Dr. Rita Pappas '84 COVID Advisor to her Alma Mater

Frequently we hear of the many brave Beaumont alumnae who are on the frontlines during this pandemic. One such alum, Dr. Rita Pappas ’84, was instrumental in Beaumont’s in-person return last August. Dr. Pappas is the medical director in Hospital Operations at Cleveland Clinic. She has served as our medical advisor this year, helping to develop the Restart Plan that enabled Beaumont to prepare for and execute in-person learning during COVID. Her counsel was invaluable as we navigated developments and it helped us stay in-person throughout the year.

President Wendy Hoke had the foresight early in the pandemic to call on Dr. Pappas to be our advisor during this novel and trying time. “Wendy was very prepared when we met to discuss Beaumont’s COVID strategy. I am very proud to serve as the medical advisor for Beaumont during the pandemic. Wendy and I use the guiding principle of safety for all the students and Beaumont faculty. Beaumont’s COVID plan was able to safely provide education during an uncertain time,” says Dr. Pappas.

“We could not have known how smoothly this would have gone. We are grateful and fortunate to have such a compassionate and smart person as Dr. Pappas who has used her knowledge and science background to guide her recommendations for us,” says President Hoke.

With Dr. Pappas’ input, Beaumont’s Restart Plan was designed to ensure the safety of our faculty, staff and students and to offer options for in-person and virtual learning for those students who wanted that choice.

A Leader at Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Pappas has been on the frontline working with other leaders at the Cleveland Clinic fighting COVID for the past year. The team has been meeting 7 days a week for months with the purpose to care for COVID patients. In this leadership role, as well as a staff pediatrician, Dr. Pappas has improved efficiency across the Clinic, with her current focus of racing to vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

She recalls the impact Beaumont has had on her even as a leading physician during this historic pandemic. “As a Beaumont grad, I use the leadership skills that I learned by serving in Beaumont’s Student Council, such as communication, teamwork and humility.”

For more information about Beaumont’s restart, visit www.beaumontschool.org/restartplan.

Original Article: https://www.beaumontschool.org/news/2021/04/15/beaumont-news-winterspring-2021-frontline-heroes-living-dynamic-adaptability