Born, raised and educated on the East coast, Mindy comes to Madison from Wake Forest University of Winston-Salem, NC, tobacco country and the home of John Tesh. Mindy completed her undergrad at Williams College in Williamstown, MA before heading to Williamsburg, VA to start her masters in Marine Science at William and Mary. Upon completing her masters at William and Mary, Mindy took on a fellowship offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration where she and other marine science graduates were put into legislative and executive positions to learn the impacts of national policy. Mindy's medical interests include women's health, geriatric care and preventative medicine to name a few. Mindy is our second twin from the class of 2010.

Originally from Antigo and a graduate of UW- Stevens Point, Nathan completed his medical education at Des Moines University- Osteopathic Medical Center in May and will be crossing back over the border to begin his residency in Madison this summer. While in medical school, he served as a teaching assistant in two anatomy courses taught to first year students. Nathan has a strong love for the outdoors and enjoys running, fishing, golf and weightlifting. Among Nathan's medical interests are sports medicine, preventative medicine and pediatrics. Nathan's choice of family medicine is owing, in part, to the opportunity he will have to incorporate osteopathic manipulative medicine into his practice.

Jill is returning to Wisconsin following a hiatus to Iowa for medical school at Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. She began her college career as a Warhawk of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater and will now come full circle as she and her husband Greg become Badgers. The transition should not be difficult as she enjoys boating, hunting and snow skiing. Jill is a self-proclaimed "great cook" and has volunteered (unknowingly) to cater the weekly seminar. Thanks Jill. In medical school, she served as a teaching assistant for an Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Lab and as an active member of the Preventative Medicine Club. In addition, Jill found time to volunteer at a local elementary school, serving as a tutor for children with special learning needs.

One of two representatives in the class of 2010 from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Nadim brings to Madison his love of medicine and soccer. Before attending medical school, he was one of 1,800 students at Northfield, Minnesota's Carleton College, south of the Twin Cities. During his years as an undergrad, Nadim managed to balance a full course load with four years of competitive soccer, even leading as team captain. His hard work in the classroom and on the grass earned him recognition on the MIAC All Academic Team. In addition, Nadim is a published author, having an essay printed in the New York Times as part of a contest to win a vacation with op-ed writer Nick Kristof. While in medical school, Nadim had the opportunity to serve the rural population in Montana. Nadim is interested in sports medicine as well as rural medicine.

Laura has made the big journey west from far-off Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home of beer and Laverne and Shirley. Born and raised in Whitefish Bay, Laura attended Northwestern University in Evanston before joining AmeriCorps for one year prior to beginning medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Her experience with AmeriCorps/Jesuit Volunteer Corps took Laura to San Francisco where she worked with women and children with HIV. While in medical school, Laura was a very active member of the community while volunteering at the Saturday Free Clinic, served as Treasurer of the LGBT in Medicine group, and President of MCW Cares. Her medical interests include Sports Medicine and Childhood Obesity.

A native of Illinois and a graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Laura comes to medicine from a non-science background. She received a Bachelor's Degree from The Pennsylvania State University in communications, a key skill, she believes, that separates a truly good physician from a merely qualified one. Laura will be available to answer any questions you might have regarding what exactly is a Saluki. Some, but not all, of Laura's volunteer work include Springfield's Project Fit City, a city program aimed at curbing obesity through encouraging physical activity. She mentored elementary school-aged children with special needs as well. Laura served as Chair to SIU's FMIG and last but not least, ran the Chicago marathon in 2004. We welcome Laura and her husband, a UW grad student, to Madison.

Jo's world-wide travels began with the inherent values of growing up in a Minnesota farming community, which propelled her down the path of service to others. After undergrad at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, Jo spent four years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand. She then worked as a volunteer and resource coordinator for Catholic Charities/Migration and Refugee Service where she redesigned, improved, and expanded the program to assist in the resettlement of refugees from Vietnam, Ethiopia, Somalia, Bosnia, and Haiti. From there, she became Acting Director of the Refugee Resettlement Agency, while still managing the Volunteer and Resource Program. Her work with refugees continued as she became country director of the American Refugee Committee's emergency relief program in Goma, Zaire. Between her third and fourth years of medical school at Oregon Health Sciences University, she returned to Thailand to do clinical research in HIV/AIDS.

