Uncategorized – Vivo Infusion Therapy

Team Member Spotlight – Britany Gibson

Meet Britany Gibson!

Britany is the Manager of our Patient Care Navigation Team and part of the Patient Services Department. Britany joined us the latter part of 2023 and has been on fire ever since! Britany’s team is unique in that they are 100% remote. Every one of them is working from home. That is not an obstacle for this team. They remain highly connected and engaged.

A person sitting on a bench

Description automatically generated

Britany’s last employer had her in a hybrid role where she spent some time in the office and some time working from home. Britany explains that the journey to fully remote has had quite a learning curve. She is focused first and foremost on communication. She admits, in the beginning, it was a little heavy on that focus – cameras on, weekly huddles and creating visual presence. She and the team are in a groove now.

Britany will tell you there have been some lessons learned. “Meet people where they are at. Each person has their own way of managing remote work. Don’t assume anything. You have to be prepared to source solutions on any barriers.” Britany has 20 years of in-home healthcare under her belt.

Britany will tell you she attended the school of hard knocks. She did not go to college. She explains she has been in the right place at the right time and that rings true when she reflects on getting into EMR when it was taking off. Britany has been a non-clinical trainer. She has taken her turn doing Human Resources and Payroll; and then found her way into Operations. Intake, orders management, customer service and people management are all roles she has managed. So to say that Britany understands the challenge of moving pieces is an understatement.

Her philosophy has been that she needs to be able to do everything that her team is doing. This helps her better understand the problems, the challenges, and the process. Her focus, “Learn the process and be a resource,” and her advice, “Know your craft.” Britany explains she is a process girl through and through. She will also tell you to stay informed, up-to-date, be able to handle adversity, and remain open to change. Whatever happens, keep moving forward.

Britany found inspiration from her dad. He was a contractor who had his own business throughout her childhood. He taught her that hard work and consistency matter. He also taught her the importance of having a goal.

Celestina Kubicki says of Britany, “I have been extremely excited to have Britany on the Patient Services management team. Britany brings a great deal of experience to my leadership team and has an approach that is committed to developing her team from a strategic perspective. Britany is thoughtful and intentional in her leadership style. She has been exhaustively learning all that she can for her role, her team’s role and how it all fits into the overall scope of Vivo. Britany has taken on an extremely vital role in the organization and takes each opportunity to learn even more about how to make things better for Vivo patients and referring offices. Britany brings the type of energy and elevation to the leadership team at Vivo that encompasses the overall success we all strive for! Britany strives to dissect each interaction as an opportunity to develop herself and those around her. Britany has proven to be an exceptional part of the Vivo culture and a positive addition to the leadership team.”

Some fun facts about Britany:

She discovered a love for fashion early on and even had a fashion column in her school newspaper named “Chic Chat”. She admits she may have been a bit harsh in her critiques.
She is a Native Floridian – 3^rd generation.
She is a proud “Boy Mom” to her sons Kyle, 13 & Tyler, 9.
She has a weakness for Taco Bell and will never pass on a Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
She is motivated by her team.

Britany recognizes the value of her team and the opportunity of working from home. Some discoveries she shares include use visuals and share the screen time to talk things through, address and set boundaries because these can really differ from person to person, establish clear expectations and enjoy the perks – no drive time (short commute), expansion of the talent pool when you are hiring, and savings on gas money. One of Britany’s remote job postings drew almost 1500 applicants! And very importantly, remote work recognizes the quality of life is important.

Thank you for being a great resource and leader for so many of our remote workers. You and your team are making a big difference for Vivo. Thank you for sharing your discoveries and for bringing novel solutions to all of us.

Team Member Spotlight – Rusty Oesch

Meet Rusty Oesch or “The Commish” as he is often called around the Colorado Office.

