Brooke Bachelor, D.O., R.N.

While Brooke will always carry her Chicagoland roots with her, she truly feels at home in Portland in a way she has not felt anywhere else. Before pursuing medicine, she worked in Chicago as a bedside nurse in general and cardiac intensive care, in rural Peruvian mountain communities for a year as a community health nurse educator through a Princeton in Latin America fellowship, and finally in urban Uganda for a year as a quality improvement nurse through a Global Health Corps fellowship. Through her exposure to a wide variety of health beliefs and approaches to healing during these experiences, she uncovered her passions for preventive and end-of-life care, integrative medicine, reproductive health advocacy, and systemic workflow improvement. She could not resist joining forces with family physicians after she saw how their work on the front lines of our health care system uniquely equips them to understand the system’s dynamic needs and puts them in a perfect position to advocate for specific changes to improve health outcomes locally and beyond. As an osteopathic physician, Brooke strives to address the intersection between the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of her patients in her work, and has received additional training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a hands-on technique that supports the body’s innate tendency to heal. She feels especially energized when working with Spanish-speaking and pregnant patients, patients who are motivated to use lifestyle change to improve their health, patients who have difficulty accessing care, and when she can use unbiased counseling and offer comprehensive reproductive health services to empower patients to make the best choices for their own reproductive health. In her free time, you can find Brooke hiking, running, foraging, paying a visit to local farmers’ markets and coffee shops, writing poems, meditating, playing banjo (or at least starting to), searching for the best travel deals, and preparing plant-based meals and sourdough pancakes from scratch. She is particularly grateful for and humbled by her brilliant and compassionate co-residents, faculty, and mentors as well as her parents, Carol and Phil, who continue to offer their unwavering support.

Emily Dollar, M.D.

Dr. Emily Dollar is a family medicine resident at the Kaiser Permanente Beaverton Family Medicine Clinic. She chose primary care because she loves developing longitudinal relationships with patients and empowering people to meet their health goals and stay well. She is passionate about creating a healthcare system that is accessible and affordable to all people. Dr. Dollar's interests include trauma-informed care and the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and health, women's reproductive health, obesity and nutrition. She is also passionate about providing care to Spanish speaking members of the community as well as immigrants and refugees. Outside of work, Dr. Dollar loves trail running, hiking, cooking and eating good food. She also loves to garden, knit, and read. She loves to travel and has been fortunate enough to collaborate on public health programs in Ethiopia, Haiti, and Guatemala.

Omar Fares, M.D.

Omar was born and raised, the youngest of four brothers, in metro-Detroit, Michigan. His daughterless mother and proud father emigrated there from the Middle East to establish a stable living. His family collectively raised him on the pillars of respect, inclusivity, and hard work. Omar attended the University of Michigan where he graduated with a Neuroscience major. His studies continued as he relocated to Portland to attend OHSU for medical school near his eldest brother and daughterless mother. During medical school, Omar enjoyed mentoring immigrant and refugee high school students, facilitating courses on structural health care disparities, and providing free health care to underserved patients. Omar’s medical school extracurricular activites translated to his clinical interests of pediatric/adolescent medicine, global health, and immigrant and refugee care. Dr. Fares loves the variety that family medicine offers, ultimately pursuing family medicine to care for entire family units including children, adults, and pregnant women. Omar draws deep satisfaction from building long-term relationships with his patients. Outside of the workplace, Omar enjoys singing and dancing with his nieces and nephews, traveling, and exploring the outdoors by foot, bike, snowshoes, and skis. On more restful days, you can find him listening to Motown and rooting for Detroit and University of Michigan sports teams.

Brittany McAdams, M.D., M.P.H.

Brittany was born and raised in northeast Portland, Oregon, within a large family that has called Portland home for over 100 years. As a family doctor she loves working with patients on aspects of their health that are most important to them. Brittany decided to become a family medicine physician after hearing so many patients’ stories about how difficult it can be to access and navigate our complex, imperfect healthcare system. She is committed to taking care of patients from all walks of life, providing a welcoming space in our clinic, and working together to treat and prevent illness. She practices full-spectrum family medicine with particular interest in maternity care, preventative care, end-of-life care, and chronic disease management. During medical school she also received extra training in public health in the hopes of making the system work better for more people. Outside of medicine, you can find her hiking in the Gorge, joining a neighborhood walking tour, and spending time with her husband, Max, who is an Internal Medicine resident at OHSU. In their free time they are slowly working towards their goal of visiting all 58 national parks.

Sienna Nelson, M.D.

Dr. Sienna Nelson loves family medicine because of its emphasis on addressing people's social context as it relates to their physical health. Raised by a family medicine doctor and a biochemist in Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Nelson grew up loving the performing arts and spent time in ballet, choirs, orchestras, and theater productions. Beginning in high school, she accompanied her mother on many medical service trips to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which put her on the path to medicine.

Ryan Nesbit, M.D.

I grew up in West Linn, Oregon and use he/him pronouns. I have always been a Pacific Northwesterner at heart: a lover of the rain and resulting greenery, an avid outdoor adventurer, a vocal supporter of the Thorns, Timbers, and Blazers, and a curiosity in the many stories of the places in and people of Oregon and Washington. I stayed near for undergraduate studies, attending Whitman College and living in Walla Walla for two years afterwards working at a free medical clinic with AmeriCorps, before returning home to continue my medical education at OHSU. I am a family medicine physician because I am passionate about caring for all. I am particularly interested in transgender care, child and maternity health, rural health, addiction therapy, behavioral and mental health, and working to create better health access.

Katelyn Pavlat, M.D.

Dr. Pavlat specializes in primary care for children and adults. Dr. Pavlat chose family medicine because she values building long-term relationships with patients and their families. She believes in working closely with patients to meet their desired healthcare goals, and supporting them in all facets of their life. In her time away from work, Dr. Pavlat enjoys spending time outside backpacking, paddle boarding, and roaming farmers markets. She grew up playing basketball and lacrosse, and currently fulfills her competitive spirit by attending a variety of sporting events in the Portland area.

Michelle Scheurich, M.D.

For many years before medical school Dr. Scheurich was an emergency room social worker; she loved the opportunity to support patients on what often felt like the worst day of their life. She saw then how sacred the physician-patient relationship was. This, along with a strong desire to understand the "whole person", both biological and psychological, is what drew her to her new career. In medical school she had opportunities to care for people in resource limited settings in Central America and Asia. This helped to underscore for her how health care, like education, can be a great equalizer, and that it is a fundamental human right. Dr. Scheurich chose Family Medicine because she wants the skills to care for anyone in her community that needs help. She is honored to continue her training at OHSU. Outside of work, Dr. Scheurich and her partner like to go hiking with their two Golden Retrievers and watch movies. Dr. Scheurich loves cooking, and dreaming up new recipes based on the contents of the fridge is her favorite procrastination tool. She also likes to run (very slowly) and lift weights and when she's not exercising or eating she is probably reading a book.

Sara Shimanek, M.D.

Dr. Sara Shimanek chose the path of medicine after watching her mother provide exceptional care as a nurse in their community hospital in rural Oklahoma. Dr. Shimanek's goal as a resident physician is to listen well and provide evidence-based, equitable care to all of her patients. She was uniquely suited to Family Medicine and appreciates the variety, as well as the familiarity, that comes with caring for people throughout the span of their lives. Dr. Shimanek relocated to Portland with her partner, William, who is also a resident physician at OHSU in the Department of Neurology. Together, they spend their free time partaking of Portland's array of amazing food, riding bicycles, and going birdwatching at the many nearby state parks.

Eliza Slater, M.D.

Dr. Eliza Slater was born into a circus community in San Francisco to a juggler-clown-educator-activist mother and a live-off-the-land carpenter father. When she was two years old, her family moved to Northeast Portland, where she spent her childhood philosophizing about morality and justice, and engaging in pre-professional dance training. After studying Mandarin in college, she spent time on the Tibetan Plateau, partnering with community members to explore what health care has historically and could potentially look like within a nomadic society. Her decision to enter the medical field in general, and family medicine in particular, was driven by a desire to engage in justice-oriented work that is deeply relational, embedded in community, and that places individual stories, health and disease within the context of social pathology and systemic oppression.

Dr. Slater attended the University of Washington School of Medicine, where she engaged in a longitudinal rural training track within the Alaska Native clinic in Juneau, AK, and was involved in anti-racism and intersectional anti-oppression work. She aims to dive deeper into these collaborative spaces and continue this work through residency and in her future practice.

Within family medicine, Dr. Slater is interested in rural medicine, gender care, maternal and child health, reproductive justice, community-based medicine, trauma-informed care, and social determinants of health.

Dr. Slater is honored to be joining the OHSU Family Medicine family and is inspired by the potential (and need) for the integration of activism and social justice that family medicine holds

Hilary Titus, M.D.

As a family physician, Dr. Hilary Titus is thrilled to be able to care for individuals and families throughout each stage of life. She has special interests in child and maternal health, reproductive care, gender care, and community healthShe values building lifelong relationships and the opportunity to empower people in meeting their health goals.

Dr. Titus grew up in the Portland Metro Area and is grateful to be able to provide care to her community here.

Outside of work, Dr. Titus and her partner enjoy hiking all over the beautiful Pacific Northwest, taking mini road trips, and roasting sheet pan dinners. She also enjoys a cup of coffee, the crossword, and a neighborhood walk.

Alexa Tyler, D.O.

My father is a family physician and that is where my initial interest came from. Over time I came to realize I had a passion for people as dynamic beings with intrinsic worth and value. The opportunity to practice family medicine gives me the ability to affirm value in my patients throughout their lifetime and I consider that to be a true joy and privilege. In my free time I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction, singing, and trying my very best to learn to play the piano!

Andrew Wang, M.D.

Dr. Wang was born in New England, spending most of his childhood in the small town of Millbury, Massachusetts. He later moved to the Portland area during his teenage years, where he graduated from Westview High School and earned his Bachelors in biology from University of Portland. Dr. Wang's path towards medicine started with volunteering for a free clinic in the Portland area. Being exposed to a population of people who had limited access to healthcare fueled Dr. Wang's desire to enter medical school. His time spent as an emergency department medical scribe at Adventist Medical Center also gave him exposure to an ever-growing need for primary care. Being able to influence the health of a community became a passion and lead to his decision to become a Family Medicine physician. He enjoys being able to establish long-term relationships with his patients that will last generations and working together with his patients towards management of health. Outside of working, Dr. Wang spends his free time with his wife, a registered nurse, and his two young children. Dr. Wang is a diehard fan of the Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks. He enjoys running and has finished the Portland Marathon twice. He also enjoys trips to the Oregon Coast, you will often find him searching for glass floats in Lincoln City.

Eric Ardman, M.D.

Dr. Eric's pronouns are he/his/him. His Vietnamese name is "Binh An" which means 'peaceful.' He grew up outside of Philadelphia (so he loves big soft pretzels and Wawa) but spent his formative years in Miami, Florida (so he loves to dance Salsa and relax on a beach). In Miami, Eric developed a passion for caring for those on the margins of society and learning about his community so that he may effectively advocate for the necessary change to improve said community. Dr. Eric only speaks when he has something to say; he prefers to listen to others and hear about their lives. He wants to know about his patients' values and family in addition to their chronic ailments and medical problems. He wants to be a helpful, honest guide and supportive presence in the lives of his patients.

His interests in patients as people are reflected in his professional interests: narrative medicine, patient/community advocacy, medical education, addiction medicine, family planning, LGBT health, palliative care, primary care in Vietnam.

Julia Finch, M.D.

Dr. Julia Finch chose a career in Family Medicine because it allows her to care for patients of all ages through all stages of life. After earning an undergraduate degree in Women's Studies, she was originally drawn to medicine as a way to advocate for equity, justice, and respect for all people. Dr. Finch is driven by a desire to get to know her patients' families, support systems, and what enables them to live their best lives. With a passion for preventative medicine and integrative health, she derives great satisfaction from partnering with her patients to achieve their goals. 

When she's not working, Dr. Finch loves to travel, read, do crossword puzzles, brew beer, and spend quality time with her husband, Shashin, and their Mini Bernedoodle, Denali. As a new resident of Oregon, she appreciates any recommendations for local food, dog-friendly hikes, weekend getaways, and pacific northwest plants that will be hard to kill as she learns how to garden.

Leah Haykin, M.D.

Leah Haykin grew up in northeast Portland, and after a brief hiatus, is thrilled to return to Oregon to continue her training. She was raised to have a deep appreciation of and passion for social justice, the environment, and education. As an undergraduate at Brown University, she studied Health and Human Biology with a focus in environmental health. During this time, she volunteered at a free clinic for primarily houseless patients, and conducted research projecting the geographic distribution of climate change health impacts. Through these experiences, she became aware of how our environment – in terms of both physical spaces and social structures – impacts our health and leads to health inequities.

Leah was drawn to Family Medicine during her time at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she helped run a free clinic for undocumented patients, led Medical Students for Choice and Family Medicine Interest Group chapters, and performed research on improving primary care delivery among houseless populations in Seattle and rural populations in Ghana.
 
Within Family Medicine, Leah is interested in comprehensive reproductive health, obstetrics, gender reaffirming care, behavioral health, and addiction medicine. She is excited to serve, advocate for, and learn from patients of all incomes and cultural backgrounds. She feels lucky to have the privilege of working with the OHSU Department of Family Medicine’s phenomenal team of compassionate faculty and resident providers. 

Outside of the hospital, Leah enjoys being outdoors cycling, hiking, and running, finding new recipes to cook, going to concerts, playing guitar, volunteering with local social justice organizations, learning Spanish, doing yoga, and spending time with friends, family, her partner, and Luna, her grumpy cat.

Kathryn Holt, M.D.

Dr. Kathryn Holt grew up in a small town in the foothills of Colorado, where she attended the University of Colorado and double-majored in Molecular Biology and Neuroscience. She moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan for medical school where she fell in love with family medicine and its longitudinal patient-physician relationships. Kathryn enjoys seeing patients of all ages and life circumstances, but is especially passionate about adolescent health, LGBTQ care, and reproductive health. When outside of the hospital or clinic, Kathryn can be found exploring the beautiful outdoor activities that Oregon has to offer with her partner, trying new restaurants, or curling up with a good book.

Sydney Landreth, M.D.

Dr. Sydney Landreth is a family physician. She sees patients of all ages for preventive care visits as well as for the treatment of a wide variety of acute and chronic illnesses. She chose family medicine because she enjoys getting to know her patients and what is important to them over the course of their lives. This helps her to provide care that addresses her patients' health -- physical, emotional, and social -- in the context of their unique lived experiences, goals, and values.

Outside of work, Dr. Landreth enjoys spending time with her husband and loved ones, hiking, practicing yoga, reading, and gardening.

Aldo Martinez, M.D.

Bio coming soon.

Chase Mussard, M.D.

Dr. Mussard comes to the PNW from the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee. He specializes in the field of family medicine, caring for patients of every age, gender, and walk of life. He absolutely loves family medicine because it allows him to be the best physician he can be to his community, fitting the needs specific to his patients, no matter what they may be. Growing up seeing only a family doc, he was impacted with the value of family medicine from an early age. He enjoys getting to do life with patients and their families helping them achieve their goals. He is also super passionate about advancing primary care to be the backbone and leaders of our ever evolving health care system, advocating for our patients each and every day. 

