Respiratory Care faculty honored as fellows by national associations

Two faculty members from the Department of Respiratory Care at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have been recognized for their dedication, leadership and excellence in respiratory therapy by two national associations.

Donna “De De” Gardner, M.S.H.P., RRT, FAARC, FCCP, associate professor and department chair, was named a Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) during the International CHEST Conference in Montréal on October 24, 2015. Gardner is part of the inaugural class of non-physician fellows. In addition to teaching at the UT Health San Antonio, Gardner is a practicing respiratory therapist at the South Texas ALS Clinic and primary investigator on a funded project to determine the best airway clearance device for patients with ALS. She also supports asthma education through community service learning grants and was awarded the MacCaffree Humanitarian Award from the CHEST Foundation in 2012 and 2013.

Richard Wettstein, MMEd, RRT, FAARC, associate professor of respiratory care, was inducted as an American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) Fellow during the AARC International Congress on December 6, 2015. AARC Fellows are recognized by their peers for their dedication and contribution to the art and science of respiratory care. Wettstein has been teaching for more than 20 years and has taught respiratory care in Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States. In addition to teaching and research, Wettstein serves as the director of clinical education and admissions for the UT Health San Antonio Department of Respiratory Care.