People

Admin: Wendy Knirr

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2024

Erin is proud to call herself a BJH/WashU lifer. Her journey began in 2005 as a night-shift patient care technician in the MICU, and this year, she is celebrating 20 years at BJH, now serving as an assistant professor in the School of Medicine. Over the years, she has held a variety of roles, including patient care technician, ICU nurse, student nurse, and now faculty. She feels incredibly fortunate to have had these opportunities and to work alongside such exceptional colleagues in a remarkable and inspiring department. Along the way, she has built lifelong friendships and connected with many incredible people.

A native St. Louisan and proud resident of the city, Erin can often be seen commuting to work—rain, shine, or cold—on her signature mint-green Vespa. She lives in the Shaw neighborhood with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and a giant African sulcata tortoise. She enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring her vibrant neighborhood, and walking through Tower Grove Park.

Outside of her professional life, Erin stays busy coaching soccer and leading a Girl Scout troop. She has a passion for traveling with friends and family, discovering new restaurants, and staying active at the gym. For her, working at WashU has been a cornerstone of her career, and she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

Western Michigan University School of Medicine

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: May 2026

Jessica Higginbotham, PhD, is a St. Louis native who left for a PhD – and came right back. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Saint Louis University in 2012, she completed her doctoral training in neuroscience at Washington State University before returning in 2019 as a postdoctoral fellow at WashU. She is now an instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine.

In the Moron-Concepcion Lab, Jessica develops novel approaches to understand the neural mechanisms of pain and maladaptive opioid use, with the ultimate goal of improving how these conditions are treated in the real world.

Outside the lab, she, her partner Robero, and their daughter Alivia, are usually on the move – trying new foods, traveling, kayaking, or engaged in fiercely competitive MarioKart races.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2020

Alex was born and raised in Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biology. After medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Alex joined the department in 2013 as an anesthesia resident. He subsequently completed fellowships here in both obstetric anesthesiology and pain management. Combining these sometimes disparate interests, his research focuses on neuropathic pain, opioid analgesia, and management of the high-risk parturient. Clinically, Alex can be usually be found at Barnes Jewish Hospital on Labor and Delivery or in the ORs, though he also spends time at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and Progress West Hospital. He is particularly excited about his role as Chief of Fetal Surgery Anesthesiology, where he works in a large and talented interdisciplinary team to coordinate in-utero surgery on fetuses with a variety of complex pathologies. Outside of the hospital, Alex enjoys working out and taking in the St. Louis's greatest offerings, including the local craft beers, accessible hiking trails, and Sugarfire BBQ.

Medical School: Columbia University
Internship: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri