Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2026

Jena is a Clinical Informaticist within the Department of Anesthesiology, where she has served since February 2024. She holds Epic certifications in both Optime and Anesthesiology.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in health science from Maryville University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the department, Jena spent five years in the Division of Electrophysiology at BJH and three years on the Epic 1 Optime/Anesthesia team.

Outside of work, Jena is a proud mother of three. She is active in her community, volunteering with Cub Scouts, leading hiking adventures, and attending her children’s various sporting events.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2025

Sarah has been a critical care nurse practitioner at WashU Medicine for nearly a decade, bringing a wealth of experience from a medical career that began in 2006. Throughout her time at WashU, she has taken on numerous roles, serving as a member of the PIA Safe group, a wellness champion, a WOW committee member, a preceptor, and the founder of the APP Social & Well-Being Committee. While her heart belongs to the Surgical Trauma ICU, she is currently embracing the challenge of learning new skills in the Cardiothoracic ICU.

Outside of work, Sarah loves to travel and stay active—one of her personal goals is to visit all the major national parks. A devoted ice cream lover, she enjoys almost every flavor except plain chocolate. She also cherishes time with her friends, family, boyfriend, two dogs, and cat.

This year brings an exciting new chapter—Sarah is thrilled to welcome a baby girl in March!

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2024

Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mizzou in 2004 and spent several years working in mental health before returning to school to pursue her BSN. After graduating from UMSL's nursing program in 2008, she began her nursing career at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, first in the Neuro/NSGY ICU (10400) and later in the SICU (8400). She was part of the transition to the new SICU (4400) before deciding to further her education. Michelle is a graduate of Goldfarb’s NP programs, holding an MSN in Adult/Gero NP and a post-MSN in Acute Care Adult/Gero NP. She has worked with various intensivist groups throughout the metro area and joined the department in 2018.

Michelle primarily practices at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Illinois, where she lives with her husband, son, three dogs, and turtle. Reflecting on her work, she shares, "The best part of my job is serving my community and being part of such a great team at Memorial."

Fun fact: By the time Michelle was in 6th grade, she had lived in six different states: Texas, Indiana, Tennessee, Delaware, Maryland, and Kentucky.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2023

Danish joined Washington University School of Medicine as a resident in 2016 and has been with the institution since. During that time, he completed a fellowship in obstetric anesthesiology and went on to become its program director. His academic passions include taking care of vulnerable populations, teaching residents, and making the fellowship the best place in the nation to learn about obstetric anesthesia. At home, he loves to spend time with his wife, wrestle his two kids, take care of his garden, and play video games.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: April 2026

Dr. Jani is an Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology fellow at WashU Medicine. She is from Suwanee, GA, and earned her BA, MPH, and MD degrees in Birmingham, AL, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed anesthesiology residency at WashU Medicine, and served as Chief Resident during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Parita loves vanilla lattes, listening to audiobooks, and trying new restaurants with her husband – they love experiencing the food scene in St. Louis! After fellowship, she will be staying on as faculty.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2021

York is an assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology. He was born in China and grew up in Connecticut. He studied Biomedical Engineering as an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis and completed medical school and residency at the University of Connecticut before returning to St. Louis. York is the Director of Anesthesia at Shriners Hospitals for Children St. Louis and is also an active member of the acute pain management team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. He has an interest in the application of data science to operational problems in anesthesiology and healthcare. York lives in St. Louis with his wife Tina, an emergency medicine physician, and their 2-year-old son, Dresden.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2022

Jessica Justmann is an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology. She completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation followed by fellowships in adult and pediatric pain management at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She treats both pediatric and adult patients with chronic pain conditions, and works to restore their function. In her free time, she spends as much of her time outside as possible hiking and camping with her children, as well as gardening and running. When inside, she sews her own clothes and holds the household record for the highest score in Just Dance.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2024

Muthuraj Kanakaraj, MD, MBBS, is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Tirunelveli Medical College in India and completed his anesthesiology training at Madras Medical College, India, and in the United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA) and holds the European Diploma in Intensive Care Medicine (EDIC).

Dr. Kanakaraj worked as an attending anesthesiologist in the UK for four years before joining the faculty at WashU Medicine in 2018. His professional focus is on patient safety, quality improvement, and education. He leads educational initiatives for residents, student nurse anesthetists, and nursing staff. Additionally, he serves as a physician leader for POD-5 and prioritizes patient safety and staff well-being as essential aspects of care.

Outside of work, Dr. Kanakaraj enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. A passionate supporter of Arsenal Football Club, he firmly believes they are destined to win the Premier League.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2026

Dr. Suman Kandachar is an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Anesthesiology. She believes that the specialty of anesthesiology is built on the bed rock of good medicine. ‘A wholistic approach to oxygen delivery and utilization has the power to improve outcomes,’ she says.

Her current focus is POint of Care UltraSound (POCUS) to guide airway and hemodynamic management. Her presentations on airway ultrasound and case discussion on comprehensive perioperative ultrasound during the departmental Clinician Educator Workshop in May 2026 were well received.

She is drawn to Forest Park which is at once meditative as it is vibrant. Exploring all the wonderful National Parks of the United States tops her bucket list.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2023

Evangelos is a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Department of Anesthesiology, currently involved with the Anesthesiology Control Tower projects and the THRIVE study.

Evangelos was born in St. Louis but grew up in Greece after his family moved overseas. From a young age, he knew he wanted to become a physician, following his father’s footsteps. He studied medicine at the University of Athens School of Medicine and graduated with high honors. Post-graduation, he worked as a primary care physician in the Greek Army for six months. After completing military service, he started collaborating on clinical research projects with the Department of Medicine at the University Hospital of Patras. Wishing to care for patients in remote and underserved areas of Greece, he worked in the emergency department of the General Hospital of Sitia on the island of Crete.

Evangelos joined the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine to pursue his interest in clinical research. In the future, he aspires to pursue residency training in anesthesiology and follow a path in academic medicine.

Outside of work, Evangelos enjoys outdoor running, trying new restaurants, watching movies, and traveling. He is excited to experience the rich culture of St. Louis and explore the city.

Fun fact: Evangelos has three sisters he considers his best friends despite being grumpy about not having a brother growing up.