National Engineers Week celebrates the myriad ways engineering shapes the world and serves to inspire the next generation to consider careers in this dynamic field.
Arthrex employs hundreds of engineers across the country and throughout the world, spanning areas of the business such as Product Development, Manufacturing, Packaging Design, Information Technology (IT), Research and Development (R&D) and Quality.
“I’m honored to work alongside such a talented group of engineers and proud to see so many different individuals share the same commitment to Arthrex’s mission,” said Vice President of Engineering Karen Gallen.
In celebration of National Engineers Week, here are just a few of Arthrex’s talented engineers and the stories of how they chose their career fields and how they play vital roles in Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better®.
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Product Development Engineer II Marcela Montoya
“Ever since I was little, I’ve loved taking things apart to see how they work,” Marcela said.
On the flip side, she also loved watching her parents – both architects – use AutoCAD to design projects and then seeing those designs come to fruition.
Growing up in Cape Coral, Florida, Marcela said she often heard mentions of Arthrex, but that alone didn’t prompt her interest in working with medical devices.
“I ended up tearing both of my ACLs while playing collegiate soccer, and that inspired me to look into the procedures used to get me back on the field and how I could make an impact in helping other people in the future.”
That’s when she made it her goal to work at Arthrex.
“Within a week of graduation, I started as a Product Design Engineer for the Upper Extremity team,” she said, “and a few months later was when I realized both of my ACL reconstructions had been done using Arthrex’s ACL TightRope® and InternalBrace™ technique.”
Marcela said all of the projects she’s worked on in her time at Arthrex have felt impactful – and knowing what it’s like to be on the receiving end of Arthrex innovation makes her work that much more rewarding.
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Senior Director of Engineering Peter Dreyfuss
According to Peter, there were a few factors at play in his decision to study engineering.
“My dad was an industrial engineer, and I had a couple of friends from high school who were also going to school for engineering,” he said. “And, I was generally good at math and science…”
After beginning his career at a firm that designed airplane seating and storage, Peter now spends his days generating concepts and prototypes for potential future projects – a role he excels at as evidenced by being among the top patent holders at Arthrex.
“I’ve been fortunate to be part of developing many successful devices such as PushLock® anchors and SwiveLock® anchors.”
Although, Peter said one product in particular holds a special place in his heart – and it’s not even a design that is available to surgeons… currently.
“We’ve worked on developing a way to treat cartilage lesions in the shoulder,” Peter explained. “It didn’t catch on the first time around because the skill level required to perform the technique is still too high, but I think it will be something that could come around again, once future engineers develop better visual and guidance technology.”
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Sutures Senior Industrial Engineer I Eric Nelson
“I always knew I wanted to do something that combined math and science with design, but I didn’t want to be stuck at a desk all day,” Eric said. “I wanted to do something that involved working with people and designing things around people.”
Which is why his role supporting the AMIE Clean Room Operators is so perfect.
“I manage the layout of the entire Sutures department anytime there’s new equipment brought onto campus or a new process change is implemented. My goal is to continually make our Clean Rooms better for the Operators – and for Arthrex operations as a whole.”
Eric said industrial engineering has proven to be the ideal intersection of technical work and human interaction. Add to that the fact that after living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and New Jersey, Eric and his wife wanted to live near a Florida beach, and Arthrex has been the perfect fit.
“Arthrex found me,” Eric said, “and I’m thankful every day that it did.”
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Quality Assurance Engineer I Abby Wagner
Between a life-long interest in the medical field and an appreciation for engineering principles, Abby initially found herself pursuing a career path in prosthetics and orthotics. It wasn’t until her junior year of college that she realized she was more interested in doing technical, behind-the-scenes work.
“As I got more exposure to the medical device industry, I became confident that was the right career path for me – in particular, quality engineering within the creation of medical devices.”
As a member of Arthrex’s Quality team, Abby plays a vital role in ensuring manufacturing processes are following the guidelines defined by regulatory agencies and that finished products meet Arthrex’s high quality standards.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Abby said, “and Arthrex’s mission of Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better aligns perfectly with that.”
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Software Engineering Supervisor Rodrigo Rengifo
“I was the first member of my family to attend college in the U.S.”
Looking back, Rodrigo said his decision to study computer engineering was probably inspired by his father, who, upon first coming to the United States, had a job programming CNC machines.
“I watched my dad use computer programs to control all of these elaborate machines to make exactly what someone needed them to make.”
Rodrigo said he’d never specifically considered working with medical devices, but that he was always interested in the medical field.
“I was recruited to Arthrex to help develop the next generation camera system, which ended up being the Synergy Vision™ system,” he said. “Seeing the appreciation surgeons have for the products we make reinforces that what I do every day is helping to improve people’s lives, and that keeps me excited about every new project.”
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Biomaterials Engineer I Sam Biederwolf
Raised by two engineers, Sam grew up watching her mom, an industrial engineer, make an impact in the automotive and technology industries and spent weekends building toy rocket ships with her dad, an electrical engineer whose patents adorned the shelves of his home office.
“I always knew I would end up in engineering,” she said.
Sam was in her freshman year at Penn State when COVID-19 turned the world upside down, and, for a while, she considered studying vaccine development.
“But then I realized I wanted to work on something on a larger physical scale, so I pivoted into medical devices.”
Sam now works in the Research Lab on the Naples campus, testing the materials that make up Arthrex’s wide array of products.
“I work with every product portfolio and a wide variety of departments – from Supplier Quality and Supply Chain to Marketing, Packaging and Regulatory,” she explained. “I like to think of my job as a helping hand to anyone at the company who needs it.”
Sam said that, to date, she is most proud of her work ensuring that Arthrex products are safe and effective post-sterilization.
“Engineers are motivated and dedicated, and they devote their careers to continuously improving the lives of absolutely everyone, everywhere,” she said. “I wake up every day and know I will have a positive impact on someone’s life.”