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
Catherine Gould, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Parita Jani, MD
ACTA Fellow
Sherry McKinnon
Manager of Clinical Research, Regulatory and Compliance
Andrew Schaffer, MD
Resident Physician
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members Archive
Brian Torres, CRNA, DNP
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2022
Brian was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Soon thereafter, his family became a military family and “home” became a moving target! Growing up in different parts of the United States and around the world was a privilege that he credits his mother for (a single mother and retired Lieutenant Colonel). Landing in Missouri in the mid-90’s, he finished high school and went on to attend the University of Missouri, Columbia. Following his undergraduate college years, he launched his career in St. Louis at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and hasn’t looked back!
As a CRNA in the Department of Anesthesiology, he also serves as the assistant director of the nurse anesthesia program, a collaboration between WashU Anesthesiology and Barnes-Jewish College of Nursing. Brian’s clinical practice has focused on anesthesia for cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. Over the years he has developed several successful clinical research collaborations with a number of the department’s faculty and scientists. In his role as faculty, his teaching has focused on anesthetic pharmacology, preoperative health assessment, simulation, and the basic principles of anesthesiology.
When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his partner, Steven, and their three endlessly entertaining pets; Pip (neurotic miniature pincher), Foxie (goofy foxhound), and Spanky (snarky grey tuxedo cat). Travel, hiking, cooking (and eating), and music are among his favorite pastimes. He can regularly be seen at the Tower Grove Farmers Market on Saturdays, but you must get there early as that’s when the best picks are to be had! He hopes to see you there sometime soon (or at least come springtime…)!
Yolanda Trevino-Parsons
Grant Specialist II
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: April 2022
Yolanda joined the research division as a Grant Specialist II in September 2020. She assists with the pre-and post-award grant application process.
The mother of two received her Masters in higher education from Saint Louis University, where she also worked as a financial specialist for over 15+ years.
Outside of work, Yolanda loves watching movies and writing.
Sydney Tyler, MD
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2026
Sydney Tyler is a CA-1 in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Originally from Columbia, MO, Sydney majored in Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, and Classical Humanities at the University of Missouri—Columbia before moving to Denver to earn her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine.
Sydney lives with her sister and their two dogs, Bobo and Meatball. In her free time, you can find her walking through Forest Park with her dogs, baking, trying out new area restaurants with some of her co-residents, and curling up on the couch with a good book. A fun fact about Sydney is that she loves our National Parks, and her and her mother make the time to visit at least one every year—so far her favorite is Glacier National Park.
Miguel Valdez Zerpa, MD
Resident Physician
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2025
Miguel is a second-year anesthesiology resident at WashU Medicine. He was born and raised in Maturín, Venezuela, where his early exposure to medicine through his father’s work as a physician inspired his path to healthcare. He completed his medical degree at the Universidad de Oriente before moving to the United States, where he became involved in clinical research and contributed to the launch of the THRIVE trial in the Department of Anesthesiology. Miguel enjoys the balance of strong clinical training and research opportunities at WashU Medicine.
Outside of medicine, he loves running through Forest Park, and spending time with his wife and family. He plans to pursue a fellowship and continue his career in academic medicine following graduation from the residency program in 2028.