The UAB Department of Surgery was honored to recognize the second-annual awardees of the Moore-McDougal Staff Excellence Awards in Surgery on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at the annual Surgery Staff Town Hall.

Spanning across the Department’s nine divisions and administrative team, the awards recognize 10 staff members who exemplify the tripartite mission of UAB Surgery and make a resoundingly positive impact on those around them.
In its second year, the Staff Excellence Awards were created by UAB Department of Surgery Executive Administrator Mary McDougal, MPA, and former Executive Administrator Christal Moore, MBA, MSA, as an endowed initiative to provide support and acclaim for the exceptional work and talent they recognized.

“The staff of the UAB Department of Surgery make our clinical, research, and educational efforts possible each and every day,” commends McDougal. “It is truly an honor to celebrate them and the critical work they do.”

Help us congratulate the 2025 cohort of the Moore-McDougal Staff Excellence Awards in Surgery:

• Corwyn Potts - Overall Departmental Endowment Recipient
  Division of Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy
  “Corwyn Potts is one of those people that you can always depend on stepping up when something needs to be done. He is always quick to help when asked and does not shy away from stepping in and taking on a project when he knows that it will be a challenge.” 
• Rachel Ammons, PA-C
  Division of Pediatric Surgery
  “Rachel performs at an outstanding level. She provides the highest level of care of the patients and their families. Rachel helps our team be better.  Her support of the faculty/fellows/residents is superb. She is a terrific ambassador for our team and goes the extra mile to make sure everything is done and done well.”
• Jennifer Brown
  Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery
  “Jennifer is a superb nurse, strong supervisor, and caring person. She has contributed significantly to the clinical operations of GI Surgery and central to recruitment of all non-faculty staff, clinical operations, and integrating outpatient with inpatient work. She goes above and beyond for patient care - she will call patients, talk with families extensively, and organize complex care. She is simply outstanding and would be well-deserved of this special award.” 
• Callie Clowdus
  Division of Surgical Oncology
  “Callie consistently goes above and beyond what is expected of her. She is thorough in her work, highly organized, responsible, and takes ownership. She has a can-do attitude and works well with others. I would not be able to do my job without her!”
• Elizabeth “Beth” Cooper
  Department of Surgery Chair’s Office
  “Beth is amazing! Her willingness to assist colleagues across the Chair’s Office exemplifies her collaborative spirit and dedication. Beth consistently handles a wide range of responsibilities with professionalism and grace. She is approachable, thoughtful, and a trusted sounding board for ideas. Her positive attitude and genuine care for others make her an invaluable member of the team.”
• Connie Stephens Cross
  Division of Plastic Surgery
  “Connie has been the steady heartbeat of our department. She is someone whose dedication to our surgeons, our patients, and our mission is unmatched. Connie embodies everything this award stands for: excellence, dedication, compassion, and leadership. To work alongside her is a privilege; to learn from her is a gift.” 
• Irene Davis
  Division of Breast & Endocrine Surgery
  “Irene is always willing to step in and help in any way she can, with a smile on her face. She is hard-working, dependable, and meticulously organized. She is an asset to the faculty she supports and has a kind heart that has been witnessed by many, even outside of our division.” 
• Heather Fry
  Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
  “Heather is not only kind and efficient but also handles an evolving and often complex administrative workload with remarkable grace and precision. She communicates with humility and professionalism with patients, faculty, and staff alike. She exemplifies all the criteria for this award and truly deserves to be recognized for her exceptional work.” 
• Samantha Fry, MPH
  Division of Transplantation
  “Samantha has demonstrated unwavering dedication, professionalism, and a work ethic that sets a high standard for excellence. Samantha’s positivity is a constant presence in our department. She is a true team player who is always willing to lend a hand, no matter the task. A shining star with a bright future ahead, Samantha embodies the spirit of collaboration, service, and excellence that defines the Department of Surgery.”
• Maria Tyson
  Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery
  “Maria works hard and has been working with the department for a lengthy period of time. Anytime I have needed assistance she is eager to help and also puts a smile on my face.”

About Award Founders - Christal Moore, MBA, MSA & Mary McDougal, MPA

Christal Moore, MBA, MSA, is the vice president of hospital services at Boston Medical Center. She has held several surgical services positions at both Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she served as executive administrator. Christal is a graduate of the Georgia Tech with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and obtained two master’s degrees from Georgia State University — one in business administration and a second in healthcare administration. She is a board-certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Mary McDougal, MPA, is the executive administrator for the Department of Surgery in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. Mary came to UAB from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she led teams working to establish the Sheltering Arms Institute, a 114-bed freestanding rehabilitation hospital. Mary received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, and received a master’s degree in public administration from Seattle University.