Diversify In Path

Ricardo Correa, M.D., Ed. D., F.A.C.E., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.M.Q. is an Associate Professor of Medicine, the Program Director for Endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism fellowship and the director for diversity in Graduate Medical Education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Staff Clinician and Researcher at Phoenix V.A.M.C. and health equity fellowship director for Creighton School of Medicine Phoenix.  He is an editor and peer reviewer of multiple journals in endocrine, research and medical education.He completed his Medical School and master’s in education at The University of Panama. He completed a research fellowship in Epidemiology and Tropical disease at I.C.G.E.S. in Panama City and his internal medicine residency at Jackson Memorial hospital-University of Miami (U.M.) program. In 2012, he was honored with the A.O.A. and GoldDOC Award from the U.M. Then, he pursued his clinical and research fellowship in endocrinology with a particular focus on neuroendocrinology and adrenals at the National Institute of Health.He is board-certified in Medical Quality. He is the author of the book title “Case report: basics and publication.” and senior Co-Editor of the book “Endocrinology of Aging.”  His research focuses on neuroendocrinology, mainly on pituitary and adrenal tumor and health care disparities in diabetes in Latinx populations. He serves as medical director volunteer for an underserved clinic in Phoenix and is very involved in promoting URM in medicine.He enjoys playing the saxophone, hiking in the Phoenix mountains with the family, and traveling to other countries to learn about the different cultures.   Social mediaTwitter: @drricardocorreafacebook https://www.facebook.com/riccorrea20Instagram: same as facebook LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/ricardo-correa-md-edd-facp-face-fapcr-facmq-cmq-48a35018

Dr. Riddle is a Senior Pathologist for Ruffolo, Hooper, and Associates, providing services at Tampa General Hospital / USF Health, where she is also the Pathology Residency Site Director. There she does General Anatomic Pathology with a focus in Bone & Soft Tissue, Gastrointestinal Pathology, Neuropathology, and Dermatopathology. She is also Associate Professor and Associate Residency Program Director for the USF Health Department of Pathology and Cell Biology. Dr. Riddle is heavily involved in organized medicine. She has been active in the AMA since 2002, serves on the board of the Florida Society of Pathology (FSP) and COLA, and sits on committees for the College of American Pathologists, the Digital Pathology Association, USCAP, FSP, and her county medical society. She has a specific interest in digital pathology, informatics, high reliable medicine, and creating a culture of quality and patient safety, as well as varied research endeavors.  Dr. Riddle has been honored with several awards including the ASCP 2018 “40 under Forty”, the Pathologist Magazine’s “Power List”, and the 2021 CAP Resident Advocate Award.Twitter: @NRiddleMD

Olivia O. Cardenas-Trowers, M.D., is a fellowship trained Urogynecologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida who specializes in treating female pelvic floor disorders. Dr. Cardenas-Trowers is a Senior Associate Consultant in the Department of Medical and Surgical Gynecology and an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.Dr. Cardenas-Trowers earned her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, followed by a fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky.In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Cardenas-Trowers is active in research and education. She has been awarded research funding and has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters. She is a national speaker and holds positions on several national committees including the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) and Society of Gynecologic Surgeons (SGS). Social media: twitter: otrowers_md

Dan Tyrrell earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at the University of Michigan and received his Ph.D. in Integrated Physiology and Pharmacology from Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before completing postdoctoral training as a research fellow in the University of Michigan’s Department of Cardiology. Dan was recruited to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology and started his research lab there in August 2022. The Tyrrell lab uses molecular biology, immunology, and genetic approaches including single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and imaging to understand how neurodegeneration and cardiovascular diseases occur during aging. In the summer of 2020, during his post-doctoral fellowship, Dan coordinated with a group through Twitter and helped to co-found the organization called BlackInCardio. Through BlackInCardio, Dan has helped organize annual week-long virtual events and partnered with organizations including the American Heart Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and British Heart Foundation. BlackInCardio has been featured in Forbes, Nature Medicine, and BMC On Medicine Blog, and Dan, along with the other co-founders of BlackInCardio recently wrote a commentary which was published in Nature Reviews Cardiology to discuss the work and future goals of BlackInCardio. Dan recently helped officially file to transform the BlackInCardio movement into a not-for-profit corporation. Dan is currently helping to plan the 3rd annual BlackInCardio week along with the rest of the organizing team.Twitter:  https://twitter.com/dantyrr  Lab Website: https://sites.uab.edu/tyrrelllab/