Originally from rural Idaho, Kyla completed her medical education in Israel. In answer to the frequently asked "why Israel," Kyla sites the program's dedication to promoting health care for the underserved and under-resourced. During the spring of her final year in medical school, she completed her two-month elective rotation in Sevagram, India. Her decision to pursue family medicine stems from her background: her birthplace in Wyoming is considered medically underserved, as is the Idaho community where she grew up. Her undergraduate years at Marietta College in the Ohio River Valley brought her into contact with the local population who struggle with lack of time and resources to improve their health. After residency, Kyla plans to work in a rural area as a primary care physician and eventually for an organization like Doctors without Borders.

The sole UW-Madison representative in the Class of 2010, Surya will be an invaluable source of Madison-related information. Surya grew up in the small town of Marine, Minnesota and attended Macalester College before beginning his travels from to New York and finally to Madison for medical school at the University of Wisconsin. Surya's interest in the integrative approach to medicine led him to found UW's Integrative Medicine Interest Group. He is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, was awarded an Advanced Fellowship/Graduate Assistantship scholarship for his medical education, and undertook a rotation at the Tibetan Delek Hospital in India where he shadowed physicians while studying Tibetan language and international health policy. During his winter vacation, Surya provided medical services to victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in New Orleans. He currently is a hatha yoga instructor and has an interest in botany.

Melissa comes to us from beautiful Blacksburg, Virginia, where she attended Virginia Tech's Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her class, by the way, represents the inaugural class of Osteopathic docs sent through Virginia Tech. Originally from Iowa, she attended Wartburg College in Waverly before heading east for medical school. Melissa's professional interests include Women's Health, Sports Medicine and Rural Medicine to name a few. Her rural medicine interest led her to co-found VCOM's Chapter of the Virginia Rural Health Assoc. Melissa fondly recalls her initial introduction to the world of medicine, one she credits to shadowing her mother in a medical laboratory as a young child. In medical school, Melissa served as secretary to her school's mental health club and was an active member of the sports medicine club.

After four years of hard work in the Motor City, Cayle has opted for Madison's green parks and clean lakes to begin his residency. A graduate of the well-represented Wayne State University School of Medicine, Cayle has strong interests in sports medicine, world health and physical fitness. Cayle arrives in Madison along with his wife Tracy, an insurance agent/artist! For his undergrad, he attended Valparaiso University where, in his free time, he shadowed an oncologist and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity while serving as his fraternity's philanthropy chair. Cayle's future plans are open as he would love to work in a multitude of settings, be they urban, academic or rural. During medical school, he had the opportunity to shadow family physicians in these various settings, and it was the diversity of practice and doctor-patient relationships that solidified, for Cayle, his desire to pursue family medicine.

Meaghan Combs graduated Magna Cum Laude from Case Western Reserve University with a B.A. in Medical Anthropology. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso, where she taught math and science in French to 6th-9th graders, coordinated a girls’ summer camp, and cycled over 300 kilometers educating more than 5,000 people about HIV/AIDS. While pursuing her M.D. and M.P.H. at Tulane University School of Medicine, Meaghan was active in numerous social justice action groups. She co-founded the Tulane chapter of Student Physicians for Social Responsibility, served as the Direct Action National Chair for the AMSA, and was the regional coordinator for AMSA Pharm Free. Hurricane Katrina, however, was the true watershed event that inspired Meaghan to transform her belief in social justice into action. In response to the crisis, she co-founded and coordinated the Fleur De Vie Clinic, a holistic, no-cost, student-led clinic in post-hurricane New Orleans. In her spare time, Meaghan enjoys Yoga, photography, gardening, painting, playing guitar and riding her bicycle. She joins the Madison Residency Program with her husband Neal Goldenberg.

Jessica Dalby completed her B.A. at the University of Texas in Austin and attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She brings to family medicine a passion for social justice and a deep love for other cultures. She has taught ESL in a number of settings, including a year-long teaching position in Japan, and her research interests have taken her to Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, and Honduras, where she developed fluency in the Spanish language. She also has a strong interest in women’s health. During medical school she co-founded Baylor’s first-ever Women’s Health Elective, a series of lectures designed to expose students to topics in women’s health not covered in the standard curriculum. She was also president of the Baylor chapter of the American Medical Women’s Association and a student leader for Medical Students for Choice. Jessica grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where the beauty of the natural environment inspired a deep love of nature. She spends most of her free time outside, hiking, biking, swimming, or playing a friendly game of ultimate frisbee.

