Price Transparency
Get to Know Our Staff: Marida Williams, Psychology

Get to Know Our Staff: Marida Williams, Psychology

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Psychology, Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a mental health navigator for the Psychology department. I assess patients’ mental health risk through consultations and interventions to provide families with resources for their children.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I get to meet new patients and help them in their care journeys toward achieving mental health stability.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
I have made connections with the staff and physicians, which helps ensure that all patients receive quality care.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I have a passion for helping others, so it feels like health care naturally chose me.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
Whenever a patient has mental health needs, I am the first person who connects with their family. Because of this, I get to set the tone for the level of care they will receive at Scottish Rite from the rest of the staff.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. We create memories together that will last a lifetime.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I can sing.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I am originally from Detroit, Michigan. The hotter weather and new experiences brought me to the DFW area.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would choose to go to Ghana. I would love to experience the culture there and take my kiddos with me.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I choose salmon. I know how to prepare it a thousand different ways, and I would never get tired of eating it.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
I think people should watch “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2” because those movies explain mental health in a great way.

What was the first concert you attended?
I saw Allen Stone in Chicago, Illinois in 2013.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
The Peach Cobbler Factory in Richardson.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Coco Jones

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
You should enjoy life to the fullest and make every moment count!

Get to Know Our Staff: Ila Oxendine, Research

Get to Know Our Staff: Ila Oxendine, Research

by | Apr 16, 2025 | Research & Innovation, Spotlight, Uncategorized

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a cell and tissue core coordinator, and I maintain the operations of cell culture facilities at the hospital. I also work with research labs that perform various experiments and procedures. Currently, the Cellular Path Lab is enthusiastically engaging in the world of histology procedures.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
In research, learning is a never-ending process that is always engaging to me.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
To me, Scottish Rite is a special place because of the unwavering support from my colleagues. Their kindness, thoughtfulness and camaraderie has always been a source of strength to me over the past 15 years. Together, we have navigated the joys and challenges of life. I could not have reached this point or achieved this much without their support and love. I am profoundly grateful to have such caring souls by my side.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I chose health care to have the opportunity to help people. In my case, I get to do that one experiment at a time.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I care for cells that grow in little dishes. These cells will be used in future experiments to answer questions and potentially lead to more questions about the cell’s life.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I have many favorite things! I love my two fur babies, which is my dog named AnnaRose and my cat named Panda. I am very thankful for them. Also, I enjoy volunteering at Dallas Animal Services and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity.

Do you have any hidden talents?
Some people may disagree, but my talent is making people laugh in my own way.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was already in the DFW area, because I am indigenous to the land. I am full-blooded Native American. My mother is from the Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma, and my father is from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
First off, I need to do my travel! On my bucket list, I want to visit the Galapagos Islands, because it’s a unique place with plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would eat plain oatmeal with quinoa, hempseeds, flax meal, walnuts, pecans and a dollop of no palm oil peanut butter. I would also include fresh fruit with a strong coffee made from Kona beans. Then, I would finish my meal with a pound cake that I bake.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“John Wick” because you should never mess with someone’s dog.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
Cedar Ridge Preserve. I love all trails.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Meryl Streep. She has a very expressive face, and she is very talented.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
There are two questions that you should ask yourself that have served me well. Is it worth the fight? If so, can you win? To me, my answer will be yes and yes!

Get to Know Our Staff: Julie Rogers, Family Services

Get to Know Our Staff: Julie Rogers, Family Services

by | Apr 9, 2025 | Spotlight

What is your job title?
Social work manager

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I help the most vulnerable populations get access to services and resources that will help their families.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
The willingness of all staff members to help our patient families 

What made you choose a career in health care?
I wasn’t necessarily looking for a career in health care. I was more drawn to working somewhere I could make a difference in the lives of children and their families.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
Social workers serve as the connection between Scottish Rite patients and families and all providers or services involved in their care, whether those are within Scottish Rite or part of an outside organization.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy relaxing and spending time with my son and the rest of my family. I also love to read.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I think I’m pretty good at impressions.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised in a Dallas suburb.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would travel to Italy. I’ve heard the food is amazing.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Probably something with peanut butter

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“My Best Friend’s Wedding”

What was the first concert you attended?
NSYNC

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
Whistle Britches, because they have the best chicken and waffles in DFW.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I’ve been told by others that I look like Zoe Saldaña. I think she would do me justice.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Keep hope alive.

