Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2022

Mallory is a CA-2 resident in the anesthesia department. As a resident, every day is different. She can be found in the ORs of one of the PODs, in the cardiothoracic or surgical ICUs, in the pain clinic, or on the labor and delivery floor of at Saint Louis Children’s Hospital. Wherever she is assigned, she can be found learning any one of the many aspects of anesthesia from the amazing faculty, fellows, and co-residents here at WashU.

She grew up in Lake Villa, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. She attended undergrad at Notre Dame and medical school at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Even though she moved to St. Louis in the middle of a pandemic, she has made this her home and enjoys experiencing the city with her fellow residents. In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking in Forest Park, and relaxing by the pool. She is also a big fan of the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, which can sometimes be challenging while living in the hometown of one of their biggest rivals!

She is very grateful for the experiences and training she has received thus far at WashU and cannot wait to see where the future takes her.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2022

Melissa was born and raised on the sunny island of Jamaica. She worked briefly as a high school teacher in Kingston, before deciding to follow her dream of becoming a physician-scientist. After studying Biochemistry at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, she worked as a lab tech/manager in a cancer lab in Boston. She considers herself a Bostonian at heart. She migrated south to Duke University where she earned an MD and PhD in Pharmacology and Molecular Cancer Biology. There, she accidentally became a vascular biologist. At the same time, as a medical student, she discovered her love of all things cardiac anesthesia.

At WashU, she is in the ASAP Residency Research Track and has successfully completed her fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesiology. She is currently in the dedicated research phase of her program, where she hopes to blaze the trail for anesthesiologists participating in life-saving basic and translational cardiovascular research. Her current project focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of inherited dilated cardiomyopathies, with the goal of developing precision medical therapies that extend and improve the quality of life for heart failure patients. She is a big proponent of interdisciplinary and team science, and enjoys her current collaborations with cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, biophysicists, and informaticians.

Outside of work, Melissa loves to travel and learn about diverse cultures, and hopes one to day to visit every continent. She is a tennis enthusiast and has been to all four Grand Slams. She’s always up for a game, as long as it’s >50F and not actively precipitating. She also likes to garden, paint, and spend time with her husband Shanti and seven-year-old daughter Gabi.

Department of Anesthesiology FAS Employee of the Quarter: June 2025

Abby has been in the St. Louis Metro area all her life but moved to St. Louis City in 2019. She has been with WashU Medicine for almost seven years. She has been with the Department of Anesthesiology for a year and a half and has loved every minute of it. Outside of work she loves learning history, reading, traveling, and spending time with her 3 cats.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2019

Bernadette is the Director of CRNA Education and Research in the Department of Anesthesiology and is also Professor and Director of the Nurse Anesthesia Program at the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College. Dr. Henrichs earned her MSN and PhD from Saint Louis University. Outside of work, Dr. Henrichs enjoys cycling. Several years ago she rode 200 miles in one weekend to raise money for multiple sclerosis.

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.

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.

Department of Anesthesiology FAS Employee of the Quarter: June 2023

Amira Hodzic has been named the 2023 Q3 Employee of the Quarter! Her nominator couldn't speak more highly of her, stating, “Amira has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mastering every aspect of her job, always asking the 'why' behind our processes and driving innovative solutions to improve accuracy and workflow. She is a true asset to our team.”

Since joining the Department of Anesthesiology in 2022 as a fellowship coordinator for Pediatric Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Amira has made a remarkable impact. She was chosen to serve as one of the department's nine Equity Champions, where she spearheads discussions and provides training on anti-racism culture change and leadership.

Originally from Bosnia, she immigrated to upstate New York as a child but has spent the last eight years in St. Louis. She is an alumna of SLU’s College for Public Health and Social Justice, and just recently completed her Master’s in Health Leadership from WGU. Outside of work, Amira enjoys hanging out with family and friends, thrifting, writing poetry, and playing with her dog, Julie.

Amira humbly attributes her success to her education team, “Lauren, Erin, Shirley, and Tegan are some of the greatest colleagues. While I am so appreciative to be acknowledged as Employee of the Quarter, this acknowledgment would not be possible without the mentorship and guidance of my wonderful team!”

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2020

Janice is an Executive Secretary for the Pain Division in the Anesthesiology Department. She has worked for Washington University for 20 years and has spent the entire time in the Pain Management Center. She completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2009 through University College at Washington University. She enjoys spending time with her three grown children and three grandchildren. She and her husband recently celebrated 40 years of marriage by taking a Mediterranean cruise.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2025

Erin is an executive secretary who supports clinical operations and the general and trauma divisions. She came to WashU Medicine in January of 2023 after working in K-12 education for 16 years as a high school English teacher and school administrator. She is really enjoying working with adults after spending so many years with teenagers.

Erin and her husband share four wonderful kids in their blended family. She loves to travel (especially to mountains and beaches), read, and relax as often as possible.