Integrated with his passions for family medicine, Dr. Mussard also enjoys time with his wife, Madison, and daughter, Lily. He was raised in the small "micropolitan" (yeah, you read that right ha) of Cookeville, TN, famous for being the unofficial Crossfit ground zero, numerous waterfalls, and most of all - Ralph's Donuts. He migrated back east to the mountains of his birthplace to run for the NCAA Division 1 ETSU Bucs, where he met Madison, and then stayed for medical school in Johnson City (birthplace of Mountain Dew and Al Capone's moonshine smuggling ring). 

They enjoy traveling and all things outdoors. On any evening or weekend you may run into them out running in SE Portland, exploring all the amazing breweries and cuisine scenes of PDX, hiking/kayaking around Mt. Hood or the Columbia River Gorge, strolling through the neighborhood with a cup of coffee, or any other amazing adventure that our region provides! He and his family are eager and excited to make Portland and the Pacific Northwest their new home!

Jacqueline Parilla, M.D.

Dr. Parilla is a family medicine physician originally from south Jersey who is happy to call the beautiful PNW her new home! She chose family medicine due to the immense privilege that comes with treating patients of all ages through all stages of their lives and feels strongly that medical care is a collaborative partnership between physician and patient.

Outside of work, Dr. Parilla enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, gardening, overwatering her houseplants, and exploring the Portland food scene.

Monica Picard, M.D.

Dr. Picard believes that health care is a human right and that all people deserve high quality medical care.  She loves getting to know her patients, and is living proof that doctors are not scary.  Her interests include disability rights, sexual health, mental health, and preventive medicine.  Her academic interests include anti-racist medical curricula and disability medicine.  

To all of her patients, past, present, and future, she says, "Thank you for being you!"

Soniya Pimparkar, D.O.

Soniya Pimparkar was born in Sydney, Australia, but spent the majority of her childhood in London, England. She grew up learning how to speak two Indian languages (Hindi and Marathi) and quickly fell in love with learning more languages and understanding other cultures. As a college student, she worked as a medical interpreter/translator for Spanish speaking patients to develop fluency in Spanish. In her medical practice, she is interested in exploring how diverse upbringings and backgrounds contribute to a person’s perception of their own health and can change their approach to medicine and wellbeing.

Soniya believes that medicine should be easily understood and accessible to everyone, and as a physician, she hopes to make all of her patients feel comfortable navigating through medical decisions and seeks to help others understand how their health and lifestyles are interrelated. She enjoys teaching and believes that it is the role of a physician to empower patients by providing information and answering questions with patience and compassion. She chose family medicine because she enjoys caring for and creating lasting relationships with patients in every stage of life. She is excited to begin her medical practice at the Kaiser Permanente Beaverton Family Medicine Clinic.

Outside of medicine, she enjoys long bike rides whilst listening to the latest audiobook, playing piano/guitar, and singing. She is excited to settle down with her fiancé and make Portland their new home!

Lindsay Thimmig, M.D.

Dr. Lindsay Thimmig [pronounced "tim-ig"] is a family physician, meaning she cares for people of all ages from newborns to the elderly. Dr. Thimmig chose family medicine because she believes that prevention is the best medicine and because she likes being able to care for patients no matter what health problem or concern they might have. She works with patients to make lifestyle changes to improve their health, and prefers to start with these changes before prescribing medications or recommending surgeries. 

She has trained under some of the leading experts in plant-based nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine, including Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Neal Barnard, and Dr. James Loomis.

Outside of work, Dr. Thimmig aims to spend as much time outdoors as possible. She also enjoys relaxing at home with her orange cat and going on adventures around Oregon with friends and family. She also loves cooking up plant-based recipes in her spare time.

Sophia White, M.D.

Dr. White is a family physician. She chose family medicine because she wants to care for individuals and families through all stages of their lives. She is especially interested in preventive medicine, women's health, nutrition, and chronic disease management. 

Dr. White grew up in Portland, but spent time in Minnesota, California, Spain, and New York after high school. Prior to attending medical school, she taught middle school and high school science. She is excited to be back in Oregon. Outside of work, Dr. White enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, running, and reading.

Allyson Adams, M.D.

Dr. Allyson Adams (she/her) was born on the west slope of Colorado and spent her school years on the front range. She went to college at the University of Colorado Boulder where she studied Spanish and Portuguese as well as Molecular Biology. After college, she worked for two years as a medical assistant in dermatology and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training. In medical school at the University of Colorado, she worked on the steering committee at a student-run pediatric clinic for single parent, low-income families and did research for the Ob/Gyn department.

Dr. Adams chose Family Medicine because of the expanding horizon of Primary Care. She is excited that her first move out of Colorado is to Portland. Outside of medicine, Dr. Adams likes to trail run, admire vegetables in her garden, draw and paint, and take film photos.

Alanna De Mello, M.D.

Dr. De Mello is a family medicine doctor who cares for patients of all ages from all walks of life. She chose a career in family medicine for the opportunity to build lifelong relationships with patients and their families, and to care for the many aspects of health that affect their everyday lives. She is passionate about health equity, preventative medicine, women’s health, and the social determinants of health.

Dr. De Mello grew up in Richmond, British Columbia, just outside of beautiful Vancouver. Prior to medical school, she completed a Combined Major in Chemistry/Life Sciences/Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of British Columbia, while concurrently coaching competitive figure skating. From her many years as a coach, she understands that trust and connection are the foundation of any strong partnership. Dr. De Mello completed her medical training at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona where she further realized her passion for primary care and health equity.