Rusty is part of our Accounting Team and works from the corporate office in Lakewood, Colorado. Rusty is the person who reaches out to you with gentle reminders if you have not yet coded your expenses in Divvy (now called, Bill). That is just one small part of his job. His nickname, The Commish, is one of many, but it speaks to the fact that he has been coordinating the Vivo Fantasy Football league and lends his creative energy to providing updates to the group of participants.

A person standing next to a large yellow rubber duck Description automatically generated

Rusty spent his childhood moving around because his dad was in the military. Some of that time in his early years was in Colorado, eventually he moved to Alaska, later made his way to Las Vegas where he started a career in accounting, and then ultimately landed back in Colorado. He spent time working with a marketing company before Vivo. He found his way to Vivo courtesy of a nudge from his wife, Lori, and an introduction from a recruiter. The recruiter told him about two different opportunities. Rusty was focused on finding an employer and a team that he could call home and the right fit was crucial. The rest is history.

Some of Rusty’s experience includes working for the major casino operators in Vegas. It was when he was with the Las Vegas Hilton that he had a manager who made him feel truly valued – Pat Tarsi – who has become Rusty’s mentor. The Las Vegas Hilton is also where he met his wife, Lori, who was also working in the accounting department. Pat encouraged Rusty to go back to college to finish his degree. Interestingly, Rusty never set out for a career in accounting. He found his way to it by a fluke. Rusty was pursuing a career in teaching, wanted to teach high schoolers, and was working evenings in a grocery. After experiencing an injury, he took the State of Alaska’s assessment test that identified his natural skill and career fit for accounting. Rusty professes that he hates math!

Many of Rusty’s friends in Alaska were skeptical about his decision to move to Vegas. They told him he wouldn’t be able to find a job. He proved them wrong. Rusty worked his way up into management roles and was responsible for five different slices of accounting at the casinos. He managed 18 direct reports and a very large team. Rusty says, “It’s easy to give maximum effort when you enjoy what you do and who you do it with.” Rusty gives maximum energy to his work endeavors, brings fun to the team in Colorado and has found his home with us.

Andrea Nale, our Sr. Accounting Manager, says, “Rusty’s exceptional talent, contagious sense of humor, and outstanding work ethic makes him an invaluable asset to our Vivo team. His ability to bring laughter to the workplace while delivering outstanding results truly sets him apart. I want to thank Rusty for being such a remarkable and enjoyable colleague.”

Some fun facts about Rusty include:

He is a huge Parrot Head. For those of you not familiar with the term, it means he is a BIG Jimmy Buffet fan.
Even though he spent his childhood in Denver, he is not a Broncos fan. Rusty is a die-hard Raiders fan.
Rusty creates weekly themes for fantasy football to drive engagement each week. These have ranged from the Vegas Casinos, to the Hunger Games Districts, to the Thanksgiving Day meal. “Everyone knows the stuffing is the star of the show!”

Rusty’s advice to others, “Enjoy what you do. If you view work as tasks, you’re not going to enjoy yourself. I am serious about what I do, but you have got to have some fun.” Rusty is proof of working hard, delivering the best quality, and having fun along the way.

Thank you for being Vivo’s Commish and for being such a standout for us. We are glad you found a home in Vivo.

Team Member Spotlight – Ed Meierkort

Meet “Coach”

Ed is part of our marketing team of Infusion Specialists. This means, like his peer group, he is blazing a trail in our markets, building relationships with existing and prospective referring offices. Ed has a real knack for building the Vivo brand in new markets and territories where we have not yet fully ventured but are ready to stake a claim. Ed dives in headfirst and gets to know the territory, gets to know the players, and gets to know the needs at a local level. Most of us have heard businesses and sports teams talk about having a “Secret Weapon” or hidden bench strength or even having a “Secret Sauce”. It is more than fair to say that Ed is all of those things to us. He is in essence our own “Secret Sauce”.

