Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: May 2021

Dr. Brown-Shpigel is an instructor in trauma and general divisions under the Department of Anesthesiology. She is the Center for Advanced Medicine Outpatient Surgery Center’s POD leader. In this capacity, she manages the operative board schedule, coordinates with surgeons on what cases are appropriate for the location, and works with the nursing management on perioperative process quality improvement programs. She has a special interest in trauma anesthesiology and critical care. She will be taking a sabbatical to return to training for a Critical Care Medicine Fellowship in 2021-2022 with anticipation of rejoining the Washington University Department of Anesthesiology.

Brown-Shpigel notes, "Did you know there are well over 60 different hikes you can do within 60 miles of St. Louis? I find my life balance by spending as much time as possible outdoors when I am away from work so I'm working my way through these great outdoor experiences. I have an 18 month old toddler and two doggies who love to tag along. Even though I have only been in St. Louis 6 years, I really feel like we have found our home."

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2025

Jon Bucher earned his undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Missouri and began his career at WashU Medicine in 2010 in the Division of Geriatrics & Nutritional Science. In 2013, he transitioned to the Department of Anesthesiology, where he has since advanced his career. During this time, Jon completed WashU's PMBA program at Olin Business School, further enhancing his expertise in business management and finance. Currently, Jon serves as the Business Director for Research Finance, overseeing financial operations and supporting research initiatives. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, tackling home improvement projects, watching horror films, and biking around Creve Coeur Lake.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2022

Sarah is an Associate Professor and serves as a Pain Psychologist in the Pain Management Center, where she can be found surrounded by a large number of plants. She also provides assessment and treatment services with the bariatric surgery team. She grew up in St. Louis (Pattonville) and attended Washington University as an undergrad. After working in the WUSM psychiatry department for a bit, she then obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology at UMSL. Her pre-doctoral internship was completed at the Oklahoma City VA/OU Medical Center, and she did her fellowship at the St. Louis VA Medical Center.

Despite having no natural athletic ability or aptitude, she continues to stubbornly sign up for endurance events such as marathons, ultramarathons, duathlons, and triathlons. Her best girl, Scarlett the Bluetick Coonhound, is a wonderful training partner. Her fiancé, Kevin, cooks her delightful dinners and has reluctantly become a fan of true crime documentaries.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2021

Brendon was born and raised in Indianapolis and attending Indiana University School of Medicine before coming to St. Louis for residency. He is one of the current CA-2 residents and will be the second anesthesiologist in his family after his dad. His fiancé, Keerthana, is currently a urology resident at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. They plan to dive into the hectic world of wedding planning this coming year. In his free time, Brendon enjoys playing the piano and guitar, making trips up to Milwaukee, watching plenty of Netflix, and traveling whenever he can.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2020

Christina has worked at WashU since May 2010, and has been with the department in the Research division since 2013. She currently manages procurement, expenses, onboarding of new employees, visas, and office management. Christina is originally from St. Peters, MO, and found her passion for traveling during high school when she had the opportunity to travel to Quebec/Montreal, Canada, and Egypt. She also participated in two mission trips to Reynosa, Mexico, and spent the summer of 2002 in Sevilla, Spain with the Center for Cross-Culture Study. Christina attended Missouri Baptist University where she studied Business Administration and Spanish. She lives with her son, Dominic, and German Shepherd/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, Jonah. Aside from traveling, she also enjoys history and any water-related fun.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2025

Garrett is a CA-1 resident in the Department of Anesthesiology. Originally from Albuquerque, NM, he developed an early interest in medicine and patient care while working as an LPN at an ambulatory pediatric clinic. He later completed his bachelor's degree in biochemistry at the University of New Mexico before earning his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Now in residency, Garrett is passionate about perioperative patient safety, quality improvement, and optimizing anesthesia workflows. While still exploring his long-term career path, he is strongly considering a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology.

