Angela Santoro Research Award

Graduation from UD May 2005–B.S. Medical Technology

Upon graduation, May 2005-April 2006

Christiana Care, Newark, DE

Angela started her career immediately upon graduation from UD as a Blood Bank Technologist with duties including performing routine type and screen, type and cross match, direct anti globulin testing, WARM autoantibody identification, cord blood panel testing, elutions and antibody identification. Angela was also responsible for solely running the components section, thawing FFP, pooling cryoprecipitate and releasing platelet pheresis. She also aided in training new hires and students in clinical rotation.

Beebe Medical Center, Lewes, DE

Angela joined Beebe as a Generalist, responsible for maintaining equipment and troubleshooting problems throughout the blood bank, hematology, chemistry, urinalysis and microbiology departments. Angela was also responsible for performing, calculating and reporting routine and special laboratory testing, possessing the ability to assess patient data based on knowledge of interpreting standard deviations and providing care through the correlation of data as dictated by department policies and procedures.

St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, ID

Angela’s sense of adventure took her cross-country to Boise, Idaho, where she lived and worked for 7 years. Her title, upon arrival, was Generalist, with responsibilities in operating all instruments imperative to the laboratory, running and interpreting quality control materials, using knowledge of medical technology to identify and recognize problems within the laboratory and working alternative methods to problem solve.

In 2011, Angela was awarded a certificate of completion of the Crucial Conversations Training, acquiring skills used by top performers to build relationships, create agreement, and bring the best ideas to the surface while acknowledging her commitment to continue the lifelong journey toward mastery of Crucial Conversations Skills.

In 2014, Angela completed the Saint Alphonsus Aspiring Leaders Program and was recognized for her outstanding participation, unparalleled commitment and valuable contributions to the mission of Saint Alphonsus.

While in Boise, Angela served as an adjunct professor at Stevens-Henager College-Boise School of Healthcare, providing future lab scientist information they would need to be successful.

Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE

Technical Specialist of Hematology and Urinalysis

Angela rejoined her family in Delaware in October, 2015 and also rejoined the Christiana Care family, working once again in the laboratory where she started her career.

Angela had many responsibilities while at Christiana. The role she took most seriously was educating and training future medical scientists. She was recognized for her platelet training in the NICU in 2021 for her expertise, enthusiasm and patience with an “Anticipating the Needs of Others” commendation.

Angela was the go-to person in the lab if another member needed a second opinion or confirmation of a specimen. Angela took great pleasure in identifying maladies, some life-threatening, while looking at a slide under the microscope and confirming her conclusions with the ordering pathologist.

Angela also was a member of the Special Isolation Unit, founded at the Wilmington Hospital in 2015, which contained a dedicated lab able to process specimens to send to the State of Delaware Public Health Lab to confirm Ebola Virus Disease. Angela went to Emory University to the National Ebola Training and Education Center to learn how to safely process the EVD blood work, how to don and doff PPE (personal protective equipment), how to use a respirator and how to safely process blood specimens. Angela was the training coordinator for the lab scientists who volunteered to work in the SIU. She also developed concise policies and procedures for the lab, ensuring all lab scientists were able to work in an ultra safe environment.

As a public service project, Angela spearheaded the donation of over 100 pairs of shoes by a number of departments in the hospital to be distributed to the needy.

Angela regularly donated platelets at the Blood Bank of Delaware, finding comfort in knowing this simple action could potentially save the lives of many.