Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, Nurses, Interpreters, Photographers, Managers, Speech Therapists… all for the patients!

Presenting the incredibly talented volunteers of the 2018 Surgical Team.

 

Administration

Dr. Tom Albert is a professor at Oregon Health Sciences University in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Albert was involved in an extensive medical education effort concerning cleft care with Project Hope in China from 1983-1993 and has continued to be involved independently since then. His interest has been to develop ways to extend truly comprehensive cleft care beyond surgery alone to difficult to reach populations. He is President and Co-Founder of FACES Foundation. He has led 12 medical mission trips to Peru and visits at least twice a year.

 

Kelly Jensen is a business leader and management consultant with over 25 years experience introducing new technologies and management practices in the United States and Latin America. Specializing in healthcare, Mr. Jensen has worked with over 300 hospitals and health care systems to improve their effectiveness. In addition to supporting FACES, Mr. Jensen provides leadership for volunteer programs in faith-based organizations and alumni associations of Harvard University. He is fluent in English and Spanish, and conversant in German and Tzotzil Maya. Kelly has traveled to Peru with FACES over a dozen times.

 

Delia Delgado Maldonado is an accomplished English teacher in Chiclayo, Peru and studied languages in university. She enjoys meeting new people and visiting new places and, when not working, her favorite free-time activity is walking. Delia loves her work with FACES because she is in direct contact with people, which she says is always a learning experience. She finds great satisfaction in seeing people’s health and lives improve.

 

 

 

Angela has served as the foundation’s director since August 2014. She manages patient health records, team travel logistics, and the social media and fundraising branches of FACES. Her experiences living abroad in Argentina, Switzerland and France have prepared her for a lifetime of international involvement. Angela is also a certified Spanish-English medical interpreter. This will be her 5^th surgical campaign with FACES Foundation.

 

 

Dr. List is a long-time friend of FACES. He is a talented physician, trained as both a medical doctor and a dentist/oral surgeon. He has his own ENT practice in Anchorage, called Alaska ENT. We are very grateful to Dr. List for his procurement / donation of our secured Electronic Health System, Soapware. We are grateful to have him join us once again in Peru for the Surgical Campaign!

 

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Surgeons

Dr. Smith is a Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon who is currently Director of the Kaiser Permanente Northwest Cleft Palate Clinic in Portland, OR. He is an Otolaryngologist at Kaiser and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at OHSU. Dr. Smith has been to Peru several times for cleft surgery trips, cleft screening trips and international medical conferences. He has also traveled to Russia for a facial reconstructive surgery trip. Dr. Smith has been our lead surgeon for several years: he is a true asset to the FACES Foundation.

 

Dr. Wang’s practice is centered on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face. He is currently the director of the Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department at OHSU. He is actively involved in teaching medical students and residents, and he is an excellent mentor to the surgeons on the team. His professionalism and standards of perfection are wonderful qualities that we value immensely. This will be his third trip to Peru with FACES.

 

 

Dr. Morris is a Craniofacial Surgeon who went to OHSU for Ear, Nose and Throat residency and then did 2 years of fellowship training in New York and Salt Lake City.  She is currently working with the Craniofacial Foundation of Utah in Salt Lake City as a craniofacial and facial plastic surgeon. This is Lisa’s fourth surgical trip to Peru with FACES and she is looking forward to working with such an energetic, caring and phenomenal group of people.

 

 

Dr. Stallworth joins us from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he works as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. He is a skilled head and neck surgeon who treats a wide range of facial malformations. Dr. Stallworth works within the University Health System to repair congenital anomalies that include cleft lips and palates, microtia (ear malformations) and pediatric skin lesions. This will be his second trip with the FACES Foundation, and we are glad to have him back.

 

 

Dr. Taylor is a native of San Diego, California, and has traveled the USA in her medical studies. She attended the University of Notre Dame, where she studied Spanish (and met her now-husband, Zach) and then attended medical school and completed her Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.  She is currently at the University of Minnesota completing a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Welcome to the team, Dr. Taylor!

 

 

Dr. Genther grew up in Michigan. He received his B.S. in chemistry at Central Michigan University in 2006 and went on to earn his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School in 2010. Following medical school, he completed surgical training in Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. During his seven years at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Genther also completed a two-year NIH-sponsored research fellowship where he focused on epidemiology and patient outcomes in various areas of otolaryngology. Welcome to the team, Dr. Genther!

 

 

Dr. Gerecci is a 5th year Otolaryngology resident at OHSU in Portland, Oregon. She is originally from Houston, Texas. She is pursuing a career in Facial Plastic Surgery and will be doing a fellowship next year in Indianapolis, IN. She is excited to be a part of the surgical team this year and working with the entire FACES foundation. We are excited to have her!

