CEO, Chief Academic Director, DE for Surgical Technology, PD, CC

Julie is the founder and CEO of SVSTI. She has successfully developed SVSTI from the ground up including but not limited to the logo, website, clinical relationships and curriculum. She is very passionate about the field and student success. She started the Sterile Processing & Surgical Technology Programs in hopes to bring the two departments together as a team. She is extremely passionate about educating students to be successful members of the medical community. She has over 2 decades in the field and almost a decade on the education side of the field. Her motto is "Stay hungry, stay humble". She enforces the standards and best practices to her students and has high expectations from them. She also ensures that her instructors are teaching the students to meet her expectations and the Standards. Even with all the hats she wears she tries to find time to teach in the lab whenever she can. "Where there is a will there is a way". 

In Julie's free time she enjoys traveling to other Countries as well as going on medical mission trips. She is not only the owner but the Chief Academic Director, Program Director, Clinical Coordinator, Distance Education Coordinator as well as the website developer and marketing. SVSTI was founded in 2018. 

Davina is the General Education Coordinator and the Psychology Instructor, as well as the Librarian. She joined SVSTI with over 13 years in Education with experience as a General Education instructor, Program Director, Student Success Center Manager, and Campus Lead at Carrington College.  

Prior to this, Davina served as a Senior Contracts Compliance Analyst for Intel Corporation.  Davina has a master’s degree in educational leadership from DeVry University, and in Sociology from San Jose State University. She's been a wonderful addition to SVSTI.

The beautiful thing about learning is, no one can take it away from you. These words from the great BB King have meant for me that education is an investment in myself I will always possess.

My educational background includes a master's in human resources management from DeVry University, a BS in business from University of Phoenix, and an AS in Surgical Technology from Rochester Community and Technical College, affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

As a Certified Surgical Technologist for over 40 years, I’ve worked as an Account Manager of a Pharmaceutical company, an O.R. Materials Manager of a large Bay Area hospital, and an Office Manager for various private surgeons. I've spent many years in the operating room, scrubbing different specialties. Neurosurgery remains my favorite.

Teaching is one of my passions. I’ve taught Anatomy & Physiology, Communications and various other subjects. My goal is to guide you in your studies and help you excel.

In my extra time I love spending time with my grandsons, Pilates, yoga, and working on our family horse ranch.

Hi, my name is Mikayla Bassett and I’m excited to be working with SVSTI. I started my training back home in Texas in a Sterile Processing department where I became certified and started working as an SPD traveler. I traveled to several hospitals all over the country but fell in love with the Bay Area when I got here and decided to stay. I worked for a total of 5 years in SPD up until the day I graduated the Surgical Technology program at Mt. Diablo Adult Education. I graduated with a certification from NBSTSA and worked as a CST at Stanford’s Outpatient Surgery Center in Redwood City, specializing in orthopedics, sports medicine, hands and podiatry. I have a Sterile Processing certification with HSPA, I am a member of The Association of Surgical Technologists. I’ve loved teaching new coworkers and students at all my past hospitals, and I’m so excited to continue to share what I’ve learned with the students of SVSTI. I am also a member of the Program Advisory Committee at SVSTI. 

I truly believe SPD is the heart of the hospital and having great teamwork between SPD and the operating room gives our patients the best possible outcomes. When I’m not working, I like to travel, eat good food with friends, and spend time with my puppy, Maui. 

Sarah graduated from New England Institute of Technology in 2008 and began scrubbing at Rhode Island’s only Level I trauma center, working predominantly in various pediatric specialties. 

From there, she moved to Maryland and joined the ortho/neuro team at a medical halfway between Baltimore and Washington, DC. She became lead tech and remained there until leaving to attend George Washington University, earning her Masters Degree in Health Sciences.

After relocating to California, Sarah worked mostly in ortho spine surgery, and spent a year as a full time Surgical Technology instructor.

Sarah is passionate about all things OR and is so excited to be on the team here at SVSTI! 

Hello, my name is Christian. I’m the Lead Sterile Processing Instructor as well as the assistant SPD Director.  I have over 5 years of experience and love helping students learn the essential hands-on skills needed to be successful in the field. I feel every Surgery starts with the Sterile Processing Department and it is crucial to teach the Standards, parameters and the workflow as well as being a team player in this field.  I first found interest in becoming a Sterile Processing Technician after multiple surgeries myself due to biking accidents. I used to ride professionally as well as building custom bikes. In my spare time I enjoy hiking and film photography. I am glad to be a part of the staff for this amazing School!

 Hi, I am Joey Tabuno, a Sterile Processing Technician with experience at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. I joined SVSTI only with a couple years of experience in the field but found a passion in teaching students at my facility. I am very passionate about sterile processing because the profession is ever-changing to improve things, whether it's new compliance with policies, procedures, industry standards, or regulations. I am both HSPA and CBSPD certified and  looking into acquiring other certificates for the profession, such as CIS, CER, and CHL to have the knowledge and to help others succeed in the field. 

Mia earned her associate of arts in Psychology from San Mateo College. 

Margarita (Margo) Branstetter, attended a prestigious school in Long Beach, (California Paramedical and Medical College). In 1985 she became a surgical technologist and right after her graduation she scrubbed for several hospitals in southern California, among these Hospitals two are Magnum Hospitals, one is Cedar Sinai in Santa Monica and second Hoag Hospital in Newport beach. 

During her scrubbing time she had the fortune to be part of various surgical teams, such cardiac team for 5 years, operation smile for 3 years, ENT, Harvesting, Ophthalmology, GYN, Urologist Robotic Team (first generation DaVinci), during this time she not only participated in surgeries that helped many people but enjoyed the fellowship of various imminent surgeons, and OR team members. 

After scrubbing for about 30 years, she started teaching.  She has been Instructing since 2008. 

She’s currently residing in Los Angeles and works for SVSTSI as online PRN Lecture and CST prep Instructor; she’s also working at LAX training emergency preparedness awareness as well as a BLS instructor. 

Margo believes that we all are born for a purpose and that there is no coincidence, and she honestly believes that her purpose is to teach and guide younger generations to fully become the best of themselves. Margo was born in Mexico City, is happily divorced, and has three daughters, and five grandchildren. 

Hi, my name is Tammy Ryan and I have been a surgical technologist for 30 years. I received my training in the USAFR and I have worked at Kaiser Permanente, David Grant Medical Center, various surgery centers, as a registry tech, but the majority of my work in the OR has been at UCSF Medical Center.
I’ve been a surgical technology educator since 2007, working at Mount Diablo Adult Education, Carrington College and now SVSTI.
I currently work at UCSF School of Nursing as the Clinical Placement Supervisor in the Office of Clinical Placement. I also have a BA in Religious Studies, I am a Doctor of Jurisprudence and a Master of Laws focusing on health care compliance.

I love teaching CST prep. It is so rewarding to help bring together all of the information given over the course of the program. I get to witness the final chapter in a student’s surgical technology education and help guide them to other academic endeavors that they will discover in their careers.