2023 Distinguished Alumni
Mary Anne Douglas, RN, MS, CNOR
Nurse Executive Director, Surgical Operations at Intermountain Health, Canyons Region
Mary Anne Douglas describes herself as the fixing type—she has an innate drive to jump in and start fixing and problem solving. This drive, and her skills, have propelled her long career from surgical technician to executive leadership. She is currently the executive nurse director for Surgical Operations at Intermountain Health.
At 19, as a new graduate from SLCC’s Surgical Technology program, fixing came in the form of helping people heal. She recalls how miraculous it was to see acute trauma patients heal over a series of surgeries. She witnessed frequent problem solving in the operating room, as surgeons quickly adapted to each patient’s condition.
One of nine children, Mary Anne grew up in a small town in New Mexico and came to Utah to pursue education. When she saw an advertisement for the SLCC’s Surgical Tech program, it was like a lightning-bolt moment—“I knew that’s what I was going to do,” she says. She transferred her credits from BYU and began the program at SLCC in 1979.
While at the college, she met instructor Bonita Robertson, who would become one the top mentors in her life. “She taught us so much more than just technical skills, she taught us life skills and shared stories that really stuck with me,” recalls Mary Anne.
Her career as a surgical technologist allowed her to gain experience and support herself until she eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing at Westminster College and later a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration at the University of Colorado, Denver.
“Healthcare is a demanding field. You need to go into it with the attitude of ‘What can I bring to it,’” says Mary Anne. “It isn’t for everyone, but for me it’s been magic.”
Jeremy Foster, LPTA, CI
Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant, North Sunflower Medical Center, Rulevillle, MS
Understanding human conditions and people’s vulnerabilities and adaptability is why Jeremy Foster loves his work. This perspective was first nurtured by Ken Freeman, one of Jeremy’s instructors in SLCC’s Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program.
“Ken insisted that in order to connect with patients, you needed to think about what it is like to be them and try to understand what it is they are facing,” says Jeremy, who graduated from the college in 1996 with a Physical Therapist Assistant associate’s degree. “So much of that has really stayed with me.”
Jeremy credits his success during his 26-year career to the mentorship he received from his exceptional SLCC instructors. He moved from Price, Utah, where he was working with a physical therapist, to Salt Lake to attend college. “I realized to advance, I had to earn a degree and the only place in Utah to offer a PTA degree was SLCC.”
Today, Jeremy is the Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Managements’ physical therapy assistant at large. He also served in this capacity for six years at the Academy of Acute Care, which is affiliated with the American Physical Therapy Association.
Jeremy has been recognized many times for his excellent work, including serving twice as the PTA Caucus Representative for the state of Mississippi. In addition, multiple organizations have named him as Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant of the Year.
“The return on my education has been phenomenal,” says Jeremy, who encourages new graduates, especially in healthcare, to find the passion within their profession. “The reward should be seeing someone being able to walk again or get back to their life—it should not be the paycheck.”