A Wisconsin native, Jackie Gerhart completed undergraduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience at UW-Madison. After a year-long internship with Ballard Medical Systems in Utah, she returned to the Midwest to pursue her medical degree at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, MN. Jackie brings to her practice a strong commitment to education and community service. As a medical student, she worked as a teen educator and mentor through the Rochester Teen Council, and she was a regular volunteer at the Salvation Army Smoking Cessation Clinic. Jackie is also an avid runner and triathlete, and her athletic interests have occasionally crossed paths with her passion for service. She helped to organize the Harvest Classic Run for Charity, a road race that engaged over 250 adults, children, and families in exercise while raising money for a regional food bank. She also participated in the Cebo Ride for AIDS Orphans, a 125-mile bike ride to benefit children with AIDS in Thailand. Jackie will complete her first year of residency at the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program in Scottsdale, AZ, and will join us in Madison as a PGY2 after the Scottsdale program closes in June.

After earning a B.A. in Biology from Duke University, Neal Goldenberg attended medical school at Ohio State University College of Medicine and then completed his M.P.H. at Tulane University in New Orleans. Neal brings to medicine a passion for serving all members of the community, including the uninsured. He was the Public Health Coordinator at Fleur de Vie Clinic, a student-run free clinic that provides medical, mental health, and social work services to uninsured people in New Orleans. He has also volunteered his time at the Common Ground Clinic in New Orleans and the Columbus Free Clinic in Ohio. He is an activist at heart, and organized medical student participation in several grassroots political campaigns to increase access to health care for local uninsured and underinsured people. Neal also has a strong interest in Integrative Medicine and co-founded the Integrative Medicine Interest Group at OSU. Neal combines his commitment to fitness and to the environment by biking whenever possible. His other interests include organic gardening, playing guitar and drums, backpacking and hiking, and Capoeira Angola. Neal comes to the Madison Residency Program through the couples match with his wife Meaghan Combs.

Ronni Hayon graduated from UW Madison with a B.A. in Zoology before heading west to California. While living in the Bay area she worked as a Reproductive Healthcare Specialist at Planned Parenthood, where she provided pregnancy options counseling and HIV counseling to a diverse patient population. She also volunteered as an HIV counselor at the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic and served as an outreach worker at a weekly street-based needle exchange program. Medical school then called her to the other coast, and she earned her medical degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia. As a medical student she continued to be active in volunteer work for at-risk populations. She was a student coordinator for the Streetside Health Project, and she worked as an Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Educator with area teens. She also served as a student coordinator for her campus chapter of Medical Students for Choice. In her off hours, Ronni enjoys music/performance, and she was the lead singer of a 10-piece band in San Francisco. She also loves bread-making.

Sam Heiks graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in History from Bethel College. He first discovered his interest in medicine through his work with children and adolescents with special needs. At the Prairie View Special Purpose School in Kansas, he worked with students with severe behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and psychiatric illnesses that prevented them from attending public schools. Later, he served as a mental health worker on the child and adolescent inpatient unit at the Prairie View Behavioral and Mental Health Hospital. Sam also discovered a strong interest in integrative medicine working with two family physicians at the Celebration of Health Center in Ohio. These experiences ultimately led him to Wisconsin where he attended medical school at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He lives with his wife and two daughters in a co-housing community in downtown Madison. Much of his free time is spent working with members of his housing community on grounds upkeep, business planning, and social event planning. His other interests include swimming, canoeing, hockey, ultimate Frisbee, soccer, classical guitar, and meditation.

