Our success is intimately linked to the accomplishments of each and every member of our department. Each month, four members are nominated and featured to celebrate their commitment to patient care, education, and research.
Current Featured Anesthesiology Department Members
Jacob Edwards, MD
Physician Resident
Tori Greenberg
Senior Coordinator of Payroll & Administration
Stephanie Link, DO
Assistant Professor
Sean Miller, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members Archive
Maureen Arends
Executive Assistant to the Chair
Maureen began her journey in Washington University Anesthesiology Department in 2002 as the transcriptionist for the CTICU intensivists and admin to the Director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Dr. Eric Jacobsohn. In 2006, Dr. Avidan became the division chief of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology with Maureen expanding her indispensable role within the division. As Dr. Avidan transitioned to the chief of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR), Maureen transitioned seamlessly to work with the clinical research program, where she made substantial contributions to investigators, helping with the rapid and impressive growth of the clinical and translational research program. In 2019, Dr. Avidan became chair of the department, and Maureen served as administrator to Dr. Ellen Lockhart, Vice Chair for Faculty Development, and Dr. Courtney Hardy, Vice Chair for Clinical Operations, before becoming Dr. Avidan’s assistant in 2020. Maureen is looking forward to retiring at the end of this academic year, traveling to visit friends and family.
Umeshkumar Athiraman, MD, MBBS
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Director of Neuroanesthesia
Dr. Umeshkumar Athiraman is currently an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Neurological Surgery and the Director of Neuroanesthesia. His laboratory research is focused on understanding the underlying mechanisms of anesthetic conditioning-induced neurovascular protection and developing anesthetic conditioning as a therapeutic tool for various central and peripheral nervous system disorders. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.
Karam Atli, MD
Resident Physician, PGY1
Karam Atli , MD, is a resident physician in the Department of Anesthesiology. Prior to joining Washington University in St. Louis for residency, she earned her MD at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and master’s degree in Biotechnology with a concentration in Biodefense and National Security Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
She is an avid researcher and currently working on multiple large-scale multi-center clinical trials, studying patient recovery after total intravenous anesthetic versus inhaled anesthetic and the utilization of machine-augmented intraoperative monitoring in systematic quality improvement. She is interested in combining her background in biotechnology and national security with her clinical career as an anesthesiologist. Outside of work, she’s traveled to over 20 countries and enjoys exploring the local cuisine and culture. She enjoys playing the violin, dancing, and is working on attaining her pilot’s license.
Jake AuBuchon
Jake grew up on a horse farm in Union, MO. His father worked as a part-time horse trainer, so much of his childhood was spent cleaning stalls, fixing fence, and going to horse shows around Missouri. He completed the combined degree program at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (Go Kangaroos!). After medical school, Jake completed his anesthesiology residency, pain management fellowship, and pediatric anesthesiology fellowship at Washington University. He also spent three months at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for additional pediatric pain medicine exposure. Jake is currently the Director of Pediatric Pain Management at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and his clinical practice focuses on pediatric acute and chronic pain management in addition to still l providing OR pediatric anesthesia. He also enjoys being involved in medical student and resident education. Outside of work, he loves spending time with my his wife, Sarah, and his 3 children (Owen, Bella, and Lucy). Family days usually involve going on hikes, biking, and being active.