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Julie Hales

Julie Hales, MSN, RN, CCRC

Research Associate

I have been a Registered Nurse since 2004, working directly in clinical research since 2008. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and a Master’s Degree in Nursing Informatics. I am a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. I have worked with the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Utah since November 2014 - coordinating and managing sponsor-initiated clinical trials and physician-initiated research projects, both quantitative and qualitative.

I am actively involved in the local clinical research community and have served as the President-Elect, President, Past-President, and Secretary of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.

I have expertise in conducting qualitative research within the vascular surgery specialty. In 2015-2016, I personally conducted 47 face-to-face interviews, then worked with a team to perform coding and thematic content analysis using ATLAS.ti software. Our team produced 2 manuscripts: 1) Information exchange between providers during transitions of surgical care: communication, documentation, and sometimes both, published by Studies in Health Technology and Informatics (2017); and, 2) Discordance in information exchange between providers during care transitions for surgical patients, published by the Journal of Vascular Surgery (2019).

I happily serve as the University of Utah Database Administrator for the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI). We have earned the ‘3 Star Award’ (highest possible) annually since 2017 from the Society of Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization.

Julie.Hales@hsc.utah.edu

801-587-1450

Cassidy Chester

Cassidy Chester, BS

Clinical Research Coordinator

I grew up in Park City, UT and went to college in Montana and South Dakota, where I played softball while working towards my degree. I transferred to the University of Utah in 2016 and graduated in 2019 with my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. After I graduated, I received my EMT certification and was able to begin working as a Medical Assistant. I worked as a medical assistant for two and half years in the Vascular Surgery Department before becoming the Research Coordinator in 2023. I am working towards furthering my education and getting my Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

cassidy.chester@hsc.utah.edu

801.585.3663

Isabella Feinauer

Isabella Feinauer, BS

Clinical Research Coordinator

After growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, I decided to pursue my college education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. I graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology as well as a Bachelors of Science in Economics in May of 2023. 

My passion for research and academic enrichment drove me to serve as a Research Assistant and Lab Support in the Baylor Biology Department for three years, where I actively contributed to the educational experience of over 4,000 students per semester. Additionally, my role as a Learning Assistant Mentor allowed me to invest in mentoring students in an attempt to increase accessibility in STEM classrooms and drive student success.

While in college, I also took strides to further my medical knowledge by receiving my medical scribe certification. These certifications reflect my commitment to professional development and healthcare support, demonstrating proficiency in medical documentation and communication. I am excited to serve as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Department of Vascular Surgery as I expand my research experience to the clinical sector. I hope to continue my education, in the future, by pursing a degree in medicine. 

Isabella.Feinauer@hsc.utah.edu

801-582-6643