Jill Klemin grew up in several small towns in North Dakota, where she was able to see first hand the impact good family physicians can have on rural communities. She graduated from Creighton University in Nebraska with degrees in Biology and Philosophy and then went on to complete her medical degree at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine. She loves working with children and originally envisioned herself as a pediatrician. She has volunteered in elementary classrooms through the Great Books Program, Doctor’s Ought to Care, and the Mad Science Youth Program, and she taught Sunday School and Summer Bible School for many years at her church in North Dakota. In addition to her love of pediatrics, though, Jill also has a strong interest in geriatrics and palliative care. Thus, she has ultimately chosen Family Medicine as the one unique specialty that can encompass the full spectrum of her medical interests. Jill spends as much of her free time as she can with her husband Peter, who is a resident in the OB/Gyn program, and their one-year-old daughter Addison. She also enjoys reading fiction for her book club, cooking, and gardening.

After earning her B.A. from Marlboro College in Vermont, Lara Knudsen completed her M.D. and M.P.H. at George Washington University School of Medicine. She has a strong interest in women’s health issues, especially in a global context. As an undergraduate, she spent eight months in Uganda conducting research and working in a maternity ward of a rural hospital. Then, before entering medical school, she traveled to Peru to continue her research and to volunteer as an ob/gyn assistant at a local hospital. On the home front, she also spent six years working on-and-off at a women’s health clinic in Oregon that specializes in abortion services. She is both the editor and a contributing author of Reproductive Rights in a Global Context, which won the ALA’s Outstanding Academic Book of 2007 Award. Lara also has a keen interest in integrative medicine and was co-founder and co-president of GWU’s Integrative Medicine Club. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time with her fiancé. She is a fluent Spanish speaker.

George Leydon earned a B.S. in Biology from Boston College and a M.A. in Medical Sciences from Boston University. He then went on to complete his medical degree at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. Throughout his life, George has spent much of his time in service to others, through both work and volunteerism. As a high school student he spent most of his Saturday mornings volunteering at a local nursing home, and throughout college he dedicated time each week to work at the Pine Street Inn, Boston’s largest homeless shelter. He also started a new Cub Scout Pack at a Boston housing development and organized spring break service trips with Habitat for Humanity. Then, following his undergraduate studies, George spent a year as a Jesuit Volunteer, serving as a homeless outreach worker and case manager at an agency that provided services to HIV positive men. Needless to say, George’s commitment to service and advocacy make Family Medicine the perfect specialty for him. When he’s not working or volunteering, George enjoys playing his guitar, backpacking, skiing, and cooking. He and his wife Charlotte recently welcomed their son Henry into the world.

Patrick McKenna grew up in the northern Wisconsin town of Antigo. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UW-Madison, he took an untraditional path to medicine by first pursuing an MBA in Chicago and a Masters in Fine Arts at the University of Alaska. Ultimately, though, his Wisconsin roots lured him back to The Dairy State to attend medical school at the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Patrick’s leadership and commitment to public service are evidenced by his work during medical school as a LOCUS Fellow and with the MEDIC free clinics in Madison. He served as MEDIC Council president during his second year and received the 2006 McGovern-Tracy Scholar award, which recognizes medical students who exemplify values of community service and leadership while in training. He also has a passion for global health and served as both a member and co-chair of the UW Global Health Interest Group. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys athletics of all kinds, including basketball, broomball, running, bicycling, canoeing, and skiing. He also enjoys gardening, cooking, baking, and sewing, and he has strong interests in politics, rural policy, sustainability, and creative writing.

A longtime native of New York State, Elizabeth Paddock earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and completed her medical degree at Albany Medical College. Her strong interest in social justice drew her to family medicine, and she comes to the residency with a long history of action of the behalf of the underserved. Before entering medical school, she worked at Crossroads Rhode Island, a clinic that provides free primary care to the homeless. As a medical student, she volunteered with Care from the Start, a longitudinal program focusing on health care issues of the underserved, and she traveled to Uganda to participate in a medical mission that provided free care to communities in need. She was also the vice president of her local AMSA chapter, a coordinator for Medical Students for Choice, and the editor of Student Perspectives and Activism, a student-run bimonthly publication. Elizabeth’s outside interests include environmentally friendly living, swimming, biking, canoe racing, and cross-country skiing. She is also an accomplished runner, with multiple marathons and triathlons under her belt.