Dr. Joseph Graves, Jr. received his Ph.D. in Environmental, Evolutionary and Systematic Biology from Wayne State University in 1988. In 1994 he was elected a Fellow of the Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS.) In 2012, he was chosen as one of the “Sensational Sixty” commemorating 60 years of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Award.  In 2017, he was listed as an “Outstanding Graduates” in Biology at Oberlin College; and was an “Innovator of the Year” in US Black Engineer Magazine. His research in the evolutionary genomics of adaptation shapes our understanding of biological aging and bacterial responses to nanomaterials. He is presently Associate Director/co-PI of the Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) Engineering Research Center of Excellence (Gen-4 ERC) funded by the National Science Foundation (2022—2027). His book on nanomaterials is entitled: Principles and Applications of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials, (Amsterdam NE: Elsevier),  2021.  His books on the biology of race are entitled: The Emperor's New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium, Rutgers University Press, 2005 and The Race Myth: Why We Pretend Race Exists in America, Dutton Press, 2005; with Alan Goodman, Racism, Not Race: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, Columbia University Press, 2021. Racism, Not Race was named by Kirkus Reviews as “One of the Best Non-Fiction 2021” and to its “Best Books About Being Black in America 2021”.  Finally, his biopic work entitled, A Voice in the Wilderness: A Pioneering Biologist Explains How Evolution Can Help Us Solve Our Biggest Problems, (New York: Basic Books), 2022. He leads programs addressing underrepresentation of minorities in science. He had aided underserved youth in Greensboro via the YMCA chess program.  He has also served on the Racial Reconciliation and Justice Commission, and COVID Vaccination Task Fore of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. He also served as the science advisor to the Chicago, New Brunswick, and Methodist of Ohio Theological Seminaries through the AAAS Dialogues of Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program.

Rondell P. Graham MBBS, is an anatomic and molecular pathologist with specialty interest in GI/Liver pathology and molecular oncology. His clinical focus includes:Diagnosis of gastrointestinal and liver biopsiesInterpretation of molecular tests for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of various disordersDevelopment of innovative clinical testDr. Graham is active in research and has authored research publications in scientific journals. He is involved in education of medical residents and fellows and has contributed to several textbooks.

I was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. I attended University of Illinois for undergraduate, then Northwestern University for MD/PhD training (MSTP). I matched for AP/CP at Northwestern University Department of Pathology, where I additionally served as Chief Resident during my PGY3 year. I continued at Northwestern for GI and Liver Fellowship training. I am currently Assistant Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University, where I focus on GI sub specialty for daily sign out.  My academic interests and area of research includes molecular alterations in colorectal carcinoma and neuroendocrine tumors, and also inflammatory bowel disease (especially dysplasia arising in inflammatory bowel disease). Additionally I am interested in pathology education and increasing pathology representation among URMs at the residency and medical school levels, but would like to expand to include pre-medical school opportunities. Personal interests include my family (especially my 5 year old daughter), biking/cycling, soccer, and classical music.Twitter: @d_escobar_mdphd

Taylor Harris is a Pathologists’ Assistant and proudly, has the honor of being the first African American/Black person to earn a Masters of Anatomic Pathology from Tulane School of Medicine. Taylor claims both West Tennessee and Central Illinois as home. Taylor obtained a BA in Biopsychology from McKendree University. Her journey in medicine/healthcare began as a Certified Nursing Assistant having worked ICU and Med/Surg. Following undergraduate, she shifted into social services as a Residential Counselor for abused/neglected youth. Taylor eventually transitioned back into medicine by way of histology which led her to pathology. Currently, Taylor promotes Pathology and shares her experience as a Pathologists’ Assistant on social media.  Instagram: @path_a_tay Taylor Harris (@path_a_tay) • Instagram photos and videosYouTube: PathA Tay https://youtu.be/_GZpDWGa6iA LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-dubose-harris-pathassist

