MedStar Institute for Quality & Safety Scholarship Recipients
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Roushanara Ali-Khan, BSN
Assistant Director of Nursing in Capacity Management and Nursing Resources, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
Roushanara works at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center as an Assistant Director of Nursing in Capacity Management and Nursing Resources. As Assistant Director, she is a representative of leadership during the off shifts. She only work night shifts, so her team gets the first phone call if anyone has a question/concern about anything. She also works with the Float Pool team’s onboarding, scheduling, and education to make sure they are in sync with the rest of the hospital. Additionally, she manages the Nursing Supervisors and Bed Board Coordinators. They are responsible for completing house-wide staffing per shift and bedding patients between units (for example, assigning patients beds from ED to the appropriate MedSurg unit based on their diagnosis).
As a leader on night shift, she is responsible to report and address safety concerns using policies and guidelines in real time. In doing so, her thoughts surround ways the department can improve the quality of care to our patient and staff community and how they can create a safer nursing culture that encourages more critical thinking and that ensures compliance.
Roushanara has a BA in English Language Arts from Hunter College and a BS in Nursing from Holy Family University.
Selena Briggs, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS
Vice Chair of Otolaryngology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center & Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Georgetown University
Selena E. Briggs, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, is an attending otologist, neurotologist, and skull base surgeon holding board certification in both Otolaryngology and Neurotology. Dr. Briggs is the Vice Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She has also served the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Committee, and co-chair of the task force that developed the quality measures for age-related hearing loss on behalf of the AAO-HNS for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She currently serves as the chair of the MedStar Washington Hospital Center Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Committee and as a safety officer for the Department of Otolaryngology.
Hilary Hancock, BSN
Nursing Director of the Wound Ostomy Continence, MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Hilary Hancock is currently the Director of Wound Ostomy Continence at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC). After completing a second degree accelerated BSN program at Georgetown University, Hilary began her nursing career at MWHC on 2EIMC, an intermediate care Neurosurgical and Neurosciences unit in 2012. She became a member of the Wound Ostomy Continence team in 2019 while completing her wound ostomy certification through Emory University. During her time as a Wound Ostomy nurse, she started understanding the bigger picture for improving quality and patient safety while developing a passion for leadership and innovation.
Maria Stidham, PT, DPT, MBE
Senior Physical Therapist, and lead Therapy Clinical Informaticist, MedStar National Rehabilitation Network
Maria Stidham PT, DPT, MBE received her BS from James Madison University in Mathematics and Biology in 2003, a Masters in Biomedical Engineering from The Catholic University of America in 2005, and a DPT from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2008. Dr. Stidham is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurological Physical Therapy from the APTA and is certified in dry needling. Dr. Stidham has treated patients in both acute care and acute rehabilitation settings, working with patients with neurological disorders and cardiac-related pathologies since 2008. She played an integral role in the implementation of High Intensity Gait Training and restructuring of the LVAD training and education program at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington DC where she is currently a Senior II Physical Therapist and Lead Clinical Informaticist.
2023 Scholarship Recipients
Margot Giannetti McCloskey, EM-CQSL, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator III, MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital
Margot Giannetti McCloskey is a Clinical Research Coordinator III with the MedStar Health Research Institute and works in the Neuroscience Research Center at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (MNRH). She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Chicago. Margot began working at MNRH in 2004 as a research assistant recruiting children with cerebral palsy for motor learning and arm therapy studies. She coordinates clinical trials that recruit patients with stroke and spinal cord injuries. These studies range from therapy and exercise-based interventions to drug and device trials. The projects receive private, commercial, and federal funding. She volunteers as a non-affiliated member of the Animal Care and Use Committee in the Clinical Center at the NIH. Margot graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2024.
Germeia McKoy, EM-CQSL, BA
Ambulatory Practice Manager, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/MedStar Medical Group
Germeia has been working for MedStar Health since 2008. She started as a medical assistant and transitioned into various administrative roles over the years, such as registration, surgical scheduling, and billing. She received her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration in 2017 and landed her first leadership role as an Ambulatory Practice Manager at Georgetown University Hospital’s department of Vascular Surgery. In her role as a practice manager, she manages both clinical and administrative team members, lead revenue cycle, and oversees the regional vein program at various sites across the DC area. Upon completing this program, Germeia hopes to improve quality and safety within her department and progress into a high-level leadership role. Germeia graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2024.
