Current Residents
Class of: 2013
Kendall Allred
EmailHometown: Safford, AZ
Med School: University of Arizona
EM Interests: Access to care, physician wellness, medical media, handoff/signout, quality improvement, ED throughput
Hobbies / Interests: Hanging with my three kids (yep, count 'em... three), undergoing metamorphosis, getting my hands dirty
Future Plans: Very, very big ones...
Interesting Facts: Jobs I've had: janitor, cotton farmer, Sonic cook (mmm...), construction worker, tire monkey, exterminator, ED tech, valeting cars, others...
Kristin Berona
EmailHometown: Alta Loma, CA
Med School: Northwestern University
EM Interests: Ultrasound
Hangyul Chung-Esaki
EmailHometown: Technically- Seoul, South Korea. More conveniently- Ithaca, NY
Med School: University of Michigan
EM Interests: Critical care, research
Hobbies / Interests: Cooking/baking, chasing food trucks and sampling ramen, crafts, instrumental music
Future Plans: TBD, possible fellowship or an actual job
Interesting Facts: Any interesting fact about me seems to be overshadowed by the overall difficulty of pronouncing my name. Trust me, I've heard all variations, and my name is not the same as the "Korean" language.
Adrian Flores
EmailHometown: New Orleans, LA
Med School: LSU
EM Interests: Ultrasound, critical care, global health, wilderness medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Surfing, parenting, food, wine, sports
Future Plans: International emergency medicine in low-resource settings
Interesting Facts: I was a bartender in the French Quarter for 2 years before starting med school.
Joseph Freeman
EmailHometown: Bellvue, WA
Med School: University of Washington
EM Interests: Health economics, health care and insurance status, at risk populations and health prevention
Hobbies / Interests: Surfing, trail running, biking, backpacking…really just about anything outdoors
Future Plans: Be a good doctor, start something that helps people
Interesting Facts: Used to be a Tae Kwon Do instructor. Ninja Kick!
Sarah Gertler
EmailHometown: Villa Park, CA
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: Ethics, palliative care in the ED, toxicology
Hobbies / Interests: Hiking, camping, cooking
Future Plans: Having fun practicing emergency medicine, somewhere, somehow
Interesting Facts: I have done a lot more fishing than you'd expect
Michael Kennedy Hall
EmailHometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Med School: Albert Einstein
EM Interests: Ultrasound, EMS and frequent users
Hobbies / Interests: Pizza-making, beard-offs with Kendall, monopolizing the free market. gardening, ice hockey, surfing!
Future Plans: Re-inventing the wheel
Interesting Facts: Two Truths and a Lie:
I was a street performer in promotions for Cirque du Soleil
I was a beekeeper on the first organic farm in Pennsylvania
I once taught a yoga class on accident for half an hour without realizing it
Marianne Juarez
EmailHometown: Plymouth, MI
Med School: University of Michigan- Go Blue!
EM Interests: Sports medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Exploring SF, anything outdoors. Especially love hanging out with my golden Retriever, Rooney.
Future Plans: Survive residency and go from there!
Interesting Facts: I've been told I have a Michigan accent but I think people are making that up. Come find me, we'll have a pop and chat and you can decide for yourself
Aaron Kornblith (Chief Resident)
EmailHometown: Orinda, CA
Med School: University of Colorado
EM Interests: Pediatrics, ultrasound, education
Hobbies / Interests: Family/dog time, surfing, snowboarding, cheap Mexican food
Future Plans: Carving out a little piece of EM that I can call my own
Jill Mongelluzzo (Chief Resident)
EmailHometown: Connellsville, PA
Med School: University of Pennsylvania
EM Interests: Critical Care, education, research
Hobbies / Interests: being a foodie, exploring SF, traveling, mindless reading, my bulldog Olive.
Future Plans: To keep on learning new things
Interesting Facts: I am always lucky on the Roulette table.
