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
Ream Al-Hasani, PhD
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
Ashley DuBois, CRNA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Ivan Torres
Assistant Supervisor for Insurance Billing
Muthu Vijayasankar, MD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members Archive
Tiffany Rosenzweig, PhD
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2024
Tiffany is the senior clinical research coordinator for the Ablordeppey Lab in the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR). After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Tiffany relocated from her hometown of Peoria, IL, to attend graduate school at Saint Louis University and adopted St. Louis as her new home. She graduated in 2022 with her PhD in Public and Social Policy with a minor in Research Methodology and joined the Department of Anesthesiology the same year. In the Ablordeppey Lab, Tiffany works on using implementation science to de-implement low-value healthcare practices to improve the health outcomes of critically ill patients, especially those that leverage the use of ultrasound. She also conducts research on diversity, equity, and inclusion in medical education and social determinants of health in conjunction with the department’s Office of Professional Growth & Inclusive Culture.
Outside of work, Tiffany enjoys spending time with her sons, doing home improvement projects, and visiting local festivals in the St. Louis area.
Fun Fact: Tiffany once rode in an elevator with Al Hrabosky. He reported that he also has a daughter named Tiffany.
Isabella Rossi Riordan, MD
Resident Physician, Class of 2018
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2019
Isabella was a recent chief resident in the department, graduating from residency in 2018 following medical school at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. After graduation, she stayed on as faculty at Progress West Hospital which is a small community hospital in O’Fallon. She has enjoyed the challenge of this busy and dynamic practice which allows for a mix of supervising CRNAs and self-performing cases. She loves that each day brings a variety of cases and skill sets ranging from general anesthesia to regional blocks to labor and delivery. She is involved in clinical research looking at LMA failures and delayed extubation led by former faculty member Dr. Vannucci. Outside of work she enjoys international travels with her husband, distance running, baking and working on home improvement projects.
Michelle Rutter, AGACNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Department of Anesthesiology APP of the Quarter: June 2025
Michelle Rutter, AGACNP-BC, began her nursing career in 2012 in the Emergency Department (ED) at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. During her time in the ED, she served as a charge nurse and nurse educator. She earned her degree from Goldfarb School of Nursing in 2020. It was during her student rotation through the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that she discovered her passion for critical care medicine, inspired by the supportive and collaborative environment created by the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) team.
In December 2020, Michelle joined the Critical Care APP team at WashU Medicine as a new APP. Since then, she has continued to grow as a provider and has taken on the role of preceptor and mentor for incoming APPs. She finds great fulfillment in guiding new team members as they evolve from novice clinicians into confident, proficient providers.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys life on a small farm with her husband, Drew, and their two daughters, Isabelle and Ellie. Their family includes several chickens, ducks, and two dogs. Her hobbies include running, gardening, reading, baking, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is also currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Goldfarb School of Nursing, with plans to complete the program in 2026.
Michelle has been named the June 2025 APP of the Quarter!
Known for her humility, compassion, and team spirit, Michelle has grown into a trusted and knowledgeable provider who consistently goes above and beyond for both patients and colleagues. Her nominator praised her empathy, dedication, and ability to handle even the most challenging situations with grace. A true team player and patient advocate, Michelle is deeply valued by all who work with her.
Julia Saak, MD
Resident Physician
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2025
Julia is a third-year anesthesiology resident at WashU Medicine. Originally from St. Louis, she completed both her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou), taking a semester off in between to teach English at an elementary school in southern Spain. She is passionate about medical education and is currently a part of the resident education committee. In her free time, Julia enjoys reading fiction, suffering through hot yoga classes, spending time with her amazing co-residents, and taking care of her many plants. She is planning on pursuing a pediatric anesthesiology fellowship after completing residency.