Rachael Eby, D.O.

Rachael is from Traverse City, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan, where she majored in Neuroscience and minored in Music. During her time at the University of Michigan, Rachael worked in a neurolinguistics lab researching models of language comprehension and their connection to neural data collected via EEG. After undergrad, she spent a year volunteering in a community for people with developmental disabilities in Chicago called Misericordia before returning to Michigan to attend medical school at Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine. At MSUCOM, she was on the board for the school's AMWA chapter and helped plan mentoring events for her fellow students.

Outside of medicine, Rachael enjoys playing with her cat, Nox, hiking, cycling, running, and traveling with her boyfriend.

Alexa Lyon, M.D.

Alexa was born and raised in Shakopee, MN. She headed just across the border to Milwaukee, WI to attend Marquette University, where she completed a BS in Biomedical Science. During her undergraduate studies, Alexa began working as a nursing assistant and nurtured a passion for working with patients, which she continued after graduation. Embracing the lakes and snow of Minnesota, she decided to further pursue medicine at the University of Minnesota. Throughout medical school, she continued volunteering with underserved communities at the Integrative Health Clinic of Minnesota and developed a special interest in Palliative Care.

Outside of medicine, Alexa enjoys discovering new restaurants, bookstores, and plant nurseries. She loves hiking and is excited to spend time exploring her new home in Oregon. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé, Lucas, and their two cats.

Scott Shakal, D.O.

Scott was born and raised in Plano, Texas. He headed south to attend the University of Texas at Austin where he earned degrees in both biology and ancient history & classical civilization. After college, Scott took a full-time position in a cognitive neuroscience lab at UT Dallas, a lab in which he interned for four years prior to accepting the full-time position. In the lab, he worked on projects focused on semantic memory and word finding in healthy adults and patient populations. Scott’s interest in neuroscience transitioned into neurology by working with patients, particularly veterans, at the lab. One year later, he attended the University of North Texas Health Science Center for medical school where his interests in neurology continued to grow.

Outside of medicine, Scott enjoys hiking, swimming, and running, is an avid reader and enjoys watching movies. Scott is thrilled to be embarking on a new adventure outside of Texas and looks forward to exploring the Pacific NW.

Luke Smith, M.D.

Luke was born in the United Kingdom, in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. At a young age he moved to Nebraska, where he was raised. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and graduated with a degree in biochemistry. Luke's love of the outdoors drew him westward, and he completed his medical degree at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest (COMP-NW) in Oregon. During his time at COMP-NW, he founded a chapter of Students for a National Health Program, completed his research in the field of neurodegenerative disease, and served as a volunteer at the local senior center. Luke has a particular academic interest in vascular and inpatient neurology. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, cycling, reading, and playing soccer.

Andrew Valenciano, M.D.

Andrew was born and raised in San Diego, California. He didn’t move far for undergrad, attending the University of California, San Diego where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. After graduating, he became EMT certified and worked as an EMT serving the city of San Diego, a role he served in for two years until his acceptance to the UCSD School of Medicine. As a medical student, Andrew discovered his passion for Neurology and pursued academic interests in Neuropalliative Care, medical education, and Neuroimmunology/Neuro-COVID-19 clinical research.

In his free time, he enjoys hiking, trail running, playing guitar, and listening to podcasts, and he has a newfound interest in meditation. Though San Diego has always been his home, Andrew is incredibly excited to start his residency at OHSU and to explore Portland!

Maddie Evans, M.D.

Maddie was raised in Neoga, a small town in central Illinois. She stayed in Illinois for her undergraduate studies at Illinois Wesleyan University, where she double majored in Biology and Hispanic Studies. After graduating, she attended Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Throughout medical school, Maddie was active in the student‐run free clinic in various roles, such as Spanish interpreter, Education Chair, and the inaugural Neurology Clinic Chair. Her research areas of interest in medical school included public health and community‐engaged research regarding health disparities.

Outside of medicine, she loves cycling, doing any type of puzzle, cooking vegetarian recipes, and being an urban homesteader (she had a garden and chickens in Indy and plans to do the same in Portland). Maddie, her husband Ryan, and their 14‐year‐old dog Marco are excited for the next chapter in Oregon!

Emily Rom, D.O.

Emily was born in rural Kodiak, AK and raise in Anchorage. Throughout her childhood, she discovered a respect for the mountains, with many mountaineering adventures in the Arctic and throughout Alaska. She attended the University of Alaska in Anchorage for her BS in Biological Sciences, which included extensive research in neuroscience. Following undergrad, Emily taught Anatomy and Physiology labs at the University of Alaska and discovered a passion for teaching. In addition to her academic pursuits, she worked in the ski industry for nine years as an alpine ski race coach and ski instructor, which brought her to Park City, UT for a season. She later attended medical school at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Emily is excited to return to the Pacific NW and is already planning many climbs and packrafting adventures.

Kimberly Wang, M.D.

