Advance Practice Providers in Surgery
Message from the Director of Advanced Practice
Welcome to the Advanced Practice page for U Health’s Department of Surgery. The Department of Surgery includes 8 clinical Divisions and our physician assistants and nurse practitioners are integral members of the academic surgical enterprise and are a highly trained and skilled workforce providing patient care for Utahans and patients across the Mountain West.
APCs practice in our team-based care models in diverse surgical specialties and are actively engaged in the Department’s missions of clinical excellence, education, innovation, and discovery.
As Director of Advanced Practice, I am proud to stand among this accomplished group of Advanced Practice Clinicians at U Health. Thank you for your interest in our Advanced Practice team.
Rebecca Kohler, PA-C, MPAS
Physician Assistant, Transplant Surgery
Director of Advance Practice, Department of Surgery
Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs for the Division of Physician Assistant Education and Sciences.
APC LEADERSHIP TEAM
APC Events
APC EXCELLENCE AWARDS
2026 APC Excellence Awards Coming October 27!
Each year, these awards honor Advanced Practice Clinicians who go above and beyond to elevate patient care, education, research, and leadership across our surgical teams. Explore the winners below!
Celebrating 2025 APC Awardees
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 APC EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
We’re proud to recognize four outstanding Advanced Practice Clinicians whose dedication, compassion, and leadership embody excellence across our surgical teams.
- Carl Barney, PA-C , Excellence in Administration
Carl, of the Burn Center, stands out for his commitment to quality improvement and patient-centered innovation. He led the development of new mobility and splinting protocols and serves as an ABLS instructor. Colleagues admire his initiative and empathy, while families describe him as “kind, knowledgeable, and always thinking ahead for his patients.” - Marissa Weeks, PA-C, Excellence in Education
Marissa, of the Acute Care Surgery team, is recognized for her exceptional leadership in education and student coordination. She oversees APC and NP student experiences, ensuring high-quality training and mentorship, earning her a Preceptor Award from the U’s PA Program. Patients highlight her compassion and clarity, noting she “takes time to answer every question and truly cares.” - McKenzie Alban, PA-C, Excellence in Clinical Practice
McKenzie, of Plastic Surgery, is celebrated for her outstanding patient care, professionalism, and passion for learning. She’s known for her gentle approach, surgical skill, and commitment to teaching others advanced techniques. Patients describe her as “hands down the best provider at the University of Utah,” and colleagues praise her leadership on the Plastic Surgery Hand team. - Lisa Chapman, PA-C, Excellence in Investigation
Lisa, of Urology, is honored for her contributions to clinical research and innovation. She has co-authored multiple studies, including published work in Case Reports in Urology, and is advancing surgical practice through DaVinci single-port training. Patients praise her for her skill and compassion, calling her “an excellent listener and technically outstanding.”
Celebrating 2024 APC Awardees
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2024 APC EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
We’re proud to recognize four outstanding Advanced Practice Clinicians whose dedication, compassion, and leadership embody excellence across our surgical teams.
- Evan Thomas, PA-C, Excellence in Clinical Practice
Evan has been with University of Urology for seven years. For the past two years he has been teaching the Urology section as a guest lecturer for Weber State University’s PA program. “Evan excels in clinical practice and patient care. He is recognized as a competent provider who regularly seeks feedback and mentorship to provide outstanding patient care” - Terrence Schwartz, PA-C, Excellence in Education
Terrance has been with University of Utah Health since 2015 as the lead in transplant surgery and most recently as the lead APC in cardiothoracic surgery. “Terrence is constantly striving for excellence and strives to be both the APC leader of our team and the educator for our new hire grads all while learning about CT himself.” - West Hunsaker, PA-C, Excellence in Administration
West is the co-lead APC in the Division of General Surgery, Burn Trauma Unit. He has been on the burn team at University of Utah Health for four years. He works in inpatient, outpatient, and is involved in the burn survivorship/reintegration programs. “West has been an invaluable asset to the burn team over the past four years. Recently he led improvements for the triage of teleburn Medpic consults and polytrauma patients. His communication style is clear and always complete.”
Celebrating 2023 APC Awardees
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 APC EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
We’re proud to recognize four outstanding Advanced Practice Clinicians whose dedication, compassion, and leadership embody excellence across our surgical teams.
- Jennifer Meszaros, PA-C (Plastic Surgery), Clinical Practice
- Jennifer Leseman, PA-C (General Surgery – UTES), Education
- Kathleen Ewanowski, PA-C (General Surgery – Burn), Administration
Celebrating 2022 APC Awardees
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2022 APC EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
We’re proud to recognize four outstanding Advanced Practice Clinicians whose dedication, compassion, and leadership embody excellence across our surgical teams.
- Ben Carrick, PA-C (Surgical Oncology), Clinical Practice
- Erica Farr, PA-C (Urology), Education
- Anna Dalton, APRN (Cardiothoracic Surgery), Administration
APC Higlights
From the burn unit to the barn. Crystal Webb, PA-C, found her calling in burn care after helping treat her brother’s injuries at the U of U Burn Center in 2007. Beyond the Coat, she is raising baby goats, chickens, rabbits, dogs, and a mini Highland cow named Apple.
“I’m honored to be in this role and look forward to promoting recognition of the excellent work APCs engage in across the department,” Kohler said. “I want to ensure our APCs feel supported and have opportunities for growth.”