Ed did not start his career in healthcare. He landed here, but not by accident. Ed is a hustler – not the bad kind that will swindle you. Ed is the hard-working kind. He hustles! He works hard, commits his whole self to his goals and sets out to achieve and exceed his goals. He attributes this habit to his upbringing and his college experience; and his post-college experience. Ed transitioned from athlete to coach. Ed’s early career was marked by his 10+ years of coaching leadership as Head Coach with the University of South Dakota’s football team. This is where Ed truly became “Coach”.

During his time leading the team, he learned all he could. Coach was regularly speaking at various events, fundraising and leading a collegiate football team. His energy, enthusiasm, and hard work have opened many doors for him. By nature, Ed is intuitively curious about people. He seeks to know their passions, their interests, and what motivates them. He also takes time to meet them where they are and to learn along the way.

Ed grew up in Chicago and was the first in his family to attend college and found himself playing football and baseball for Dakota Wesleyan. It was there that he met the love of his life, best friend and partner, his wife, Terri. After over 10 years of coaching and living in South Dakota, Terri accepted a job with Orlando Health and that is part of the story behind their move to Celebration, Florida. At this time, their son was also trying to make it into Division 1 baseball. Ed leaned into his past experiences and started calling on primary care offices 10-plus years ago to help them navigate changes and to help them streamline facilities so they could make money on ancillaries. Once Medicare stopped paying on these, it was time to pivot. Advice that Ed’s dad gave him rings true, “(You) have to be able to adjust on the fly and think out of the box”.

The best advice that Ed has for others is, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Repetition works,” and he goes on to say, “Never be outworked. You will lose battles, but not because you were outworked. Control the controllable.” Ed will tell you that he is not a sugar coater. He believes you have to treat people with respect and always stay on the high side. Ed credits some of his success to luck, and some of it to timing. He attributes his decision to be part of the Vivo Team as fortunate timing, and a call from Chris Reef, leading him back to the team he loves and credits: Margot Sala, Kylee Bradburn, Gene Odom, and Kim Boyd – all part of what he refers to as the OG MPP Crew.

Margot Sala, Vivo’s SVP of National Sales and Marketing, says it perfectly, “Ed Meierkort is the epitome of the Vivo difference. He’s always there to lend a helping hand to referring offices, Pharma partners and his teammates alike. In fact, most people refer to him as just ‘Coach.’ Not only as an homage to his past career as a Division I College Football Head Coach but also as a reference to the support and guidance he offers the team on a daily basis. When he’s not sharing his knowledge and infusion experience, he’s keeping us all in stitches. All joking aside, Ed Meierkort has been an integral part of our Infusion Specialist team and seeding new markets as part of business development.”

Coach is inspired by his family and by sheer competition. He loves a challenge. And, we love him! Thank you for all that you do to bring our culture, our patients, our partners, our business, our teams, and our people to life! Thank you for being Vivo’s “Secret Sauce”!

Team Member Spotlight – Anita Anokye

Meet Anita Anokye!

Anita is a member of our New York team and is a legacy member Supply Chain Specialist. This group recently rebranded and is now Central Supply. Anita originally started her career path with the Cure Urgent Care team in 2018 as a Medical Assistant. She is a graduate of Stony Brook University. After working with the urgent care team and this group was sold, she was brought onto the Specialty Team in October of 2022. Anita has grown with this team and she now supports 18 sites.

Anita is no stranger to multi-tasking and tracking. She is extremely detail-oriented. Some may ask – How does she do that? Anita says she asks herself that every day. Early on, she found support and mentorship from Kayla Moore-Rusinski, Xhulia Agolli, and Dan Sweatman. She learned reporting and the priorities for each location. This was no small feat.

When Anita started her career path in healthcare, she was extremely nursing-focused and committed to her nursing prerequisites. Her start in Urgent Care in NYC coincided with the outbreak of COVID. Anita was seeing 200 plus patients every day for COVID testing. Saying it was fast-paced is an understatement. It was high-volume work with lots of learning on the job. It required her and others to adapt and to do it quickly.

