Portrait of Claira Sousa, CRNA

Claira Sousa, CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Portrait of Megan Souter, C-TAGME

Megan Souter, C-TAGME

Senior Residency Coordinator

Portrait of Megan Souter, C-TAGME

Megan Souter, C-TAGME

Department of Anesthesiology FAS Employee of the Quarter: September 2025

Megan Souter is the senior program coordinator for the WashU Medicine Department of Anesthesiology Residency Program. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts from Tabor College followed by almost 10 years of early childhood education experience as a former preschool and Pre-K teacher. Currently, she is responsible for the oversight of an 88-resident program and is C-TAGME certified. During her years as program coordinator, she has worked to streamline processes and revamp various areas of the program. When Megan is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Lilli, and playing board games with friends and family.

Portrait of Katy Spal, CRNA

Katy Spal, CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Portrait of Katy Spal, CRNA

Katy Spal, CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: April 2024

Katy has been with the Department of Anesthesiology for 12 years and spent the last 9 as a Pediatric Nurse Anesthetist. She previously earned dual-degrees in Spanish and Latin American Studies. While studying abroad in Guatemala, Katy was invited to join a Rotary International Group in Honduras as an interpreter. On this Medical Mission Trip, an enthusiastic and convincing nurse anesthetist planted the seeds for Katy to consider nursing as a profession, specifically anesthesia. Years later, she realized this dream by becoming a CRNA. Recently, she made it to the Dominican Republic. She was finally able to participate in a surgical service trip as a CRNA!

As an active member of the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Katy is currently a PIA SAFE Champion and also a mentor for incoming pediatric hires at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Her involvement on the Pediatric Wellness Committee led to yoga in Forest Park and a well-attended rock-climbing evening at Upper Limits. Katy also enjoys keeping up and discussing books with fellow book club members in the peds division. Katy was previously engaged as a Peer Advocate for the Peri-Operative Space.

Outside of work, Katy enjoys yoga, fitness, outdoor adventuring, reading and nutritious food! She is also active in raising her three children (ages 9, 11, and 13). She enjoys supporting them in their activities, interests, and school communities. Fun Fact: As an exchange student, Katy visited so many countries she ran out of pages in her passport!

Bob Spatola

Bob Spatola, CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2019

Bob is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in the department. He graduated from the Barnes Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia in 1978 and has over 41 years of service in his profession. He is laying down his “tools of the trade” and retiring at the end of December. After retirement, Bob plans to keep busy with family and friends, cooking and barbequing, driving his Porsche Boxster, playing with his Airedale Terrier, Piper, landscaping and working around his home, traveling, reading, and finishing his wife’s “to do” list. He may even take up his first passion again, art, in the form of drawing, painting, and sculpting. Bob would like to thank his many friends and colleagues in the department for putting up with the “Old Guy” all these years!

Portrait of Rebecca Speltz Paiz, MD, PhD

Rebecca Speltz Paiz, MD, PhD

Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School

Residency: WashU Medicine — Anesthesiology (2022-2027)

Fellowship: WashU Medicine — Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Fellow (2025-26)

ASAP

Portrait of Rebecca Speltz-Paiz, MD, PhD

Rebecca Speltz-Paiz, MD, PhD

Resident Physician, Class of 2027; ASAP Scholar

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2024

Rebecca is a CA-2 resident in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Originally from Central Wisconsin, she grew up as a competitive ice dancer, training intensively and eventually performing professionally with Disney On Ice. Over her three-year career with Disney, Rebecca toured extensively across the U.S. and Southeast Asia, visiting countries like Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia.

Following a sports-related injury that ended her skating career, Rebecca shifted her focus to academics. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Hamline University in Minnesota while working as a lab technician and junior scientist in pain research. Her passion for understanding pain mechanisms led her to the University of Minnesota, where she completed the Medical Scientist Training Program, earning both her MD and a PhD in neuroscience with a focus on basic pain research.

Now part of the ASAP training program at WashU Medicine, Rebecca is preparing to begin a fellowship in regional anesthesia in February. She plans to continue her research into pain modulation, specifically examining the spinal cord's dorsal horn circuitry.

Portrait of Amber Spies

Amber Spies

Program Coordinator II

Division of Research

WashU Medicine Pain Center

Assists Drs. Robert Gereau and Jose Moron-Concepcion

Portrait of William Spinosi, DO

William Spinosi, DO

Critical Care Medicine Fellow (2025)

Medical School: Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine-Stratford (Rowan SOM)

Residency: Lehigh Valley Health Network/USF Residency Program