Featured Anesthesiology Members

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2023

Dr. Daniel Fernandez is an Assistant Professor in the Divisions of Regional & Ambulatory Anesthesiology and General Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Fernandez is a proud St. Louis native, returning after attending Southern Methodist University for his undergraduate studies in chemistry and biology before completing medical school at Indiana University. He graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine Anesthesiology Residency Program in 2020 and stayed to complete his fellowship in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain in 2021. He joined as faculty, and divides his time between the academic campus downtown and many of the community sites. He is also a Pod Leader in the ORs at the academic campus focusing on orthopedic, general, trauma, and plastic surgery working with surgeons and perioperative partners to improve patient care. He is passionate about bedside teaching, especially regional anesthesia.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their dog, Buster. His hobbies include cooking, brewing beer, relaxing with video games (he swears it helps with his ultrasound guided blocks), and 3D printing.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2024

Gabrielle is a CA-2 anesthesiology resident and was born and raised in St. Louis. She earned her BA at Miami University in Oxford, OH, studying psychology and Spanish linguistics. She then earned her MD at the University of Toledo. She is enjoying making connections and delving deeper into the field of anesthesiology here at WashU Medicine.

Outside of work, Gabrielle spends much of her time between her kitchen and Tower Grove Park. She enjoys concerts and traveling, and she is teaching herself how to grow tomatoes and speak Italian.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2020

Katie was born and raised in St. Louis. She went to undergraduate school at Mizzou and graduate school at Webster University. Katie has been with the department since 2011. Initially, she rotated between adults and pediatrics, but PEDs has been her home for the last 8 years. She lives in Brentwood with her husband Adam, their two kids Ethan (5), Addie (3), and their golden retriever, Truman. She and her family enjoy traveling, biking, spending weekends at her family lake house, and cheering on the Cardinals.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2025

Ben Fiori, has been a vital member of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR) since joining the Department of Anesthesiology in May 2019. He earned his bachelor of science in biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2012 and his bachelor of science in nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College in 2015. Over the years, he has held several roles in the department, progressing from research nurse coordinator to nurse manager, and currently serves as thesenior manager of clinical trials and operations. Fiori brings a unique and valuable skill set to the research team, with extensive experience in managing clinical operations both in academia and for contract research organizations. His work has spanned early-phase bioequivalence and bioavailability studies, as well as Phase I–III drug and device trials across diverse areas such as oncology, surgery, cardiology, and anesthesiology. He currently oversees a team of approximately 45 research staff and leads initiatives related to clinical trial feasibility, staffing, and protocol execution.

Ben grew up in Calhoun County, Illinois. Outside of work, he enjoys playing volleyball, gardening, cooking & baking, camping, and spending time with his husband, friends, two dogs (Bella and Duke), and two cats (Lou and Mac).