Her parents wanted her to be a doctor. Since she describes herself as ‘not a big chemistry person’, becoming a doctor took a back seat. Anita honed her skills with an eye and interest in the business side of healthcare. She says, “I didn’t realize all the moving parts” and goes on to say about her experiences and reflecting on the height of COVID, “It made me more compassionate about things; it was very eye-opening with lots of moving parts”.

Anita is driven to learn as much as she can and to continue to grow within Vivo. She also has set her sights on Nursing School in the future and getting her RN. Anita’s advice to others is to “be patient, work hard, and don’t drain yourself. You never know who is watching you and the good things that may come from it.”

Area Clinic Manager, Kayla Rusinski, says, “Anita can be described as many wonderful things, but her dependability is one of her greatest attributes. She orders buy and bill medications for 18 locations and all the supplies for 14 locations.” Anita’s co-workers say she is kind, helpful, funny, and knowledgeable. Anita is counted on to train all new Medical Assistant hires and is the resident subject matter expert on all things lab-related. Kayla also says of Anita that she “ensures that our patients never miss their appointments due to procurement issues. Her dedication, attention to detail, and great communication skills are paramount to the contribution of great patient care.”

Some fun facts about Anita:

She loves to travel but hates airplanes.
She loves anything outdoors – the beach, hiking, the park, parties – if it is outside, she is there!
Anita is first generation, and her entire family comes from Ghana.
She lives in Queens, works in the city, and cares for her mother on Staten Island.

Outside of work, Anita enjoys drawing, writing poetry, listening to music from the ‘60s through the ‘80s, taking walks, and going to events with friends. She tries to commit an hour each day as a time for herself to rebalance and clear her mind. She does describe herself with a smile in her voice as a bit of a party girl and an old soul. Anita works hard – and, as her dad told her years ago, that hard work will get noticed; if you “work hard, they will see it.”

We see you, Anita. We are so grateful for all you do – for your commitment and abundant energy, and for taking the time to get the details right.

Team Member Spotlight – Brooke Murdock

A passion for helping others and a knack for life sciences is at the core of this Vivo Team Member: a nurse in the making.

Meet Brooke Murdock! Brooke is an experienced Medical Assistant contributor on our Ohio team. Her love for science and her passion for making a difference in healthcare help her provide the best care to our Vivo patients. She is currently working full-time while pursuing her associate degree in nursing. Brooke has her eye on the future, which includes one day owning and operating a med spa and hydration clinic.

When you talk to Brooke, it is immediately apparent how driven she is and that she has a fresh perspective on creating balance while challenging herself. She grew up in Ohio and comes from a strong family background. She has learned that she is resilient, can stretch far and doesn’t shy away from challenges. Brooke left Ohio after high school to live in the Sunshine State, where she could experience something new and different. There, she attended Florida A&M. Ultimately, Brooke returned to Ohio, where she graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

“I love my ID Consultants people. We were small, everyone is close, and we built a family,” says Brooke. Brooke credits the amazing nurses surrounding her for her ability to learn and grow professionally. She adds that having this job while being in school has been a plus. It compliments her work, and she says, “The nursing team here has deep bench strength and experience. They have tons of tenure. I love them!”

Brooke will tell you that nothing worth having comes easy. She acknowledges that while she hasn’t experienced significant life setbacks, she has learned to roll with the punches and take things as they come. Her advice to other professionals exploring this career path is, “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, get in there and get the experience because there is a lot to choose from. Go with your heart, and you’ll figure out what is meant for you. If you don’t like a specialty, you can change it.”

When you meet Brooke, it is clear she is on a journey, and she is enjoying the ride, soaking up all the experience she can from those around her and not wasting a minute. She reminds us that we all have the same 24 hours in a day and one life. Make the most of your time, and don’t take any blessings for granted.