Annemarie Sheets
EmailHometown: West Lafayette, IN
Med School: Washington University in St. Louis
EM Interests: Wilderness, Cognitive Errors
Hobbies / Interests: working on my motorcycle
Future Plans: Enjoy SF and get a job
Interesting Facts: I like nautical fiction :)
Class of: 2014
Natalie Desouza
EmailMed School: East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine
EM Interests: Disaster
Hobbies / Interests: Urban hikes, gardening, wine and gourmet cooking, good times with friends
Future Plans: To be a great clinician and figure out the rest later
Interesting Facts: While living in North Carolina I was chased through a field by a heard of cattle... and lived to tell about it
Neda Farzan
EmailHometown: Los Altos, CA
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: Global health, EMS/Disaster, peds
Hobbies / Interests: Dancing, being outdoors, celebrating looney holidays, traveling/learning languages, bedazzling
Future Plans: Adventures with Dr. Hippen!
Interesting Facts: I once spent a year road-tripping around the US and teaching kids about US history. Alaska is the only state I haven't been to (yet!). Iowa was my 49th state, thanks to my husband Ben (one of the main reasons I married him, let's be honest).
Brooke Hensley
EmailHometown: Denver, CO
Med School: University of Colorado
EM Interests: Ultrasound, critical care
Hobbies / Interests: Painting, skiing, running, traveling, exploring San Francisco, breakfast, being a sous-chef, mindless reality TV, Bartonella henselae
Future Plans: Critical care fellowship, get my first dog, get my dream job, check off and add to my travel bucket list
Interesting Facts: My first groundbreaking diagnosis in medical school was Bell's Palsy... in my friend's cat, Cooper! His whiskers were drooping, he meowed from one side of his mouth, and wouldn't blink when we (gently) poked his eye. He got a CAT scan, which was negative, a course of steroids, gained 15 pounds, lost the weight, and made a full facial recovery and lived happily ever after.
Daniel Kievlan
EmailHometown: Fort Worth, TX
Med School: University of Texas at Houston
EM Interests: Research, critical care, ultrasound
Hobbies / Interests: Pub trivia, cycling, bocce, Russian lit, college football (Hook 'em Horns!), aspiring surfer, watching nerdy sci-fi with the missus
Future Plans: Probably academic EM with a critical care fellowship along the way
Interesting Facts: Trivia champion since before you were in high school (unless you're Ben Hippen): Four-year letterman and captain of Western Hills High School quiz bowl team, University of Oklahoma Boren Cup tournament all-star, leader of championship pub quiz teams in Houston, Austin, and San Francisco. Always looking for new initiates and teammates in the world of pub trivia!
Kristin Kuzma
EmailHometown: Redwood City, CA
Med School: Case Western Reserve University
EM Interests: Disaster medicine, EMS, global health
Hobbies / Interests: Pre-child hobbies included sailing and snowboarding. Now my hobby is introducing my 3 year-old to the wonders of the world. Interests include 19th century fiction, biographies, anthropology, politics, child welfare in low-income communities.
Future Plans: Allow my husband to pursue his dreams after supporting mine, but in the long run to be involved with local and international EMS development
Interesting Facts: Worked in EMS for 12 years before starting medical school at 37
Deepa Ravikumar
EmailHometown: The OC
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: Health services research, quality improvement, health systems innovations
Hobbies / Interests: Music, tennis, world domination
Future Plans: Obtain gainful employment
Interesting Facts: Former spelling bee and lemon-and-spoon race champion
Daniel Repplinger
EmailHometown: New Berlin, WI
Med School: University of Wisconsin
EM Interests: Toxicology, international emergency medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Sleeping, cycling, playing guitar, watching the travel channel
Future Plans: Maybe fellowship, maybe start paying back loans, maybe become a traveling nomad EM doc
Daniel Shepherd
EmailHometown: Ojai, CA
Med School: Penn State College of Medicine
EM Interests: Ultrasound, critical care
Hobbies / Interests: Swimming, surfing, 90's punk rock, wine
Future Plans: County vs. community emergency medicine. Hopefully somewhere with warmer water
Interesting Facts: Worked as an ocean lifeguard for the state of California for 10 years
Philippa Soskin
EmailHometown: Champange, IL
Med School: Stanford
EM Interests: Health policy, public health
Hobbies / Interests: Travel, theatre, SCUBA diving, tennis
Future Plans: To be determined...
Interesting Facts: I play a mean game of ping pong!
