Meet The Residents

Aravind Addepalli

Hometown: Toronto, Canada
High School:St. Francis Xavier
Undergraduate School: McGill University
College Major: Anatomy & Cell Biology and Economics
Medical School:Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Interests/Hobbies:Music - hip hop/techno/house/soul/rock, national parks, landscape/travel photography, perfecting art of brewing coffee while being snobby about it, winning basketball intramurals, weight-lifting to reach elusive 1000-lb club, running (slowly), reading crisp prose, liberation medicine, health capacity building
5 Year Plan: To strive to learn EM in a manner that will make my family (blood and otherwise) and myself proud, embrace and become a productive part of the Oakland community, work in global/public health, and cultivate personal growth.

Alexander Ayala

Hometown: Sacramento, California
High School: West Campus HS
Undergraduate School: Occidental College
College Major: Kinesiology
Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Graduate School: Northwestern University The Graduate School; Masters in Public Health
Interests / Hobbies: Picking up heavy things and putting them back down, supporting Liverpool FC, watching Formula 1, binging Curb Your Enthusiasm, Better Call Saul, and Succession, and feeding my caffeine dependence.
5 Year Plan: Learn how to be a great EM doc, continue reading and learning about injustices within our communities, and build the foundation of a career that blends my clinical and public health interests. Deadlifting 600 pounds would also be cool.

Moises Bravo

Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
High School: Mojave High School
Undergraduate School: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
College Major: Biology Medical School: UCLA
Interests/Hobbies: Mentorship, traveling, grilling, hiking, trying new restaurants, binging movies/shows
5-year plan: Soak up as much knowledge as possible, become a competent and compassionate EM physician, explore the Bay Area, travel to new countries, visit more national parks

Joia Brosco

Hometown: Diego Martin, Trinidad & Tobago
High School: St. Joseph's Convent Port of Spain
Undergraduate School: University of Pennsylvania
College Major: Health and Societies, with a concentration in Public Health
Medical School: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Interests/Hobbies: having a steady census of at least 5 DIY projects that take over the house, practicing yoga preferably ashtanga, tending to my thriving (?) plant family, begging my little puppy for more cuddles, dancing, dancing, laughing really hard, and more dancing
5 Year Plan: To grow into a competent, caring EM doc, hold onto my inner child's sense of humanity and wonder, and be a super good neighbor, friend, sister, daughter and wife to loved ones near and far

Raghav Goyal

Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY
High School: Herricks High School
Undergraduate School: SUNY Binghamton / Oberlin College
College Major: Comparative Literature
Medical School: Larner College of Medicine
Interests/Hobbies: speaking my truth even at risk of it being bruised or misunderstood, bikes, books, stick and poke tattoos, meditation, podcasts, bougie IPAs, and Dole mandarin oranges in 100% fruit juice.
5 Year Plan: be kind and present for my partner, my family, my friends, be a great teammate for my co-interns, new Highland family, and Ohlone/"Oakland" community, interrogate and confront my colonizer status, and get as good at medicine as I can, so I can advocate for the alternative.

Kristen Hancock

Hometown: Carson, California (Los Angeles County)
High School: Junipero Serra High School
Undergrad: UC Berkeley College Major: Molecular & Cellular Biology and Sociology
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Interests/Hobbies: Amazon shopping, exploring the Bay Area, trying new restaurants, quality time with friends and family, traveling, dancing, youth mentorship (especially at-risk youth) and social justice.
5 year plan: My goal over the next 5 years is to learn as much as possible from all of my favorite people at Highland and develop the skills to practice emergency medicine anywhere in the world!

Letitia Li

Hometown: Carmel, IN
High School: Carmel High School
Undergraduate School: Harvard College
College Major: Chemistry
Medical School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Interests / Hobbies: wilderness backpacking, rock climbing, stargazing, & eating delicious food
5 Year Plan: become the best EM physician I can be, grow as a person, learn to cook, explore the Bay, adopt a cat & dog

Jordan Petersen

Hometown: Longview, WA
High School: R.A. Long High School
Undergraduate School: University of Washington
College Major: Music, Psychology
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Interests / Hobbies: Producing and writing music, live music, karaoke, Drag Race, breakfast, outdoor adventures, health equity, and wellness
5 Year Plan: Be a good plant dad and dog dad, learn some new skills in the ED, and be an effective patient advocate

Noah Sanders

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
High School: Breck School
Undergraduate School: The University of Pennsylvania
College Major: English
Medical School: The University of Minnesota Medical School
Interests/Hobbies: reading, writing, biking, climbing, baking carbs, eating carbs
5 Year Plan: become an awesome and empathetic provider, continue to learn and grow as an advocate for my patients, carve out time to read and write, work up the courage to bake bagels with actual lye