A fun fact about Brooke is that growing up, she wanted to be Beyonce’s backup dancer. She is a trained dancer and loves creating choreography. When she was 15 years old, she was part of a choreography dance group, and as a member of this group, she danced at festivals and got bookings for shows. Brooke put her dance career on hold when she left for college. Dancing is still something she is passionate about.

Clinic Manager Jessica Caylor says of Brooke, “She has been pivotal in assisting Kristy, myself and Central Ordering in getting all Dayton meds to their correct location on the correct days. Brooke has been managing all check-in, packing and shipping from Beachwood to Dayton over the last several months. She has one year left until she graduates with her RN, and she is a difference maker for us”.

Team Member Spotlight – Mandy Wu

Meet Mandy Wu! Mandy is one of our Infusion Nurses who works primarily at our North Haven, Connecticut location, but she pitches in with frequency at both the Wilton and Farmington Clinics when needed. She comes to us from our CIVIC team. Mandy grew up in China in the Sichuan Province, the part of China that hosts Panda Bears. She moved to the United States with her husband about 19 years ago. They initially settled in North Carolina as her husband was attending a Ph.D. program at Duke University.

One of Mandy’s aunts was a significant influence on her decision to go into the nursing profession. She had been an operating room nurse at one of the biggest hospitals in China. She taught Mandy the ropes, and after graduating, Mandy did her internship at the same hospital. Because Mandy is committed to improving the patient’s health and lifestyle, she continued her career in nursing in the US after taking a 7-year break as a stay-at-home Mom with her boys, who are now 10- and 12-years-old. Mandy started working in a rehab center, caring for twenty beds a day. Her family moved to Connecticut after her husband found a position there. She joined CIVIC in January 2020 as the second nurse they hired. Before CIVIC, she honed her skills by providing nursing in rheumatology and oncology.To this day, Mandy is inspired by her aunt and her sister. She describes them as humble and hard-working. She aspires to be like them. Mandy’s advice for others entering the healthcare profession is to explore different fields and opportunities. She says it is important to take the time to understand the various roles and specialties and to align your strengths with what you are passionate about. Mandy also says, “Take the time to get the education and experience so that when the opportunity comes, you are prepared to catch it.”Outside of work, Mandy enjoys hiking with her family and dancing with friends during the Chinese New Year. She currently plays taxi driver for her children. Once they are on to their next phase, she will consider pursuing her master’s degree in nursing, but she is plenty busy for now. Mandy loves her work, loves her patients, and her passion shows. She ensures that patients’ physical needs are met and recognizes her role in supporting their emotional needs. Mandy’s second family is her CIVIC team. She says she instantly loved her job and the team because everyone works as a team. They are very efficient, caring, and capable.

Regional Director Debby Rowland says, “I have had the pleasure of working with Mandy for over three years. She is the epitome of nursing excellence, is the consummate team player, and has unwavering kindness to her patients and coworkers. Mandy leads by example, and by her actions, she shows everyone around her that compassion is the most potent medicine. We are so thankful for Mandy… every day!”

Team Member Spotlight – Stacy Franklin

Our last several spotlight features have centered around our talented Clinical Staff. This spotlight is the first time we are featuring a Team Member who sits outside of the clinic, but whose work has a tremendous positive impact on our patients and their experience with Vivo Infusion.

Meet Stacy Franklin!

Stacy is a Patient Resource Specialist II, working from her home in Texas, supporting teams across multiple clinics.

Stacy has always had a passion for helping others. She is a caregiver by nature and is looked to for support from family and friends. Stacy says, “I knew after high school that I wanted to get into healthcare. I wanted to be the one for my family who could answer questions.” She originally started out in Oncology. She discovered that she wanted to be able to spend more meaningful time with patients and wanted to make a real connection. Stacy recognized quickly that some people “just need someone to talk to, even if it’s just frustration” they are facing. She has been a key resource in finding patients financial solutions and resources.

