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Issue 13 | February 2026
People
Welcome to the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Alayna Fender PA-C
Specialty: APP Float
Start Date: March 15, 2026
Tara DeLamarter PA-C
Specialty: APP Outpatient - Total Joint Access
Start Date: April 1, 2026
Departures: Katie Strachan APNP (last day 1/30/26), Pam Mehring (last day 03/31/26)
APP Leadership
Promotions - We are excited to announce several well-deserved promotions within our APP leadership team.
Erika Basse, PA-C has been promoted to Orthopaedic Surgery APP Supervisor for Inpatient-Based Surgical Services, and Patrick Halbach, PA-C has been promoted to Orthopaedic Surgery APP Supervisor for Ambulatory-Based Services. Both have consistently demonstrated exceptional clinical expertise, professionalism, and dedication to supporting their colleagues and patients. Their leadership in their previous Lead roles has helped strengthen practice standards, education, and team collaboration across services. In addition to these roles, they will also be Co-Directors for our Orthopaedic Surgery APP Fellowship.
We also welcome Leanne Nebel, APNP into the Supervisor role for the O.P.E.N. Surgicalist APP team. She will play a key role as the Community hospital inpatient team expands to support additional services, including Plastics, ENT, and Ophthalmology.
In their new roles, these Supervisors will provide leadership in team support, operations, communication, and continued advancement of APP practice. Effective February 1, all Department of Orthopaedic Surgery APPs will report directly to their respective Supervisors, who report to Keenan Horness, PA-C, Orthopaedic Surgery Manager.
Please join us in congratulating Erika, Patrick, and Leanne on their new roles and thanking them for their continued leadership.
APP Departure: Stephanie Ludtke MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Stephanie has been with the department for nearly two decades and is truly one of the original founding members of our APP group. Throughout her time here, she has worked tirelessly to promote APPs practicing at the top of their license, strengthening both patient care and our professional standards.
She has played a vital role in APP education, serving as our APP student coordinator and helping lead the APP fellowship over the years. Through this work, she has helped shape the training experience for countless learners and has had a lasting impact on APP education within our department.
Stephanie has also been a cornerstone of the total joints program, helping lead numerous initiatives to improve care for this patient population. She has long been considered a role model and the gold standard for an APP in our department. Many students and residents over the years owe a strong part of their orthopedic foundation to her teaching, mentorship, and example.
Beyond our department, Stephanie has been a dedicated advocate for our profession at both the state and national levels through her work with WAPA.
Stephanie is transitioning to a full-time role in the Pre-Admission Testing Department at Froedtert Menomonee Falls, where she will continue caring for orthopedic patients in a different but equally important capacity. While we will miss her greatly in her current role, we are grateful she will remain connected to our patients and our broader care team.
Please join us in thanking Stephanie for her years of leadership, mentorship, and service, and in wishing her all the best in this next chapter.
Life Events
Welcome Maya Lee Coon!
Born: January 2, 2026 @ 9:51pm
Baby Stats: 7 pounds; 21 inches
Parents: Christopher Coon & Lindsey Coon
Pam Mehring will be celebrating her well‑deserved retirement on March 31, 2026!
Pam’s career has spanned more than three decades across the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital, marked by dedication, growth, and meaningful contributions at every step.
1991 – Froedtert Hospital
• Began as a Clerk Typist at the Hand Center, where her path first crossed with Tammy Kuderer while supporting Dr. William Dzwierzynski
• Earned multiple promotions, ultimately serving as Office Coordinator before transitioning to MCW
1998 – Medical College of Wisconsin
• 1998–2001: Department of Microbiology – supported Dr. Sidney Grossberg
• 2001–2008: Clinic Operations – advanced through several roles until the clinics transitioned to the Froedtert platform
• 2011–2013: Clinical Ventures Group – contributed to Michelle Behling’s team on the Moorland Reserve Project
2013 – Froedtert Hospital (Community Physicians)
• Joined Linda Harrigan’s team at the Moorland Reserve Health Center as a PASR Supervisor
2017 – Medical College of Wisconsin
• Joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery!
