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Anesthesiology department announces new divisions

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Tara Brakke, M.D.
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Ellen Roberts, M.D.
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Daniel Johnson, M.D.
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Matthew Petta

To better focus its resources and ability to support the clinical enterprise, the acute care program and the cardiovascular program, the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology has formed two new divisions within the department, Chairman Steven Lisco, M.D., announced.

The Division of Cardiac Anesthesiology will be led by Tara Brakke, M.D., and the Division of Anesthesiology Critical Care will be led by Daniel Johnson, M.D., Dr. Lisco said.

Dr. Brakke has been a member of the department since 2004. She is an associate professor of anesthesiology and is a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography. She completed both her medical degree and her anesthesiology residency at UNMC. Currently, Dr. Brakke is also the program director of the adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship Program.

Dr. Johnson has been a member of the department since 2013. He is an assistant professor of anesthesiology. He completed his medical degree at the University of Michigan, followed by a residency in anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. He also completed a fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital following his residency training. Presently, Dr. Johnson is the associate medical director of the cardiovascular ICU as well as the program director of the Anesthesiology Critical Care Fellowship Program.

Additionally, Ellen Roberts, M.D., will assume the position of vice-chair of clinical operations, responsible for overseeing operations at all department sites of service. Dr. Roberts is currently the department's service chief at The Nebraska Medical Center.

Dr. Roberts has been a member of the department since 2003. She completed medical school and her anesthesiology residency also at UNMC. In her new position, she will be responsible for coordinating all anesthesia care delivered by the department across the enterprise.

Finally, Matthew Petta will take on the role of associate director of nurse anesthesia, working with Tim Glidden, the current director of nurse anesthesia.

Petta originally joined the department in 2010 and returned in 2012 following a stint at the Bellevue Medical Center. He completed a master's degree and his nurse anesthesia training at Bryan LGH in Lincoln in 2004.