Fall 2019 Volunteers
Heather Maureen Weinreich
Heather M. Weinreich is a MD, MPH and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery/Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery at the University of Illinois - Chicago College of Medicine in Chicago, IL.
She has worked with the residents in the Department of Otolaryngology as well as with the otology fellowship program started by Dr. Miriam Redleaf of the University of Illinois - Chicago. Her work includes carrying on her curriculum goals for the fellows as well as precepting residents/fellows in clinic and teaching in the operating room and classroom.
She enjoys teaching and as an academic otolaryngologist, She believes that we should share knowledge and teach the next generation of surgeons in an effort to create a competent and sustainable workforce of otolaryngologists in Ethiopia.
Rebekah Levin
Rebekah is the Director of Evaluation and Learning at the McCormick Foundation in Chicago. When she is not doing evaluation, she is involved in human rights political activism, working in her garden, or hosting folk music concerts.
Rebekah will continue working with the medical staff at St. Pauls, examining their AV Fistula project to learn what is working, what is not, and how to improve their procedures. She is also working to create a robust internship program at the clinic, with students from Addis Ababa’s Social Work School.
She believes in the power of evaluation, when done well, to inform and improve our work.She has the pleasure of working with the dedicated staff at the clinic to make evaluation an integral part of their operations.
Stephanie Contag
Stephanie is an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon practicing at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis. She is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Stephanie is part of a team of RHO surgeons who travel to Addis to teach the Otolaryngology residents at Black Lion Hospital, Yekatit Hospital, and St. Paul's Hospital. They perform surgical cases with the residents, give lectures, and run a temporal bone dissection course. Their goal is to help teach and train young Ethiopian surgeons who will continue to work within their communities.
Stephanie believes in the importance of training and mentoring young, talented surgeons who can build sustainable surgical practices within their native communities.
Joel Stanek
Joel is a current resident physician in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota.
Jeol will be working alongside the otolaryngology residents at St. Paul's in clinic, surgery, and didactic sessions.
As a (hopeful) future academician, Joel strongly believes in collaboration and education. He look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from our colleagues at St. Paul's Hospital.
Freddie
Freddie is an Operating Room Technologist at Swedish Medical Center. Freddie has been a part of the Seattle Anesthesiologist Operation team (SAO) travelling to Ethiopia since 2010. She continues to enjoy her work at Swedish and the work with the team.
Freddie will be helping with the facilitation of surgery to support the Resolute Health Outreach Medical Team.
Freddie enjoys helping with the facilitation of surgery in Addis. This has been a wonderful experience for her contributing to this very successful mission.
Jill Sommerset
Jill is a registered vascular technologist with 20 years of experience.
Jill chose to volunteer in Ethiopia to deliver direct patient care with compassion and dedication to patients with renal failure. She hopes to change lives by helping the surgeon plan for surgery so they can eventually have dialysis.
This is Jill’s second trip to Ethiopia and she adores the people, love the culture, and enjoy her time in Addis Ababa. RHO is an extraordinary team and She is proud to be part of it.
Leni Karr
Leni Karr teaches diagnostic ultrasound at Bellevue College in Washington State. She also consults for various businesses and clinical research projects. When not working, Leni enjoys traveling, cooking and outdoor adventure. She can often be found running a local mountain trail.
Leni will both teach and perform diagnostic ultrasound exams to evaluate blood flow in patients’ existing dialysis access grafts and measure and “map” patients’ veins, which helps the vascular surgeons in planning the AVF placement.
Leni is passionate about empowerment through education and the value of vascular ultrasound. She is excited and honored to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated team and for such wonderful, kind and gracious patients.