Kara Snyder, Director of Nursing, Pediatrics
Kara Snyder, RN, a longtime nurse at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson, has been named director of nursing for Pediatrics for Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center.
She has been a registered nurse for nearly 20 years and has served at the hospital for the past 11 years as a clinical nurse specialist for Trauma/Critical Care and as director of Quality, Infection Prevention, Survey Readiness and Data Analytics for both Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and its sister hospital, Banner – University Medical Center South. Most recently she has served as interim director of Women's and Children's Services.
Snyder earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Arizona, her master’s degree in trauma, critical care and emergency nursing from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and is currently studying for her PhD in nursing and healthcare systems at the University of Colorado Denver.
In her new role, Snyder will oversee the inpatient operations of pediatrics at Diamond Children’s.
“Our patients are served by an amazing and talented team of clinicians and I’m delighted so serve them,” she says.
Carla Rodriguez, Director of Nursing, Women and Infant Services 
Carla Rodriguez, RN, a neonatal nurse practitioner in the Nursery ICU at Diamond Children’s, has been named director of nursing of Women and Infant Services.
Rodriguez has held several nurse and management roles at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson over the years. She earned her Bachelor of Nursing through Grand Canyon University and a master’s degree in nursing from Rush University in 2009.
In her new position, she will oversee the operations of inpatient obstetrics, gynecology and infant services at Diamond Children’s.
“Every patient and family member should be treated as if they are one of your own,” she says.
Four New Child Life Specialists at Diamond Children’s
B
anner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center is pleased to introduce its new team of child life specialists, all of whom have relocated to Tucson in recent months.
Child life specialists are pediatric health-care professionals who work with children and families in hospitals and clinics to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness and disability. They provide children with age-appropriate preparation for medical procedures, pain management and coping strategies, as well as play and self-expression activities, said Lori Mitts, child life manager at Diamond Children’s. They also provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings and other family members.
Betsy DeVenney received her bachelor’s degree in child development from Iowa State University and completed her internship at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Chicago. She is the child life specialist for the hematology-oncology unit and the BMT outpatient clinic.
Frances Rosales earned her bachelor’s degree in family studies and human development from the University of Arizona and she completed her child life internship at NorthShore Hospital in Chicago. She will work with children facing surgery.
LeAnna Lucero earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA, and master’s degree in therapeutic recreation and child life from the University of Wisconsin. Before joining Diamond Children’s, where she works in the pediatric emergency department, she worked at a children’s hospital in Marshfield, Wis. She is dually certified as a child life specialist and therapeutic recreation specialist.
Analise Lotz has a master’s degree in counseling from Saint Mary’s University in Minnesota and completed her child life internship at Children’s of Minneapolis. She previously worked at Children's St. Paul Pediatric Hospital in diabetic support and the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Minnesota.