Dr. Goeller named new pediatric anesthesiology division chief

Jessica Goeller, DO, has been named pediatric anesthesiology division chief and vice chair of pediatric anesthesia in the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology.

“Dr. Goeller’s extensive leadership experience and dedication to providing the very best clinical services for children made her the ideal candidate to continue to expand and lead the pediatric anesthesiology services,” said Mohanad Shukry, MD, PhD, interim chair of the department.

A native of Australia, Dr. Goeller served in the U.S. Army in finance and accounting shortly after immigrating to the United States, before attending medical school. She completed her residency in anesthesiology at the Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. After a fellowship in pediatric anesthesiology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, she joined the faculty at the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology in 2014.

“I am excited for the opportunity to lead such a strong, robust, compassionate and valuable team of people,” Dr. Goeller said. “I certainly feel humbled by the responsibility of the position, and I am grateful to Dr. Shukry for his support and mentorship.”

Dr. Goeller said she wants to foster positive change as a leader and has been building the necessary skills and tools to step confidently into administrative and academic leadership roles.

This drive – to become a skilled and compassionate leader and effect positive change – is what drove her to pursue a career as a physician, she said.

“I always want to know I’m doing things for the right reason,” she said. “I’ve tested the waters across many roles to ensure that I have the right perspective – that I’m not doing it to serve myself but to be of service to or voice for those that I am working with.”

Dr. Goeller has several goals as division chief and said she will initially address organizational transparency, communication and the educational needs of the division.

In addition, wellness initiatives will ensure there are multiple opportunities for the division to build rapport and feel like part of a compassionate and cohesive team of professionals, she said. These initiatives may include gatherings outside of work, journal clubs, recognition and engagement surveys to determine professional needs.

Dr. Goeller also plans to expand the division’s national presence by providing further opportunities for the division’s professionals within their areas of interest or expertise, including educational, research, or cardiac anesthesiology.

Dr. Goeller’s clinical interests include pediatric regional anesthesia and pain management. She is actively involved in osteogenesis imperfecta research, a genetic disease that causes bones to fracture easily requiring multiple surgical interventions.

Dr. Goeller has served locally as chair of the Children’s Specialty Physicians Board of Directors and as a senator for the UNMC Faculty Senate in addition to her role as director of perioperative services at Children’s Nebraska.

She has served nationally as the chair of the Professional Education Committee for the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiology and is currently vice president of the board of the AOCA. This past May, she received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which she pursued to become a better leader and professional.

“I really love Omaha and Nebraska – I consider myself an adopted Nebraskan since coming here in 2014,” Dr. Goeller said. “I’ve fostered some really great relationships and feel well-equipped to represent and lead the division.”