Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2024

Meredith joined the department in 2018 after Graduating from the Goldfarb School of Nursing with her master's degree in anesthesia. Meredith is currently a pod leader in Pod 3 with the cardiothoracic and vascular teams.

Meredith grew up in St. Louis and returned home after graduating from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where she played field hockey. She currently lives in Webster Groves with her husband, son, and 2 dogs. In her free time, outside of work, Meredith is an avid boxer and golfer, and loves to travel with her family!

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2023

Dr. Daniel Fernandez is an Assistant Professor in the Divisions of Regional & Ambulatory Anesthesiology and General Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine.

Dr. Fernandez is a proud St. Louis native, returning after attending Southern Methodist University for his undergraduate studies in chemistry and biology before completing medical school at Indiana University. He graduated from the Washington University School of Medicine Anesthesiology Residency Program in 2020 and stayed to complete his fellowship in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain in 2021. He joined as faculty, and divides his time between the academic campus downtown and many of the community sites. He is also a Pod Leader in the ORs at the academic campus focusing on orthopedic, general, trauma, and plastic surgery working with surgeons and perioperative partners to improve patient care. He is passionate about bedside teaching, especially regional anesthesia.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their dog, Buster. His hobbies include cooking, brewing beer, relaxing with video games (he swears it helps with his ultrasound guided blocks), and 3D printing.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2024

Gabrielle is a CA-2 anesthesiology resident and was born and raised in St. Louis. She earned her BA at Miami University in Oxford, OH, studying psychology and Spanish linguistics. She then earned her MD at the University of Toledo. She is enjoying making connections and delving deeper into the field of anesthesiology here at WashU Medicine.

Outside of work, Gabrielle spends much of her time between her kitchen and Tower Grove Park. She enjoys concerts and traveling, and she is teaching herself how to grow tomatoes and speak Italian.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2020

Katie was born and raised in St. Louis. She went to undergraduate school at Mizzou and graduate school at Webster University. Katie has been with the department since 2011. Initially, she rotated between adults and pediatrics, but PEDs has been her home for the last 8 years. She lives in Brentwood with her husband Adam, their two kids Ethan (5), Addie (3), and their golden retriever, Truman. She and her family enjoy traveling, biking, spending weekends at her family lake house, and cheering on the Cardinals.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2025

Ben Fiori, has been a vital member of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR) since joining the Department of Anesthesiology in May 2019. He earned his bachelor of science in biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2012 and his bachelor of science in nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College in 2015. Over the years, he has held several roles in the department, progressing from research nurse coordinator to nurse manager, and currently serves as thesenior manager of clinical trials and operations. Fiori brings a unique and valuable skill set to the research team, with extensive experience in managing clinical operations both in academia and for contract research organizations. His work has spanned early-phase bioequivalence and bioavailability studies, as well as Phase I–III drug and device trials across diverse areas such as oncology, surgery, cardiology, and anesthesiology. He currently oversees a team of approximately 45 research staff and leads initiatives related to clinical trial feasibility, staffing, and protocol execution.

Ben grew up in Calhoun County, Illinois. Outside of work, he enjoys playing volleyball, gardening, cooking & baking, camping, and spending time with his husband, friends, two dogs (Bella and Duke), and two cats (Lou and Mac).

Department of Anesthesiology APP of the Quarter: December 2022

Maureen Flanagan (She/Her) is a nurse practitioner from Dallas, Texas. She earned her bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 2014 and went on to earn her RN and MSN from Yale University in 2017. She has been practicing in the Surgical ICUs here at BJH since her graduation in 2017. In her free time, she loves exploring new places around the world, cooking new pasta recipes, and spending time with her dog, Luka.

Maureen was named the Q4 2022 APP of the Quarter! Her nominator says, "Maureen works hard in difficult situations and goes above & beyond to provide great care for her patients. She's smart and is a true team player."

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2019

Cat is a resident physician in her final year of training with the Department of Anesthesiology. She’s currently looking forward to the excitement of the upcoming resident recruitment season. Outside of work, she enjoys adding to her laps of Forest Park, and exploring the vastly underrated hiking trails of Missouri.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2025

Vinny Francio is a clinical instructor in the Division of Pain Medicine at the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Born and raised in Brazil in an Italian family, he, like most kids in Brazil, first dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player. When that didn’t work out, he pursued music with hopes of becoming a rockstar, but that path also took a different turn. His journey eventually led him to healthcare, first as a chiropractor before moving to the U.S. 15 years ago to further his education. He earned a Master’s in Clinical Research and completed his residency and pain fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Now specializing in the comprehensive management of spine and chronic pain disorders, Dr. Francio takes a multidisciplinary approach while incorporating advanced minimally invasive procedures. Since joining WashU Pain Center in October 2024, he has introduced innovative pain interventions to enhance patient care and advance medical education. Passionate about academic medicine, he values the opportunity to combine clinical practice, research, and teaching while mentoring the next generation of pain specialists.

Beyond medicine, Dr. Francio enjoys traveling and frequently lectures at national and international pain conferences, combining his love for education and traveling. When not in clinic, in procedures, or in the OR, he finds time to indulge his lifelong passions—playing soccer, guitar, and drums in his spare time. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and their two horses, supporting her equestrian hunter-jumper activities.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2020

Ben is one of the chief residents in the Department of Anesthesiology. He completed his undergraduate training in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, got his Masters in the History of Medicine from Oxford University, and received his MD from Columbia University.

He spent a year working for the CDC in Botswana after graduating from college and before receiving his Masters, where his research focused on novel ways to diagnose tuberculosis in HIV positive patients. Ben and his wife Hannah (OBGYN) couples matched at Washington University and have made a very happy life here, meeting some of their best friends in their respective residencies and thriving in the rich and challenging clinical environment at WashU.

Ben has served on the Resident Education Committee for the past three years and is passionate about resident education. He plans to pursue a fellowship in cardiothoracic anesthesiology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts next year.

In his spare time, Ben is an avid runner and has run numerous marathons and half marathons. He also enjoys cycling, spending time with his outstanding co-residents, and reading. He is currently on a Civil War and early American History bender and would love any recommendations!

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2020

Karen is a Senior Research Coordinator in the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR). She has worked for Washington University for 19 years, starting as a research assistant with the Department of Psychiatry. She joined DoCTR in 2008, with a dual appointment in Neurology, and transitioned to DoCTR full-time in 2012. Karen specializes in the use of Quantitative Sensory Testing for pain management studies and is currently coordinating a study to prevent chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. She enjoys spending time outside of work with family and friends, at the batting cage with her nephews, and cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals. She hasn’t missed a home opener in 10+ years so you know where she will be on April 2nd! GO CARDS!