Chloe Solomon

Hometown: New York, NY
High School: United Nations International School
Undergraduate School: University of Toronto, Canada
College Major: Psychology
Graduate School: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Graduate School Degree: MS, Biomedical Research
Medical School: Rush Medical College
Interests / Hobbies: Exploring neighborhoods, eating foods from around the world, long walks, camping, pilates, laughing, TV binging, thinking about adopting a dog
5 Year Plan: Learn emergency medicine the Highland way to become the most badass, compassionate, and skilled emergency physician for my community. Learn how to best advocate for and empower survivors of violence. Eat at every Ethiopian restaurant in Oakland. Stay close with friends & family. Enjoy that West Coast sunshine!

Alexandra Walton

Hometown: Albany, NY
High School: Academy of the Holy Names Undergraduate School: Johns Hopkins University
College Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Interests/Hobbies: Cooking, running, playing volleyball and spending time outdoors.
5 Year Plan: Become a compassionate EM doctor. Explore Oakland and learn more about the community that I live in. Make a conscious effort to make time for friends, family and hobbies outside of medicine. Visit national parks and run the Napa to Sonoma half marathon.

Omonivie Agboghidi

Hometown: Moreno Valley, Ca
High School: Canyon Springs High School
Undergraduate School: University of California, Berkeley
College Major: African American Studies/Public Health
Medical School: Wright State University Boonshoft SOM
Interests / Hobbies: I love listening and dancing to AfroBeats, hip hop, and R&B music. Enjoy improv and stand up comedy. Interested tech and cool tech gadgets
5 Year Plan: In 5 years I hope to become a passionate, confident and innovative EM Physician ready to handle any emergency that comes my way. I want to continue my work in diversifying the healthcare workforce and mentoring underrepresented students. On this journey, I plan to enjoy my family, friends and all the gems Oakland has to offer.

Henry Ashworth

Hometown: Ventura, California
Ventura High School/Foothill Technology High School Undergraduate School: Eckerd College
College Major: Philosophy and Biochemistry
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Interests / Hobbies: Skipping instead of walking, Hugging friends and family, Late night dancing, Early morning adventures, Being in, around, or on any body of water (puddles included), Playing the bass, Trying to speak Nepali or Spanish but end up speaking Spanpali.
5 Year Plan: Become the most thoughtful and loving human I can be by learning from those around me and my patients. Work as an EM doc in a community setting while trying to implement disruptive programmatic innovations.

Lily Berrin

Hometown: Sacramento, California
High School: Rio Americano High School
Undergraduate School: Occidental College
College Major: Cognitive Science and Spanish
Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Exploring recipes in the kitchen, baking everything but especially cakes, running, biking, swimming, hiking, backpacking, traveling and eating all the foods
5 Year Plan: Reconnect with the vibrant Oakland community in and out of the ED. Learn from my patients, peers, and teachers how to be a compassionate EM physician. Make the ED a better place for geriatric patients. Be a caring and supportive daughter, sister, partner, and friend to my loved ones. Go on more backpacking trips and do another triathlon. Continue to appreciate California sunshine and produce!

Laeesha Cornejo

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
High School: Drew School
Undergraduate SchoolPomona College
College Major: Neuroscience
Medical School:UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: Ceramics, storytelling, reading fiction, taking long walks, backpacking, roadtripping, vegetarian cooking, and most things creative.
5 Year Plan: grow and learn with humility, prioritize joy, seek out wonder and awe, pause, breathe, go outside, and adventure with my partner, friends, and family.

Nadia Gaber

Hometown: Memphis, TN
High School: Lausanne Collegiate School
Undergraduate School: Harvard College
College MajorHistory & Literature / Women, Gender & Sexuality
Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies:Premier league football (Liverpool!), local art, last-minute dinner parties, thrifting, interior design
5 Year Plan: Making sure I become the doctor I would like to see in a crisis, giving back to my adopted hometown of Oakland, deepening relationships, exploring new horizons, finishing my manuscript, bringing environmentalism to medicine, finishing my miscellaneous sewing projects, getting my dog to run Lake Merritt again.

