Connect

"Healing is about more than medicine — it’s about the human spirit."

There’s no doubt UVA Health team members showcase professional expertise in their roles to support our mission of transforming health and inspiring hope for all Virginians and beyond. What skills do some display outside work? In this new series, we're featuring the Hidden Talents of several UVA Health team members. We begin with a look at how some hone their crafts:

'Welcome Respite'

Greg Ford, RN, has been doing photography as a hobby for about 25 years.

“It started with my parents giving me a point-and-shoot camera for Christmas and I got hooked!” he recalls. “I love photography because it forces me to completely forget the world around me and focus on whatever subject I'm photographing. I truly get lost behind the camera and the creative side of my mind takes over. It’s a welcome respite from our modern world.”

How does Ford make an impact with his UVA Health role in electrophysiology? “It allows me to support UVA Health's strategic plan goal of cultivating healthy communities by bringing value-based care to our local community."

'Creative Pursuit'

Elizabeth “Bizz” Glover, MEd, CPHRM, began painting after a 2019 trip to Glacier National Park. “I was inspired by the intense glacial blues,” she recalls. “My first painting of Grinnell Lake now hangs in our living room as a daily reminder of that inspiring place and of the challenges I faced in completing that piece.”

Now on most weekends, she paints alongside her cousin, local artist Randy Baskerville. “For me, painting is both a creative pursuit and a practice in presence. Randy brings rich insight and experience to our conversations, allowing us to connect across generations in a way that is both grounding and expansive.”

How does Glover make an impact with her UVA Health role? “As a Clinical Risk Manager in the Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, my role directly supports UVA Health’s guiding principle of caring for, empowering, and supporting fellow team members. I provide a space for leaders to raise concerns about the safety of patients and team members and focus on systems-based solutions with the overall goal of making University Medical Center safer. In all interactions — my goal is to demonstrate care, foster trust, and create a culture in which team members feel protected and strengthened to deliver the best possible care to our patients.”

Switching Gears

Karin Skeen, PhD, NEA-BC, started making dollhouses when she was eight years old.

“My sister and I would build elaborate houses out of shoe boxes,” she remembers. “We even managed to run electricity to power the lights. We swiped my brother’s train set transformer and wired it to the house. Thank goodness we never burned anything down!” [Do not try this at home.]

She returned to her hobby when her granddaughter, Elizabeth, asked her to fix an old dollhouse she had been given. Today, they create intricate "mouse houses" together.

How does she make an impact with her UVA Health role? “As UVA Health University Medical Center Associate Chief Nursing Officer, it’s my job to make sure the team has what it needs to accomplish our strategic goals. Managing resources to ensure we have the right team members, training, and equipment to keep operations rnning smoothly is a big job. 'Mouse housing' is a way to switch gears when I’m with my granddaughter!”

Sparking Smiles

Daysi Theobald has been exploring balloon art for about a year. “I took some balloon classes thinking I’d just decorate for family and friends, but I discovered a talent — a blessing,” she says. “I make time for balloon art because I’ve seen how much joy it brings to others. For me, it’s a way to give back by using creativity and kindness to help create moments of lightness in an environment where people truly need it.”

One of her proudest moments? Creating a balloon nutcracker soldier and bringing it to the Battle Building during the holidays. “The kids loved taking pictures with it,” she recalls. “A hospital can feel overwhelming at times, and if something as simple as a balloon sculpture can spark a smile, ease a little anxiety, or brighten someone’s day, then the time and effort are more than worth it.”

How does she make an impact with her UVA Health role? “As a greeter on the UVA Health Welcome Team in the Patient Experience Department, I support patients and families with compassion and respect. Through my balloon art, I try to go a step further by creating moments of hope and happiness that complement the excellent medical care they receive. Healing is about more than medicine — it’s about the human spirit. By sharing something colorful and unexpected, I hope to remind people they are seen, valued, and cared for. To me, that’s what the UVA Health mission is all about!”

Bringing Joy

Kate (Catherine) Wittig, RN, BSN, has been drawing and painting since childhood. She studied Creative Arts at Manchester University in the United Kingdom, where she also explored theatre, writing, and art.

“For the past 20 years, I homeschooled my children and taught art and graphic design,” she shares. “After moving to Charlottesville in 2016, I returned to school and became a registered nurse. While I have painted through all seasons of my life, I am now focusing on my work as an artist. I enjoy painting in acrylic and oil. It brings me a lot of joy!”

How does she make an impact with her UVA Health role? “As a nurse, I align strongly with UVA Health’s guiding principles, especially striving for excellence in providing exceptional care, supporting one another as healthcare providers, and continually learning and growing. As a Staffing Resource Office nurse, I am blessed to not only see the exceptional care that UVA Health provides across University Medical Center, but also to have time to practice my personal love of creating art.”

Do you, as a UVA Health team member, have a hidden talent? Or does a UVA Health colleague you know have one? If so, contact Connect to be considered for a future installement in this series.