Outside of medicine, Dr. De Mello loves traveling, enjoying the outdoors, and trying new restaurants with her husband who is also a family medicine doctor.

Nicholas DeFelice, M.D.

Dr. Nicholas DeFelice (he/him/his) grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio and majored in biology at Case Western Reserve University. After graduation, he moved to Chicago and taught for three years at a charter school in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. He then decided to combine his love of science and teaching to pursue a career in medicine attending medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He became a family physician because he values forming relationships with his patients to help them lead happy, healthy lives. Outside of medicine he enjoys hiking, backpacking, fishing, and exploring all of the amazing restaurants in Portland.

Sara Emamian, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Emamian provides primary care to patients of all ages. She decided to pursue a career in family medicine because she believes that fostering long-term, trusting relationships can improve patient health outcomes. She finds joy in engaging in shared decision making with patients, and in helping patients work toward their health goals.

Dr. Emamian grew up in North Carolina with her parents and twin sister, and later lived in Washington, DC for 11 years. She is new to the Pacific Northwest, but is already enjoying the natural beauty that this region has to offer. In her spare time, she hikes, runs, cycles, and cooks a variety of ethnic cuisine.

Samantha George, M.D.

Dr. George went into medicine to ensure that people can feel their best. She wants to help patients address their health needs so they can spend more time focusing on other aspects of life that are important to them. Dr. George chose Family Medicine because she enjoys building relationships with patients and their families over time. She has specific interests in reproductive health, mental health and palliative care, but wanted a broad scope of knowledge that could serve patients in whatever capacity they need. She believes in the potential of primary care to respond proactively to patients’ health needs, preventing more severe health outcomes in the future.

She is passionate about giving patients the space to feel heard and seen. She loves connecting with people and sharing the stories that make up each person’s life. Dr. George takes great care to learn about her patient’s personal goals and what is important to them. She works to determine how to best serve her patients and she finds great satisfaction in being a part of their progress and little victories.

Being new to the Pacific Northwest, she really appreciates recommendations for local hikes and tasty food spots. She was certified for top-rope and lead-climbing at her old rock climbing gym in New York, and is hoping to re-certify and do more outdoor climbing while in Oregon. On rainy days, you can find her baking (probably cinnamon rolls or brownies), attempting to finish a half-started painting or puzzle, and reconnecting with friends and family in various time zones.

Dakota Lundstrom, M.D.

Dakota was born in Duluth, MN and raised in the small town of Embarrass, termed "the coldest place in MN" with a recorded temperature of -60 degrees fahrenheit. Being the youngest of five boys, his childhood was anything but boring. He enjoyed growing up in the northwoods, spending every last minute hunting, fishing, snowboarding, and golfing. When it came to deciding what college to go to, staying as close to the woods and water was a must and there is no better place than the University of Minnesota, Duluth Campus (Go Bulldogs!).

Dakota did not have to travel far for medical school. With their strong focus on graduating rural, full-spectrum family medicine physicians, he knew right away that the University of Minnesota medical school at the Duluth campus was the right fit for him. Through all the various rotations in medical school, there was never a second thought about choosing family medicine. He loved the idea of building long-lasting relations with his patients and being able to use these relationships to actually practice preventative medicine. Within his future clinical practice, he hopes to also incorporate MAT therapy and ultrasound.

Dakota, his wife Emily, and of course their "Covid-dog" Ollie are excited for the move to Oregon. Dakota and Emily met their first year in medical school in Duluth and ended up couples matching, with Emily being at Legacy's Internal Medicine program in Portland. Dakota is looking forward to obtaining the best family medicine training in OHSU and using this training to positively influence his future community. Although Dakota is leaving the smaller cities, he is excited for the more temperate climate, the amazing coffee, breweries, and wineries, and the outdoor feel of Portland.

Nicholas Nowell, M.D.

Dr. Nicholas Nowell comes to Portland from the east coast. He grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts before moving closer to the city for college, where he studied chemistry. For several years, Nick was a teaching assistant in organic chemistry. This work sparked his love of teaching, which he hopes to continue in residency and beyond.

Nick subsequently moved to Richmond, Virginia for medical school, during which time he volunteered extensively with a food bank, which spurred his interest in food insecurity. Some of Nick's additional interests in medicine, fostered over the course of his time in medical school working with Richmond's underserved populations, include addiction medicine, immigrant healthcare, mental health, and preventative care.

Nick was influenced by his own family physician, who cared for him and both his parents with warmth and kindness for over two decades. He hopes to develop similarly strong relationships with his patients in Portland. Additionally, he is eager to learn more about the community at large, explore the PNW, and grow into a thoughtful family physician and teacher while working alongside the compassionate and talented folks at OHSU.

Outside of medicine, Nick enjoys a book club with his college roommates, the New York Times Sunday crossword, afternoon naps, learning Spanish, tennis, hiking, and cooking (especially macaroni and cheese).

Wakaba Omi, M.D.

