Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Additional Information - Summary
Timeline
Generic

KAJA THOMAS

Waldorf

Summary

Dedicated Sterile Processing Student and CRCST candidate with a background in high pressure service and styling environments. Combines a meticulous eye for detail from wardrobe assembly with a disciplined commitment to sanitation and safety protocols from the food service industry. Proven ability to follow complex SOPs and maintain organized inventories, ensuring 100% accuracy and patient safety in fast-paced healthcare settings.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Personal Style Assistant

Mozie Designs
West Hollywood
04.2022 - 04.2026

• Inventory & Tray Assembly: Managed complex inventory catalogs of over hundreds of individual items, ensuring 100% kit completion for fast-paced production schedules a direct parallel to assembling multi-part surgical instrument sets.

• Quality Assurance: Performed meticulous visual inspections of garments and accessories to identify defects, tears, or stains, ensuring all items met strict standards before use.

• Organizational Precision: Developed and maintained systematic labeling and storage protocols for high volume inventory to ensure rapid, error free retrieval during time sensitive projects.

• SOP Adherence: Followed detailed "look books" and designer specifications with 100% accuracy, demonstrating the discipline required to follow complex medical sterilization recipes.

Bartender

Benihana
Encino
07.2021 - 06.2022

• Sanitation & Chemical Safety: Maintained 100% compliance with health department standards, utilizing industrial cleaning agents and specific "clean to dirty" workflows to prevent cross contamination.

• Precision Under Pressure: Executed complex multi step "builds" with total accuracy during peak high volume periods, mirroring the focus required for surgical tray assembly.

• Inventory & Asset Management: Monitored high value inventory and equipment, ensuring all tools were functional, clean, and ready for immediate use.

• Situational Awareness: Managed a fast paced, high heat environment while maintaining strict safety standards and coordinating with a diverse team.

Server/Lead Bartender

Busboys And Poets
Hyattsville
01.2017 - 04.2020

• Sanitation & Safety: Strictly enforced health department and OSHA protocols to prevent cross contamination, maintaining a "clean to sterile" mindset in a high volume workspace.

• Priority Management: Successfully navigated high pressure environments by prioritizing tasks based on urgency, ensuring critical needs were met without compromising quality.

• Communication: Collaborated effectively with a diverse team to ensure seamless service, a skill vital for coordinating with the Operating Room (OR) and other hospital departments.

Bartender/Event Organizer

City Club Of Washington
Washington
04.2016 - 01.2017

• Operational Logistics: Orchestrated time-sensitive events for hundreds of guests, managing "Run of Show" schedules to ensure 100% on time delivery a direct parallel to managing the strict timelines of a surgical department.

• Complex Resource Management:Coordinated the inventory, transport, and setup of high value equipment and supplies, ensuring all "kits" were complete and functional before use.

• Sanitation Leadership: Directed and executed strict cleaning protocols for high-volume equipment and workspaces, maintaining a "sterile ready" environment under Health Department guidelines.

• Stakeholder Communication: Acted as the central point of contact for vendors and clients, ensuring all technical requirements were met under high pressure, deadline driven conditions.

Bank Teller

TD Bank
Clinton
01.2014 - 04.2016

• Compliance & Accuracy: Executed high-volume financial transactions with 100% accuracy, adhering to strict federal regulations and internal SOPs demonstrating the discipline required for sterile processing protocols.

• Quality Control: Performed rigorous verification of documents and currency to detect errors or discrepancies, maintaining the "zero error" mindset necessary for surgical instrument inspection.

• Detailed Documentation: Maintained precise daily logs and audit trails for all transactions, ensuring full traceability and accountability for high-value assets.

• High-Stakes Reliability: Trusted to manage the vault and cash drawers, consistently balancing accounts and meeting security standards under time sensitive conditions.

Education

Sterile Processing Technician

Penn Foster Career School
Scranton, PA
01.2026 - 04.2026

High School Diploma -

Westlake High School
Waldorf, MD

College of Southern Maryland
La Plata, MD

Skills

Technical Knowledge (In Progress)

Decontamination: Knowledge of manual cleaning, ultrasonic cleaners, and washer-disinfectors

Sterilization Theory: Familiarity with Steam (Autoclave), Ethylene Oxide (EtO), and Low-Temp Plasma

Quality Assurance: Understanding of Biological Monitoring (BIs) and Chemical Indicators

Instrumentation: Trained in the identification and assembly of basic and complex surgical trays

Compliance: Knowledge of AAMI, AORN, and CDC standards for infection control

Professional & Transferable Skills

Extreme Attention to Detail: Skilled at identifying microscopic defects and debris (developed in styling/inventory)

Sanitation Excellence: Strict adherence to health codes and cross-contamination prevention

High-Volume Productivity: Proven ability to manage large workloads in fast-paced environments

Record Keeping: Experienced in logging data and maintaining accurate inventory documentation

Manual Dexterity: Capable of handling delicate tools and heavy equipment with precision

Certification

  • Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) | HSPA    •    Status: Candidate / In Progress    •    Current Phase: Completing 400 hours of clinical hands-on training requirement.    •    Knowledge Base: Fully trained in AAMI/AORN standards for Decontamination, Inspection, Packaging, and Sterilization

Additional Information - Summary

As a dedicated Sterile Processing student, I am eager to transition my background in high stakes logistics and regulatory compliance into a clinical setting. I am fully committed to the 400 hour hands on requirement and am prepared to contribute to the safety and efficiency through disciplined work and a zero error mindset.

Timeline

Sterile Processing Technician

Penn Foster Career School
01.2026 - 04.2026

Personal Style Assistant

Mozie Designs
04.2022 - 04.2026

Bartender

Benihana
07.2021 - 06.2022

Server/Lead Bartender

Busboys And Poets
01.2017 - 04.2020

Bartender/Event Organizer

City Club Of Washington
04.2016 - 01.2017

Bank Teller

TD Bank
01.2014 - 04.2016

High School Diploma -

Westlake High School

College of Southern Maryland
KAJA THOMAS