Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Here to Serve - A United Regional Podcast

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Emmanuel “Manny” Carrillo, Patient Care Services and full-time Midwestern State University nursing student, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• His journey from a 0-8 start in amateur boxing to becoming a seven-time USA national amateur champion, two-time junior gold medalist, the nation’s top-ranked amateur boxer, and now a professional boxer
• The discipline, determination, and hard work required to succeed in sports, a career, and life
• His passion for helping others and the path that led him to pursue a career in nursing
• His commitment to making a positive difference for patients and fellow staff members each day in his current role

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Charity Gilmore, Director of Primary Care Services for URPG, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Charity’s journey to the medical profession, including her path to nursing and how her son’s long-term health needs influenced her perspective and empowered her as an advocate for her family
• The role of primary care as the hub of overall health, even for healthy individuals, and the positive impact of URPG’s primary care physicians
• Efforts to reduce new patient wait times for primary care from 18 months in 2025 to about 50 days currently, including recruitment, streamlined workflows, and expanded use of advanced practice providers
• URPG’s reach across the region, serving communities beyond Wichita Falls and supporting patients who drive long distances for access to care

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Dr. Alan Coleman, Trauma/Acute Care Surgery Medical Director, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Dr. Coleman’s many roles — including acute care/trauma surgeon, trauma medical director, wound care medical director, and medical director for the Burkburnett Fire Department
• The people and experiences that shaped his journey — from the impact of his mother on his work ethic and outlook, to the support of his wife, Karen, whom he describes as “the most wonderful person,” and what first drew him to surgery
• The rewards and challenges that come with his work, including the impact of patient outcomes
• The importance of United Regional offering a Level II Trauma Center to serve our community

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with international keynote speaker and author (and recent presenter at a United Regional leadership event!), Galen Emanuele, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Galen’s background in improv and how it shaped his ability to connect with others
• Applying the five skills of improv, including practicing “yes, and,” being receptive to ideas, listening with presence, making others look good, embracing change and failure, and staying positive
• Defining culture through how people show up, treat one another, and approach their work together — without dismissing the realities of stress

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with “Kristi” Mahan, Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Kristi’s fulfillment as an SLP and how she helps patients of all ages improve their quality of life — especially by learning or re-learning how to communicate and swallow
• Her career journey from college until now, including how she loves serving as a member on the Rewards & Recognition Committee and the Brand Ambassador Program
• The quality of rehabilitation services at United Regional and how they allow patients to stay local for services
• Kristi’s advice to new staff: You will never know it all — don’t be afraid to ask questions, seek out a mentor, and share new ideas

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Carol Stiltner, House Supervisor, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• The nurse who showed up for her in a moment of fear — and that nurse’s act of compassion that still fuels Carol’s passion decades later
• Why she says she’s never been anywhere quite like United Regional — plus the communication mindset she lives by: listen fully and stay present
• What it means to carry the responsibility of a house supervisor — and why Carol says she’s here to serve
• What she hopes every new nurse learns early, shaped by her work with first-year nursing students at MSU

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Andrea Anderle, Director of Clinical Education, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Andrea’s career journey to her current role, including United Regional’s support of her graduate education
• How creativity can spark new opportunities
• United Regional’s Graduate Nurse Residency Program for ADN and BSN graduates transitioning from student to confident professional in their first year of nursing, and the Nursing Apprentice Program — which was the first nursing apprenticeship in the state of Texas  —  which gives students in their final year of nursing school hands-on experience and additional benefits
• Shared Governance and how it empowers staff to have a voice in decisions that shape their practice, work environment, and daily work

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Beverly Ballard, Housekeeper, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Why everyone at United Regional feels like family to her
• Her fight with colon cancer — twice — and her steadfast belief that God is good, even in the midst of diagnosis
• Her three guiding pieces of advice: have faith in God, work hard, and enjoy life
• What it’s like to receive care as a patient at United Regional

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with some of the Cath Lab team members Larry Dwyer, Cath Lab Coordinator; Chris Clark, Cardiology Nurse; Keith Anderle, Cardiology Nurse; and Zachary McGuire, Cardiology Tech, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• The life‑saving care delivered every day in the Cath Lab, treating each patient like a member of the team’s own family, and the professional fulfillment that comes with a job well done
• The strong culture within the Cath Lab that supports staff retention, values shared experience and knowledge, and embraces the belief that “all of us is smarter than any one of us”
• Proud and lighthearted moments in the Cath Lab that bring comfort, reassurance, and smiles to patients during some of life’s most challenging experiences
• Patient testimonials highlighting life‑saving cardiac care received at United Regional through advanced technology, allowing patients to stay close to home

