Featured Anesthesiology Members

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2025

Jessi is an NRSA-funded postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Jose Moron-Concepcion. Born and raised just outside of New Orleans, LA, their interest in science began during their time as an undergraduate at the University of Mississippi. While working in a preclinical psychopharmacology lab, they developed an early interest in refining and developing animal models for studying co-morbid pain and substance use disorders. This interest blossomed into a passion for pain and addiction neuroscience that they continued to pursue during their graduate training at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Their graduate work identified sex-specific contributions of the endogenous cannabinoid system in mediating the anti-nociceptive, or pain-relieving, effects of alcohol. Jessi’s current research is furthering this line of investigation by investigating neural substrates underlying pain-opioid interactions, with an emphasis on concurrent opioid and alcohol use.

Outside of the lab, Jessi enjoys spending time with their loved ones, chasing around their rambunctious toddler, and cooking, baking, and eating as much delicious food as they can. As a New Orleans-native, food is their passion, and while at WashU, Jessi’s goal is to find the best food St. Louis has to offer.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2022

Nick has been a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with the Department of Nurse Anesthesia for almost two years. He is primarily based at Missouri Baptist Medical Center as part of the cardiothoracic team for the past eigh years and occasionally floating to BJH POD3/CPC for the last two years.

In 2002, he completed his BSN from the University of Missouri-Columbia where he was also a Mizzou Cheerleader. After working in the SICU at Boone Hospital for a brief stint, he returned to school at Webster University where he received his MS in Nurse Anesthesia in 2006 and then his DNAP from the University of Michigan in 2019. His future plans include obtaining further certification in simulation and possibly a PhD.

Nick believes in contributing back to his profession by teaching. Since 2009 he has taught anesthesia at Webster University, SIU-Edwardsville, and Goldfarb. Nick is currently the associate program director for the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Webster University. He is also their director of simulation in charge of simulation curriculum and simulation research. His current focus is 3D printing in simulation and collaborative biomedical innovation in simulation.

Since joining WUDA, Nick has enjoyed the interaction between the dichotomy of private practice and that of academia. Nick believes that the team approach on the cardiothoracic team has expanded to include the anesthesiology intensivists, improving the program for the long term and increasing patient safety. He looks forward to continuing that process.

A St. Louis native (Marquette High School – go mustangs!), Nick is married to his wife Regan, and has a son Abel (15) and daughter Olive (11). He has a sister who is a professional golfer who he hasn’t beaten in golf since he was 12.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2021

Charl de Wet, MBChB, obtained his medical degree at the University of Pretoria and started anesthesia residency training in South Africa. He was a resident in the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Chicago and subsequently completed a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at Stanford followed by a pediatric cardiac anesthesia fellowship at University of California San Francisco. He joined the Department of Anesthesiology 2000 and is currently professor of anesthesiology and surgery. He has been the medical director of the Cardiothoracic ICU since 2005. His main areas of interest include TEE, cardiothoracic anesthesia and adult cardiothoracic critical care. Prior to entering medical school, he played cello and piano and was a piano major at Peabody Conservatory of music in Baltimore where he studied with Leon Fleisher.

Charl ran his first marathon in 2009 in St. Louis and has since completed 16 marathons including Boston, New York, Chicago, Paris and Berlin. His favorite marathon is Paris which he has done 5 times now. He enjoys running with colleagues and residents and has completed several half marathons and has twice taken part in the 200 mile relay race from Mount Hood to the coast in Oregon.

During the COVID pandemic, he started Duolingo French and is trying to reach a 2-year streak. His main passion in life is classical music and opera, and post-COVID, he hopes to travel more, attend concerts, and visit friends all around the world.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2020

Danielle has been with the Department of Anesthesiology since 2011 after being in the Insurance Billing and Coding field since 1998. She joined the department as a Metavision Analyst and then was promoted to Supervisor over Insurance Follow Up and Appeals. As with the ever-changing landscape in the medical field, her role evolved and progressed into the role of the Manager over Insurance Follow Up and Appeals. She has recently accepted a new role as the Assistant Billing Director and is looking forward to taking on some new challenges ahead.

Danielle currently resides in Arnold with her significant other of 8 years, Mike, and their 76-pound German Shepherd, Nila. Outside of work, she spends a lot of time with Mike renovating their 64-year-old house and making upgrades everywhere. When not working on the house, she loves to spend time with Mike and Nila enjoying as much of their “fun” hobbies, which include traveling, camping, hiking, riding their Harley, and venturing out to the woods with their UTV Side by Side. “Work hard, play hard is how to keep balance in life!”