azara Barreras-Pagan knows her way around an operating room — she started her career as a surgical nurse at Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital. Now, almost two decades later, she’s back at the School of Medicine and back in the surgical world, as assistant chairman for administration in the Department of Neurological Surgery. She oversees a department of nearly 90 people, including 15 full-time faculty members, residents, nurses, and administrative staff.

“Every morning I wake up and look forward to coming to work,” says Barreras-Pagan. “I am so proud to be a part of such an unbelievably talented and dedicated group of professionals.” Her day might start with a meeting with the department’s chairman, Dr. Barth A. Green, and co-chairman, Dr. Roberto Heros, on faculty and residency program affairs. Then she moves to strategizing on ways to streamline operations and enhance patient access and care. There’s also room for attending committee meetings and, of course, the department’s financial operations.

After she left nursing, years spent in medical business development and managing physician practices helped prepare Barreras-Pagan for the new challenge she took on two years ago. “Since joining the University, I have enjoyed collaborating with UMMG’s central administration and other department administrators as we strive for greater excellence in our clinical enterprise,” says Barreras-Pagan.

The department is nationally recognized for its range of neurosurgical expertise including spine and cranial surgery, trauma, and pediatrics. With its affiliation with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, the department has been ranked fourth in the nation in funding from the National Institutes of Health.

An expansion is under way into an endovascular service. “We’ve just brought in Alois Zauner, M.D.,” Barreras-Pagan says. “He is a neurosurgeon trained in neurointerventional radiology and will be working across two departments. He is a good example of our effort to work inter-departmentally to provide our patients the best care in South Florida.”