We pass each other in the hall, we exchange emails, we chat in the break room, but how well do we really know our colleagues? Five randomly selected members of our department discuss their homes, their jobs, and their hobbies. Want to be featured? Let us know!
Advanced Practice Provider — Maryam Aminzadeh, CAA
Maryam Aminzadeh, CAA, has been with UF Health for 14 years, starting as a clerk and later being accepted into the Anesthesiologist Assistant program. She loves working with her “Shands family” and having the opportunity to “be goofy and make kids laugh.” In addition to her regular duties as a CAA, she has taken on the role of coordinating new student, CRNA, and CAA orientations. She moved from her home country of Iran in 2000 and has lived in Ocala since 2007. She enjoys the slow pace of a small town and the short drive to Walt Disney World, where she got married. Her main hobby is going to Disney, although she also enjoys yoga, catching up with friends, and spending time with her husband and her cat. These days, she spends most of her free time preparing for the arrival of their first child, who is due in June.
Fellow — Juan Mora, MD
Juan Mora, MD, was born and raised in Colombia, completing medical school in Bogota. He completed his anesthesiology residency before coming to UF for his chronic pain fellowship and has lived in Gainesville for the past 10 months. He appreciates the short commutes and the Florida weather as well as the multitude of options for outdoor activities. His favorite activities include mountain biking, salsa dancing, scuba diving, and soccer. He also enjoys cooking and spending time with his wife and friends. His interest in chronic pain medicine comes from a desire to positively impact the lives of people suffering from debilitating pain. In his fellowship training, he performs assessments and interventions intended to reduce pain and improve the quality of life of his patients. He loves seeing his patients regain the ability to perform the activities they enjoy.
Faculty — Terrie Vasilopoulos, PhD
Terrie Vasilopoulos, PhD, originally from Pittsburgh, PA, is an Assistant Professor in Anesthesiology and Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, as well as a member of the Department of Anesthesiology’s STAR Core, where she provides biostatistical support for research and teaches statistical concepts to clinicians. She enjoys statistical consulting because of the unique challenges each study presents. A Gainesville resident for the past 4 years, she is involved in several local activities and organizations: She and her husband host weekly trivia, she brews beer at home and has brewed at a local brewery, she volunteers at the Medieval Faire through the local homebrew club, and she organizes the Hogtown Craft Beer festival, which last year donated over $30,000 to charity. She is an avid Pittsburgh sports fan (“Go Pens! Go Steelers! Go Pirates!”), but she appreciates Gainesville for its size — “not too big, not too small” — and its variety of activities. In her free time, she loves being outdoors and spending time with her husband and their two dogs.
Resident — Julie Holroyd, MD
Julie Holroyd, MD, has lived in Gainesville since she began her undergraduate degree 8 years ago. Although she misses her family and hometown of Big Pine Key, FL, she loves Gainesville for all it has to offer: the trees, the campus, the trails and creeks, the change of seasons. She spends a lot of time outdoors and can often be found running, exploring trails and unfamiliar parts of town, and working in her yard. On a day off, she also likes to read, experiment with new recipes, and spend time with her cats. Her hobbies include chalk painting and air-grafting plants. Having just completed her first year as an Anesthesiology resident, she looks forward to starting her anesthesia paired period at the VA. She appreciates the hands-on nature of anesthesiology as well as the opportunity to optimize and control conditions in the operating room. She said working in this field has taught her a lot “about life in general and the power of kindness.”
Administrative Staff — Joyce Myers, MBA
Joyce Myers, MBA, is not only the Assistant Director in the department of Anesthesiology — she is also a music lover, a motorcycle enthusiast, a reader, and a dancer. At work, she is responsible for directing the academic administration of the department and managing a team of administrative staff who support more than 80 faculty across the department’s education, research, and clinical missions. Her expertise in faculty promotion and tenure, research administration, and university reporting systems is necessary to the department’s success. “I have a passion for quality of life and serving others,” she said. “I care about the people in our organization and like being a small part of responding to their ideas or needs.” In her free time, Joyce enjoys taking road trips to new places, riding Harley motorcycles, taking trips to the beach, and spending time with her husband.