Get to Know Our Staff: Justin Williams, Sterile Processing

Get to Know Our Staff: Justin Williams, Sterile Processing

by | Apr 2, 2025 | Spotlight

What is your job title/role at Scottish Rite?
I am a sterile processing lead technician and instrument specialist. I ensure all surgical instruments are readily available and properly organized for procedures. I also support the Surgery team by maintaining, inspecting and troubleshooting instrument trays before and after surgery.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The most fulfilling part about my job is that I’m part of a team that is on the front line to ensure patients have a clean and successful surgery.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
Scottish Rite is a special place because the staff genuinely cares for the families. When facing the concern of their child having surgery, the staff works hard to ensure that surgery is one less thing they must worry about in their lives.

What made you choose a career in health care?
Honestly, I feel like health care chose me. When I first started at Scottish Rite, I worked in Environmental Services. I decided to challenge myself and transfer to my current department, beginning this new chapter in life.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
A unique part of my job is that I am involved in multiple stages of the surgery process. Before surgery, I see the implants and instruments that need to be organized and sterilized. During surgery, I’m called to the operating room to help with any issues with the instruments or power equipment. After surgery, I am a part of the cleaning process.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy having skate days with my son and my two girls, as well as relaxing at home with my Frenchie, Shady.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I build custom roller skates.

Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I’m originally from Dallas, raised in the Pleasant Grove and South Dallas area.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would visit the Fiji islands. It is a beautiful place to see, especially in pictures, and I’ve always wanted to experience it in person.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I would pick lasagna and fries, which are two of my all-time favorites. They never get old!

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Life,” featuring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.

What was the first concert you attended?
The Funk Fest tour.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
K-Pop Ramen.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Marlon Wayans.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Don’t take on too much too early. Just travel, and don’t rush life.

Get to Know Our Staff: Kelly Jeans, Movement Science

Get to Know Our Staff: Kelly Jeans, Movement Science

by | Mar 26, 2025 | Research & Innovation, Spotlight

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the Division Director of the Movement Science Lab (MSL) in Dallas. I also am a researcher with an interest in understanding treatment outcomes in the patients we treat here at Scottish Rite.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The key to successful research is having a strong team of collaborators with technical and clinical expertise. The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing our research efforts directly impact clinical care.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
The staff is what makes Scottish Rite a special place. The people here are friendly and genuinely happy to help.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I was looking for a research job in biomechanics and found Scottish Rite’s job posting for Clinical Gait Lab Biomechanist. When I came to interview, I got to sit in on the lab’s monthly research meeting. That’s when I knew this was a perfect fit. What makes my career even better is that I get to work with kids and do research!

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I get to study movement patterns using 3D motion capture, which I think is super cool!

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Gardening (but not weeding), growing plumerias, travelling and sewing.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am the “fixer” of all things in my house. Whenever I tell my family something is beyond repair, they get deeply disappointed.

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from college in Southern California. I moved to Dallas to join the MSL team.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I love to travel and have a long bucket list. If I had to pick just one trip, I would really love to make it to Australia and New Zealand. I want to dive into the great barrier reef and do the “Lord of the Rings” tour in New Zealand.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Only one meal for the rest of my life?!  If I had to choose, I would have to go with fresh seafood, pasta, a salad and a Diet Dr. Pepper.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Elf.” Will Ferrell still cracks me up after all these years.

What was the first concert you attended?
I want to say Whitney Houston or George Michael, but I can’t remember who came first.

Favorite DFW hidden gem?
I would recommend Gloria’s for their swirl margarita and pupusas.

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I would pick Drew Barrymore. She seems to be a positive person who might appreciate a good garden.

What is some advice you would give your younger self OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best advice I received was to get on the board of a professional society. It has really been wonderful working with other health care providers who share a passion for treating children.

Texas Country Reporter: The Artistic Prosthetist Dwight Putnam

Texas Country Reporter: The Artistic Prosthetist Dwight Putnam

by | Mar 25, 2025 | Press Coverage, Prosthetics & Orthotics, Spotlight

Dwight Putnam discovered that his artistic talent could transform the lives of children at Scottish Rite for Children. He transitioned from working as a sculptor to a prosthetist, finding his calling in crafting prostheses that empower children with limb differences. For the past 18 years, Dwight has served as an integral part of Scottish Rite for Children’s in-house Orthotics and Prosthetics department, designing, fitting, and delivering custom-made prostheses to address each patient’s specific needs.

“It is really rare for somebody to have a job that shows the immediate contribution you have to someone’s well-being,” Dwight says. “To be able to just be a part of that process is awesome.”

To learn more about Dwight’s story, watch his segment shown on the Texas Country Reporter.