On New Roles
Time to share some big news about Arianna – a month ago, she accepted a new role as acting Director of Education. This is fast-growing part of the Hospital, with 5 main areas of work:
1. Kijabe College of Health Sciences (undergraduate nursing and clinical officer, and higher diploma courses in Emergency & Critical Care and Nurse Anesthesia).
2. Graduate medical education with the Surgical and Obs/Gyn and Family Medicine residency programs.
3. Short Courses and Simulation Center – classes and certifications for clinicians from other hospitals/clinics like Advanced Life Support.
4. Research – a newer department that has tremendous potential and needs strategic direction.
5. Online learning – a new endeavor for the hospital, so this will be largely built from scratch.
Arianna has already worked in the first four areas – she was part of creating and is faculty for Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care Clinical Officers and Pediatric and Emergency Critical Care Fellowship (for doctors), teaches regularly in the simulation center, and has been part of the Internal Review Board that oversees Kijabe research projects in addition to overseeing several research studies. So even though stepping into leadership is like drinking from a fire hose, she does have a good understanding of what is happening and good relationships with the folks who will report directly to her.
One reason I’m excited about this new role is because we will get to work together. Several projects were already underway, but now we get to do them together. The college is working toward university accreditation and is in the process of master planning for a new campus. She’ll guide the strategic part of the planning, and I’ll hopefully find the money to bring this big vision to life!
I’m also excited because this brings Arianna into the same world as her siblings – Alli & Chip & Ashley are in education leadership – I hope they can be a resource for what Arianna is doing, and at the very least it will bring some common joy and struggles!
The sad part of the story is the reason why Arianna is stepping into the role right now. Our friend and colleague Pete Halestrap, who has been in the role for 4 years, was diagnosed with a tumor on his brain stem and had to leave suddenly for the UK to seek treatment. Pete & Libby were one of only two remaining missionary families who have been in Kijabe longer than us, so now we become veterans even though we don’t necessarily feel like veterans!
Please keep Arianna in your prayers as she hands over old responsibilities and continues to come up to speed with new work. She’ll continue half-time in pediatrics, so it will be a lot to care for her people in various parts of the hospital.
