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Issue 9 | June 2025
People
Welcome to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Jenna Floberg
Title: Pediatric Ortho Surgery - Ambulatory Manager
Start Date: May 12, 2025
I'm thrilled to be joining the team and look forward to working with all of you. A little bit about me -- I am originally from Ladysmith, Wisconsin. I completed my Bachelor's of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Following graduation, I moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin working in various leadership roles in the long-term care division at Agnesian Healthcare (now SSM Health). I left SSM Health in 2022 and moved to Milwaukee to pursue an opportunity at Froedtert Health as the clinic manager of primary care, urgent care, neurology and nephrology at a clinic in Menomonee Falls. I also covered the endocrinology, pulmonary and sleep departments for a short time. I completed my Master's of Healthcare
Administration in 2023 through the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. I currently live in the third ward and love everything about living in the city. I do not have any children, but do have a four-legged child named Tina. She's a little 5-pound yorkie who rules the house. My favorite job is being an auntie and spending as much time as I can with my family. I enjoy any kind of live music, sporting events, time on the water or exploring new restaurants in the city. I look forward to meeting you all soon!
Dr. Ryan Dopirak, MD
Specialty: Sports Medicine & Shoulder
Start Date: July 1, 2025
Ryan Dopirak, MD, president, Froedtert Northeast Medical Group (NEMG), will transition to a new role as MSK (musculoskeletal) service line medical director and practice in sports medicine within the MCW Department of Orthopaedic Surgery on July 1. Dr. Dopirak’s clinic locations will include the Sports Medicine Center, Moorland Reserve Health Center, and McKinley Health Center. In his role, Dr. Dopirak will help train the next generation of shoulder and sports medicine surgeons within the MCW orthopaedic residency program and lead the growth, performance, and strategy of the service line. Dr. Dopirak earned his Certified Physician Executive designation from the AAPL as well as a master’s degree in Healthcare Quality and Safety from Thomas Jefferson
University. He has held numerous leadership positions over the past 19 years, most recently serving as president of NEMG. Dr. Dopirak completed his orthopaedic sports medicine fellowship at the Southern California Orthopaedic Institute with Dr. Steven Snyder. He has 19 years of clinical experience as a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon within the Froedtert ThedaCare Health North region, with his practice primarily focused on complex arthroscopic shoulder reconstruction.
Link to full announcement here.
Carolyn Evers, BSN, RN
Title: Orthopaedic APP Fellow
Start Date: October 1, 2025
I am beyond excited to join the Orthopedic Sugery Team as the newest APP Fellow starting in October. I completed my BSN and am finishing my Family Nurse Practitioner degree from Edgewood College soon to be Edgewood University. I completed my Post Baccalaureate Nurse Residency program at the William S. Middleton Memorial VA hospital in Madison, WI and have been working in a variety of specialty clinic settings since. I am looking forward to relocating from Madison to Milwaukee and am excited to explore all of the new restaurants, landmarks and activities the city has to offer. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in multiple collegiate sports and now enjoy running and racing all distances from sprints through the marathon. I am
incredibly grateful for this learning opportunity and cannot wait to grow my practice.
Education
Global Health Elective Rotation Reflection 2/8/25 – 2/16/25 By: Jake Hall, MD Resident
In February 2025, during my final year of orthopaedic surgery residency, I had the opportunity to participate in a Global Health elective at Soddo Christian Hospital in southern Ethiopia under the supervision of one of my attending surgeons and mentors, Dr. JC Neilson. During this rotation, I further developed my skills in complex hip arthroplasty, forged strong connections with our Ethiopian colleagues, and gained a deep appreciation for a culture that was largely unfamiliar to me beforehand.
The spirit of the rotation is best captured in a single half day toward the end of our time in Soddo. After a lunch filled with laughter and storytelling over traditional Ethiopian injera, tibs, and coffee, I headed to the OR to perform a complex primary hip replacement alongside Dr. Neilson, Dr. Temesgen (a staff surgeon at the hospital), and Ibsa (the chief orthopaedic resident at SCH and my direct peer). We were treating a 23-year-old woman with a history of tuberculosis in the hip, which had resulted in complete fusion of the joint through a rare process called ankylosis—a complication that, as I learned, can occur with untreated TB in endemic regions like southern Ethiopia.
