Post by Rachael Vasko RN, BSN, MS, FACHE

After five years of having a front-row seat to truly exceptional leadership, I find myself at a loss for words… but I’ll try. Dr. Nat Soper, Chair of the Department of Surgery at University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, is retiring, and the academic medicine world is a little less bright for it. From my vantage point as Department Administrator, I watched Dr. Soper lead with something increasingly rare in healthcare: humility and grace. He never walked into a room to be the most important person in it. He walked in to make sure his faculty were heard, supported, and treated equitably every time. What makes this even more remarkable is who he is in the surgical world. Dr. Soper is a pioneering force in laparoscopic surgery, whose contributions fundamentally changed how surgery is performed globally. Millions of patients have smaller scars, faster recoveries, and better outcomes because of his work. And yet, he led our department with the same quiet intentionality he brought to the OR. Under his leadership, the Department of Surgery grew in ways that will leave a legacy for decades: ✦ New sections and divisions that expanded surgical care and subspecialty access ✦ Multiple new fellowship programs ✦ Residency expansion and a deepened commitment to GME ✦ A thriving research enterprise, built intentionally and with vision ✦ A pivotal role in elevating ENT to its own independent department And that’s before you factor in what he accomplished at Northwestern and WashU in St. Louis — institutions that were shaped by his presence just as Banner Health has been. But the thing that will stay with me longest isn’t the org chart wins. It’s the way he showed up… consistently, quietly, and always in service of others. He made me a better leader by modeling what good leadership actually looks like. Dr. Nathaniel Soper, thank you for everything you’ve given to your patients, your trainees, your faculty, and to healthcare globally. Retirement is well-earned, and I hope it brings you joy at every turn. Wishing you all the best. 🥳 #AcademicMedicine #Surgery #Leadership #BannerHealth #Gratitude #Retirement