Wakaba immigrated to Oregon at eight years old from Japan and has lived in the Portland Metro Area ever since. She attended University of Portland for her undergraduate degree in biology and completed her medical degree at OHSU. In between, she researched epilepsy with the Legacy Research Institute and volunteered at KP Westside Medical Center. She chose family medicine because her family doctor was the one who helped her and her family, and she hopes she can give back to the community in the same way her doctor did. Outside of work, she likes to play video games, go hiking, and draw.

Lisa Royter, M.D.

Dr. Royter was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and grew up in the hill country outside of the city. She recently made the great migration from Texas to Oregon in order to pursue her passions and education in family medicine and reproductive health. She loves getting to know her community through the eyes of her patients.

Outside of work, Dr. Royter enjoys exploring her new neighborhood, especially trying new restaurants, and relaxing at home with a book or movie. Her favorite place in Oregon thus far is Yachats, a little town on the coast where she and her partner vacationed several years back. She is always open to travel recommendations in the area!

Michael Sarvi, M.D.

Dr. Sarvi is a family medicine physician who cares for people during all stages of life, from newborns to elderly patients. He draws deep satisfaction from forming long-term and supportive relationships with his patients. His special interests include addiction medicine, chronic disease management, and family planning.

Raised in the East Bay of San Francisco, he attended the University of California at Davis, where he studied Exercise Biology. Through his studies, he began to appreciate the power of how an active lifestyle can help prevent and slow many chronic disease processes.

After college, he spent a year working in a reproductive health clinic, where he helped patients achieve their family planning goals. For medical school, he attended the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona. There, he was involved in initiatives to improve health access to refugee communities in Phoenix. He believes that health care should be a universal human right and plans to focus his practice on caring for low-income and marginalized communities.

When he is not at work, Dr. Sarvi enjoys spending quality time with his wife, who is also a family physician. Together, they spend most of their free time hiking, biking, camping, and eating.

Shayna Waldbaum, M.D.

Shayna grew up in the Greater Seattle Area with a large close-knit family. After many years of being a diehard Husky fan, she attended the University of Washington. There she studied microbiology while taking positions as a TA, Research Assistant and Hospital volunteer. She also spent time exploring her passion for Social Justice through educational opportunities, peer-lead discussions and volunteering.

After graduation, she completed an AmeriCorps service year in Chicago as a resource specialist for an agency that helps individuals with financial and/or housing insecurity gain employment. This role provided Shayna with invaluable experience of working within underserved communities and the nonprofit sector. The following year she worked as an Emergency Department Scribe back in Washington, always having medicine as her ultimate goal.

During her time at Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, she volunteered with underserved communities through health outreach and the student-run free clinic. Over the summer after her first year, she spent a month in Uganda volunteering at a clinic and teaching health literacy classes. She also joined the PCAR Lab at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute as a research assistant and continued to participate in their research throughout the rest of her schooling.

Although she loved many of her clinical rotations, Family Medicine felt like the perfect fit for Shayna. She loves the long-lasting relationships with patients, the emphasis on preventative medicine and the holistic views of health and wellbeing. Shayna enjoys working with all ages of patients and empowering her patients to take agency in their own health. She is beyond excited to join the OHSU family and explore all of the opportunities in this strong and supportive community.

Her areas of interest include women’s health, underserved population medicine, LGBTQ inclusive health, and preventative care. In her free time, Shayna can be found surrounding herself with family and friends, finding live music, traveling, discovering new coffee shops, watching football and/or doing yoga.

Tiantian White, M.D.

Dr. White grew up in rural western China but spent her formative years in Singapore and then Boston. While completing her undergraduate study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she developed a passion for public service and working with underserved rural communities. She became drawn to family medicine because the specialty's potential to meet patients and communities where they are and to build longitudinal, meaningful, and empowering relationships with patients in every stage of life. She is excited to provide full-spectrum care at the OHSU Primary Care Clinic and thankful for all current and future patients for choosing to share their journeys with her.

Her clinical and academic interests include rural medicine, maternal and child health, chronic disease management, and health system reform. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time at home with her husband, exploring the food scene in and around Portland with friends, and cooking.

Erika Bennett, M.D.

Dr. Erika Bennett grew up in Toronto, Canada. She has long been interested in the intersection of healthcare and human rights. After completing her polisci degree at Queen's University, Erika moved to Shanghai to work with young mothers at a grassroots NGO, before returning to Canada to complete a Master's degree in Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. She completed an internship at the Canadian Mission to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland and worked for 2 years as an Evaluation Analyst at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) (the Canadian equivalent of the CDC), in Ottawa.

Erika completed her M.D. in 2022 at Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans, where she was active in the Med Students for Choice and a founding member of the Open-Hearted M.D. Podcast.

Erika is thrilled to join the OHSU Department of Family Medicine where she hopes to build on her interests in maternal healthcare, reproductive justice and humanism in medicine. She loves nothing more than getting to know her patients one-on-one and finding ways to empower them to flourish.

Alex Conway, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Conway became interested in family medicine during one of his first rotations in medical school, where he fell in love with the idea of developing relationships with patients of all ages and backgrounds and caring for them through all of the most important phases of their lives. He is particularly interested in working with patients with substance use disorder and other chronic medical conditions. He also hopes to use his background in public health to strengthen the role primary care can play for all patient populations, and especially those who have been historically marginalized.