Carmen Lee

Hometown: Oakland, CA
High School: Head-Royce
Undergraduate School: Yale (+ postbaccalaureate at Bryn Mawr)
College Major: Ethics, Politics, and Economics + International Studies
Medical School: UCSF
Interests / Hobbies: Climbing, meditation, outdoor yoga, any and all live music, arts + crafts, vegetables, too many pets 5 Year Plan: Loving and serving the community where I grew up and where I worked in public schools, learning and loving my incredible new community of providers and friends, research and advocacy to help build a more just health care ecosystem, ultrasounding everyone I know and machine learning, epidemiology

Eman Mesgina

Hometown: Placentia, CA
High School: Cherokee Trail
Undergraduate School: Colorado State University
College Majors: Biology
Medical School: University of Colorado
Interests / Hobbies: basketball, volleyball - any team sport really... anime, podcasts, social determinants of health, URM mentorship
5 Year Plan: grow as a person, be humble and confident, meet awesome people/stay in touch with some, learn to cook, explore Oakland, keep my plants alive.

Jordan Mullings

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
High School: Nova High School
Undergraduate School: University of Florida (Go Gators!)
College Major: Economics
Graduate School: University of Florida
Graduate School Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Medical School: George Washington University
Interests / Hobbies: Dancing, playing basketball, listening to podcasts, traveling with my wife
5 Year Plan: Embrace mission/adventure & build community as I live, work and worship in Oakland; maximize every personal and professional growth moment, be physically fit enough to still dunk a basketball.

Joanna Ortega

Hometown: Berkeley, CA
High School: Berkeley High School
Undergraduate School: UC Santa Barbara
College Major: Global Studies
Graduate School: UC Berkeley, MPH
Medical School: UC Davis
Interests / Hobbies: Anything that involves being outside (hiking, camping, swimming!), cooking and eating delicious food, weightlifting, traveling, trail running, and spending time with family and friends.
5 Year Plan: Enjoy this incredible journey as much as possible, learn a lot, be an advocate for my patients, explore the beautiful outdoors in the Bay Area, make new friends, have fun, and always be kind.

Andrew Wang

Hometown: Hockessin, DE
High School: Charter School of Wilmington
Undergraduate School: University of Southern California
College Major: Neuroscience Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Nodding to and dancing to live music (house/techno/experimental electronic), vinyl collecting, looking at and creating art, climbing, hiking, cooking, baking, dessert with every meal, hanging out with my disabled cat named Pia, global health, health equity, LGBTQIA+ health
5 Year Plan: Learn emergency medicine from some incredible human beings, serve and uplift the Oakland community, make time for those that I love, and cherish the nature around me

Robin Yu

Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts
High School:Newton South High School
Undergraduate School: Harvard College
College Majors: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology / Visual and Environmental Studies
Medical School: University of Michigan
Interests / Hobbies: Mushroom foraging, illustration, birding, bug-keeping, eating and admiring ocean critters, thriftin' hikin' climbin' campin'
5 Year Plan: Be thoughtful, be true, stretch daily, publish my YA novel

Tessa Adler

Hometown: San Diego, CA
High School: Point Loma High School
Undergraduate School: Yale University
College Major: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Graduate School: McGill University
Graduate School Degree: Kinesiology & Physical Education
Medical School: New York University
Interests / Hobbies: reading queer sci-fi/fantasy, climbing, misinterpreting tarot cards so my friends always have good news, exploring Oakland, spoiling our kittens, adventures to the ocean/ mountains/ desert
5 Year Plan: Grow towards a sustainable career in EM based on compassion, skills, and curiosity. Show up for social justice and community. Love my partner and family well.

Kayla Authelet

Hometown: Cumberland, RI
High School: Moses Brown
Undergraduate School: Boston College
College Major: Biochemistry
Medical School: George Washington University
Interests / Hobbies: reading (especially sci-fi), drawing, hiking, running, frequenting comedy shows, trying out any and all sports, having a good conversation over coffee
5 Year Plan: I want to become the doctor that eases everyone's nerves when they are on shift. I will work towards giving the best care to every one of my patients. Also, I want to be a loud voice for my patients' interests and help decrease community violence in Oakland.