 

 

 

 

Dr. Sivam is a resident in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. In 2010, he participated in a program called Himalayan Health Exchange which brought primary care to remote villages in the Himalayas.  We are excited that he is extending his reach to South America this year as a member of the FACES Team!

 

 

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Anesthesiologists

Dr. Lalwani specializes in caring for infants and children requiring anesthesia for surgery and sedation for diagnostic procedures. He is interested in resident and fellow education, and is the program director for the Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Program at OHSU. He also enjoys mentoring medical students for clinical research projects in anesthesiology. This will be his first Surgical Campaign with the FACES Foundation.

 

 

Chris Baylis is a certified nurse anesthetist at Northwest Permanente. He brings with him the experience of tending to patients of all ages in all types of surgery and has practiced in 4 states. This will be Chris’ third year as a member of the FACES Surgical Team. He has been an integral member of the supply acquisition team. His leadership and organization have been immensely helpful in preparing for this upcoming campaign.

 

 

Dr. “T” Trinh is an anesthesiologist from Portland who is currently working in Tacoma, Washington. She did her anesthesiology training at OHSU and joined the 2014 FACES anesthesia team as a senior resident. She is thrilled to be able to join the 2018 team, and we are thrilled to see her again!

 

 

Dr. Knox has been an anesthesiologist for more than 20 years and currently works at Kaiser Permanente. Prior to life as an anesthesiologist, Dr. Knox was a physical therapist.  He is married to another Kaiser Permanente physician and together they have three teenagers.

 

 

Dr. Ramos is a Pediatric Anesthesiology fellow at OHSU. He joined the FACES Team in 2017 and was a bright spot with both team members and patients. In college, Justin lived for two months in Madrid as part of a study abroad program.  We are excited for his return to the FACES team this year.

 

 

Dr. Roque is a resident anesthesiologist at OHSU. He received his medical degree from University of Maryland School of Medicine. During his undergraduate education, he studied abroad in Segovia, Spain for 5 weeks where he stayed with a Spanish-speaking host family.  This will be his first time in Peru, and we are excited his introduction will be with FACES!

 

 

Dr. Peters is a senior anesthesiology resident and neuroscience researcher at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. He is passionate about health care both at home and abroad, and has previously participated in global trips providing medical services in Iquitos, Peru and Uttarakhand, India. He is married with two kitties and loves exploring the wilderness around Oregon.

 

 

 

Dr. Bickett-Hickock is the currently a medical student at OHSU. She is this year’s recipient of the Thompson International Fellowship: An annual scholarship through the Humanitarian Overseas Physician Education (H.O.P.E.) program providing opportunities for an OHSU medical student interested in Global Health to practice pediatric anesthesia abroad.

 

 

 

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Operating Room Nurses

 

Jesse Rader is a long time FACES team member. She is currently working in Beijing, China with the Dept of Health and Human Services at the US Embassy.  Jesse has a special kinship with Peru being that her mother is Peruvian and she has been traveling there since she was a baby. She enjoys working with the nursing team and will return as this year’s OR Nursing Team Lead. We are so grateful for her service and contributions!

 

 

 

Meghan McIntyre is a surgical technologist at OHSU and has spent a majority of her last year working alongside the facial plastics team.  This will be her first trip with FACES as well as her first time out of the country (ever!) She writes, “I am ecstatic for all of the learning opportunities and experiences that are ahead of me. I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity to help change lives!“

 

 

Kora Vanek is an operating room nurse with 15 years of experience as a surgical tech, originally trained in the military.  She is currently a team lead and a charge nurse at OHSU.  She is a wife and mother of four daughters, and her strong sense of community service extends to her family. Recently she took one of her daughters  to Mexico as part of a mission trip to build houses and assist with a vision clinic. This is her first medical mission with FACES.

 

 

Sarah has been in the OR since she was 19 years old. She has a broad skill set with the ability to scrub and circulate all types of surgical cases. Sarah is currently the Peri-operative Nurse Manager at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. This is Sarah’s first medical mission, and we feel honored that she is able to serve with the FACES Foundation this January.

 

 

James  has been an OR nurse for over 26 years, and is currently the general surgery charge nurse at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center. James has an broad knowledge of both scrub and circulating roles. This will be his first medical mission, and we feel lucky to have him join us!

 

 

 

Kayla Olvera is a native of San Antonio. She has been scrubbing since 2010, and of her time in pediatrics, she says,  “it has been, by far, the most rewarding and fun specialty in 8 years!” She has been on a handful of mission trips, but this will be her first medical mission trip and we are excited to have her as a member of the FACES team.