Nicholas Villalon
EmailHometown: Wilmington, DE
Med School: Yale
EM Interests: Education, ultrasound, pediatrics
Hobbies / Interests: Music, kitchen, running, surfing, cat-sitting
Future Plans: Currently taking suggestions
Interesting Facts: In his youth, he starred on '¡Sabado Gigante!,' and aspires to return to realize his early fame
Kathy Vo
EmailHometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Med School: UC Los Angeles
EM Interests: Toxicology
Hobbies / Interests: Trying out new foods/restaurants in San Francisco, hanging out with friends, traveling the world, warm summer nights, the food network, celebrity gossip
Future Plans: To be a good doctor and have an active life outside of medicine
Interesting Facts: In college, I had a short stint as a character host at Disneyland and I loved it, except the part about how I had to be Tweedle Dum for a shift.
Dina Wallin
EmailHometown: Las Vegas, NV
Med School: UC Los Angeles
EM Interests: Pediatric emergency medicine, medical education
Hobbies / Interests: Running, golf, tennis, going to concerts, shoes
Future Plans: Hopefully pediatric EM fellowship, then attending who KNOWS where
Interesting Facts: When I was younger, I used to throw up every time I got excited. Totally threw up every Halloween (throwing up inside a zombie mask is NOT fun) and every year getting our Christmas tree. I also had a mullet around 1989, and only had one ear pierced until I was 12. No wonder I had to rely on vulgarity and my loud voice to make friends.
Class of: 2015
Alexa Bisinger
EmailHometown: Naperville, IL
Med School: Stanford
EM Interests: Humanitarian disaster relief, ultrasound
Hobbies / Interests: Running, cooking and food, outdoor adventures (biking, hiking, kite surfing and camping plus I will try anything once), travel, arts and crafts projects, reading about 6 books at a time over a year
Future Plans: Long-term, I plan to buy an archipelago in the South Pacific, and may or may not decide to turn one into a menagerie
Interesting Facts: I worked as a waitress for about eight months at a steakhouse where I needed to wear heels (>2 inches, specifically) and skirts to work, learn about 4 different ways to cut cigars, and attend to port tastings before I escaped to live in Paris for two months. I also have an MBA, and am interested in social entrepreneurship, social venture, and food start-ups.
Raphael Falk
EmailHometown: Atlanta, GA
Med School: Mount Sinai
EM Interests: Health policy, pediatrics, cost-effectiveness
Hobbies / Interests: Reading, alpine climbing, food
Future Plans: Build something meaningful
Interesting Facts: I've been knocked unconscious twice: once by myself and once by a stranger.
William Scott Fischette
EmailHometown: West Bloomfield, MI
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: Ultrasound, international emergency medicine, palliative care in the ED
Hobbies / Interests: Whitewater rafting, Tennis, Wine, Cooking, playing Legos with my son, making my baby girl laugh.
Future Plans: Be a good doctor, husband, father and friend
Interesting Facts: I've collected a menagerie of strange jobs during my past lives: working as a shepherd in Scotland, a bouncer/night manager up on Quadra Island, working as a gardener at Amitabha Buddhist Center in Somerset, living off the grid, and running a CSA in Kitsap County, WA.
Sean Kivlehan
EmailHometown: Suffern, NY
Med School: New York Medical College
EM Interests: EMS, policy and global health
Hobbies / Interests: Traveling every chance I get, running, acting like I can tell the difference between wines in Napa Valley, relaxing and napping, skiing as much as possible, exploring the SF restaurants and taco stands
Future Plans: See the world, learn a few languages, meet some cool people, maybe write a book, and leave it a better place
Interesting Facts: Was a NYC paramedic before residency, now adjusting to life on the west coast and trying to stand on a surfboard for more that 5 seconds!
Johnson Kwan
EmailHometown: San Francisco, CA
Med School: Albany Medical College
EM Interests: Ultrasound, sports medicine, global health
Hobbies / Interests: Working on cars, going to the gym, hanging out and hitting up sweet concerts in the park
Future Plans: Considering a fellowship in ultrasound or sports medicine
Interesting Facts: I have tried durian and liked it
Jennifer Lanning
EmailHometown: Newtown, IA
Med School: University of Chicago
EM Interests: Research
Hobbies / Interests: I used to have hobbies/interests, then I had a kid. Now my world revolves around patty-cake and peek-a-boo. Loving every minute of it!
