Our Team
Thanh H. Neville, MD
Dr. Thanh Neville obtained her medical degree, completed her Internal Medicine Residency, Pulmonary and Critical Care fellowship, and her Masters of Science in Health Services all at UCLA. She joined the faculty in the UCLA Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care in 2012 and is both a clinician and a researcher. In 2017, she co-founded the 3 Wishes Program and is currently its Medical Director.
Anna Maier
Anna is the Program Manager for the 3 Wishes Program. While the program is nurse-sustained, Anna helps to expand the program to new units, train nurses and assist with wishes whenever she can.
Anna believes that the 3 Wishes Program exemplifies how small acts of kindness can go a long way. She has seen first hand the impact that this program has on the way loved ones perceive the end of life and the grieving process.
Sherry Xu, MSN, RN
Sherry has been a critical care nurse in the Medical ICU (MICU) for over 15 years and she finds it most rewarding to be able to help others. Sherry received her Master of Science Degree in Nursing with a focus on Gerontology from California State University Dominguez Hills in 2013. Sherry is currently serving as the nursing unit director for MICU. She is proud of her amazing team of staff and appreciates the collaboration with others at UCLA
Yuhan Kao, MSN, RN, CNS, CCRN
Yuhan Kao obtained her MSN from Loma Linda University and is currently working as the Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Medical Intensive Care Unit in Ronald Regan Medical Center.
The 3 Wishes Program provides dignity to the patient at the end of life and provides closure to the family and to the health care staff as well.
Kristen Hjelmhaug, RN, BSN, CCRN
Kristen is a bedside and relief charge nurse in the Medical ICU for over 6 years. She strives to create an environment that fosters the privileged bond between patient/family and nurse. The 3 Wishes Program means the world to Kristen because it provides a special opportunity for her to support and comfort those who are grieving beyond what is considered normal.
Allegra Bell, RN
Allegra Bell is an oncology nurse at UCLA Santa Monica and a 3WP Nurse Champion on her unit.
The 3WP has brought forth an opportunity to give back to our patients, many of whom we have established relationships with spanning years. Allegra's favorite 3WP memory is creating a spa day for a patient, with a facial performed in the room. The patient was glowing, inside and out!
Natalie Sanaee, RN
Natalie Sanaee is an ICU RN at UCLA Santa Monica ICU, she started working there as a student since 2014, and has been dedicated to helping patients and their families through their most difficult moments. Natalie was also the president of the UCLA chapter for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses from 2016-2018 which focused on assisting the community, mentoring new nurses and helping further the nursing profession.
Melanie Donovan, RN, BS
Melanie has been at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for 24 years. She is currently the Assistant Unit Director of the Transplant Surgical ICU. The 3 wishes Program has meant so much not only to the staff, but also the multidisciplinary team such as Social Workers and physicians. Melanie believes that the project has provided an opportunity for everyone to give that extra support and comfort during a very difficult time to our patients and their families.
Also part of the team:
Rayna Ewer, RN, 4SW
Elyse Nickell, RN, 4CWICU
Jocelyn R Rodriguez, RN, L&D
Cristina Castillo Tuano-Verayo, RN, L&D
Abby Lockhart, RN, 8ICU
Leora Shachat, RN, 7ICU
Lindsay Brant, RN, 7ICU
Dawn Gottula, RN, 5NW
Erin Castle, RN, 5NW