About Us
Our Story
Despite increasing awareness, many efforts remain fragmented or unsustainable. The WISe Collaborative was founded in response to a growing crisis in surgical wellbeing.
We believe improving wellbeing in surgery requires more than awareness—it demands coordinated action, evidence-based solutions, and cultural transformation.
Through a partnership between UCSF and UCLA, WISe was created to lead this work with intention, rigor, and impact.
Our Team
Co-Founder/Director, WISe Collaborative
Veronica Sullins, MD, FACS, FAAP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Pediatric Surgery
Department Wellness Officer
Member, ACS Committee on Surgeon Wellbeing
Member, APSA Wellness Committee
UCLA Physician Health Committee
Co-Founder/Director, WISe Collaborative
Carter Lebares, MD, FACS, MAMSE
Associate Clinical Professor
Foregut/MIS, Acute Care Surgery
Founder/Director, Center for Mindfulness in Surgery
Vice Chair, ACS Committee on Surgeon Wellbeing
Principal Investigator, Lebares Resilience Lab