Kimberly was born in Austin, TX and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, CA. She left the sunny shores of California to study at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she earned her degree in Neuroscience. Following graduation, Kim realized she wasn’t quite cold enough and decided to attend medical school at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Rochester, MN. There, she pursued her interest in education and teaching, conducted clinical research in neuro‐oncology, and spent time volunteering with cancer patients. During this time, Kim also met her now husband and fellow resident, Xander Schmidt.

Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking, cooking new recipes to share with friends, finding new restaurants, drawing, rollerblading, and playing the drums. Kim, Xander, and their dog, Coco, are excited to embark on their new adventure in Oregon!

Nicholas (Nick) Woods, M.D., Ph.D.

Nick was born in Portland and journeyed to the east coast to attend Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he studied Neuroscience and became fascinated with how the brain mediates behavior. After college, he returned to Portland for a year to do research at the Vollum Institute on the development of synapses in adult‐born neurons within the hippocampus, a key memory center in the brain. Nick’s interest in research led him to apply for MD/PhD programs, and he moved to San Francisco to attend UCSF’s medical scientist training program. In the lab, he continued his study of the hippocampus by using 2‐photon microscopy to view populations of neurons in the living brain during memory formation and retrieval. After completing his PhD, Nick returned to medical school and discovered a joy for clinical Neurology; he was inspired by clinicians who could diagnose and manage complex neurologic illness with keen intuition and a fastidious exam. He especially connected with the veteran population and chose to spend the majority of his clinical clerkships at the VA hospital to be a part of serving this group.

Outside of medicine, he is an avid cyclist, first as a commuter, then as a more obsessive road cyclist, and enjoys embarking on endurance rides and exploring new areas on bike. Nick is excited and relieved to return to his hometown for residency with his wife, Maria, an exceptionally talented glass artist. They plan to explore the entire NW on their bikes together, which may take some time.

Monica Becher, M.D.

Monica was born in West Palm Beach, FL but primarily grew up near Sacramento, CA, where she was raised on a small family farm. She began her undergraduate education at Sierra College in Rocklin, CA before transferring to UC Davis, where she earned a degree in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. During this time, Monika worked as a physics tutor and martial arts instructor. She attended medical school at the University of Nevada - Reno, where she enjoyed volunteering at student-run and vaccination clinics, especially those that traveled to serve rural populations. She also developed her passion for medical education through multiple tutoring and supplemental instruction projects. Outside of medicine, Monika enjoys hiking, crafting, baking, and anything to do with storytelling, whether that be reading books, listening to podcasts, watching movies, or creative writing.

She is looking forward to exploring all that Portland and the surrounding areas have to offer. 

Michelle Chu, D.O.

Michelle earned a B.S in Biology, with a minor in Neuroscience, from the University of San Francisco. After graduation, she worked as a case manager for a private medical group for the next five years, coordinating care and serving as a health coach for medically complex patients. During this time, she also took postbac courses at UC Berkeley in preparation for medical school. Michelle completed her medical education at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Nevada. Her volunteer experiences included providing outreach care for homeless youth, running a clinic for inner city homeless populations in San Francisco, and cofounding a street medicine program. She also spent time on a research project evaluating outcomes of MS therapy and another on ADHD interventions.

In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading and book collecting, and baking.

Evan Multala

Evan was born and raised in Rochester, New York. He attended the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Geneseo for Biology. He then completed his Master of Science in Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University, and later attended Tulane School of Medicine for medical school. He completed his first year of residency in New Orleans before transferring to OHSU. While in medical school, he published with the Center for Cellular and Molecular Diagnostics for his involvement with the development of rapid-testing interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs,) nanolayer chip technology. His academic pursuits have also included research pertaining to the interface of neurology with artificial intelligence, pulmonary inflammation and infectious disease, and involvement with Medical Students with Disability and Chronic Illness (MSDCI) as a member and mentor. 

Prior to medical school, Evan had held various occupations in food and beverage, farm and landscape labor, and biomedical research. Outside of medicine, he fills his time with books, carpentry, travel, the outdoors, gardening, athletics, cooking, and working on his motorcycle or car. 

Sam Sosland, M.D.

Sam was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended Harvard University, where he majored in history. After surviving four years of snowdrifts in the Northeast, he returned to his hometown and worked for the next two years as a clinical research assistant before matriculating to the University of Kansas School of Medicine. During medical school, Sam stayed busy by working with the administration to formally incorporate the health impacts of climate change into the medical school curriculum. He also took on a leadership role in the free student-run health clinic, where he coordinated gender affirming care for transgender and gender diverse individuals. Sam discovered his passion for neurology during his clinical rotations and looks forward to advancing his neurology training in residency.

Outside of medicine, Sam enjoys reading, running, binge-watching TV series, trying to keep his plants alive, and spending time with friends. He is excited to start his new chapter in the Pacific NW! 

Chelsea Sykora, M.D.

