2024 Staff Retreat Recap
August 6, 2024
Stanford Surgery Staff adventured north to San Francisco last week for their annual retreat. Almost 60 staff members from all six Divisions, Centers, and Ops spent the day enjoying everything Pier 39 had to offer.
The morning began with a presentation by Mike Duffy, CEO of Happiness Wealth Management, followed by the game “Who Done It.”
“I chose the game because I felt that it would allow everyone to learn more about each other in a different way. I also thought it would be fun,” said Anatomical Gift Program Coordinator and Embalmer Arica Gaitan.
During the game, each staff member wrote down an interesting fact no one knew about them on a note card. The group then took turns reading the facts and trying to match them to their colleagues.
“The game provided a valuable opportunity for networking, especially for remote employees like me as I feel the need to make extra efforts to connect with colleagues,” said Faculty Affairs Coordinator Felicia Laje. “My group's outgoing nature and the additional game we played contributed to the enjoyment.”
Kim Mai, an academic programs coordinator in the Division of Clinical Anatomy, says she anonymously proposed a dinner cruise on the bay in last year’s retreat survey. Although a dinner cruise was beyond the committee’s budget, they were able to providers staffers with a 1-hour tour of the bay including the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and Alcatraz.
“The Social Committee felt that the aquarium, boat ride, and free time around the Pier would offer diverse experiences, ensuring everyone found something enjoyable during the day,” said Mai.
Just as in previous years, the Social Committee sent a survey to all staff (whether they attended or not!) to get feedback and plan for next year.
Related News
– Surgery2023 Staff Retreat
On Thursday, July 25th all Stanford Surgery staff were invited to participate in the first department retreat. The retreat was held at California’s Great America Amusement Park in Santa Clara and planned by a group of volunteers.
– SurgeryTraining Day: Staff Strengthen and Acquire Skills at PD Retreat
Stanford Surgery Staff attended a professional development retreat on Monday, June 3.
– SurgeryTeam Reduces Reimbursement Rejections by A Third
A team comprised of Linda Thomas, Co-Lead Carmen LoCascio as well as Robin Cohen, Amos Lam, Kevin Lee, Ana Mezynski, and Jackie Stahl participated in SHC's RITE (Realizing Improvement through Team Empowerment) Program and successfully reduced reimbursement rejections from 25 to 17%.
Media Contact
Bio
About Stanford Surgery
The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:
• pioneering cutting-edge research,
• developing the next generation of leaders, and
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion.
To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu
The Latest
– SurgeryExploring the Intersection of Surgery and Cancer Research with Dr. Dan Delitto
Dr. Dan Delitto is an assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University specializes in surgical oncology and holds a PhD in immunology. On this episode, Dr. Delitto reflects on his decision to pursue an MD-PhD pathway during residency and discusses the recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing technology that his lab has acquired. He explains the complex role of fibroblasts in cancer development, particularly in pancreatic ductal carcinoma, highlighting how these cells can both promote and hinder tumor growth.
– CAP ProfilesDr. Clifford Sheckter Promoted to Associate Professor
Clifford Sheckter, MD, MS, FACS has been promoted to Associate Professor effective March 1, 2026. Dr. Sheckter works in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
– Abdominal TransplantationINSIDE ASTS 2026: Stanford Abdominal Transplantation Surgery Recap
The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) Winter Symposium was held January 22–25, 2026 at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix, Arizona. The symposium brings together leading experts from across the field to share emerging research, discuss innovations in transplant care, and highlight key developments shaping the future of transplantation. There were several contributions from Stanford.
– SurgeryStanford Multidisciplinary Quality Rounds Transforms Patient Care Through Collaboration
Stanford MDQ is a quarterly event at Stanford Hospital that gathers more than 400 participants from various departments to review surgical cases using deidentified Black Box footage. This initiative, now in its third year as of September, aims to highlight broader themes in patient care quality and safety and focuses on process improvements rather than individual performance.
– SurgeryStanford Surgery Wins a 2026 AAMC GIA Award for Excellence
Stanford University’s Department of Surgery received national recognition for their work from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Institutional Advancement (GIA). "Cubes" won a Silver Award for Excellence in the Shoestring category.