Meghan Furlow, PA-C completed the MCW SQIPS course (Scholars for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety). Her project was on Improving Utilization of Electronic Patient Entered Data Questionnaire.
Congratulations to Allison Duey-Holtz, MSN, CPNP-PC for earning her DNP in May 2025. Allison received her DNP through UW-Milwaukee. Her previous BSN and MSN were through
Marquette University. Her current position is CSG APP Assistant Director, and she still holds pediatric orthopedic clinics as well. She splits these roles 50/50.
She has been with the organization over 20 years.
Inclusion & Outreach Committee
Pipeline to Orthopaedics Events - Committee members meet with an 8th grade class at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School. We cover different topics related to Orthopaedics with the goal of sparking student interest in the specialty.
April theme: Research
Dr. Jessica Fritz joined the committee to talk about research. Dr. Fritz is an assistant professor in the Research Center for Motion Analysis. Students then broke into small groups and conducted experiments. They developed a hypothesis and determined ways to test their theories.
May theme: Career Paths
Students played "Career Bingo" and learned about different career paths in orthopaedics. These included Nurse Practitioner, Physical Therapist, Sports Medicine Physician, Administrative Assistant, Research Coordinator and Billing Specialist. They followed up by taking a quiz and achieved 100% correct answers!
June: MCW Field Trip
MLK Jr. School students took a field trip to MCW on June 10th. They rotated through 4 different stations. These included an OR station with OR technicians, a Spine station with Dr. Xue-Cheng Liu, a Force Plate station with Dr. Jessica Fritz and a Suturing station with Dr. Laura Gottschlich.
Dr. MLK Jr. School Field Day: This is a special outdoor event for the entire school with many activities. The MCW Inclusion and Outreach Committee was honored to contribute to this event. We hope to be more involved in years to come but could use more volunteers!
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, celebrating the diversity, history, and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. This month also includes events emphasizing love, acceptance, and the importance of countering hate speech.
June 2-3 – Jewish: Shavuot
Celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
June 7-10 – Islamic: Eid al-Adha
A major Islamic festival commemorating the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son.
June 12 – US: Loving Day
Celebrates the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that struck down laws banning interracial marriage.
June 18 – UN: International Day of Countering Hate Speech
Promotes efforts to combat hate speech worldwide.
June 19 – US: Juneteenth
Commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
July 2025 Interfaith Days
July 5 – Islamic: Ashura*
Marks the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali and is observed with mourning.
July 9 – Baha’i: Martyrdom of the Bab*
Commemorates the execution of the Baha’i co-founder.
July 23 – Rastafarian: Birthday of Haile Selassie*
Celebrates the birth of the Ethiopian Emperor, revered in Rastafarianism.
July 24 – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Pioneer Day
Commemorates the arrival of the first Mormon pioneers in Utah.
Reminder: All holidays marked with * begin the prior evening.
August Diversity Calendar 2025 Highlights
Purple Heart Day – August 7
Today, remember Americans who have been wounded in battle, have done courageous acts while at war or who gave their life for our freedoms. Purple represents bravery and courage, and it is the oldest military decoration presented to service members in the United States. It was first created by George Washington in 1782.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – August 9
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples hopes to raise awareness about the rights and contributions of indigenous populations worldwide. Today, start a dialogue about the indigenous communities and society by understanding the challenges they face such as marginalization.
Women’s Equality Day – August 26
This day remembers the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1920, which gave women the right to vote. Celebrate the achievements of women in history this month. Remember the ongoing struggle for gender equality and women’s rights every day.
International Day of People of African Descent – August 31
This day was established by the United Nations to celebrate the rich heritage and contributions of people of African descent worldwide, and to promote the full inclusion of people of African descent in all aspects of society. It also aims to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance that people of African descent face globally.
Erdheim Chester Disease 2025 Global Alliance Virtual Fun Run Walk or Roll
Now through July 15, 2025
Donate via Amy Peters’ Fundraising Page (Petesdragons)
Questions? Contact Amy Peters
THANK YOU!
Finance/Billing
Save the Date!
Pediatric Ortho Surgery - Annual Summer Picnic
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