Chelsea Midtvedt, EM-CQSL, BSN
Assistant Nursing Director of NICU, MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Chelsea Midtvedt is the Assistant Nursing Director of NICU, MedStar Washington Hospital Center. In 2017 she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Penn State University and started as a new graduate nurse resident in the NICU at Washington Hospital Center. She frequents the role of resource nurse on her unit and has been a participant in hospital committees and successful process improvement projects. Chelsea enjoys her role in the NICU and hopes to have a positive influence on enhancing the quality and safety within the department. Her goal is to progress into a leadership role upon completion of the program. Outside of being a her career, Chelsea enjoys time with friends and family, summers in Maine, and Penn State Football. Chelsea graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2024.
Meggin Sabatino, DNP, FNP-BC
Chief APC, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Meggin has been working with MedStar Gastroenterology since February 2020, starting as a Gastroenterology NP and Nurse Coordinator, supervising the MGUH RN triage team. In addition to these responsibilities, she is now the Chief APC for the MedStar Gastroenterology service line. In this new role, her focus has been on operating procedures of all sites, assisting with schedule templates, billing standards, review scope of practice, and creation of standardization across our service line. In addition, she has initiated several GI APC committees, including a sub-committee under the GI Clinical Practice Council, with the goal of GI APC standardization for clinical protocols, quality, safety, and reporting.
Meggin earned her BSN from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, MSN from Mount Saint Mary’s College in New York, and DNP from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
Kimberly Benson, PT, DPT, NCS, EM-CQSL
Quality Improvement Team Lead, Suburban Hospital
Dr. Kimberly Benson is the Quality Improvement Team Lead at Suburban Hospital since October 2023. Previously, she was with MedStar Health since 2019, first as the Inpatient Rehabilitation Clinical Lead at Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital, and then as the Clinical Coordinator for the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital. Dr. Benson holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy and is a Board -Certified Neurological Clinical Specialist.
Prior to embarking on her career in quality improvement, Kimberly completed a Post-doctoral Polytrauma and Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Fellowship at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Benson has worked in a variety of settings, to include a large university hospital, several military hospitals, an acute rehabilitation hospital and outpatient facilities. Dr. Benson is passionate about using data to drive quality patient outcomes. Kimberly graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2023.
Caleshia Myles, EM-CQSL, BS
Director of Patient Access, Central Scheduling and Verification, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Caleshia Myles was promoted to Director of Patient Access, Central Scheduling and Verification at MedStar Health in 2023. Her previous position was administrator for the Medstar Transplant Institute. Caleshia has worked with Medstar for 17 years. Early in her career, she worked part-time at Washington Hospital Center while earning her bachelor’s degree in Health Information Technology from the Catholic University of America. Shortly thereafter, she transferred to Georgetown University Hospital and served as the Billing Expeditor. In that role, she has used her coding and billing certifications to improve charge lag and optimize correct reimbursement. She later joined MGTI as a Billing Analyst and was quickly promoted to the MGTI Management Team. Currently, Caleshia manages the Medstar Transplant Institute, the Hepatopancreaticobiliary Surgery Center of Liver and Pancreas Surgery at Washington Hospital Center, and other MGTI locations. She consistently demonstrates strong leadership and problem-solving skills, and has used her calm, steady and level-headed demeanor to create a culture of teamwork. Using her positive energy, she has established cross-departmental processes that foster collaborative, authentic and supportive team environments. She is intelligent and insightful, her commitment to serve our patients and her ongoing support for our associates serve as motivation for her work with Medstar. In 2023 she was invited to sit on the board of the Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement. Caleshia graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2023.
Yahia Tagouri, MD, EM-CQSL
Pathologist, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital & MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
Dr. Yahia Tagouri has been a pathologist with MedStar health since 1998. Since 1996, he has been board certified in anatomical clinical pathology and a fellow and inspector at the College of American Pathology. He is the medical director of both laboratories at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center. Dr. Tagouri is the lead inspector for national and international laboratories. Yahia graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2023.
Megan Walling, MS, PA-C, EM-CQSL
Director of Provider Recruiting, MedStar Health Urgent Care | Patient Safety Lead, MedStar Ambulatory Services
Megan Walling, MS, PA-C has worked for Medstar Health Urgent Care since 2017 as a provider and since 2018 in a leadership position, first as a Lead Advanced Practice Provider, and now as the Director of Recruiting for all 33 urgent care locations. In 2024, she was promoted to Patient Safety Lead for MedStar Ambulatory Services. Megan attended Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, obtaining a dual Bachelor of Science in Health Professions and Public and Non-Profit Administration and continuing on to receive her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies in 2011. She has been practicing as a physician assistant for 10 years, starting in inpatient gastroenterology before transitioning to urgent care for the past 7 years. Megan graduated from Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Clinical Quality, Safety, and Leadership program in Spring 2023.