Contact Ascendant today:
SANJAY SHARMA
FOUNDER & CEO
My name is Sanjay Sharma and I am the CEO of Ascendant, an auto injury medical case management company!
I am passionate about working with compassionate nurses/team members, helping patients get great care, and more specifically helping them to recover so they can return to the highest level of normalcy.
What is a healthcare company that doesn’t treat patients like family? I always ask my team members “what would you do for your family?” do that for your patients and you will be doing the right thing. Going above and beyond has always been my personal motif when it comes to helping others. At Ascendant, our core value is being patient first and everything we do is on purpose and in an attempt to put a patient’s well-being first even if it means additional time or resources on our part.
I have an MBA from Michigan State and a Computer Science degree from the University of Michigan.
AJAY PATTANI
PRESIDENT
My name is Ajay Pattani and I am the President of Ascendant Health. I was first brought on to help manage growth, improve vision and values, and develop and grow a strong culture. Along that journey I decided to join our exceptional team in a larger role. My family has significant ties to the healthcare industry which drives my passion for our patient first approach. My background is in marketing, analytics and entrepreneurship and I have significant experience from founding and growing a digital agency, Perfect Search Media. I graduated with degrees in Finance and Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and hold a Law Degree from Depaul University.
KRISTINA KENGER
DIRECTOR OF NURSING
My name is Kristina Kenger and I am the Director of Nursing and a registered nurse here at Ascendant. Prior to becoming a case manager, I worked as a rehabilitation nurse on a short-stay rehab unit. I effectively worked with patients of all demographics, with a varying degree of rehab needs, to get them home. As a child, I assisted my mother in caring for my grandparents. At a young age, I knew I wanted to help those in need who may not have the support at home as my grandparents did. As the director of nursing at Ascendant, I am able to touch the lives of many while assisting my amazing team of nurses and social workers in providing the best care possible. Nursing is not just my career but also my passion.
KELLY WOLFER
NURSE CASE MANAGER
My name is Kelly Wolfer and I am a nurse case manager at Ascendant. Before becoming a case manager, I worked as an ICU nurse in one of the busiest hospitals in Detroit for about 3 years. One of the most rewarding things about working in the ICU is seeing patients heal. Unfortunately (fortunately for the patient!), they don’t stay in the ICU very long once they start getting better, and I always felt I was missing the latter half of patient care. I never really got to see patients recover. Now that I work in case management, I get to see this side of patient care every day and actively participate in it. And let me say, it is so incredibly rewarding. Ascendant empowers me as a nurse to advocate for my patient’s recovery.
RACHEL LUKAS
NURSE CASE MANAGER
My name is Rachel Lukas and I am a Nurse Case Manager at Ascendant Medical Case Management. I graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and before becoming a case manager I worked as a clinical nurse at Beaumont Royal Oak. As a nurse case manager, I get to help people in difficult situations by advising and helping them figure out what kind of assistance and services they need while creating personalized care plans to coordinate all of their care after a motor vehicle accident. My favorite part of being a case manager is getting to see my patients heal and grow after debilitating accidents. I love that I get to advocate for my patients and work with them, their families, and all their providers to make sure they are getting the best care possible. Being a nurse, my patient’s well-being is always my #1 priority and here at Ascendant our very first core value is “Patient First”.
SAMANTHA BECK
NURSE CASE MANAGER
My name is Samantha Beck and I am a nurse case manager at Ascendant. Before becoming a case manager, I worked as a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit, caring for highly complex patients requiring a variety of surgical interventions. As an auto injury nurse case manager, I get to assist patients in making informed decisions about their care to return to the best version of themselves by working alongside patients, families, and physicians. During trying times people are especially vulnerable and need guidance to get back to living life as independently as possible. I am a firm believer in teamwork and I take pride in having the opportunity to help others!
STEPHANIE AUCH
NURSE CASE MANAGER
My name is Stephanie Auch and I am a Medical Case Manager for Ascendant. Before joining the amazing team at Ascendant, I worked as a unit nurse for medical/surgical, step-down progressive care, intensive care, and as a Bariatric Surgery Coordinator. I have always been a caregiver who empathizes with all ages and types of people in need of help. Meeting patients and their families on some of the hardest days of their lives brings me a profound sense of purpose. The amazing thing about being a Medical Case Manager is not only working with patients, families and providers but being a part of the healing process. I love to get to know patients and provide everything I can to help them physically, mentally, and spiritually. I love my job because it is who I am even when I am not working and grateful for the opportunity to serve others.
THERESA BECKLEY-AMAYA
MASTER SOCIAL WORKER
My name is Theresa Beckley-Amaya and I am a master social worker for Ascendant. Before joining the amazing team at Ascendant I worked as a unit nurse for medical/surgical, step-down progressive care, intensive care, and as a Bariatric Surgery Coordinator. I have always been a caregiver who empathizes with all ages and types of people in need of help. Meeting patients and their families on some of the hardest days of their lives brings me a profound sense of purpose. The amazing thing about being a Medical Case Manager is not only working with patients, families and providers but being a part of the healing process. I love to get to know patients and provide everything I can to help them physically, mentally, and spiritually. I love my job because it is who I am even when I am not working and grateful for the opportunity to serve others.