. “But here, it’s constant learning. My thing is, just don’t put the brakes on anything. I like that. All I’ve learned here has been priceless.”

Co-workers describe her as dependable, dedicated, helpful, hardworking, and trustworthy. As one says: “She always has the right answer. If she doesn’t know it, she won’t stop until she finds it.”

Ms. Wyatt used to be known as “The Candy Lady” because she brought sweet treats to work. She delighted in watching the faces of people who would spy the candy — especially if they were having a stressful day.

“You step into the office and there’s chocolate? They see that, and their attitudes would change,” she says.

Ms. Wyatt is a sports fanatic and a great cook. She and Gary, her husband for 36 years, have two sons and two grandchildren. She loves to travel and “bring life to the party.” She’s certainly brought it to UT Southwestern.

Aziza Young

By Casey Conway

Aziza Young is a Nursing Manager on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, a position she probably would have passed up before beginning her career at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

“I was supposed to be doing a clinical rotation in labor and delivery one day during nursing school, but was sent to the NICU instead,” she explains. “I didn’t want to go and I was scared to death, but when my instructor came to pull me out two hours later, I didn’t want to leave.”

The rest, as they say, is history. She did a clinical rotation at UT Southwestern in 1980 and decided that it too was a place she didn’t want to leave. “I loved the people and I just knew it was where I wanted to be,” says Ms. Young, who was accepted into law school before realizing her calling to be a nurse.

Ms. Young, who celebrates 35 years of state service in 2017, officially joined UT Southwestern in 1983 as a Nurse Tech in the St. Paul University Hospital Special Care Nursery. Since that time, working at UT Southwestern has become far more than just a job – it’s part of her family.

“My nephews, daughters, and granddaughter were all born at UT Southwestern hospitals, and I’ve been a patient myself,” Ms. Young says. “I’ve seen this place every way there is to see it.”

Her oldest daughter, Wallis, currently is an Accountant for the Clinical Research Office at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, and her younger daughter, Greer, is currently a Secretary at Clements University Hospital. Greer will finish nursing school in May and start her residency in July in the Emergency Department at Clements. “We all plan to have lunch together once a month,” Ms. Young says.

In her free time, Ms. Young loves to sit outside on the patio at home, listening to music and chatting with one of her favorite people – Chuck, her husband of 33 years.

Ms. Young, who grew up in a military family, continues to recognize those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. She volunteers with Wreaths Across America, which honors fallen veterans with wreath-laying ceremonies each holiday season. “My favorite quote, by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, is ‘The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it,’ ” Ms. Young says.

Next: 30 Years: A – G