Matthew Campanella

Hometown: South Jersey & Los Angeles
High School: St. Joseph’s Preparatory School (Philadelphia)
Undergraduate School: Loyola Marymount University
College Major: Film and Television Production
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Interests / Hobbies: exploring the great outdoors/hiking/kayaking/camping, politics, visual and performing arts, migrant health & the U.S.-Mexico border, substance use disorders and recovery, travel, bodybuilding
5 Year Plan: become a skilled, thoughtful, and empathetic emergency physician, integrate into and contribute to the community, expand and deepen my personal relationships and passions, rotate abroad, work rurally

Ivis Casillas

Hometown: Oakland, Ca
High School: Fremont High
Undergraduate School: San Francisco State University
College Major: Cell and Molecular Biology
Medical School: UC Davis School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Spending time with my family, eating out, hiking, laughing, napping, reading, attempting to stay physically active, existing, parrot trick training and free flight.
5 Year Plan: Learn as much as I can from my patients and all of the remarkable people at Highland. Become an exceptional EM doctor and a better human being. Give back to my community and care for my family

Kaylin Gonzalez

Hometown: San Diego, CA
High School: Health Science High and Middle College
Undergraduate School: Johns Hopkins University
College Major: Public Health
Graduate School: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Graduate School Degree: Masters of Health Science and Certificate in Global Health Medical School: UCLA
Interests / Hobbies: all things nature (camping, hiking, chilling), amusement parks, comedy shows, traveling for more nature, taking the dogs to the dog park, increasing health delivery and resources for those without stable housing, rural/global health
5 Year Plan: Become a well rounded ED doc, explore a few new countries, hike my way through the Bay Area, spend as much time as possible making great memories with my friends and family

Deidre Gubac

Hometown: Jackson, MS
High School: Jefferson City High School
Undergraduate School: Tuskegee University
College Major: Chemistry Medical School: University of Missouri School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Cooking vegan food, making playlists especially including Afrobeats and 90s R&B, watch track and field, traveling, mentoring first-gens and HBCU family, and fighting for systemic changes to provide equitable care for all.
5 Year Plan: Be a better person, wife, friend; become a top notch EM Doc with the skills clinically to succeed while also being culturally competent and socially conscious of the ways I can enact change in the world.

Scar Guo

Hometown: San Ramon, CA
High School: Dougherty Valley
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
College Major: Human Biology
Medical School: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Interests / Hobbies: Eating new foods with friends, playing with other people's pets, nature walks, video games, and reading cute stories.
5 Year Plan: Learn more about myself. Learn EM. Care for a bee colony. Play games with my loved ones. Beat Zelda BOTW/TOTK on master mode.

Jason Khoo

Hometown: Hong Kong
High School: International Christian School
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
College Major: Human Biology
Medical School: Stanford University
Graduate School: Stanford Graduate School of Business
Graduate Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Interests / Hobbies: healthcare innovations, entrepreneurship, board games, rewatching The Office, squash, swimming, spearfishing, pranks, looking for the best BBQ brisket, tarts, and Napoleon.
5 Year Plan: Grow into a kind and competent physician, improve our systems of care, build amazing communities, make my parents proud, continue to believe that I'll take up running, find the best BBQ brisket, tart, and Napoleon, have fun, be generous

Mahan Naeim

Hometown: Northridge, California
High School: Grover Cleveland High School
Undergraduate School:UC Irvine
College Major: Biomedical Engineering
Medical School: UC Irvine
Interests/Hobbies: Harm reduction, video games, reading, music/concerts/festivals, movies, meeting all the dogs, cooking, Seahawk football, EATING delicious meals with friends and family, traveling
5 Year Plan: Become the best physician, person, son, partner, and brother possible. Take a sledgehammer to the War on Drugs. Laugh, cry, grow, make memories, celebrate life, and support my colleagues/community.

Shreya Thatai

Hometown: Lexington, MA
High School: Lexington High School
Undergraduate School: Wellesley College
College Major: Women's and Gender Studies
Medical School: UC-Berkeley/UC-San Francisco Joint Medical Program
Interests / Hobbies: Cycling around the Bay Area, knitting, exploring bookstores/libraries, taking long and aimless walks
5 Year Plan: Grow and learn to become an empathetic and effective EM doc, deepen my connection to my adopted Bay Area community, read many books and watch many sunsets, learn how to knit socks, stay connected to myself and my family.

Lily Wilkinson

Hometown: North Platte, Nebraska
High School: North Platte High School
Undergraduate School: Harvard
College Major: Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Graduate School: UNC Gillings
School of Global Public Health
Interests / Hobbies: Being outside, exploring new places, spending time with family and friends, water sports, and country swing dancing
5 Year Plan: Learn how to be the best EM doc I can be while maintaining a strong sense of curiosity and humility, care for and about lots of people, explore as much of the West as I can with my partner, and make it back to Nebraska to visit my family

Mimi Williams

Hometown: San Jose, CA
High School: Evergreen Valley High School
Undergraduate School: UC Davis
College Major: Cell Biology
Medical School: University of Iowa
Interests / Hobbies: Cooking (and eating!), exploring new coffee shops, thriller/true crime shows and podcasts, board games, playing Overcooked, lifting weights
5 Year Plan: Grow into the person and physician I've always dreamt of being, maintain health and wellness, make a positive impact in my community, and continue to stay connected with family/friends.