Kate Porter grew up in Madison and, after eight years away, is now returning home to begin her residency. She earned her B.S. in Biopsychology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and she completed her medical degree at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout medical school, Kate was an active volunteer with the Friendship Clinic and the Cristo Rey Clinic, both of which serve the underinsured population of Lansing. Her commitment to the underserved has also taken her as far away as Andhra Pradesh, India, and Malawi, Africa, where she helped provide compassionate and effective heath care to local populations in need. Kate has taken on leadership roles in numerous organizations, including the International Health Project and her local chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. She also has special interests in research and teaching: she has assisted in several research studies on cancer prevention, and she tutored medical students in the class beneath her during their Anatomy Lab. Kate is a fabulous knitter and enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, reading, and spending time with her family.

A native of Manitowoc, WI, Jackie Redmer first began her career in science through the study of insects. Ultimately, however, she chose medicine over entomology as the field that would best engage her core values of social justice, compassion, and community. As a medical student at UW-Madison, Jackie volunteered at the MEDIC free clinics in Madison, served as the MEDIC Council President, and completed a community health project with the San Lucas Health Program in rural Guatemala as a LOCUS Fellow. She also served a Public Heath Educator in Kazakhstan as a Peace Corp volunteer, and over the past year she has been a fellow with the UW Department of Family Medicine, combining clinical activities with course work in the UW Masters in Public Health Program. In addition to her interests in community service and human rights, Jackie has a strong interest in Integrative Medicine. She co-founded the UW Integrative Medicine Interest Group during medical school and looks forward to incorporating a holistic approach to healing in her future practice. In her free time, Jackie stays active with outdoor recreation, including running, hiking, biking, and canoeing. She practices Birkram Yoga and meditation, and she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

James Bigham came from Milwaukee to the University of Wisconsin - Madison to study Zoology and Religious Studies. Along with attending medical school here, he has also spent the last year working on his M.P.H. at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. During his first year of medical school, he went on his first of four trips to Kenya to work with women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. In Kenya he learned the importance of creating a true partnership with the patients he saw to help them not only become well-informed, but to also develop a desire to take responsibility for their own health. The experiences he had in Kenya motivated him to volunteer in local high schools as a Junior Health Update speaker, where he taught high school students about topics such as sexuality and drug abuse. Along with teaching the students about these specific topics, he also held a Q&A forum to provide them a safe venue for asking questions about sexual health where they knew they would receive accurate information. In his spare time, James enjoys international travel, scuba diving, wilderness backpacking, and canoeing. Closer to home, his interests include disc golf, gardening, cooking, and reading.

Nicole Bonk grew up grew up in Aurora, Illinois and graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied Science Professional Studies. After graduation, she spent one year working as a house assistant at L'Arche Syracuse, a residential community in Syracuse, New York for adults with developmental disabilities. In addition to house management, Nicole's responsibilities included advocacy, development of daily and long-term rehabilitation plans, and healthcare for the residents. Her work at L'Arche Syracuse cultivated her interest in developmental disabilities that continued with her during medical school at Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. In her second year of medical school, she began working with L'Arche Chicago, another of the residential communities located across the United States. By her fourth year at Loyola, she served on the Board of Directors, the fundraising committee, and the community council, which is the advisory board to the executive director. She has also represented the community at regional and national meetings. Outside of medicine, Nicole's interests include learning conversational Spanish, playing tennis, biking, camping, and skiing.

Tim Caramore comes to Madison from Albany, New York, where he grew up and attended medical school at Albany Medical College. Tim focused on both the sciences and liberal arts during his undergraduate years at the University of Richmond in Virginia, where he studied Chemistry and Philosophy. This blending of interests followed him into medical school, where he served as an editor for AMC Student Perspectives and Activism, a student-run newspaper that prints creative and informative works of the medical students at Albany Medical College. Along with these academic pursuits, his desire to help patients discover ways to take charge of their health, especially through exercise, was fostered through his volunteer activities. He was a guest lecturer at a local middle school, presenting information to the students on healthy living and careers in medicine on their annual career day. During his first year at AMC, he also became a member, and eventually an official, of the Running Club and helped organize weekly running workouts for his fellow students, allowing for a structured time for exercise. Along with running, Tim interests include contemporary short fiction, philosophy, poetry, modern and contemporary art, public radio, the outdoors, travel, cycling, yoga, trees, and gardening.