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Tim Thomas and Keith Gates, Athletic Trainers, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Responsibilities of athletic trainers, including pre‑ and post‑operative rehabilitation, and clearing up common misconceptions about the athletic training profession
• The districts and schools United Regional serves, the services provided within those partnerships, and a day‑in‑the‑life experience for an athletic trainer
• The passion and commitment that keep both athletic trainers dedicated to the field
• The power of teamwork in delivering exceptional support to athletes within our community

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Dr. Brett May, general surgeon and Chief Medical Information Officer at United Regional, for a meaningful conversation exploring:
 

• Dr. May's skill set as a surgeon and compassionate provider, and how his family’s own medical journey strengthened his appreciation for empathy in care
• Communicating clearly with patients and partnering with them as they navigate important decisions about their care
• How Electronic Health Records enhance the patient experience
• His excitement about advancements in medical technology, including the role of artificial intelligence in supporting more face‑to‑face time with patients and improving patient‑facing tools
• United Regional’s use of Epic’s dataset, Cosmos, and how it connects our organization with health systems across the world to help design more personalized care for each patient, including those facing rare diagnoses
  

Learn more about Dr. May on the United Regional website.

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Shelley Moser, Senior Director of Quality and Safety, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Her career path at United Regional, beginning as a respiratory care student and growing into her role leading process improvement efforts that support staff members and patients
• What drives her passion for helping United Regional continually improve
• Her role in the Patient Family Advisory Council and how patient and family feedback is shaping meaningful change throughout our organization
• Opportunities for improvement for our Spanish-speaking patients and families to better understand their care and ensure their needs are fully met

For more information about United Regional check out our website, unitedregional.org

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Emily Payne, Director of Community Health, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Emily’s powerful health journey that began with a sudden seizure, ultimately leading to brain surgery and a long, humbling recovery process
• How her experience reshaped her understanding of identity, strength, and purpose
• The deepening of her relationship with God during her most challenging moments and how that continues to guide her perspective, gratitude, and priorities today
• The meaningful work she leads, alongside her team, in Community Health, helping thousands of people — including individuals experiencing homelessness — navigate complex health journeys and connect with essential resources

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Cory Edmondson, President & CEO, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Reflecting on 11 months at United Regional and in Wichita Falls — what Cory has learned and what’s next for our organization
• Addressing misconceptions about cost and quality of care, and why United Regional is a destination for world-class care
• Casting a bold vision for the future and sharing our new Vision and Mission that will guide us forward
• A personal story about family, leadership, and the inspiration behind Cory’s commitment to serve

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Nomi Ariel, Director of Clinical Integration and Adoption, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• Making documenting tools efficient so clinicians can maximize their time with patients
• Leading SPARK!, an innovative team working to solve problems through creative thinking and building a culture where staff feel comfortable innovating
• Why discomfort is essential for growth
• Implementing ambient listening technology in primary care — how patient consent, recorded conversations, and AI-generated summaries streamline provider documentation
• Looking at AI as a creative partner, not a replacement for critical thinking

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Sal DiGennaro, Director of Compliance, for a meaningful conversation exploring:

• In Sal's opinion, why integrity is the first — and foundational — value in our organization
• How integrity builds trust across United Regional
• Why compassion, without integrity, becomes enablement
• The danger of cutting corners on small things and expecting clarity in big moments

Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, sits down with Johnny Roberts, Vice President of Physician Practice Services and leader of United Regional Physician Group, for a conversation exploring:

• Authentic leadership — owning mistakes and staying tender toward people
• Building strong teams as the engine behind URPG’s rapid growth and culture
• Why great care starts with community-rooted leaders personally invested in local healthcare

Johnny explains the significant growth ahead, with approximately 38 new URPG providers joining over the next 12 months and offers insight into physician recruiting at United Regional.

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Heather Simpson, Wellness Coordinator, for a powerful conversation exploring:

• Tenacity in the face of life’s challenges
• The value of celebrating progress over perfection
• How to set achievable goals
• Ways to cut through the “noise” surrounding wellness

Join Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, as he sits down with Dr. Praveen Reddy, oncologist/hematologist with URPG, for a powerful conversation exploring:

• Honest and compassionate communication with patients
• The hope that exists beyond a difficult diagnosis
• Common myths about cancer and recommendations for preventative care

In our first episode, host Ryan Graves, Director of Patient Experience, sits down with Kristi Faulkner, Vice President of Organizational Development, to explore what makes United Regional a place where staff are proud to work, physicians choose to practice, and patients come to receive care.

Kristi shares insights into our Brand Ambassador Program and emphasizes the importance of telling our story to the community.

(Stick around until the end so you can witness just how little Gen Z vernacular Ryan actually knows.)