Dr. Jan Gorniak was born and raised in Bronx, NY. She graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA. Dr. Gorniak is certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and forensic pathology. She served as a Deputy Coroner/Forensic Pathologist for Franklin County, Ohio from July 2005 to January 2008. She is a member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American Osteopathic Association, and the National Medical Association. Dr. Gorniak is also a registered medicolegal death investigator through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.In November of 2008, Dr. Gorniak was elected to the position of Franklin County Coroner, Columbus, Ohio. She was the county’s first full-time forensic pathologist coroner. She was re-elected in November 2012, and served in that position until resigning in October 2014. She went on to work as the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia (DC) Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. In the Fall of 2016, she was appointed the Fulton County Chief Medical Examiner (Atlanta, GA). As of June 2020, Dr. Gorniak calls Las Vegas, NV home, working as a Medical Examiner/Forensic Pathologist for the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner.Twitter: twitter.com/drquincydohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-thompson-gorniak-79b871a6?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BAOeW%2Fz59TDO1sOLvjQujgw%3D%3D

Dr. Kristinza Giese is a native of the Washington, DC area and is a graduate of Howard University. In 2006, she graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her post graduate medical training includes General Surgery Residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency at University of Washington Medical Center. In 2011, Dr. Giese accepted a Forensic Pathology Fellowship at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. She has been an Associate Medical Examiner at the Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner’s Office in Fond du Lac, WI and is presently a Deputy Medical Examiner at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, DC. Dr. Giese is board certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic Pathology. She is also a member of many organizations, including the American Academy of Forensic Science, the National Association of Medical Examiners, the College of American Pathologists, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Dr. Giese enjoys teaching and has given multiple volunteer lectures to Forensic Science students and interns. When she is not in the autopsy room, she enjoys playing her violin, playing tennis, and spending time with her two sons, Jay and Julius.Twitter: @NMA PathologyTwitter: @Kristinza23Website: NMA Pathology - NMA Pathology | Home

Ron Balassanian is a Professor of Pathology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) with an appointment in UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. His clinical and research work focuses on fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy and general breast pathology, as well as patient communication and global health. Ron has led workshops on training pathologists to perform and interpret ultrasound guided FNA for the College of American Pathologists, the American Society of Cytopathology and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. In collaboration with PATH, a Seattle based NGO, he helped develop the Community Program for Breast Health in Trujillo Peru, using FNA as a cost-effective tool for diagnosis and triage. Through the UCSF Global Cancer Program, he helped develop an US-FNA course in Dar es Salaam Tanzania as part of an ongoing educational collaboration between Muhimbili University and the UCSF Global Cancer Program. At UCSF he developed a patient education program called “Ask Your Pathologist” inviting patients to review their breast cancer slides with a Pathologist to better understand their pathology report. In his clinical service and research work, Ron is passionate about patient centered pathology and bridging the gap between the patient and the pathologist.  Twitter:  @BalassanianRon

Juniper Fedor (he/him) is a pathologists’ assistant at the Dekalb County Medical Examiner’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia, and a recent graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Identifying as a gender diverse individual and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, Juniper has advocated for marginalized voices through his work with Wayne State University, as well as within the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants. He has organized several talks and presentations covering topics such as healthcare advocacy for the Muslim community, segregation in funeral homes, and gender-affirming surgeries. With extensive experience as a funeral director, forensic death investigator, autopsy technician, and now pathologists’ assistant, Juniper also advocates for the use of pathologists’ assistants in the forensic setting, and how pathologists’ assistants can help alleviate the pressure of doctor shortages seen across the forensic pathology community. Juniper lives with his partner and three cats in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys traveling and playing music.  Twitter : https://twitter.com/forensicjuniInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/forensicjuni/

A native of the sunny coasts of Puerto Rico, Roberto grew up in one of the best surfing spots in the island, Isabela. He earned his Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences from The University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla. Not long after, he completed his post-baccalaureate at The Ohio State University in Maize molecular genetics. His fascination with viruses led him to earn his Ph.D. at The University of Toledo,working on Cauliflower mosaic virus. When not in the lab, Roberto enjoys spending time with his fiancé Francesca and his dog Luna, attempting to play the guitar, and, when possible, some good snowboarding sessions. Twitter: @rmaviridaeResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roberto_Alers-Velazquez Links to other websites: Cultivate Diversity in STEM Education & Fields | SACNASABRCMSCientífico Latino (cientificolatino.com)Home - Letters to a Pre-Scientist (prescientist.org)

