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Linda Pedraza, a PHS Information Systems corporate manager for BWH applications development whose leadership was integral to BICS modernization and eMAR and the pharmacy system, died Friday, Jan. 6, after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. She was 45.
"Linda had dynamic leadership ability, technical expertise and clinical knowledge, and she brought it together in one place," said Sue Schade, BWH chief information officer. "Linda has been a part of BWH and Partners since 1984. She was an inspiration to all of us as she fought cancer with strength and grace for nearly three years."
Kala Danca, a PHS IS team leader, said Mrs. Pedraza was a supportive boss who always met challenges head on. "She was a real bring-it-on-kind of person and incredibly compassionate," she said. More than 10 people, Danca included, considered Mrs. Pedraza to be their best friend.
DeeDee Mariano, who worked with Mrs. Pedraza when she joined BWH in 1984, recalled her intelligence and her "beautiful blue eyes." Mariano added, "She was so full of hope and courage."
Mrs. Pedraza was well known her dedication to several causes, including cancer, autism and heart disease. She was the outreach coordinator of Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), a nonprofit organization for women genetically predisposed to get cancer, and served as co-captain of the IS Boston Heart Walk Team in September. In addition, she was vice president of a local baseball league for children with disabilities.
She raised money to bring computers to the classrooms at the special needs school her son attended. After her co-workers donated more than $2,000 for computers and software, Mrs. Pedraza graciously thanked them. "I am speechless and overwhelmed. While it may be difficult for some to believe that I am a lucky person, I truly am lucky," she said in the e-mail less than one month before she died.
Mrs. Pedraza grew up in Copley, Ohio, and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati in medical technology and a master's degree in health care administration from Simmons College in Boston. She worked at BWH as a medical technologist and then chief technologist, and she managed the Ambulatory Clinical Laboratory at 850 Boylston St. from 1992 to 1994. She was a systems designer and corporate team leader for BWH IS until 2002 when she became the corporate manager for BWH application development, leading a team of more than 30 programmers.
Mrs. Pedraza is survived by her husband of nearly 25 years, Luis Pedraza of West Roxbury; two children, Joseph and Nicole; her father and stepmother, Joseph and Julie Varvaro; one brother and one sister.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Jason Roberts Challenger League, 94 Sprague St., Readville, MA, 02136; 22Q13.3 Deletion Syndrome Foundation, Greenville, SC 29605; or FORCE (Facing our Risk of Cancer Empowered) 16057 Tampa Palms Blvd. W. PMB # 373, Tampa, FL 33647.