Chief Pharmacy Executive, UCSF Health and Vice Dean, Clinical Affairs, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Here is what Desi's nominator had to say about her:
Nominated by Korin Schmitz
Desi's Bio:
Dr. Kotis received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at the University of Illinois, where she also received her Doctor of Pharmacy. She completed a pharmacy residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Kotis was appointed fellow of ASHP in 2013 and received the President’s award from the Illinois Council Health System Pharmacists in 2015. She was also the recipient of the 2017 Pharmacist of the Year Award from Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists. She was appointed by the Governor of Illinois and served on the Board of Pharmacy, ending her term in November of 2020 as Vicechair of the Illinois Board of Pharmacy. Dr. Kotis also completed her term as Chair of the Vizient Pharmacy Network in January of 2024. She is currently on the Executive Council of the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association (NCODA) and the Board of Hospital Owned Specialty Pharmacies (HOSP), representing all campuses of the University of California.
Dr. Kotis is a strategic academic medical center leader in health system administration. She is currently reporting into the system COO office at UCSF Health and has the Chief Pharmacy Officer as a direct report. Dr Kotis has system responsibility for the UCSF pharmacy enterprise, including regulatory, quality, safety, and financial...
Registered Nurse, Mission Bay Adult Acute Care
April's Bio:
I grew up in a tiny town in Ontario, Canada where despite its small population there was a culture of acceptance and inclusion. Moving to a bigger city center for nursing school was a delight for the senses; there was so much to learn about everyone and curiosity gave me my best education. Throughout school I worked as a Patient Care Aide with the oncology population. Cancer treatments, especially in the early 2000's, could drastically change how someone looked and I learned that more than anything what most people wanted was to be seen, as themselves, their whole selves. It's something I have carried with me through nursing at 12 different hospitals over the course of my career; night shift, day shift, my Charge Nurse roll or when I precept new staff. I believe that is part of why I was awarded the Vera Brau award for Clinical Excellence and Patient Advocacy in 2004 and the Daisy Award here at Mission Bay in 2023.
What advice would you give yourself early on in your career?
Take every opportunity to listen and learn. Keep a toe in the education system even if it's not towards a formal degree. New ideas feed into curiosity and fuel enthusiasm in a profession that has a very real risk of burn out.
Can you tell us about a significant role model or mentor in your life?
My first few preceptors were critical to the bedrock of my nursing practice. Both were immigrant women who had chosen to leave...
Practice Supervisor, UCSF Department of Ophthalmology
Here is what LaShawnda’s nominator had to say about her:
LaShawnda Ross is a force. She gets the work done, has a great head on her shoulders, is extremely practical and efficient, and works closely with the team of practice assistants in the department to ensure everyone is well-trained and can work to the best of their ability. Her workflows are well-thought-out and she has a knack for knowing what works and what won't. She is everywhere all at once and even makes time to work after her young kids go to bed at night! She has worked with me to figure out reconciliation efforts before at 9PM on a Friday because that was the time she would not be interrupted. LaShawnda is a true team player who puts patients first, and I'd want her with me if it were ever the end of the world, because we'd survive it together!
Nomination by Daphne Chan
LaShawnda’s Bio:
I am a Practice Supervisor in the Ophthalmology department. I have been a Practice Supervisor in the department for 3.5 years. I started off as a Practice Coordinator III and worked my way up with helping the department with initiatives, standard operating procedures, and various projects. While a Practice Coordinator III, I completed my Master’s degree at California State University, East Bay going to school at night time after work in addition to being a single mom. I know this may sound cliché, but it's in my...
Senior PA-C, UCSF Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery
Here is what Sarah’s nominator had to say about her:
It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Sarah Palilla for the Women of UCSF Health Spotlight at UCSF Medical Center. Sarah is the most outstanding physician assistant at UCSF. She is the energy behind the UCSF Bariatric Surgery Program where she holds the title of Program Coordinator. Sarah has demonstrated unparalleled dedication and expertise. Her innovative approach to patient care and program management has not only elevated the standards of our Bariatric Surgery Program but also impacts most significantly our excellent patient outcomes and patient reviews. Sarah's commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of her work, from her meticulous attention to detail to her compassionate interactions with patients. Sarah's leadership has been instrumental in the program's success, having been instrumental in our two most recent successful reaccreditations from the national accreditation organization MBSAQIP, a subsidiary of the American College of Surgeons. Sarah's work and attitude make her the epitome of what the Spotlight award represents. Her contributions are not just to our UCSF Medical Center patients and physicians, but also to the field of medical learners at UCSF, inspiring a new generation of healthcare professionals at every level.
Nomination by Dr. Stanley Rogers
Sarah’s Bio:
While I grew up in Northern...
Associate Director, Nutrition & Food Services Mission Bay
Leila's Bio
I started my healthcare career when I joined the Nutrition & Food Services (NFS) team in 2010. I obtained my undergraduate degree from UC Irvine, followed by my master’s degree in nutritional science from Cal State Long Beach, and credentials as a Registered Dietitian. Fresh out of graduate school and excited to begin my career in nutrition, I joined UCSF as a Nutrition & Procurement Supervisor. In this role I oversaw food & supply purchasing and developed my people management skills. I was involved in menu planning, nutritional analysis, and contributing to our sustainability goals. I have grown within our department in various leadership roles each providing me opportunities to further my career goals, think outside the box when faced with obstacles, and to be an advocate for my team and our patients. I helped implement and enhance our Room Service Dining program. This allows patients to select the foods they want from our robust menu and have it delivered to them at a time that is ideal, which has resulted in an overall better patient experience and improved nutrition outcomes. During my time as Patient Food Service Manager, I had the unique opportunity to help open the Mission Bay hospital location and contributed to its ongoing success.
