Arts in Medicine (AIM) at UF Health Shands is comprised of arts in health practitioners, administrators, and often visiting artists in residence. The work is supported by adjunct artists and program champions. Every individual on our team has a connection to the arts through their own personal creative and/or contemplative arts practice.
Click the names on this page to learn more about who we are why we do what we do here at UF Health and in the community.
Arts in Medicine Administrators
AIM administrators combine expertise in arts in health administration with rich, personal creative practices. They can often be seen facilitating or assisting arts engagements, in addition to their administrative duties. Learn more about the team using the cards below.
administration, nursing, dance
Lauren Arce, MSN, RN, OCN, AHN-BC
Nurse Coordinator, Dancer
administration, dance/movement, creative writing
Jenny Baxley Lee, PhD, MA, BC-DMT
Director, Dancer
administration, visual arts, creative writing
Erin Beardslee
Communications and Grants Specialist, Visual Artist
administration, visual arts
Cassandra Belden, MA
Evaluations and Research Specialist, Visual Artist
administration, Nursing, dance
Whitney Wilson, MFA, BSN, RN
Community Arts Coordinator, Dancer
Arts in Medicine Practitioners
The artists below are employed by UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine to facilitate creative arts engagements at the hospital bedside and in the community.
music, songwriting
Michael Claytor
music
Maggie Clifford, PhD
visual arts
Sarah Hinds
MASSAGE THERAPY, creative writing
Andrew Hix, LMT
music, songwriting, visual arts
Ricky Kendall
music, songwriting
Rayvon “Ray” Rollins
visual arts
Sunita Shepherd
visual arts
Leslie Tharp
yoga, meditation
Amanda Bush
music, songwriting
Jahirah Williams
Artists in Residence
The artists below are in residence with UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, facilitating arts engagements either at the hospital bedside or in the community setting.
dance
Jackie Larson
dance
Shera Curtis
Community Arts Facilitators
Dance
Rusti Brandman, PhD
songwriting
Cathy DeWitt
meditation
Nancy Lasseter, Ed.S., LMHC
YOGA, MEDITATION
Tammy Bernard, M.Ed., C-IAYT
AIM Champions
- John Graham-Pole, MD – AIM co-founder
- Mary Rockwood Lane, PhD, RN, FAAN – AIM co-founder
- Tina Mullen – Director Emeritus of AIM, Adjunct Lecturer for UF Center for Arts in Medicine
- Brad Pollitt – VP of Facilities, Retired
- Jill Sonke, PhD – Research Director for UF Center for Arts in Medicine
- Helen Welsh, MSN, RN, NE-BC – Nurse Manager, 8East, Retired
- Michael Okun, M.D. – Executive Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, Professor and Chair of Neurology
Adjunct Artists
- Ferol Carytsas – Director & Lecturer for UF Center for Arts in Medicine, Music
- Barbara Esrig – Literary Arts
- Mary Lisa Kitakis-Spano – Visual arts
- Adria Klausner – Visual arts
- Sandra Murphy-Pak – Visual Arts
- Ellie Sommer – Writing, Retired