Met Our Speakers
Met Our Speakers
Dr. Robert Pranaat
Bob was raised in the Midwest and met his wife, Holly, while in college in southern Iowa. He worked at a boarding school in residence life and housing for several years until following her to Portland, Oregon where she was attending nurse-midwifery school. Bob completed medical school and a master’s program at Oregon Health & Science University. He came to URMC for residency in Anesthesiology and fellowship in Critical Care Medicine. Bob’s clinical practice is varied but mostly consists of SICU, obstetric anesthesiology, and transplant. His hobbies include roller-skiing, gardening, and ceramics
Dr. Bryanna Moore
Bryanna Moore, Ph.D., HEC-C is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Humanities and Bioethics at the University of Rochester, where she also serves as a clinical ethics consultant and directs the Advanced Certificate Program in Clinical Bioethics. She has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Monash University and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the Children’s Mercy Bioethics Center and Baylor College of Medicine. Her research interests span medical decision-making, pediatric ethics, community-engaged practice, virtue ethics and death studies.
Dr. Tasker Gundy
A graduate of Oberlin College and Weill Cornell Medical School, Dr. Gundy completed residency and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston, where he was recognized for distinction in research. He is double-board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine.
Dr. Gundy joined the faculty of URMC in 2019, completing a second fellowship in Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine, and since 2022 has served as Director of the Acute Pain Service at Strong Memorial Hospital, Director of Regional Anesthesia at the URMC Ambulatory Orthopaedic Center, and Division Chief of Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain in the URMC Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.
Nancy Resseguie
In her almost forty years of nursing at Strong Memorial Hospital, Nancy has served in a number of roles including staff nurse, nurse manager, and presently as Director of Nursing Recruitment. She is passionate about the success of the Nurses and is dedicated at helping others in navigating workforce challenges. Under Nancy’s leadership, the Office of Nurse Recruitment also focuses on retention, leading the efforts to rebuild and stabilize the post-pandemic workforce. Nancy has a BSN from Bloomsburg University.
Dr. Zahraa Majeed
Dr. Majeed serves as the Associate Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, working alongside the Chair and fellow Associate Vice Chairs to advance the department’s mission.
She has recently taken on the role of Director of Regional and Ambulatory Rotations, a position that allows her to shape the clinical training of our anesthesia residents and contribute to their professional growth.
Dr. Majeed is especially dedicated to hands-on learning, integrating Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS), eASY POCUS, OSCE, and difficult airway workshops. “Watching my residents grow, develop, and ultimately excel is one of the most rewarding aspects of my work, and I am committed to continuously evolving our educational strategies to meet their needs.”
Dr. David Paul
Dr. David Paul is the Director of Brain and Spine Trauma and an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. He completed his undergraduate studies at Hope College in Holland, MI, and earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester, where he also obtained a Master’s in Neurobiology and Anatomy. Dr. Paul’s neurosurgical training includes residency and an enfolded CAST fellowship in neurocritical care at the University of Rochester Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in complex deformity spine surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
His translational research interests include using advanced neuroimaging modalities to better understand the trajectory of recovery in patients with traumatic brain injuries. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Dr. Paul is a devoted husband and father of two boys. He enjoys spending his free time engaging in sports, golfing, yardwork, and traveling with his family.
Dr. Tyler Schmidt
Tyler M. Schmidt D.O., is a faculty member in the Department of Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of the new Metastatic Brain and Spinal Tumor Program within the Wilmot Cancer Institute. His clinical interests are in neurosurgical oncology, focusing on brain tumor surgery, spinal tumor surgery, brain and spinal metastasis surgery, degenerative spine surgery, and complex spinal reconstruction.
Dr. Schmidt completed his neurological surgery residency at University of Rochester Medical Center and in-folded fellowship training in neurosurgical oncology at Geisinger Medical Center. He remains active in the national neurosurgical organizations.
Alison Henry
Alison graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Nurse Anesthesia program in 2016. She currently practices primarily at Golisano Children's Hospital and is the co-clinical coordinator for the student nurse anesthetists from the University of Buffalo.
In 2019 Alison was named clinical preceptor of the year by the University of Buffalo; and currently serves as adjunct faculty for UB's School of Nursing where she teaches pediatric anesthesia to the current student nurse anesthetists.
Alison is passionate about serving the pediatric population both home and abroad, multi-modal pain/nausea relief, and educating future anesthesia providers.
Amanda Fitzsimmons
Amanda is an experienced nurse educator with a passion for surgical nursing, mentorship, and professional development. With over a decade of nursing experience in surgical ICU and operating room, Amanda currently serves as the Operating Room Nurse Educator for URMC’s ambulatory surgical sites, including Sawgrass, Marketplace, and Strong West.
She is also actively involved in core residency at SMH, as well as in-service training, symposium planning, and mock drills to improve perioperative education.
Amanda is pursuing her master's degree in nursing education and aspires to become a professor, shaping the next generation of nurses. She is passionate about adopting a collaborative learning environment and integrating evidence-based teaching strategies into clinical practice.
Gerlander Bost McCauley (she,her)
Gerlander Bost McCauley is a proud Rochester, NY native and a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan University. A devoted wife and mother of three daughters, she has dedicated her career to serving her community. With a background in the housing sector, she later transitioned to the University of Rochester Medical Center, starting in the Operating Room before moving into the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) space. Passionate about fostering inclusive workplaces and communities, she continues to educate and empower others with the skills and knowledge needed to create meaningful change.