Beyond medicine, Garrett values the close relationships he has built over the years. His large, tight-knit family—including 30 first cousins—has always been central to his life, and he makes it a priority to stay connected with them despite the demands of residency. He also remains close with friends from his hometown and medical school, cherishing the bonds formed through shared experiences and late-night study sessions. Since moving to St. Louis, Garrett has found a strong sense of community within his residency program, which has made the transition to a new city seamless. Whether exploring the city’s food scene, unwinding after long shifts, or sharing a laugh in the resident lounge, his co-residents have become an extension of his support system. He is often outside of the city visiting his partner, Victoria, in Baltimore whenever he can, and they enjoy exploring new places together.

In his free time, Garrett enjoys baking, experimenting with new dessert recipes, and perfecting his espresso technique as a dedicated home barista. He also loves getting lost in a good book or unwinding with TV—while Game of Thrones is his all-time favorite, he has a well-known soft spot for reality TV. No matter where life takes him, Garrett finds the most joy in sharing these moments with the people who matter most.

Department of Anesthesiology - APP of the Quarter: March 2025

Originally from Sullivan, MO, Paige earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Columbia College. She began her healthcare journey in 2017 as a patient care technician to gain experience for physician assistant school. During her clinical training as a PA, she rotated through the SICU and later joined the WashU Medicine Critical Care APP team after graduating from SLU in December 2022.

Paige Cardoza, PA-C, has been nominated as the March 2025 APP of the Quarter!

Paige’s nominator highlighted her incredible dedication, sharing how she went above and beyond to plan a wedding for a patient’s daughter—ensuring the patient could be present for the special moment, complete with photos.

Beyond her clinical excellence, Paige is deeply involved in supporting PA students, mentoring colleagues, and serving on the Social & Well-Being Committee. Her colleagues consistently praise her willingness to help, even on the busiest shifts.

Department of Anesthesiology – APP of the Quarter: October 2020

Kathleen has been a Physician Assistant in the Surgical ICU at Barnes/Washington University since 2017. Originally from Sacramento, California, Kathleen lived in the Bay Area of California for six years to complete her undergraduate degree at Santa Clara University and then worked as an EMT. She then moved to St. Louis in 2014 to start her Physician Assistant program at Saint Louis University. She quickly fell in love with St. Louis and it's Midwest feel (without the up-North winters) and began working at Washington University soon after gaining her Physician Assistant Master of Medical Science degree.

The Surgical ICU has been the perfect job for Kathleen as she loves to stay busy and work in a fast paced environment. Her co-workers are amazingly supportive and have truly become close friends. She appreciates the challenges that her patients' present and has enjoyed occasionally working at Christian Hospital Northeast whenever needed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kathleen, her boyfriend (Jeremy) and Jack Russell (Maggie) live in the Central West End and love eating, drinking and playing through the city. She especially loves to spend her free time biking (road and mountain biking), golfing (poorly), going to concerts and having get-togethers with friends and family. She's never met a party she didn't want to host! Fun fact: even though she grew up in California, she only cheers for Michigan sports since her parents are both Michiganders. Go Blue!!

Kathleen was named the Q3 2020 APP of the Quarter because she is an excellent team player and a creative problem-solver who is dedicated to delivering high-quality patient care.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2023

Shea Carver is a resident physician in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU. She grew up on a farm in the Flint Hills of Kansas and first became interested in medicine while shadowing a physician in her hometown’s rural primary care clinic. She graduated from Newman University and completed medical school at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. Her partner is also a resident physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Shea and her partner enjoy going to the dog park with their husky, antique hunting, trying new restaurants, and exploring St. Louis. A fun fact about Shea — she is a former FFA state champion in dairy cattle judging!

Department of Anesthesiology – APP of the Quarter: October 2021

Nicole joined the department in 2013 after graduating from Goldfarb School of Nursing as an Acute Care Nurse practitioner. Nicole is currently the lead APP at Christian Hospital Northeast ICU. Outside of work, she enjoys home improvement projects, gardening, hiking, and spending time with her son, Blake, and daughter, Taylor.

Nicole was named the Q3 2021 APP of the Quarter for her dedication, resourcefulness, and support of her fellow colleagues. Congratulations, Nicole!