Serving Our Nation and Patients

Every year, Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces. We are recognizing some members of the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health team who reflect on their time in the military and how it applies to their roles in health care today.

Abigail Amedia, RN, CPN, Clinical Nurse

“I separated from the Air Force as a Captain. I had the opportunity to deploy twice to Afghanistan and lead teams of multiple different specialties for each deployment and stateside. Serving in the military ultimately taught me an exceptional amount about selfless leadership and the importance of teamwork in accomplishing the goals in front of you.

“I think my military experience applies to my role in health care in that I am still in a work setting where team members rely heavily on each other for support. Whether or not I’m in an official leadership position, I’ve learned that the best way to lead is to take care of the people around me by serving both my colleagues and my patients.”

Marvin Laron, ROT, Senior Orthopedic Tech

“I served in the Marine Corps from 1993 to 1997. I learned teamwork, discipline, determination, enthusiasm, kindness, honor, and so many life skills. Today, as an orthopedic tech, I use these skills to work as a team to provide top-quality care and empathy for our patients. I am grateful for the ability to care for and help patients with their injuries and illnesses.

“I am proud to have served my country. I have so many fond memories and lifelong friends from my time in the Marine Corps. Semper Fi.”

Kirsten Lepp, DNP, NNP-BC, RNC-NIC, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

“I served as a critical care nurse in the Navy as active duty from 2010 to 2018 and continue to serve as a Navy reservist with 4th Medical Battalion out of San Diego, California. My responsibilities included critical and trauma care, the training of hospital corpsmen (medics), and management of sailors. The Navy taught me teamwork, resiliency, adaptability, attention to detail, and time management.

“My military experiences afforded me the ability to work well under pressure and continue working when it is most difficult, whether that is emotionally or physically. Even though my Neonatal Intensive Care Unit role is different from my military role, I find that it keeps me curious about medicine and open to other approaches and perspectives.”

Christopher Ross, MBA, Data Center Manager

“I served from 1995 to 2000. The biggest lesson I learned was the value of a team that can accomplish the impossible with the right vision and the right leadership. Caring for your team is paramount to getting your mission accomplished on time and under budget.

“At Stanford Children’s, we follow a framework of standards that guide how we communicate and interact with one another. It’s the embodiment of caring for your team. Looking for little, unspoken signs that your team members are struggling is an art form and one that my experience has taught me to be aware of. I love the values system we have at Stanford Children’s and the way we care for our people and our patients.”

Miranda Schmidt, DNP, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN, Systems Level Nursing Professional Development Specialist

“Since I began serving in the military, my passion to serve others has deepened. I am currently a reservist, serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force in charge of training and education for the 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Travis Air Force Base in California supporting about 150 nurses, nursing assistants, and biomedical technicians. The team is often met with time-sensitive requests, which require us to rise to the challenge—usually exceeding expectations. I find that through these challenges our teamwork, endurance, resilience, camaraderie, and support for one another continue to strengthen and grow. My participation in the U.S. Air Force has given me a deeper sense of purpose to the greater global community, which helps support the work I do with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.”