Originally from Methuen, Massachusetts, Caitlin D'Agata attended McGill University in Montreal during her undergraduate years, where she earned her Bachelor's in Biology. She then spent time at Northeastern University in Boston studying Spanish and American Sign Language before entering the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Even while attending medical school, she still found time to continue her study of American Sign Language at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, where she also volunteered as an elementary school tutor for three Deaf students at the school. Work such as this led Caitlin to her interest in working with people with disabilities, and she pursued the Disabilities Area of Concentration in medical school to learn more about the unique and complicated health and social needs of patients with disabilities. She has taken on the role of student coordinator of this program, which has allowed her to focus on the scholarly activities, such as planning a monthly lecture series, and hands-on activities, such as facilitating volunteer work between medical students and patients with disabilities. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys playing softball, volleyball, and Ultimate Frisbee.

Masaru Furukawa grew up in College Township, Pennsylvania. He earned both a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University before attending the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Following medical school, he completed a one-year clinical research experience at the University of Vermont General Clinical Research Center. As a principal investigator, he conceived and developed a research protocol for conducting responsible and rigorous research with human volunteers. In addition to his research interests, Masaru is also deeply committed to helping patients achieve better health through increased physical activity and other lifestyle changes. During medical school, he found ways to help young people become active by volunteering as a ski coach for high school students in Vermont. He also became the Youth Racer Program Coordinator for the Green Mountain Multisport Club in Burlington, which provided financial assistance to local youth interested in sports. He has also coached soccer and track at both the high school and college level. Masaru is committed to keeping himself active, as well - he has completed five Ironman triathlons, three Half Ironman triathlons, and 13 marathons so far.

Born in Eau Claire, Sarah GaleWyrick grew up in rural Wisconsin and came to the University of Wisconsin - Madison to study History of Science. She stayed on to complete her medical training at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. The influences that helped her choose family medicine came from both home and abroad. Growing up, her father was a family physician in her hometown, and she saw the impact a single doctor can have on a community and its health. Later on in life, during her second year of medical school, she was one of ten students selected nationally to travel to England, Ireland, and Germany as part of the AMSA European Study Tour. While abroad, the group met with doctors, medical students, and patients to learn about the universal health care systems of those countries. She also spent six weeks as an intern in a department of public health in the U.K. and won the Bjorn Lund Scholar medical externship at the University of Oslo. These experiences in Europe have driven her to look at the universal health care systems there as a potential part of the solution to the health care problems in the United States. When Sarah finds herself with some free time, she enjoys leisure reading, traveling, hiking, and baking.

Allison Hotujec is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She came to Madison to study biology at the University of Wisconsin and stayed to complete her medical training at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. During her time in Madison, Allison came to realize she enjoyed both learning and teaching. As she finished her time as an undergraduate, Allison completed a project for the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship that taught high school students about the scientific method in a fun, inquiry-based manner. During medical school, she participated in the Doctors Ought to Care program, where she traveled to elementary and high schools in the Madison area to teach students about health and the human body. Her passion for teaching was again ignited during her family medicine rotations, where she enjoyed the opportunity to educate patients about a wide range of topics relevant to their health. As a medical student, Allison also volunteered with the local MEDiC clinics, was active in Medical Students for Choice, and spent a month working with a mobile medical clinic in Guatemala. Allison's other interests in life include exploring new cities and restaurants, traveling, scuba diving, playing the flute, exercising, and spending time with her husband Brian, who is a resident in the OB/Gyn program.

Megan Jensen grew up in Madison and completed both her undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. While growing up, she found a model of steady support in her family physician, who was present for the happy moments in her family, such as births, as well as the more difficult events. She knew when she decided to become a physician that she wanted to offer the same kind of continuity and comprehensive family health care. Megan also found during medical school that she wanted the opportunity to work with diverse patient populations, and she was an active volunteer with one of the local MEDiC clinics that offers healthcare services for the uninsured and underinsured. Megan's interest in diverse patient groups also extends to age. She plans to pursue a career in family medicine with a focus on prenatal care, which offers the opportunity to focus on preventative medicine, and geriatrics, which offers the chance to maximize the quality of life for her older patients who often have more complex medical needs. Outside of medicine, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband Brian and German Shepard Nola, being outdoors, canoeing, camping, and hiking.

