Quality Improvement Team
Vanessa Moll, MD, PhD, FASA, FCCM
Dr. Vanessa Moll is the Vice Chair of Quality and Safety for the Department of Anesthesiology. An anesthesiologist, intensivist, and professor. Dr. Moll earned her MD/PhD from the University of Leipzig in Germany. She trained in anesthesiology at large university centers in Hamburg and Berlin before completing a residency in anesthesiology and a fellowship in critical care medicine at Stanford.
Dr. Moll is deeply passionate about building global health equity and is actively involved in several key organizations, including the Essential Emergency and Critical Care (EECC) network and the Surgical Education Learners Forum (SELF). She also advises international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and serves on and chairs multiple local, national, and international committees.
Her research focuses on perioperative outcomes and quality improvement. As a visionary leader with a strong commitment to quality and safety improvement, Dr. Moll is dedicated to embedding a culture of quality improvement within clinical services, ultimately enhancing patient confidence and outcomes.
Abdou Manjang, BS, MHA, CMP
Abdou Manjang serves as the Quality Improvement and Safety Coordinator for the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota. He holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead in Moorhead, Minnesota, and has accumulated over a decade of experience in hospital settings encompassing both clinical and administrative environments. Abdou specializes in performance improvement, project management, and change management, driven by a steadfast commitment to advancing service delivery and achieving operational excellence.
Throughout his career, Abdou has demonstrated expertise in enhancing patient care, optimizing operational efficiencies, and developing therapeutic programs for mental health patients. He is skilled in crafting and implementing business plans that bolster organizational performance and patient flow. Central to his achievements is his ability to cultivate strong relationships with clinical service line leaders and frontline healthcare staff.
At the University of Minnesota's Department of Anesthesiology, Abdou collaborates closely with the quality and safety chair to spearhead initiatives that prioritize quality of care and promote positive patient experiences. His leadership and contributions play a pivotal role in advancing healthcare delivery and patient outcomes within the department.
Mamatha Kadiyala, MD, MHCDS, FASA
Dr. Mamatha Kadiyala is an anesthesiologist with over 18 years of clinical and leadership experience in large integrated healthcare systems. With a master's degree in healthcare delivery science from Dartmouth Tuck School of Business, Dr. Kadiyala is an accomplished healthcare leader known for successfully leading quality improvement initiatives and projects at both departmental and organizational levels. Her work emphasizes standardizing protocols for quality care and implementing best practices.
Dr. Kadiyala is passionate about improving healthcare delivery by achieving the highest quality of care at reduced costs. Within six months of assuming a leadership role, she standardized protocols for thoracic surgery and ensured compliance by fostering engagement and accountability, resulting in cost reductions due to decreased length of stay. Her perioperative work focuses on reducing unnecessary tests, standardizing best practices, and improving outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Throughout her career, Dr. Kadiyala has held various leadership roles, including Division Chief of Preadmission Evaluation, Chief of Thoracic Anesthesia, and Chairman of Anesthesia. She aims to further enhance healthcare outcomes by integrating preventive care, addressing social determinants, and developing care models that link reimbursements to quality outcomes.
Larry Lindenbaum, MD
Dr. Larry Lindenbaum is an associate professor, the Academic Division Director of Multi-Specialty Anesthesiology, as well as the Associate Director of Medical Student Education with the Department of Anesthesiology. He also serves as the Executive Medical Director of Perioperative Anesthesia for M Health Fairview.
Joyce Wahr, MD
Dr. Joyce Wahr is a professor emeritus with the University of Minnesota Department of Anesthesiology. She was formerly the Executive Medical Director of Perioperative Services with M Health Fairview, as well as the Vice Chair of Quality and Safety with the Department of Anesthesiology. Clinically, she is interested in quality improvement projects and initiatives that improve patient safety and recovery. She is particularly focused on medication safety and has co-authored with Alan Merry the book, "Medication Safety in Anesthesia and the Perioperative Period."
Michael Todd, MD
After growing up in Phoenix, AZ, Dr. Todd completed his undergraduate and medical school education at the University of Chicago. After internship at UC, he moved to Boston where he completed his residency in anesthesia at the Massachusetts General Hospital - and did an extra year as Chief Resident. Given his interest in all things “neuroanesthesia” related, he then again traveled across the country (in 1979), this time to the University of California, San Diego, where he spent 2 and a half years in the laboratory of Dr. Harvey Shapiro, developing his experimental skills and his expertise in cerebrovascular physiology.
He returned to the operating room (and continued work in the lab) as a newly minted faculty member and remained at UCSD until 1986. Then, for a variety of both personal and professional reasons, he relocated to the University of Iowa - where he remained for the next 30 years. During this time he served at various times as head of neuroanesthesia, Vice Chair for Research and eventually as Chair and DEO of the Department of Anesthesia. In his spare time (and with a lot of help from his colleagues) he managed an NIH-funded laboratory, developed and ran 3 large multicenter clinical trials (2 of which involved >1000 patients), served as an editor and then Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesiology, and much more - all the while continuing to work in the OR (mostly doing Neuro).
After stepping down as Chair, Dr. Todd started talking with Dr. Wall - and decided to relocate to the University of Minnesota in 2016 where he has served as the Vice Chair for Research since.
Dr. Todd has published over 200 peer reviewed papers, over 50 book chapters, and well over 300 abstracts. He has served as an invited speaker, visiting professor etc nearly 300 times at institutions and organizations around the world.
Megan Kakela, DNP, APRN, CRNA
Dr. Megan Kakela has been a clinical Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at the University of Minnesota since 2016. Her passion for quality and patient safety was ignited during her training at the University of Iowa. Dr. Kakela’s doctoral project focused on reducing pressure injuries in the operating room, revealing the significant impact clinicians can have on patient safety through dedicated efforts.
At the University of Minnesota, Dr. Kakela has spearheaded numerous quality improvement projects, covering a wide range of topics including:
- Reducing blood waste in the operating room
- Enhancing care after monitored anesthesia care (MAC)
- Implementing quantitative nerve monitoring
- Managing difficult airways
- Utilizing bispectral index (BIS) monitoring
- Optimizing glucometer testing and management during the perioperative period
- Improving care for transgender patients through simulation
Dr. Kakela is committed to fostering future patient safety leaders by actively engaging trainees in quality improvement projects.
Keith Landgrebe
With over 16 years of experience in healthcare data, Keith Landgrebe is a seasoned expert in quality measurement and improvement. As the Lead Data Analyst for the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota, Keith plays a pivotal role in advancing the department's data-driven initiatives.
Keith spearheads the development and management of the "Anesthesia Universe," a comprehensive data repository encompassing hundreds of data points for every surgical anesthetic performed within the M Health Fairview system. His expertise is instrumental in driving the department's quality improvement efforts, supporting operational and administrative functions, contributing to educational activities, and facilitating various research projects.
Keith's extensive background and dedication to data excellence underpin his critical contributions to both the operational success and the strategic advancements of the Department of Anesthesiology.