Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2019

Diana received her Masters Degree from Missouri State University and has been serving as chief CRNA at Barnes West County Hospital since 2015. Diana has two children; Cade age 9 and Evie age 7. Diana and her family love to travel the world together and completed a 7 week, 8 country trip across Asia, Australia and Central America. She and her husband, Wayne, recently opened a restaurant in Des Peres. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking, playing trivia and watching the Cardinals.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2023

Debra Pulley, MD, is a Professor of Anesthesiology and she has been a member of the Department of Anesthesiology for many years.

Dr. Pulley's interest in medicine began when she worked as an environmental engineer, managing the proper handling of hazardous waste and learning about the toxic effects of chemicals. After medical school, she chose anesthesiology which led her to WashU!

She has worked in the operating rooms, labor/delivery, and the preoperative clinic CPAP. Dr. Pulley values her coworkers and enjoys the enthusiasm of new learners. Over the years, she has learned to appreciate both the resiliency and frailty of the human body, and has dedicated her career to treating patients during critical periods of their lives.

Dr. Pulley is a Midwesterner at heart but loves traveling to different regions of the country and taking easy hikes to scenic views. She also enjoys being a wife, mother of two, and grandmother to three energetic kids.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2023

Waliah RaKhem is the Senior Research Administrator for the Department of Anesthesiology.  She has been in this role since 2020 and has worked in similar roles within various departments in her 20+ years with the university.  She has a Bachelor of Business from Drake University in Des Moines, IA, a Masters of Nonprofit Management from Washington University and has been a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) since 2015. Waliah is also one of the department’s Equity Champions working with the POWER office.

In her role as Senior Research Administrator, Waliah helps to guide her team’s focus on research grant submissions for the four Research Divisions of Anesthesiology, WUPC, DoCTR, DBR and CCP.  Her and her team work directly with Principal Investigators to ensure that they feel fully supported before, during and after the grant submission process. Being an Equity Champion allows for Waliah to offer her help in furthering the Schools mission in achieving a supportive environment for all who work here. “It’s work that is very close to my heart.”

A native St. Louisan, Waliah currently resides in University City. An avid movie watcher, she enjoys exercising, cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2025

Lesley Rao, MD, serves as Division Chief for Pain Management at WashU Medicine. Over the years, she has held multiple roles, including intern, resident, anesthesiologist, fellow, and Fellowship Program Director. She now splits her time among the outpatient chronic pain clinic, the inpatient acute pain service, anesthesiology in the CAM operating rooms, and administrative responsibilities.

Outside of medicine, Lesley is a passionate runner and an avid audiobook “reader.” She enjoys time with her husband and their three energetic boys. In addition, she coaches her youngest son’s second-grade basketball team, The Mangoes, where the season features memorable quotes like, “I’m really good at shooting, but not good at scoring,” and “can we work on dunking and 3-pointers?”

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2019

David is a second year resident originally from St. Louis, MO who completed medical school at Saint Louis University. He is still undecided about what field to pursue a fellowship in, but he has enjoyed exploring different subspecialties during his CA-1 year. Outside of work, David enjoys brewing, cycling, hiking, and traveling. Currently, he is planning a trip to India for 2020.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2023

Satish Reddy, MD, is an assistant professor in the Division of Pain Management within the Department of Anesthesiology. Satish grew up in Georgia before attending the University of Georgia, and later the Medical College of Georgia. He then completed his residency in 2015 and fellowship in 2016 at Washington University in St. Louis. During residency, he served as a chief resident. He spent several years in private practice before recently returning to St. Louis, where his wife is from.

Clinically he enjoys utilizing the wide breadth of interventional techniques to help treat chronic pain. He also enjoys the opportunities to work with trainees since returning to WashU. In his spare time, he enjoys revisiting the St. Louis dining scene and spending time with his family. He also enjoys traveling and has been to all seven continents.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2025

Reid is a third-year anesthesiology resident at WashU Medicine. Growing up in Oklahoma, he competed as a junior Olympic gymnast which helped solidify his decision to pursue anesthesiology due to its combined individualistic and teamwork approach to patient care. Since moving to St. Louis, he has enjoyed frequenting local coffee shops, hanging out with his wonderful co-residents, and taste-testing the diverse cuisine in the area. He is passionate about mentorship/education and plans to pursue a career in pediatric anesthesiology following his training.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2021

Andrea has been with the Department of Anesthesiology for almost three years. Her roles include clinical general and cardiac anesthesiology, patient safety and quality improvement director.

Andrea and her husband, Ryan, have two children (Harper and Elliot), a cat named Texas, and a dog named Gus. In her free time, Andrea enjoys outdoorsy recreation, like hiking, snowboarding, boating, and fishing.

She and her family have taken an interest in national parts recently, and are proud to have visited seven parks in 2021, including the Utah big 5!

Department of Anesthesiology APP of the Quarter: February 2022 & September 2025
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2026

Shawn Reynolds is a Co-Assistant Director of the Anesthesiology Critical Care Advanced Practice Provider Group. A graduate of DeSales University, Shawn has practiced as a Physician Assistant for more than 18 years. He began his career in emergency medicine in Pennsylvania before transitioning to trauma and neurocritical care. He currently practices in both surgical and cardiothoracic intensive care units across the group’s academic and community hospitals.

Shawn recently earned his doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Liberty University’s School of Business. He is also an International Coaching Federation–certified Professional Certified Coach (PCC).

In addition to his civilian career, Shawn serves as a Lieutenant Colonel and Deputy Commander of Clinical Services for the Missouri Army National Guard. In this role, he helps lead multidisciplinary healthcare operations focused on clinical readiness, provider credentialing, professional development, quality, and workforce operations.

Shawn is happily married and has two daughters. Outside of work and military service, he enjoys spending time with his family, working out, attending his daughters’ soccer games, and relaxing at Table Rock Lake.

Shawn was named the APP of the Quarter in Feb. 2022 and Sept. 2025! Here is what his nominators have to say about him:

“Shawn consistently works to improve our APP group, advocate for our group, and enhance our knowledge base. Recently he has been putting in a tremendous amount of effort with the APP US courses and deserves special recognition for his steadfast daily efforts and also this large project he has taken on.”

“Shawn is an incredible leader and educator who sets the tone for our entire team through his openness, support, and dedication. He is genuinely invested in both strengthening our group as a whole and helping each of us grow individually. Whether he’s teaching, mentoring, problem-solving, or simply lending a hand, Shawn consistently goes above and beyond. His ability to balance patient care, leadership, and education is remarkable, and his humility and generosity—like personally supporting our mentorship program—speak volumes about the kind of person he is. We are truly fortunate to have Shawn, not only for the excellent patient care he provides, but for the way he lifts up and inspires every member of the team.”

Congratulations, Shawn!

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2026

Bradley Richards is a third-year resident in the department of Anesthesiology. Originally from Idaho, he earned his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Utah State University. He then completed medical school at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of medicine before moving to St. Louis for residency. Bradley and his wife, Deidra, have a three-year-old daughter and another on the way. They have loved exploring all that St. Louis has to offer and can frequently be spotted at the botanical gardens or the zoo. In his free time, Bradley enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, and when his schedule allows, traveling back west to ski.