Get to Know Our Staff: Kristyn Morrison, Therapy Services

Get to Know Our Staff: Kristyn Morrison, Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a physical therapist III at The Star.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I get to help my patients get back to the sport they love and hear their success stories after they return to their sport.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
It’s a special place to me because, when I was kid, I did not know there was sports physical therapy. The fact that Scottish Rite allows us to provide this kind of care is amazing.

What made you choose a career in healthcare?
I love being able to help other people. I have always cared for others, and I love being able to do this on a daily basis.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I get to be a part of research projects that are occuring in the Sports Medicine department.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love to spend time with my husband, daughters and 2 dogs. I also enjoy being outside hiking and being active.

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
My family moved here from Virginia Beach, Virgina, for my husband’s job.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would go back to Italy. It is beautiful, and the food is amazing.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta Bolognese

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Remember the Titans”

What is the first concert you attended?
The Eagles

What Is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Downtown Celina

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Always take the time to be present in what you are doing!

Get to Know Our Staff: Samantha Plaster, Therapy Services

Get to Know Our Staff: Samantha Plaster, Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a sports physical therapist (PT) at Scottish Rite for Children at The Star. I help young athletes return to their sport after an injury.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The best part of my job is seeing my patients’ faces light up when they share their experiences of returning to their sports. The patients’ excitement and their families’ happiness are contagious. I’m so grateful I have a job that brings that kind of joy into people’s lives!

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
It’s my co-workers! The environment here is one of support, encouragement and excellence. The Therapy Services team holds each other to a high standard to ensure we are providing the best care possible for our athletes.

What made you choose a career in healthcare?
I’ve always wanted to help people, so healthcare was a natural path. I started college as a speech pathology major, but I changed majors to kinesiology after my first anatomy class because I enjoyed it so much!

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I get to use a cool piece of equipment called the HUMAC NORM. It looks like a chair that would be in a rocket ship, but it can be used to measure how strong an athlete’s muscles are, which helps us safely guide our athletes back to their sport.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love trying new food and eating at new restaurants, especially new sushi restaurants! I also like traveling to visit family and friends whenever I get the chance.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I can chop an onion without crying. Also, I’m scuba certified!

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
I’m originally from Flower Mound, Texas. I played beach volleyball at Arizona State University, and then I moved back to Texas for PT school at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Switzerland for the beautiful views!

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Sushi. I never get tired of it!

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
I’m not a big movie person, but a show I think everyone should watch is “Parks and Recreation.”

What is the first concert you attended?
Dan + Shay

What Is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Las Palmas for great Tex-Mex food.

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

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I would tell my younger self not to sweat the little things, to focus on what I can control and to approach every challenge with curiosity and compassion.

Get to Know Our Staff: Paula Moran, Clinical Nutrition

Get to Know Our Staff: Paula Moran, Clinical Nutrition

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am a clinical dietitian at Scottish Rite where I have the privilege of caring for patients and their families. My role is to ensure our patients are not only medically stable but also truly nourished in a way that supports their growth, healing and overall well-being. I assess each child’s nutritional status, develop individualized nutrition care plans and manage specialized nutrition support, including enteral nutrition when needed.

I spend meaningful time educating and empowering families so they feel confident supporting their child’s nutrition in the hospital and at home. For me, nutrition is more than meeting calories and protein goals. It is about helping children thrive during vulnerable moments and supporting their long-term health.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing the transformation that happens when a child is truly nourished. Watching a patient gain strength, energy and confidence is incredibly rewarding. I also find deep fulfillment in serving as an educator for families. Nutrition can feel overwhelming. However, it is meaningful to provide clarity, reassurance and practical guidance that empowers parents to support their child’s recovery.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
Scottish Rite is special to me because I can collaborate with a team that is fully committed to giving children back their childhoods. Every discipline works together with the same shared purpose. It creates an environment where care is not only excellent, but deeply compassionate and intentional.

Scottish Rite is also special to me because it gave me an opportunity as a newly registered dietitian. Scottish Rite has shaped me as both a clinician and a professional dedicated to helping children truly thrive.

What made you choose a career in health care?
From a young age, I felt a strong calling to help others become the best version of themselves. I always knew that working in the medical field would be my path to give back to my community in meaningful and lasting ways. As I discovered the power of nutrition, that calling became even clearer.

I am reminded every day why I chose this profession because of the ways food can restore strength, correct deficiencies and give a child the ability to truly thrive. Using evidence-based nutrition care to make a tangible difference in a child’s recovery and quality of life is a privilege and a responsibility I deeply value.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family, my fiancé and friends. I also love baking sourdough bread, patiries or desserts. I recently discovered a new love for needlepoint!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would go to Italy to visit Vatican City. I would like to connect deeper in my Catholic faith while also admiring the outstanding art and history.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would be arepas. These are my comfort food, as it reminds me of my home back in Venezuela.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Hercules”

What is the first concert you attended?
Ed Sheeran

What Is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Barcelona Wine Bar

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
Maisie Williams, since a lot of people say I look like her!