Future Plans: Saving the world one I&D at a time
Interesting Facts: :I love 80's music. I sing Queen and Bon Jovi to my daughter at bedtime!
Ross Levin
EmailHometown: Saratoga, CA
Med School: Georgetown
EM Interests: Distaster/EMS, international EM
Hobbies / Interests: Snowboarding, tennis, golf, hiking, traveling, brunch
Future Plans: Travel to all continents, heli-board Canada and Alaska
Cynthia Maldonado
EmailHometown: Merced, CA
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: ultrasound, critical care, underserved medicine, research, international EM/systems development
Hobbies / Interests: pipeline programs, increasing workforce diversity, working out, snowboarding, dancing, giants games, seeing the world, stuffing my face
Future Plans: Doctoring, graduating, and then...
Interesting Facts: Just before intern year started, I married my hubby and best friend Fernando, who also started residency at UCSF in Family and Community Medicine
Brian Resler
EmailHometown: Cromwell, CT
Med School: New York Medical College
EM Interests: Simulation, education, global health, policy
Hobbies / Interests: Running, film, theatre
Future Plans: Graduating, working in international health, teaching
Interesting Facts: : I've tried all the top-ranked burgers in New York City (Rub BBQ is the best) and I am now working on San Francisco
Julian Villar
EmailHometown: Guatemala City
Med School: Emory
EM Interests: Critical care, wilderness
Hobbies / Interests: Endurance sports, skiing, rugby
Future Plans: Academics
Interesting Facts: Even though I grew up in Latin America, I cannot play soccer to save my life.
Nathan Wilson
EmailHometown: Waupaca, WI
Med School: University of Michigan
EM Interests: EMS/Disaster, global health
Hobbies / Interests: Cycling/triathalon, bicycle touring, fresh air
Future Plans: Become a well-rounded EM physician (ie. become less incompetent), develop my own style, escape from Alcatraz, bike the one, winter on Mt. Whitney
Interesting Facts: Brief stint as a movie star in the "Last King of Scotland." Past lives as a commercial fisherman and carpenter. I cannot live without fried plantains.
Lauren Wooley
EmailHometown: Newtown, PA
Med School: University of Maryland
EM Interests: Critical care
Hobbies / Interests: Skiing, Michigan football, yoga, cooking, running, scuba diving, camping, adventures with my golden retriever, traveling
Future Plans: Survive residency x 4 years!
Interesting Facts: I'm a diehard Michigan football fan - you can find me on any given fall Saturday morning wearing maize and blue and singing Hail to the Victors. I was convinced I wouldn't get into med school at Maryland though, because my interviewer was an Ohio State alum... and I provided the evidence of why Michigan is a superior team.
Class of: 2016
Neha Amin
EmailHometown: Mesquite, TX
Med School: Texas Tech University
EM Interests: Health Policy, Public Health
Hobbies / Interests: Yoga, swimming, reading, cooking, bike reading, and watching movies
Future Plans: Enjoy residency, attempt to master cooking Indian food, and then see where life takes me.
Interesting Facts: The most spontaneous trip I have ever taken was to drive across the country- NYC to LA in 7 days.
Maria Beylin
EmailHometown: Palo Alto, CA
Med School: University of Pennsylvania
EM Interests: Critical care, global health, policy, and research
Hobbies / Interests: Figure skating, frisbee, running, snowboarding, traveling, fruit, and dinner parties
Interesting Facts: I have an adopted penguin on the Falkland Islands.
Kalie Dove-Maguire
EmailHometown: Ellensburg, Washington
Med School: University of Washington
Hobbies / Interests: Snowboarding and trying to resist becoming a full-time ski bum, running, baking, live music, dancing (swing, salsa, blues), and spending time with friends over amazing food and wine
Future Plans: Adopt a dog, start climbing again, travel more, and learn how to surf
Interesting Facts: I love Xtreme Bulls
Sally Graglia
EmailHometown: Arcadia, CA
Med School: UC Davis
EM Interests: International medicine, ultrasound as an incredibly effective tool in low resource settings, improving access to care, and health policy as a tool to improve people's lives.