Currently as the Associate Director for Nutrition & Food Services at Mission Bay, I have the pleasure of collaborating with an amazing team, improving food systems to adapt to the ever-changing...
Operations Manager, Neurosciences Service Line
Jessica's Bio
Jessica is a San Francisco native and is thrilled to be back in the Bay Area after living and working in Houston, Texas for several years. Jessica started her healthcare career as a Research Coordinator in health services research on an interdisciplinary team at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety (IQuESt), at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Working with this team sparked her interest in health IT, patient safety, and healthcare delivery. In this role she learned how to work cohesively with a multidisciplinary team, something that has stayed with her throughout her career in both research and operations. Jessica also had the opportunity to contribute to several papers and grants, present abstracts at conferences, and publish a first-author publication on patient portals and health apps. While working as a Research Coordinator, she returned to graduate school for her MPH in Healthcare Management from the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health. After finishing her MPH, she completed an Administrative Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. During her fellowship Jessica had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects with several departments including the COVID Incident Command Center. Following her fellowship, she served as the Business Operations Manager for Abdominal Transplant in the Department of Surgery and as the Senior Business Operations Manager for the Department of...
Vice President of Health IT Operations, UCSF Health
Here is what Heidi’s nominator had to say about her:
Heidi Collins, VP of Health IT Operations is an influential and transformative leader who truly leads by example. She has always supported diversity and equity within her team and was one of the first executive sponsors of the clinical systems and health informatics anti-racism committee. She is extremely knowledgeable and effective and has led several complex IT initiatives to success with her unique ability to empower her team. I have always admired how she handles challenges with ease, can provide sound guidance and advice, and can motivate her team to use their talents and strengths to achieve their goals.
Nominated by: Sana Sweis
Heidi’s Bio
I have 25 years of experience as a healthcare administrator. The first half of my career was in finance and operations at the Mass General Brigham health system in Massachusetts. My final role there was as the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Physician Services for Nantucket Cottage Hospital.
I returned to California and began working for UCSF 12 years ago, starting as the Business Applications IT Director, just one month before the enterprise-wide APeX Electronic Health Record go-live. In 2015, I was promoted to Vice President of Clinical Systems, overseeing the technology that supports care delivery, including expanding Epic across...
Program Manager, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Here's what her nominator had to say about her:
“She is an incredibly hard worker, warm, inclusive, and with deep knowledge of UCSF. She has been here for over 15y and serves as my program manager, overseeing ARCHES, my public psychiatry fellowship, and my lab. EVERYONE who meets her appreciates her congeniality, outstanding communication, and capacity to support all members of our community. She is a star!”
Nominated by: Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS
Claudine's Bio
I began my career at the San Francisco VA Medical Center as the Lab Manager for the Behavioral Medicine Research Center, and in 2008 I joined the UCSF Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences as a Senior Clinical Research Coordinator for the Over-60 Program. I currently serve as the Program Manager for the PReMIUM Lab and the ARCHES Program under the leadership of Vice Dean Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS. In my 16 years at UCSF, I have led programs and initiatives with a singular mission: improving access to health care and mental health services for historically excluded communities. I have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside extraordinary faculty,...
Music Therapist Board Certified BCH Oakland Hematology/Oncology & Surgical
Here is what Lauren's nominator had to say about her:
“Lauren is a credit to the field of music therapy. She is an excellent clinician who makes a meaningful difference with her patients in HEM/ONC. Her involvement in BCHO's work towards anti-racist practice is excellent. She regularly speaks on the intersection of therapy, identity, and navigating systems to groups of various backgrounds. Lauren is the "go-to" for interviews and presentations. She is truly changing the way clinical work is done at Children's Oakland and within the profession of music therapy.”
Nominated by: Rebecca Hames
Lauren's Bio:
Lauren has worked in the music therapy profession for 11+ years, gaining experience in pediatrics, mental health, special education, and palliative/hospice. Prior to children's she pioneered music therapy services at a variety of Bay Area pediatric units including work in private practice. Her...
Director, Neurological Surgery
Here's what her nominator had to say about her:
"Janice is relentless in her pursuit of building community and partnerships which foster diversity and inclusion for her team and the patients we serve with the goal of leveraging their voice through advocacy and allyship. Outside of UCSF, Janice is a CASA volunteer and champions children in foster care."
Nominated by: Gita Patel
Janice's Bio
I started my career in healthcare almost 25 years ago at Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. I enjoyed many roles as a Pediatric ICU Nurse, Hematology/Oncology Nurse Practitioner, and Heart Center Service Line Director. I joined the UCSF Parnassus Team in 2019 and was the Admin. Director for the Urology Faculty Practice, Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, and General Surgery. For the past 3 years I have been thrilled to be a part of the Neurosurgery family. The opportunity to be on the Neurosurgery team fills me with excitement as it allows me to shape the future of the department, spearhead critical initiatives, and collaborate with top-tier Neurosurgeons, Neuro-Oncologists, staff, and dedicated managers. My...