A Madison native, Anne Kolan earned Bachelor's degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and she completed her medical degree at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. One of the interests she developed in medical school was integrative medicine, especially the idea of finding alternative approaches to the treatment of chronic and debilitating conditions. She participated in the Healer's Art Elective and the Complementary Medicine Elective offered at UWSMPH, and she was co-president of the Integrative Medicine Interest Group, where she helped organize the first Integrative Wellness Fair and helped create a network and database of local alternative medicine practitioners. She also participated in a week-long retreat at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies through the AMSA's Leadership Training Program in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Another strong interest for Anne is international health, inspired by her travels in South America. She is a devoted distance runner, with four marathons under her belt. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, and outdoor activities such as gardening, hiking, and camping.

Dave Lessens is originally from Shelby, Michigan. He studied Anthropology and Zoology at the University of Michigan as an undergraduate, and he continued at the University of Michigan for his medical training. Between his third and fourth years of medical school, he also completed his M.P.H. at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. While at Hopkins, he pursued a customized program in nutrition and global environmental sustainability, a strong area of interest for him that was initially sparked through his work on a cherry farm during his college years. As a medical student, he was also troubled to encounter obese patients with poor access to wholesome and nutritious foods, and this further inspired his work in this area. While working on his M.P.H, Dave served as a research assistant with the Baltimore Healthy Stores project, a project aimed at enhancing health and preventing obesity by increasing the supply of healthy foods in low-income Baltimore neighborhoods. Along with his passion for nutrition and sustainability issues, Dave also has strong interests in integrative medicine and international health. Outside of medicine, Dave enjoys vegetarian cooking, backpacking, canoeing, running, and Bikram yoga.

Kristen Prewitt was born in Nuremberg, Germany. She completed her B.A. at the University of Virginia and earned her medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. She brings to family medicine a passion for teaching and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. As an OMM Undergraduate Fellow at Des Moines University, Kristen taught first and second-year students in a lecture and lab setting, and she presented a variety of lectures to different audiences on the history, philosophy, and application of osteopathic medicine. Kristen also has a strong commitment to addressing the needs of underserved populations and participated in events such as the Community Medicine night at DMU to provide free health screening and education. She has traveled to Washington DC to lobby senators and representatives on various health care issues, and service work has been an important component of her medical education. As an undergraduate, Kristen majored in English Language and Literature, and reading and writing remain among her favorite pastimes. During medical school, she was editor of The Abaton, the annual literature and arts journal of Des Moines University. She also enjoys running, traveling, meditation, and spending time with friends and family.

John Ray grew up in Kilgore, Texas and earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. After his undergraduate years, John went on a self-described "soul-searching quest to return to the roots of his dirt-farming ancestors in east Texas" - a journey that led him to Camp Tyler, a farm owned by the Independent School District of Tyler, Texas. It was here that he was able to combine his love of nature and animals with his passion for working with people with special needs. After six years at Camp Tyler, John entered medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he continued his work with youth and adults with special needs. He served as a counselor at Rainbow Connection Camp, a residential camp for children with cancer and blood disorders, and he volunteered at ARC of Smith County, a camp for people with developmental disabilities. John also has a strong interest in integrative medicine, and during medical school he co-founded and directed the Pharmaceutical Awareness Group. When he has spare time, John enjoys playing the banjo, teaching music, bird watching, cooking, woodworking, and agricultural work of just about any kind.

After earning a B.A. in English from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Shannon Reed completed her medical degree at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout medical school, Shannon participated in multiple outreach and medical assistance programs, providing medical exams and information to underserved populations in Tulsa and the surrounding communities. She was also an active volunteer at H.O.P.E. Testing Clinic in Tulsa, where she provided counseling and testing for those affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. In addition to her commitment to the underserved, Shannon has a strong interest in teaching. She has tutored and taught medical students in anatomy, histology, and clinical problem solving classes, and she was the Stress Management Program Facilitator for first-year medical students at OSU. Over the past year, Shannon has been honing her skills for residency through an Osteopathic Internship at Saint Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. She enjoys painting and writing poetry, and she and her husband have been introducing their two dogs (Chase and Baby Darwin) to the joys of hiking.