Meet the faculty who joined us in 2024-2025!

The Department of Medicine is excited to introduce many of the new faculty members who joined us since mid-October of 2024.

Each has been invited to tell us a little more about what drew them to the Department of Medicine, as well as their primary professional focus, first year hopes and dreams, hobbies and interests, and their favorite piece of advice from a mentor or inspiring figure. 

You can read each faculty’s Q&A by clicking their name if it is linked.

Please join us in welcoming them!

Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

• Ksenia Bernau, PhD, assistant professor
• Ella Christoph, MD, instructor
• Monica Liu, MD, PhD, MS, assistant professor
• Taeha Kim, MD, visiting associate professor
• Kavya Kommaraju, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Ali Mrad, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Amali Samarasinghe, PhD, visiting associate professor
• Shilpa Tatineni, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Daniel Temas, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Brandon Temte, DO, assistant professor

Cardiovascular Medicine

• Danish Saleh, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor
• Cullen Buchanan, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Tahmeed Contractor, MD, visiting associate professor
• Christina Hughey, MD, clinical assistant professor

Gastroenterology and Hepatology

• Rodrigo Castillo, MD, visiting associate professor

General Internal Medicine

• Joan Neuner, MD, MPH, visiting professor (read a recent Q&A with Dr. Neuner)

Geriatrics and Gerontology

• Christopher Sundberg, MD, assistant professor

Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care

• Shellie Ellis, PhD, visiting professor
• Rory Makielski, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Rubina Qamar, MD, clinical associate professor
• Leah Wells, MD, assistant professor

Hospital Medicine

• Romeo Barakeh, MD, MBA, visiting associate professor
• Claire Beamish, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Alex Carter, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Kemin Fena, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Paul Koch, MD, visiting associate professor
• Erin Plews-Ogan, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Laurel Smeins, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Ryan Townshend, MD, clinical assistant professor
• Betta Tyriver, MD, clinical assistant professor
• David Young, MD, clinical assistant professor

Infectious Disease

• Michael Scolarici, MD, assistant professor

Rheumatology

• William Bracamonte, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor
• Julie Hildebrand, MD, visiting professor
• Dirk Nuenninghoff, MD, MS, visiting professor
• Nadia Sweet, MD, clinical assistant professor