Devon Jackson was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He grew up as an only child but has a large extended family. He attended King/Drew medical magnet high school where he got his first opportunity to shadow in a hospital. This experience and words of encouragement from his former pastor who had Parkinson's disease motivated him to pursue medicine. He went on to attend Stanford University. After graduating from there, he got licensed in phlebotomy and worked in clinical research. He then went on to attend Howard University College of Medicine. After obtaining his MD, he spent one year training in general surgery at Howard University Hospital. He then moved to Boston to work for three years in the Department of Neurosurgery at Boston Medical Center. There, he had the opportunity to interact with the neuropathologist on several occasions and realized he wanted a career in pathology. He returned to Howard University Hospital for pathology residency where he is now completing his final year. Following residency, he will complete neuropathology and forensic pathology fellowships. Besides medicine, Devon enjoys music, singing, movies, road trips, and spending time with family and friends.

Kamran Mirza is an Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Education, and Applied Health Sciences at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health in Maywood, Illinois. He serves as the Assistant Dean for Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Stritch School of Medicine, Vice-Chair of Education and Academic Affairs in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Program Director of the Hematopathology fellowship, founding Program Director of the M.S. in Medical Laboratory Science, Assistant Course Director for the M2 Mechanisms of Human Disease Course, the Director of medical student  pathology education in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and a Health Equity advocate for Stritch School of Medicine.Dr. Mirza graduated with academic distinction and as recipient of the "Rivaz Gold Medal" for overall excellence from Aitchison College in Lahore, Pakistan in 1998. He completed medical school at the prestigious, independent, research University - Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan in 2003. He completed his Ph.D. thesis work under Professor Asrar B. Malik, PhD, at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2010. He continued his training at the University of Chicago, where he completed an AP /CP Pathology residency.   He continued his training at the University of Chicago and received fellowship training in hematopathology (under the supervision of Dr. James Vardiman) and thoracic pathology (under the supervision of Dr. Aliya Husain). Given his passion for medical education, he completed a fellowship in Medical Education Research, Innovation, Teaching & Scholarship (MERITS) at the University of Chicago.An award winning educator and mentor, Dr. Mirza has been the recipient of several dozen local, regional and national teaching awards. He is the recipient of the 2022 Association of Pathology Chairs Michele Raible Award for Distinguished Education. He received the 2021 American Society for Clinical Pathology's H. P. Smith Award for Distinguished Pathology Educator, the 2021 College of American Pathologists Pathology Advancement Award, the 2020 CAP Resident Advocate Award, and the 2019 ASCP Mentorship Award. He received both the regional and national M. Brownell Anderson Award for New and Emerging Educators by the Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA), the Midwest education group within the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in 2020. The American Society of Clinical Pathology recognized him as a Top 5 Forty Under Forty honoree in 2017 and he was a recent faculty inductee to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society via Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Mirza has been recognized in The Pathologist magazine's Power List 100 consecutively for the past 5 years and he is one of the top 10 most followed Pathologists on Twitter. Dr. Mirza spearheaded the creation of PathElective.com, a free, modular website that has provided pathology education to over 100,000 users across the world in the past year alone. In efforts of advancing pathology, he has also co-founded the ASCP's Virtual Pathology Grand Rounds, the PathPod podcast, the International Collaborative of Pathologists, www.hemereports.com, and the Digital Communications Fellowship in Pathology in partnership with the Pathologist magazine. He is the Chair-Elect for the CGEA and a member of the APC UMEDs council. He serves on the advisory board for "Inside the Match" and "Match to Path" platforms and has been honored with several teaching and education awards at the medical student and resident level and continues to explore novel ways to impart pathology pedagogy across the world. Dr. Mirza's educational research focuses on molecular pathogenesis of myeloid malignancies, novel pedagogical tools in medical education, the advancement of interprofessional education, and use of social media for pathology education.