Hobbies / Interests: Smiling. Enjoying every moment of this beautiful life. Playing, adventuring, and exploring. Travel. Cultures that are new to me. Yoga and triathlons. Being new (and bad) at things. Being outside, hiking, kayaking, camping, and backpacking :)
Future Plans: To commit my life to service of the underserved.
Interesting Facts: People tell me I laugh really loud.
Kai Li
EmailHometown: San Jose, CA
Med School: UC Davis
EM Interests: Pediatrics, international medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Rescuing and fostering pitbulls; all things furry, hiking, traveling to new places; discovering new foods and eating my way through a city.
Interesting Facts: I have all four wisdom teeth.
Juan Carlos Montoy
EmailHometown: Fresno, CA
Med School: Stanford University
EM Interests: Health policy
Interesting Facts: Took a leave from medical school to pursue a PhD in economics at UC Berkeley
Srihari Namperumal
EmailHometown: Naperville, IL
Med School: UC Davis
EM Interests: Critical Care, Advocacy
Hobbies / Interests: International travel, tinkering/fixing, scuba diving, being outdoors, eating, reading science-fiction, politics, and NPR
Future Plans: Being a rockstar dad and getting through residency
Interesting Facts: I used to be a serious Trekkie (conventions and everything), and it’s probably why I got a degree in aerospace engineering. I am still determined to go to space before I die – but I’m okay with being a passenger, although I prefer to be an astronaut.
Max Ritzenberg
EmailHometown: Mill Valley, CA
Med School: Columbia University
EM Interests: International medicine, disaster response, and medical education
Hobbies / Interests: Snowboarding, construction projects, biking, tennis, burritos, going to the theatre (I used to be an actor), and Oxford Commas.
Future Plans: Possibly a fellowship, work domestically and internationally, and build a house. Or live among the rubble of the house when it turns out I don’t know how to build a house.
Interesting Facts: As a result of a dinnertime conversation, I found myself in the cosmetics industry for a portion of my early 20s, having started a company providing high quality personal care products to pre-teen girls (aka tweens)!
Kai Romero
EmailHometown: Salinas, CA
Med School: UC San Francisco
EM Interests: Research, Latino healthcare, and palliative care
Hobbies / Interests: I love to knit, attend 80’s style aerobics classes, and spend time with my charming husband trying out new restaurants in SF.
Interesting Facts: An avid indoors woman, I have learned the fine art of recreation inside buildings.
Tiffany Schegg
EmailHometown: Truckee, CA
Med School: UC Davis
EM Interests: Medical education, global health, EMS, and pediatrics
Hobbies / Interests: Snowboarding, wakeboarding, cooking, traveling, and karaoke.
Interesting Facts: I have been involved in theater since I was young, even minoring in musical theater in college. These days, the only theater I do is Karaoke. In fact, I once got an entire bar of Nicaraguans to sing "Like a Virgin" with me.
Luz Silverio
EmailHometown: Columbus, OH
Med School: Stanford University
EM Interests: quality improvement in terms of adverse event analyses, interdisciplinary communication (presentations/sign-outs/discharge instructions/EM-primary notifications), EMS
Hobbies / Interests: Mostly I like to read and linger in bookstores. But when I'm feeling more active, I play violin in chamber music, I jam, and I rock-climb.
Interesting Facts: I was raised in a small town in Michigan famous for the instant cornbread mix created there. Have you heard of Jiffy?
Prathap Sooriyakumaran
EmailHometown: San Jose, CA
Med School: Yale University
EM Interests: Pediatrics, Ultrasound, Disaster (manmade or otherwise) Medicine
Hobbies / Interests: Sports (playing and watching), food (mostly eating, but one day I’d like to cook more too), and travel, all the more with good friends.
Future Plans: Enjoy the present
Interesting Facts: I’m a reverend. Technically it’s with the “Universal Life Church”, and they let anyone become a reverend, but I can be your wedding officiant and sign your wedding certificate in the state of New York!