 

 

 

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Pre / Post-Op Nurses

Tammy Berks  has been a nurse with Kaiser for over 25 years working in pediatrics and day surgery. She has been involved with fundraising efforts for FACES and this will be her 10th mission trip with FACES! Tammy has formed ongoing friendships with both staff and patients in Peru, and we feel lucky to have her with us this year!

 

 

Beth Delaney is a third-year returning member of the FACES surgical team. She has been a surgical recovery nurse for 10 years and currently works at Kaiser Westside. She lives in NW Portland and, on her free time, enjoys yoga, hiking and cooking.

 

 

 

Morgan Luke is also a PACU (post-anesthesia-care-unit) nurse at Kaiser Permanente. Since 2008, she has practiced as an RN at Kaiser, where her skills have been cultivated and fine-tuned, and her kindness has touched the lives of many people. She stays involved with FACES year-round as a fundraiser and a friend-raiser. This will be Morgan’s third medical mission with the FACES Foundation.

 

Laura Rash is both an experienced nurse and an experienced traveler. She has lived in Germany, traveled to Mexico several times and served as a volunteer in Guatemala. Her nursing skills have been put to use in the ER, Endocrinology, Day Surgery, Pre-Op and PACU. Welcome back to FACES, Laura!

 

 

Valerie Gardner is a native of Portland, Oregon. She recently moved to Salt Lake City and currently works at Primary Children’s Hospital in the Float Pool, primarily our ICU and oncology unit. She writes, “I have always wanted to be involved in a medical mission group and am excited to go to Peru and start helping these amazing people!

 

 

 

Michelle’s nursing career has been focused on pediatrics for 10 years. Her skills and outlook have been shaped by her time at Emanuel Children’s Hospital/Randall Children’s Hospital for 6 years and at Kaiser ASC for the past 3 years focusing on family centered care.  She serves on the committee of the Pediatric Care Team – a Kaiser team of health professionals with the goal of improving safe, family-centered care for Oregon’s pediatric population.  This will be her first trip with the FACES Foundation, and we are thrilled to have her!

 

 

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Speech Therapists

Hannah Sanford-Keller, MS, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor and Speech-Language Pathologist at the Institute on Development and Disability at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. Hannah received her master’s degree from Portland State University and completed her clinical fellowship at the Oregon Health & Science University and the KidTalk Oregon Scottish Rite clinics. Hannah works in the Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Disorders Program at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center providing parent coaching, assessment, and intervention services to support the communication skills of children with craniofacial differences. She also provides community training and support for clinicians across the state working with children with cleft lip and palate.

 

Monica completed her undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University and is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Pacific University Oregon. Monica found a love in working with children and families affected by cleft lip and palate and hopes to continue her education to earn a doctoral degree focusing in craniofacial anomalies following her graduation this Spring. 

This will be Monica‘s second year serving with FACES. 

 

Dentists

Dr. Amaya-Pajares is originally from Lima – Peru. She obtained her dental degree in Peru and specialized in Periodontics.  Currently, she works at Oregon Health and Science University – School of Dentistry at the Department of Restorative Dentistry. She has volunteered for a number of different dental campaigns in Peru and the US, but this will be her first trip with FACES. We are so grateful to add her to our team!

 

 

Interpreters

Nathalie, a retired high school Spanish teacher, has loved using Spanish and traveling her whole life.  A lifelong Oregonian, she enjoys many outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, skiing, swimming and biking.  Nathalie joined the FACES team on the screening trip this past November, where she conducted video interviews with our patients and their families, to help us improve our services and outreach. We are excited that she is returning with us for our surgical campaign!

 

Linda is an RN, CRNI and has been a health care professional for over 30 years. She currently works for Providence Home Services as a home IV therapy nurse and serves on the board of the INS Lower Columbia Oregon Chapter. Linda brings a cultural sensitivity to the team as part of a multi cultural family that speaks Spanish. Although Linda has traveled to South America before, this will be her first medical mission.

 

 Photography

 

Kristopher’s educational background includes studies in business, communication, and cardiac sonography. He holds a bachelor of Echocardiography degree from Oregon Tech and is currently employed at the Portland VA Medical Center as an Echocardiographer. This will be his second year with FACES and we are grateful for his willingness to serve as our patient photographer.

 

 

Student Support

Nikita is currently a senior at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon, and this will be her first trip with the FACES team. She has been volunteering at OHSU for almost four years and hopes to pursue a career in the medical field. She writes, “I was a camp counselor at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp and worked with children with disabilities, during which I learned that I would love to be a pediatrician. I’m really excited to be a part of this trip and am looking forward to helping in any way I can!“