When Stacy came to Vivo she realized she was able to be more open with patients and take the time necessary to better serve them, making a real connection, and helping them find the support they need. Stacy says, “It’s a good feeling to know you helped somebody else.” She goes on to say that patients can feel like they don’t have, or are out of, options. That is when Stacy and the PROs team shine. They find solutions and financial alternatives, and they help patients get on track with treatment.

Dawn James, Stacy’s manager, recognizes the value she brings to the Patient Services Department (formerly known as the Revenue Operations Team). Dawn says, “Stacy is passionate about patients as well as the PRO Team, and this shows in her work daily. Stacy goes above and beyond to assist our patients, and our team with education and training. Stacy is dedicated.”

Stacy is inspired by her family and through helping others. Before she graduated as a Medical Assistant, she started work in family practice working with autistic children. She loves kids!

Focusing on family has kept her going and made it possible for her to juggle kids, school, and work. Stacy has had her share of unforeseen challenges. In 2006, her dog woke her up to flames over her bed. Waking up in a burning house was a very scary moment in her life. It also helped open her eyes to what was really important in life – helping others.

2019 was a big year for Stacy. She got married and she became an ordained minister. Her advice to others is to find your passion. Find your passion and “keep going…don’t let things stand in your way.”

Some other interesting things to know about Stacy:

Stacy is expecting her second child, a little girl, in early to mid-November.
She is a Native Texan and has over 100 cousins.
Her grandmother is her biggest influence and motivator in her life – she passed 2 years ago. Her grandmother’s words to her echo still, “You got this. Things will fall into place”.
Stacy spends time outside of work volunteering, helping the homeless, and serving her community.
Teaches historical dance to youth around the DFW area and performed in the Fort Worth Parade on Juneteenth.
Unwinds with game night and karaoke.

According to the department’s Director, Celestina Kubicki, Stacy has been a valuable asset to Patient Services since day one (starting in 2018). Celestina says of Stacy, “(she) is dedicated to her team and the overall success of the department. Her dedication is on full display each and every day in her interactions with the team and the patients we serve…She is greatly appreciated for the training and education that she provides.”

Thank you, Stacy, for all that you do to help our patients in their journey; in easing their fears, bringing them solutions, and for lending an ear when they need it most.

Team Member Spotlight – Jasmine Glover

This week we are shining our spotlight on Jasmine Glover!

Jasmine is a Clinical Service Specialist in New Jersey at our Cherry Hill location. Jasmine joined our team earlier this year and since then, she has been going non-stop!

To say that Jasmine wears a lot of hats would be an understatement. When she started, we were still doing lots of work transitioning the iCPA team into Vivo. Change was the name of the game. There was turnover, systems changes, and lots of moving parts. Jasmine is a great example of how so many of our CSS team members just jump in, roll up their sleeves, and get things done. She was able to work through tech issues early on and after getting her feet underneath her, has proven to be a solid performer that others reach out to for assistance and support. She went from just trying to stay afloat at the beginning as the only CSS, to now being one of six CSS team members in the area. She has seen the team grow and innovate, saying, “I’ve seen lots of improvement since I started…everything they said they would do and work on, has been done; they (the team) have delivered.”

Daneen Kressley, Clinic Manager and Jasmine’s immediate supervisor says, “Jasmine has consistently exceeded expectations and her attitude towards her job is admirable. She is a person who always goes the extra mile for her coworkers and clinic patients. She is a wonderful representative of Vivo and good customer service is essential to retention and our positive word-of-mouth advertising; Jasmine has all the qualities that we should model for this role. She has shown excellent initiative when problem-solving, always coming to the table with innovative solutions, and strives to embody the Vivo core values and the culture of niceness among her peers. She has been a lead and mentor to her fellow team members and has worked with leadership to tailor our Clinical Service Specialist training across Pennsylvania and New Jersey to individually meet the needs of each person who onboards with us. She always gives credit where credit is due and has grown with Vivo in her short tenure to prove that she is a rising star!”

