Staff Member of the Month: August 2020

Valerie Vaught

Supervisor, Diagnostic Imaging and Support Services

Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Valerie Vaught is one of the best supervisors I have ever worked with. I work with her daily in radiology, but she also supervises anesthesia and Central Sterile Supply staff. She is fair, but consistent, and follows the rules.

I rely on her completely for day-to-day operations in radiology, and she is always my go-to person for questions. She takes care (without complaint) of research into new equipment and PACS issues, and deals with service and vendors beautifully.

On top of her supervisory duties, she is an incredible radiology tech who works all areas of imaging.

She makes my job easy. She has had a difficult spring trying to manage duties with the Animal Cancer Care and Research Center and supervisory duties at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital during COVID-19 challenges. On top of all of her other duties, she has to fill in regularly in radiology, performing procedures and techniques because of a severe radiology tech shortage. She has come in after hours and, at one point, was here from midnight to 4 a.m. doing fluoroscopy for a cardiac patient. She puts herself on-call to help out with the staff shortage, but still comes in the next morning, no matter how long she was up the night before. Her job is incredibly stressful, but she still manages to get it all done.

Again, she makes my job easy, and I depend on Valerie for getting us through the day successfully. I nominate her without reservation and with enthusiasm!