Dr. Conway is originally from outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (not to be confused with Milwaukie, Oregon), and he brings his love of their local sports teams with him (for better or worse). He likes to be outside as much as possible when not in the hospital or the clinic, ideally on a hike with his wife, Jane, and their dog, Gus. He is also ready and willing to discuss movies and TV shows at all times, and he loves to cook (and, more importantly, eat) fun new recipes with friends and family. Dr. Conway, Jane, and Gus are all overjoyed to call Portland their new home!

Shelby Feliciano, D.O.

Dr. Feliciano grew up in a rural county of Virginia, and at a young age became interested in medicine as a way to connect with others and to help bridge healthcare gaps in her community. Before medical school, she worked with a family physician in Richmond, VA as a medical scribe, and fell in love with the unique space the clinic provided to get to know patients and families over the course of a lifetime. Her passions in healthcare include reproductive health, HIV care, and medication management for substance use disorders.

When she is not in clinic, Dr. Feliciano enjoys being outdoors in any capacity, including hiking, camping, and running. She also loves spending a day at home cooking and listening to records with her partner.

Megan King, M.D.

Megan was born and raised in Corvallis, Oregon surrounded by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She left rainy Oregon for colder weather when she attended Carleton College in Minnesota and earned an undergraduate degree in Biology. After graduation, Megan moved further East to Boston and completed a service year as an AmeriCorps teacher in an elementary school. During this time, Megan loved working with students and their families in the community, but felt her work there was incomplete and discovered a desire to serve these communities not through teaching but through medicine.

Megan was inspired by her own family doctor and the opportunity to build longitudinal relationships with her patients and their families. Megan was thrilled to return to Oregon to pursue her medical school education at OHSU, where she explored her love for family medicine. At OHSU, Megan observed the unique role of the family physician not only for individual patients, but for communities as a whole. Megan chose family medicine because the specialty allows her to create long lasting relationships with patients from all walks of life, engage in community needs, and help advocate for her patients on a daily basis. Megan’s interests in family medicine are wide ranging from preventative medicine, reproductive health and obstetrics, addiction medicine, gender-affirming care, and geriatrics.

In her free time, Megan enjoys exploring the great outdoors with her husband John and exuberant dog Huckleberry, as well as cooking delicious food from her garden, trail running, and exploring Portland's wonderful food scene.

Alyssa Kramer, M.D.

Dr. Alyssa Kramer (she/her) is thrilled to be a part of the OHSU Family Medicine team! Dr. Kramer grew up in Southern California, but made her way to Dublin, Ireland (for the weather of course) to attend medical school at Trinity College. Alongside taste testing every variety of Irish potato and hiking along all the windy cliffs, she discovered a newfound passion for nutrition and lifestyle medicine and the impact on health outcomes. Her special interests now include lifestyle and preventative medicine, nutrition, food insecurity, and accessibility. Prior to medical school, she attended UC Davis for undergraduate and then worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator in Sickle Cell Disease at UCSF. It was there where Dr. Kramer first fell in love with the longitudinal relationships in primary care, and began to appreciate the intersection of advocacy, health equity, and medicine, particularly in an underserved community.

Dr. Kramer is looking forward to practicing broad-spectrum medicine and getting to her new community here in Portland. Outside of work, you can find her running, hiking, playing with other people's dogs (until she gets her own), baking sourdough, and exploring the beautiful PNW!

Clara Ledsky, M.D.

Dr. Clara Ledsky (she/her) provides primary care for patients of all ages. She was drawn to family medicine because she values building lifelong relationships with patients and having the opportunity to care for them within the context of their families and communities. She is particularly interested in adolescent medicine, reproductive health, and caring for people through various life transitions.

Dr. Ledsky grew up in Chicago where she developed a love of city biking, public transportation, and taking advantage of any warm and sunny day that she can. She graduated from Carleton College in 2016 and spent the next two years in Boston doing basic science research and working as a crisis counselor before moving back to Chicago to attend Rush Medical College. She is excited to explore her new home of Portland and all of the amazing nature that surrounds it.

Anna Persmark, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Anna Persmark (she/her) hails mostly from Eugene, OR, but has roots in the southern United States and southern Sweden. During her undergraduate studies, she first developed a passion for qualitative research, public health, and approaching health through a social justice lens. After college, she spent a year in Washington, D.C. providing bilingual HIV testing and counseling at a Latinx LGBTQ+ community center. During that year, she became certain that community health was where she belonged. In medical school she was involved in the Family Medicine Interest Group, the Queer Health Alliance, and found ways to participate in health equity movements through research and community engagement. She ultimately found her home in family medicine, appreciating the history of a “counterculture” specialty and a philosophy that centers individual experience within family, community, and structural contexts.

Dr. Persmark’s clinical and academic interests include sexual and reproductive health, LGBTQ+ care, community organizing, and health equity. Outside of medicine, Anna enjoys roller derby, banjo, and getting lost in speculative fiction books.

Joebert Rosal

Born in Manila, Philippines and raised in San Diego, Joebert is the eldest of 3 siblings and was raised in a Filipino-American household. Inspired by his personal journey as a patient with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and family health challenges, Joebert developed his passion for medicine as field to practice social justice. At the University of Pennsylvania, he obtained a B.A. in Neuroscience and minored in Healthcare Management. Afterwards attended UC San Diego for medical school. In residency he aspires to bring together scientific and the humanistic practices to commit himself to caring for patients and promoting wellness for all. 