If you have been fortunate enough to work with Pam, you know she sets a high bar for organization and attention to detail. Pam never cuts corners and ensures the job is not just done, but done exceptionally well. Pam has taken on every new challenge with a positive attitude and sense of humor. You can count on Pam to share her knowledge and expertise, and if she doesn’t know something, she will learn it!
Pam will be greatly missed by many, but most pointedly her administrative colleagues, and Hand & Upper Extremity and Spine teams. The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery will not be the same without you, Pam! No doubt your time in retirement will be well-spent with your husband, Dave, sons, grandchildren, and pups!
FY2026 Quarter 4 Volumes
Inclusion & Outreach Committee
2025-2026 School Year Dates:
Feb 24th - Athletic Training
March 24th - Careers
April 28th - PT/OT
May 26th - Research
June 9th - Field Trip to MCW
The events occur once per month from 1:00pm - 2:20pm. All are welcome to join. Staff do not need to be able to attend every event to participate. If you are interested in participating in any of the scheduled dates, please contact Cindy Dusel cdusel@childrenswi.org.
January Pipeline Event: Sports Medicine - This month we covered Sports Medicine with special guests, Dr. Laura Gottschlich & Dr. Craig Young. Students rotated through stations covering field splinting, CPR, AED & anatomy.
March is National Women's History Month- Learn more about key figures & milestones for women in orthopedics:
- Dr. Liebe Diamond: A world-renowned pediatric orthopedic surgeon, she became the first female resident and first female orthopedic surgical resident at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in 1957 and was only the 14th woman board-certified in the U.S. by 1963.
- Dr. Ruth Jackson: A trailblazer who became the first woman member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).
- Dr. Claudia Thomas: The first Black female orthopedic surgeon, starting practice in 1980.
Celebrating the Women in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery
The Inclusion and Outreach Committee is excited to recognize the contributions women make in our department. We plan to highlight our coworkers during the month of March.
April is Autism Acceptance Month
This New York Times–bestselling book upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently.
“Beautifully told, humanizing, important.”—The New York Times Book Review
“Breathtaking.”—The Boston Globe
“Epic and often shocking.”—Chicago Tribune
WINNER OF THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NONFICTION AND THE CALIFORNIA BOOK AWARD
April is National Arab American Heritage Month
Set in the Arab immigrant enclave of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, following three siblings coming of age over the course of one Ramadan, "a moving look at family, survival, and celebration" (Hanif Abdurraqib, author of A Little Devil in America).
"Breathtaking.” —New York Times Book Review
"A gorgeously written and profoundly intimate debut." —Etaf Rum, author of New York Times bestseller A Woman Is No Man
*See this Goodreads list for more books written by Arab American Authors.
Disclaimer: The book recommendations shared in this newsletter are provided for general informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed in the recommended books are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of MCW or its employees. MCW does not endorse or assume any responsibility for the content, accuracy, or suitability of the material referenced. Readers are encouraged to use their own judgement and discretion when engaging with any of the recommended content.
March 2026 Religious Holidays
March 4 – Hindu: Holi
The festival of colors, celebrating the arrival of spring. This is one of the most known Hinduism holy days.
March 4 – Sikh: Hola Mohalla
A Sikh festival featuring martial arts, poetry, and community gatherings.
March 21 – Baha’i: Naw-Ruz
The Baha’i New Year, celebrated with joy and festivities.
March 21 – Islamic: Eid al-Fitr
Marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with a feast and prayers. On one of the most important Islamic holy days.
March 31 – Jain: Mahavir Jayanti
Celebrates the birth of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.
April 2026 Religious Holidays
April 2 – Jehovah’s Witnesses: The Memorial of Jesus’ Death. Commemorates the death of Jesus Christ.
April 2-9 – Jewish: Passover
Celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.
April 5 – Christian: Easter
Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
April 14 – Sikh, Hindu: Vaisakhi
Marks the Sikh New Year and celebrates the spring harvest.
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