Officers and Board Members

Officer and Board Member BIOS

OFFICERS:

ED KIRCHER CST/CSFA, SA-C- President

Welcome to the Arizona State Assembly (AZSA) web site. I am Ed Kircher, CST/CFA the President of the AZSA. I have been associated with the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) for many years, becoming a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) in 1982. I was a surgical technologist well before then, having served it the U.S. Air Force as such, for over twenty years. I first arrived in the Phoenix area in 1984, and functioned as a CST for fourteen years, before obtaining my Certified First Assistant (CFA) and venturing out into the world, if you will. I am currently in private practice as a CFA, with credential to do so in ten facilities. I am married and have two children; our daughter is a Registered Nurse and our son is a Firefighter in South Dakota. I currently serve on the “Legislation Committee” in which our goal is to have certified surgical technologists in every Arizona operating room. We have set this as a goal with the intent of enhancing the abilities, professionalism and education of the surgical technologist. I hope you will visit the web site often. We will be updating information applicable to the technologist; information such as (but not limited to) meetings, educational opportunities, national conference and the workshops organized and produced by the AZSA itself. So please, feel free to visit often and stay informed with the Assembly. In addition, please feel free to contact any of the Board members with your comments or questions. Our contact information is listed on the “About Us” page.

You can contact me at e-mail: president@azsa-ast.org

DONNA MITCHELL CST/CSFA- Vice President

Hello! My name is Donna Mitchell and I am the new vice-president of the Arizona State Assembly. I currently serve as the chairperson of the Bylaws Committee. I live in Yuma where I have been employed by Yuma Regional Medical Center for 25 years, both as a surgical technologist and a first assistant. I am originally from New Jersey where I attended Bergen Community College. My daughter lives in Prescott Valley and has recently gone back to college. I have supported the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) on the national level since I first became certified and have been actively supporting the Arizona State Assembly (AzSA) for the last several years as a member of the Board of Directors. The AzSA is your link to what is happening in your profession. We work closely with the national Board of Directors and with state leadership advisors to make surgical technology a profession to be proud of and not just a job. Your Board of Directors meets quarterly and all members are invited, and encouraged, to join us. We welcome your input and would love to have any and all comments and questions you have directed to any member of the board. Any board member can be reached through our web site, www.azsa-ast.org

I can be reached by e-mail at: vicepresident@azsa-ast.org

ROBERT BUSH CST/CSFA - Treasurer

I got my first taste of surgery in 1966 and fell in love with surgery. I started my first scrub experience in 1968. After getting married and moving to Arizona in 1973 I started working as a surgical technologist in Bisbee, Arizona. Moving to Tucson 4 years later I spent the next 25 + years working for Carondelet St. Josephs Hospital. I took the second surgical assistant examination offered and worked as a certified surgical technologist and first assistant. In 1993 I started my own surgical assisting business and still am at it. I stepped out of my comfort box and became the second president of AZSA when Julie Stanley resigned due to illness and continued on in this position for several years until Dr. Goodrich was elected into office. I then took the treasurer position and am in my second term as treasurer. During this time I worked closely with Dr. Goodrich at first as one of my board members and later as his treasurer. Dr. Goodrich encouraged me to step further out of my box to become an instructor for distant education for the surgical technologist at Mohave Community College teaching Surgical Complications and this spring I will be teaching Pharmacology for the Surgical Technology program. It has been a challenge, an adventure, and a great pleasure to serve as an officer for my fellow surgical technologist. If asked before 1994 when the State Assembly began if I would ever become an officer I would have definitely said NO WAY! But, having tried it I am now considering a position on a nation level in the near future. If I can give any one some advice I would tell them “Step out of your comfort box and give it a try, you may find that, like Mikey, you’ll like it.”

MIMI CONWAY CST- Secretary

I’m your returning secretary and have served on the board for two years prior to that. I have been involved with AST since I graduated from Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Wayne, In. and became certified in 1979. I have been a past president and treasurer with my Indiana chapter. I have moved around a lot with my husband’s job and worked in hospitals and surgery centers in several states. I have 3 kids, 3 dogs and a cat. I also keep busy with my sons HS marching band. I am currently mentoring a student from Tucson’s Brown- Mackie School at my current job at Camp Lowell Surgery Center in Tucson.

BOARD MEMBERS :

Danita Bennette CST

I got my Diploma of Certification from Wichita Area Vocational Technical School In the Surgical Technology Program. I then passed the National Certifying Examination in September of 1991. While In school I participated in Health Occupations Students of America and also got a Certificate of Achievement in HOSA this is for leadership and Participation in the Activities of Kansas Health Occupations Students of America. The first certificate was for 5th place in Extemporaneous Health Display Post-secondary. The 2nd on is for 5th place in Surgical Technology. I started work that same year as tissue donation for the Red Cross . Then I went to work at the VA in Wichita, where I helped to start the first free standing surgical out pt and 72 hrs stay in Ks.
In 1998 we moved to AZ. and I have worked at many out pt surgery centers. Currently I'm at the Desert Ridge out pt surgery center, that I helped to open back in Feb of 2007. At this time in my life I feel that I could keep working in surgery for the next 20 years. I find that every year I learn new and diff. surgical procedures. This is a great field of work but you have to love doing it.

Karena Starr CST

Karena works in the OR at Scottsdale Eye Center. She has helped on the education committee and is serving her second term on the board. She has been able to attend the last two national conventions.

Monica Cervi CST

Monica is the director of the surgical tech program at Brookline College. This is her second term on the State board. Monica has been very involved in the assembly for many years and has attended numerous national conventions