Chelsea was born and raised in Los Angeles and earned her B.S. in Human Biology at UC San Diego. She spent the next three years working in research and development at a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company in San Diego, developing nano-antibodies against a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Chelsea moved cross-country to Boston to complete her master’s degree in medical sciences at Boston University and attended medical school there as well. During medical school, she conducted clinical research in neurocritical care, studying the use of electrooculography and AI in neuroprognostication.

In her free time, Chelsea enjoys the performing arts (singing, theater, piano), exploring new places and restaurants, and getting outdoors. She is absolutely thrilled to be coming back to the west coast for this new adventure in the PNW! 

Zoe Thuesmunn, M.D.

Zoe was born and raised in Sammamish, WA, a suburb outside of Seattle. She completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry with a minor in diversity studies from the University of Washington, where she also became involved in research into the genetic basis of epileptic disorders. She took two gap years in which she worked as a research coordinator at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance working on clinical trials for leukemia and lymphoma and volunteering as an English and math tutor for under-resourced kids in Seattle. She then returned to the University of Washington for medical school. Outside of medicine she enjoys reading fantasy novels, playing cozy video games, and watercolor painting (casually). She is moving with her husband, Carson, and they have no pets yet but are planning on finally getting two kittens once settled in Portland! She is excited to explore new restaurants in Portland and join the OHSU community! 

Laken Behrndt was born and raised in Portland and remained here for undergrad at Portland State University and medical school at OHSU. During undergrad, he worked multiple jobs, including as a restaurant server, a lifeguard at PSU, and as a medical scribe in multiple Portland-area emergency departments. Laken was also involved with a pre-medical student organization at PSU and took part in various volunteering projects throughout Portland. He developed a passion for teaching and mentoring while tutoring and assisting with lectures for underclass science courses at PSU. This passion carried over to medical school, during which Laken served as a pre-clinical peer tutor and peer mentor. His interest in Neurology developed through research projects involving rare, neurogenetic diseases, including PKAN (Pantothenate-Kinase Associated Neurodegeneration) and POLG-associated refractory status epilepticus. As a lifelong Portlander, Laken is excited to continue his training at OHSU and to serve the local Portland community.

Jennifer Duong was born and raised in Portland, OR.  She earned a B.S. in BioHealth Sciences at Oregon State University, with minors in both chemistry and creative writing. During this time, she worked as a tutor, nail technician at her family’s salon, and volunteered at OHSU in an abdominal transplant unit. After college, Jennifer worked for two years as a medical scribe in the Neurology and Cardiology practice settings. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined OHSU’s Vaccine Equity Committee and brought COVID-19 vaccines to underserved communities throughout the Portland metro area. She entered medical school at OHSU and pursued her interest in neurology while conducting clinical research in neurocritical care. As a medical student, Jennifer continued volunteering and fostered her passion for education through peer tutoring and mentoring. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her nephews, knitting, cooking, and staying active with weekly kickboxing and dance classes. Jennifer is beyond happy to remain in her hometown and continue her Neurology training at OHSU. 

Briana Liu was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where she majored in Neuroscience and minored in Business Law. She then returned home to attend medical school at the University of Oklahoma. While in medical school, she enjoyed volunteering in the community to provide greater access to healthcare, as well as spending time as a counselor for camps geared towards adults with TBIs. Outside of medicine, Briana loves trying new restaurants and coffee shops, reading, hiking, snowboarding, and relaxing at home with her husband, Cam, and their dog, Kona. She is so excited to be in the PNW and to join the OHSU community!

Heather Nelson earned a degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Winona University. She spent the next few years working as a scribe in the ED and Hem/Onc settings and doing research work before matriculating to University of Minnesota – Twin Cities for medical school.

Courtney Wilson grew up in Mililani, Hawai’i and earned her degree in biochemistry from the University of Portland. Following graduation, she spent three years at OHSU as a clinical research coordinator focused on new immunotherapies for patients with acute myeloid leukemia. The meaningful relationships she formed with geriatric oncology patients inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. She went on to attend the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she worked on Coxiella burnetii immunology research and led PCOM’s Infectious Disease Club, developing volunteer opportunities in support of local AIDS organizations. She has a longstanding commitment to education, launching her own tutoring business in college, and, later, volunteering with RISE Philly to tutor students in the Philadelphia public school system. In her free time, Courtney enjoys nature walks, racquet sports, eating her way 

through Portland’s culinary scene, traveling with her fiancé, Jose, and spending time with her two delightfully bossy cats, Bella and Lily.

Mandy Wong was born and raised in New York, NY. She traveled to Cleveland, OH for undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University where she graduated with degrees in Cognitive Science (BA), History & Philosophy of Science (BA), and Bioethics (MA). She stayed in Cleveland after graduating to pursue neurogenetics research on decision making in Drosophila, continuing this research while in medical school at Case Western. In addition to research, Mandy is also passionate about mentoring pre-med and medical students. She also served on the Alumni Advisory Board for her undergraduate sorority. Outside of medicine, she enjoys gardening, reading (especially philosophical and sci-fi texts), hosting dinner parties, and spending time with her loved ones, fiancé, and tabby cat, Purkinje (@purkinje.cat).