Jasmine has her Master’s in Public Health from Rutgers School of Public Health. She shifted her educational focus after starting with Vivo because she likes the clinical aspect that nursing brings, and this exposure has opened her eyes to pursuing a Ph.D. in either Public Health or to pursuing an MSN program. Before coming to Vivo, Jasmine did case investigations for COVID-19 at Cooper Hospital. It was extremely busy, and it gave her exposure to being on phone calls with patients. She did this for 3 ½ years and she was handling about 400 calls a day. Jasmine has grown so much in a short time with Vivo and she continues to look to the horizon for new challenges. She is assisting Dr. Robert Singh with clinical trials for MS patients, on top of her commitment to continued education.

Jasmine acknowledges the work can be challenging, and highly rewarding. Jasmine keeps a fresh perspective and follows a philosophy that puts the patient first. She says, “A smile does change someone’s day. At every avenue, be kind,” and she approaches her work with the mentality and question, “What can we do to make it better for them (the patient)?”

Her advice to Vivo’s new team members is, “Don’t lose sight of why you’re here. Patient Care. Keep that at the forefront of your mind”. She asks us all to remember that the people we are treating are living with long-term life-impacting conditions. She says we can enjoy our jobs more by focusing on why we are here.

A few things about Jasmine that you won’t see on her resume:

She has a vast imagination and enjoys creating poetry and writing.
Her mother was a strong influence on her, even as a very young girl.
She is an optimist and uses visualization in her storytelling and creative approaches.
She is the youngest of 6 and lost her mother at a young age.
Because she lost her mother to cancer, an early career interest was oncology.

Jasmine says, “I feel privileged to have the team that I have.” The feeling is mutual. She attributes her success and drive to the team that surrounds her. A big shoutout to the NJ/PA CSS Team: Ashley Hunter, Nina Kaur, Erin Cofield, Denkera Chestnut, and Lynn Bannon; as well as a shoutout to the region’s very talented nursing team. Jasmine also credits the resilient and impressive leadership of Daneen Kressley and Debby Rowland. We are so grateful to you for all that you do.

Team Member Spotlight – Jerry Zuniga

This guy jumps out of airplanes!

It’s true. Well, he used to when he was on active duty in the Army. Meet Jerry Zuniga, one of our nurses who is part of our Valhalla, New York and Wilton, Connecticut infusion teams. Jerry is our latest Team Member Spotlight!

For 7 years Jerry served with the US Army as part of the 160^th Special Ops Aviation Regiment (SOAR); also known as the “Night Stalkers”. Jerry was a dedicated member of an elite team and has had numerous jumps – despite being terrified of heights. He was a parachute rigger, testing out and packing the chutes. Jerry served two deployments, both to Iraq.

Jerry is still elite in our books. Jerry takes pride in his nursing skills and special talents to manage the difficult sticks. Tracey Velo, Clinic Manager, and Jerry’s immediate supervisor says, “Jerry has been such a valuable contributor to our team. He shows up every day with a smile on his face, ready to seize the day! He has taken on the role of a mentor and resource for his peers. He works diligently to grow his knowledge as an infusion nurse and is always eager to take on new challenges and opportunities.”

Tracey goes on to say, “His positive mindset is contagious and helps create a work environment that is productive and enjoyable. Anytime we are faced with a challenge, he works to find the perfect solution. Most importantly, Jerry is patient-focused and loved by our patients. Even in the hustle and bustle of a busy day, Jerry always puts our patients’ needs first. He prioritizes building a trusting relationship with them and serving as a resource as they navigate their chronic illness.”

