SLU Team Excels at National Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition
For the tenth consecutive year, the Saint Louis University Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) hosted the Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition in October.
This year marked a milestone for the program — the SLU event served as one of three regional competitions feeding into the inaugural National Interprofessional Geriatric Case Competition. Across the three regional sites, over a dozen universities participated. The first-place team from each regional competition advanced to the National Finals.
At the SLU Regional Competition, 10 interprofessional student teams presented comprehensive, age-friendly care plans for an older adult with complex medical and social needs. Their presentations demonstrated impressive teamwork, clinical insight, and creativity.
The SLU regional first-place team advanced to the National Finals, held virtually on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Competing against the top teams from across the country, our SLU team earned a second-place at the national level.
The team was made up of:
- Amy Wilson – Saint Louis University, School of Social Work
- Garrett Lance – A.T. Still University, Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
- De’Von Cato – Saint Louis University, School of Medicine
- Payton Adams – Saint Louis University, Department of Psychology
- Hannah Niederman – Saint Louis University, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Physical Therapy
- Joseph Trinitas – Saint Louis University, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing
The team was coached by Andrea Vaughan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University
Recordings of the top three scoring teams from the national competition are available on The Family Center for Healthy Aging’s YouTube channel. These presentations highlight how interprofessional, age-friendly care can deliver holistic and person-centered support for older adults.
Another team with SLU ties placed second at the regional competition. The second-place team was:
- Katherine Lawless – Saint Louis University, School of Social Work
- Elizabeth Millburn – A.T. Still University, Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
- Shannon Lawton-O’Boyle – Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, Medical Family Therapy
- Natalie Czajka – Saint Louis University, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Physical Therapy
- Nihalika Chinthamala – Saint Louis University, College for Public Health and Social Justice
- Coach: Jafar Ohiokpehai, MD, Geriatric/Palliative Care Fellow, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
The third=place regional team was:
- Katelyn Weber – Saint Louis University, School of Social Work
- Jack Petrucci – A.T. Still University, Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
- Jonathan Mesa – Saint Louis University, School of Medicine
- Samhita Katteri – Saint Louis University, Department of Psychology
- Brittany Taylor – Saint Louis University, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Nuclear Medicine
- Coach: Cara Wallace, PhD, LMSW, APHSW-C, Dorothy A. Votsmier Endowed Chair and Professor, Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, Saint Louis University