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I would tell my younger self to focus on what you can control and approach every challenge with curiosity and compassion.

Get to Know Our Staff: Frazet Lankford, IT

Get to Know Our Staff: Frazet Lankford, IT

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the executive assistant for Scottish Rite’s IT department. I support leadership by ensuring that daily operations run smoothly.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
What I find most fulfilling is being part of a mission that truly impacts lives. Supporting our IT department means helping provide the tools and systems that empower our teams at Scottish Rite to deliver the best care possible.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
What makes Scottish Rite special to me is the strong sense of connection from the staff and the relationships we form with our patients and their families truly makes it feel like a family.

What made you choose a career in health care?
My passion for helping others naturally led me to healthcare. The mission we serve is deeply rewarding and gives purposes behind every day I come into the office. Before joining the Scottish Rite family, I dedicated five years to the HR department at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
One unique aspect of my role is that I get to collaborate with our talented IT team whose work directly supports the care and healing of our patients. Being able to see that connection makes my role unique and meaningful.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling and horseback riding.

Do you have any hidden talents?
One of my hidden talents is music. I can sing and play the alto saxophone. I enjoyed being part of my junior high school’s jazz band.

Where are you from and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas — a rarity these days!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Bora Bora has always been a dream destination for me because of the turquoise waters, beautiful beaches and overwater bungalows. It is a slice of paradise, which is the perfect place to relax and recharge.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I would choose lasagna with a caesar salad. I have always loved Italian food because it is flavorful, delicious and filling.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston.

What is the first concert you attended?
The first concert I attended was Take 6, an acappella gospel group.

What Is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Sky Blossom Bistro

If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
If there were a movie based on my life, I would choose Nicole Ari Parker to play my character.

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I would tell my younger self to always lead with kindness and live with gratitude. I try to live by this every day.

Get to Know Our Staff: Lidia Quintero, Environmental Services

Get to Know Our Staff: Lidia Quintero, Environmental Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the Environmental Services supervisor.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
The most fulfilling part of my job is making a difference in children’s lives. Working daily at this place is a blessing.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
Scottish Rite is home to me. This place has treated me with such kindness that I cannot put it into words.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I started working in the hospital with the goal of helping others in my capacity. It has become the most joyous time of my entire career.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I go to every place in Scottish Rite, including public places and hidden places. You name it!

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love to spend time with my family and take care of my granddaughter.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am a great cook!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Cancun, because it is the best place to relax.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Enchiladas. I make the best enchiladas in the world!

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Coco”

What is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Allende Seafood Bar & Grill on Sylvan Ave.

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

What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Be honest and do your best, and the reward will come.

Get to Know Our Staff: Elsa Guerrero, Radiology

Get to Know Our Staff: Elsa Guerrero, Radiology

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite?
I am the administrative assistant for the Medical Director and Director of Radiology. My role is to provide administrative support to the leadership team in Radiology and the other radiologists. I work closely with our radiologists to coordinate their schedules. I wear many hats to coordinate different tasks for the Radiology department at both of our campuses, and I am thankful and appreciative of the opportunity.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I can make a difference within our team. The Radiology team and my other friends in different departments can come to me to receive a warm hug during a tough day. It is truly fulfilling and rewarding to know something as small as a hug can change someone’s day.

What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
What makes Scottish Rite special to me is the difference that we make in each child’s life every day.

What made you choose a career in health care?
I think health care chose me honestly because I wanted to be an attorney. My aunt, who is a nurse, thought I would be a good fit at her practice. I was hired on the spot back in 1995. Since then, I spent a majority of my career at Parkland Hospital with the Information Technology and New Construction department as an executive assistant and project coordinator.

What is something unique you get to do in your position?
I get to put my project manager hat on and coordinate the schedule for our radiologists monthly. It is something that is very complex and has many moving parts that must be taken into consideration.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy trying different foods from all over the world. I also like to spend time with my friends and family.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I would say doing DIY projects. I have completed an entire home renovation before on one of my homes. I installed the tile and backsplash, textured the walls and put up the Sheetrock.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would love to travel to Rome to visit the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica for the history.

If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chicken and rice. You can prepare these two items in so many ways that you won’t get tired of it. The meal can be something simple that doesn’t consume much of your time to prepare.

What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“Erin Brockovich” is one of my favorite movies. It is a very empowering movie that shows the strength and resilience of a woman who is making a difference in the life of many people who would not have been seen or heard.

What is the first concert you attended?
Pitbull, better known as “Mr. Worldwide.”

What Is your favorite DFW hidden gem?
Celebration Restaurant

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

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 would give my younger self is to never let the fear of not being enough stop you from becoming the resilient and confident woman you will become later in life.