Joseph S. Thomas, MD is an attending hospitalist physician in Buffalo, NY. He went to undergrad at University at Buffalo, and then stayed at what is now the Jacobs School of Biomedical Sciences for medical school. He then completed training at the University at Buffalo Internal Medicine Residency, finished off with a Chief Residency in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety through the Buffalo VA. He also serves as a Clinical Instructor on the teaching service in the Buffalo Catholic Health System internal medicine residency and for the D'Youville Physician Assistant Program. He writes the blog Managing Health Expectations, where he debunks medical misinformation and addresses discrepancies in healthcare access, including a passion for reproductive justice. He also utilizes Instagram and TikTok to address and correct misinformation while incorporating his hobbies: playing the drums and coming up with alternate lyrics to songs.He also states: "Despite the CDC's lax recommendations, keep wearing a mask in crowded areas or around strangers, maintain safe distances and ventilation and please get vaccinated!"He is extremely grateful to work with pathologists as part of the healthcare team!Blog:www.managinghealthexpectations.comSocial Media:https://twitter.com/DocWithBowtiehttps://www.instagram.com/docwithbowtie/www.tiktok.com/@docwithbowtie

Stephanie is the Executive Director of Pathology and Laboratory services, at a large health system in South Texas, and the podcast co-host of the weekly show “eLABorate Topics”. The “eLABorate Topics” podcast features talks related to the laboratory and leadership focused on helping listeners succeed in their professional lives. Outside of this work, she is a passionate and active leader for several professional organizations. Stephanie currently serves as a member of the ASCP Council of Laboratory Professionals (CLP), the Vice-Chair of the ASCLS Mentorship and Diversity Advocacy Committees and a professional mentor through both the ASCP and ASCLS mentorship programs. She frequently presents at national and state conferences as an expert on advocacy and strategies relevant to the laboratory profession. In addition to her career in laboratory medicine, Stephanie plays an active role in the localcommunity through her involvement with organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Junior League of San Antonio and the Girl Scouts of America.Here’s how to connect with Stephanie:stephanie.y.whitehead@gmail.comFacebook, Instagram and Twitter: @Stephanie Y Whiteheadwww.linkedin.com/in/stephanieywhiteheadhttps://linktr.ee/Stephanieywhitehead.

Dr. Marques received her M.D. from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and trained in Internal Medicine at the same institution. She and her husband moved to the United States in 1986.  She spent 2 years at NIH and 5 years at Harvard Medical School as a research fellow before coming to UAB to train in Pathology.  She has been a faculty member since 1998 in the Laboratory Medicine sections of Apheresis, Coagulation and Transfusion Medicine.  She has been very active in national societies having been an ASFA Board member for 8 years and President from 2014-2015, as well as President of the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS) from 2016-2017.  She loves to share her experiences, joys and setbacks with others, always focusing on what can be learned and applied in the future. Faculty Profile:  https://scholars.uab.edu/display/henrique

Carlo Ledesma is a Doctor of Clinical Laboratory Science resident at the Oklahoma City VA Health System. He is a certified medical laboratory scientist, a specialist in hematology, a qualification in laboratory safety, and a diplomate in laboratory management. He also serves as the program director for the Medical Lab Technology at Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma.  His lab career started in Manila, Philippines where he obtained his B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Santo Tomas. He started as a Microbiology laboratory assistant and worked in different settings and assumed different roles in the clinical laboratory including technical supervisor, quality assurance specialist, and laboratory administrative director. His technical expertise is in hematology, molecular diagnostics, technical consulting, and regulatory compliance. His doctoral work is in the laboratory's role in gender-affirming care to which he has presented some technical updates during this year's ASCLS annual meeting and wrote articles in ASCLS today.  He is this year's recipient of ASCP's Excellence in Education Award .Twitter:TikTok: CarloTheMedLabGuy (@carlothemedicallabguy) TikTok | Watch CarloTheMedLabGuy's Newest TikTok Videos

Dr. Pouya Jamshidi was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where he studied Russian literature and classical music. He played the Trumpet and French Horn in the Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, advancing to becoming the youngest Assistant Conductor of the Orchestra at the age of 19. Upon immigration to the US, Dr. Jamshidi majored in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience at the University of California-San Diego, where he also conducted neuroscience research. He earned his medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and finished a year of internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He then pursued a year of postdoctoral fellowship at the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Jamshidi completed his residency in Anatomic Pathology at University of Chicago- NorthShore. He is now a 2nd-year neuropathology fellow at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Jamshidi loves spending time with his wife, two sons and his adopted dog, Moca, enjoys international cuisines, and listening to classical music and opera.   Twitter: Pjamshidi_MDhttps://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/archive/thisweek/2008/05/19_ensemble_con_brio.asp