In medical school he was proud to volunteer as a manager and teacher as his school free clinic, research mental health integration into primary care in Jordan, and learn about the process of political engagement interning in Sacramento, CA. Joebert’s passion for family medicine came from wanting to develop close relationships with patient providing high quality primary care to patients of all ages and stages of life. The variety and additional year given towards gaining unique clinical experience, desire to be primary care leaders, and loving community ultimately made OHSU the right decision for him. 

Clinically, Joebert has a wide variety of interests including pediatrics, behavioral health, point of care ultrasound, procedures, and integrative medicine. Outside the clinic, his scholastic interests include education and advocacy addressing topics of mental health, trauma-informed care, and climate change. As a first-generation college grad, first generation doctor and queer person of color Joebert hopes to continue providing mentorship for those from background traditionally underrepresented in medicine.

In his free time Joebert loves being a runner/hiker, armature foodie, and board/video game enthusiast. He is passionate about mindfulness and positive psychology. In college he was a swing dancer, choreographer, and teacher which he’s carried into a general love of dancing. When he’s able to get away from the hustle and bustle of work he loves to travel.

Maddie Sands, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Madeline Sands is a family medicine physician practicing at the Gabriel Park clinic. Family medicine allows her to treat individual patients in the context of their family and community. Her focus is always on giving the patient the best care.

A native Arizonian, she graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in anthropology and a M.A. in global health. As a Marshall Scholar, she attended the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she received her PhD. Her research and articles concern disease control and behavior change in the public health context. She completed her medical training at the University of Arizona in Tucson. During medical school, she worked with underserved populations, practiced integrative medicine, and studied infectious diseases at the CDC. She has also co-founded a medical clinic serving those experiencing homelessness and directed another clinic caring for asylum seekers in the United States.

Dr. Sands has lived and worked in Guatemala, South Africa, Cyprus, and England. She has traveled widely, and always makes sure to send postcards home. Her cooking is inspired by the places she's lived, the countries she's visited, and the destinations still left on her bucket list.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Sands runs, plays basketball, paints, and loves her golden retrievers. She also cheers for her beloved Arizona sports teams knowing that heartbreak is inevitable. When not in clinic, she tries to read everything interesting.

David Suncin, M.D.

Dr. David Suncin grew up in Beaverton, Oregon where he was surrounded by all the natural beauty and fun that the Portland area has to offer. He attended University of Oregon for college and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. During this time, David found a passion for medicine and the intersection between science and social factors that impact a person’s health. David received his medical degree from OHSU and is thrilled to continue being a resident here in the Pacific Northwest.

David found his calling in Family Medicine where a doctor has the chance to really get to know their patients. In his view, a family doctor is one that can not only provide exceptional medical care, but one that takes the time and offers patients the space to share their story. David finds his work with patients to be incredibly fulfilling and strives to provide care in a way that is tailored to each patient and their unique wants and needs. Within Family medicine David’s interests include Obstetrics, reproductive health, addiction medicine and mental health. David feels strongly that each patient should be met with the utmost respect and find a confidant and advocate in their family doctor.

In his free time David has a multitude of hobbies and passions. He is a lifelong Star Wars fan and is always happy to discuss it! Growing up in the Portland area he loves spending time outdoors and particularly enjoys the summer where swimming, kayaking, hiking and camping are readily available. David can often be found going to concerts, attending touring Broadway shows, adding on to his ever-growing collection of vinyl records and finding new places for dinner or karaoke with friends.

Rita Swarzwelder, M.D.

Dr. Rita Swartzwelder (she/her) was born and raised in North Carolina where she grew to love the mountains, the beaches, and the barbecue. She is looking forward to exploring everything the Pacific Northwest and Portland have to offer (especially food and coffee). Dr. Swartzwelder attended Oberlin College, studying Law and Society, before returning to North Carolina and completing medical school at UNC School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include reproductive health/family planning, obstetrics, care of families across the lifespan, LGBTQ+ health, addiction medicine, and health equity.

Mako Wakabayashi, M.D.

Mako was born and raised in a small rural coastal town in Japan. Seeing her mother work as a general practitioner at a clinic in her house, she was fascinated by community physicians' longitudinal and meaningful relationships with their patients and community. She would love to explore diverse cultures and perspectives and frequently interact with an international population both inside and outside of Japan while traveling, studying abroad, and volunteer activities and found her interest in behavioral health and health equity.

Mako completed six years of medical school at Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. She enjoyed various clinical rotations both inside and outside Japan with diverse populations and engaged in research, medical education, and community services. In between, she learned about family medicine and found that it would allow her to provide care to individuals, families, and a community and be with them at each stage of their life through long-term, trusting relationships with her patients. After graduation from medical school, she completed post-graduate training at Nippon Medical School Hospital.

Mako is particularly interested in preventive health, public health, behavioral and mental health, medical education, health equity, and rural medicine. She is beyond excited to be joining the OHSU family medicine residency, learning and practicing a broad spectrum of family medicine with compassionate and enthusiastic people, while developing leadership, advocacy, academic, and communication skills as a family physician.

Outside of work, Mako enjoys running, traveling, and exploring nature and new places.