Jerry says that everything came around for him when he was in the service. This is when his career path became clear to him. He would ask himself, “What do I really want to do?” and his aspirations always came back to nursing. During his last 2 years in the military, he attended night school and pursued nursing. He got his degree at Pace University in Psychology and then attended an accelerated nursing program through Phillips School of Nursing Mount Sinai, graduating in 2019. He continued to hone his skills at White Plains Hospital. Before nursing school, he worked on the floor with patients in an ICU step-down unit, handling their care and gaining experience. COVID was spiking when he started at Hudson Valley Hospital in June of 2020. Jerry credits his hospital work experience as helping him increase his skills with IVs. He knew he wanted to be on the infusion team and made sure he positioned himself with every opportunity to learn and enhance this skill set. Ultimately, the team at CIVIC discovered him and recruited him, starting him out as Per Diem and ultimately making him full-time in 2021. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Jerry is very appreciative of the opportunity that the CIVIC team presented to him and “the chance they took on me as a new nurse”. His advice to other early career professionals is, “If there is something you don’t know, learn it. Rise to the challenge, and be open to something new.” Jerry’s motivation comes from his drive to be the best version of himself and to help patients with his skillset.

Some other interesting things to know about Jerry:

He was exposed to healthcare at an early age; at the age of 9, his younger brother, who was 6, suddenly passed away. Jerry’s younger brother was intellectually disabled, and Jerry looked after him.
Jerry loves science fiction and is a big fan of Dune (the book and the movie).
Jerry is also a big fan of author Anne Rice and is reading her Vampire series and Mayfair Witches series.
95% of the time, he can get the hard stick on the first try!
He has met and shook hands with President Obama.

Thank you, Jerry, for being so committed to our patients and to your team. You inspire us to keep learning, to keep growing, and to stay focused on what is meaningful.

Team Member Spotlight – Terranny Mclean

Meet Terranny Mclean!

Terranny is a Clinical Service Specialist who joined our team earlier this year. She was recently recognized by one of our Infusion Specialists, Gene Odom, who describes her as a “shining light” for him and for the patients. Terranny has had a positive impact on both the patients in the Dallas Clinic and the team there.
Gene shared that one of the patients in Dallas describes Terranny as the “young lady at the front desk who is just so sparkling”. The story goes a bit deeper. In Gene’s role, he is in constant contact with our referring providers and our partners in the community. He has a doctor’s office that from time to time has been known to be a bit challenging. The Office Manager there shared with Gene that they were reluctant to make referrals because we had removed a particular drug from our formulary. But just a couple of weeks ago, this Office Manager pulled Gene aside to tell the story of her mother who is a patient at our Dallas Clinic, and about Terranny, who has made all the difference in her experience. In fact, she describes Terranny as having a smile that warms her mother’s heart and calms her fears. She attends treatments with her mom and has seen Terranny’s stellar customer service skills in action.

Terranny grew up in Tennessee and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University. Her bachelor’s degree is in Political Science with a Pre-Law concentration. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She began her career in the legal profession as a legal assistant. After years of time in this arena, she decided it was time for a change and a new challenge. Terranny packed up her belongings and moved to Texas. She left the legal profession and moved into healthcare and found her new home with Vivo. Infusion was totally new to her.

Terranny prioritizes her day by always putting the patient first. After this, she completes the many other tasks she has as a CSS. She is passionate about working with people and points to her great teammates, Malia and Mary. Terranny acknowledges the work can be demanding. She shares that many times, patients come in and they are upset because they really don’t want to be there, but you can’t take that personally. Terranny reflects that if she were in the same position, she would probably feel that way too. She thinks it is important to make people feel comfortable and cared for; she is quick to lighten things up with a joke and to smile and laugh with others.

Her advice is to be patient with people. She says, “Don’t take things personally. Patients have a million other things going on. You never really know what’s going on with them.” Terranny acknowledges she is pretty introverted and usually stays to herself. But at work, she shines, and you would never know she is introverted at heart. Her positive impact on patients and caring touch is why we are shining a spotlight on her. Thank you Terranny and Dallas Team for all that you do!