Bear Aragon

Haruna Aridomi

Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
High School: Homestead High School
Undergraduate School: UC Berkeley College Major: Molecular & Cell Biology, Social Welfare
Graduate School: UC Berkeley Graduate School Degree: Master of Science (MS) in Health and Medical Sciences
Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: Trying new restaurants, dinner parties, catching up with friends on walks or at coffee shops, pilates and HIIT classes, hiking, skiing (but not the moguls), casual pickleball, going out to EDM concerts, and online shopping 5 Year Plan: To be an exceptional emergency medicine doctor with compassion, care for the Bay Area and learn with/from the folks in the community, do policy work and outreach related to housing insecurity, explore more of addiction medicine, be a loving, kind person even in times of stress, and have fun in the process of growth!

Danny Bennett

Hometown: Berkeley, CA
High School: Berkeley High
Undergraduate School: Pitzer College
College Major: Neuroscience
Graduate School: NA
Graduate School Degree: NA
Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: People, surfing, music, skiing, eating, cooking, movies, sunshine, beaches, moonlight, being outside.
5 Year Plan: Become the best doctor, friend, family member and coworker I can be while enjoying the journey as much as possible. Help everyone I can live the lives they want. Get better at Spanish, ultrasound and surfing.

Rubi Galarza

Aminta Kouyate

Hometown: Oakland & Berkeley
High School: Berkeley High School
Undergraduate School: SF City College & UC Berkeley
College Major: Psychology
Graduate School: UC Berkeley & UCSF Joint Medical Program
Graduate School Degree: MS, Antiracism in Medical Education
Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: Gardening, farmers markets, dinner parties with friends, dancing to curated playlists
5 Year Plan: Over the next 5 years I hope to learn more about how to support, honor, and care for the beautiful community of Oakland. I hope to develop skills in emergency medicine, patient advocacy, and radical justice frameworks to provide the highest quality care for my patients and to impact change from the individual to the systems level. I plan to get involved in research and mentoring programs to support the next generation of healthcare professionals. I am also interested in a career in Academic Emergency Medicine so possibly a PEM or Ultrasound fellowship. Outside of medicine I hope to write a cookbook with my friends and travel to see family around the world. I also hope to win the lottery to be able to buy a house in Oakland!

Nancy Luong

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
High School: Lowell High School
Undergraduate School: University of California, Santa Cruz
College Major: Psychology
Medical School: California University of Science and Medicine
Interests/Hobbies: Health literacy & health equity. Barre, climbing, running, reading memoirs, 2000s R&B, throwing paint on blank canvases and seeing what happens.
5 Year Plan: Become a great doctor/advocate/ally/human, be an active member of the Oakland community, spend quality time with loved ones, learn Spanish, cut back on Hot Cheetos.

Allan Ndovu

Hometown: Cottage Grove, MN
High School: East Ridge High School
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
College Major: Biology
Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: Anything outside, ultimate frisbee, pickup basketball, One Piece, fantasy/sci-fi books, journaling, afrobeat/raggaeton/EDM shows, and planning overly-involved themed events
5 Year Plan: Become the best EM doc and human I can be, visit every Jazz venue in the Bay, hike the lost coast, expand my plant collection, and smile often

Nicole Rodriguez

Alberto Romo Valenzuela

Hometown: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico/Bakersfield, CA
High School: Foothill High School
Undergraduate School: UC Berkeley
College Major: Public Health
Graduate School: UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Graduate School Degree: Master in Public Health (MPH)
Medical School: UCLA – PRIME program
Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, trying out new food spots, playing basketball, watching my Lakers play, playing NBA 2k on PS5 (where my gamers at?).
5 Year Plan: To be the best clinician, emergency medicine physician that I can be for my community, but most importantly, to be a good brother and son to my family. I hope that when I look back in 5 years, I can say that I remained true to myself, my community and my vision of helping those who fall thru the gaps in healthcare. I hope that these next 5 years are full of growth, healing, and learning.

Hope Schwartz

Hometown: Oakland, CA
High School: Oakland Technical High School
Undergraduate School: Harvard College
College Major: Economics Medical School: UCSF
Interests/Hobbies: Exploring the outdoors on foot, bike or skis, hosting pescatarian dinner parties, trying to find the best breakfast sandwich in the Bay, single-payer healthcare. 5 Year Plan: Become a thoughtful and confident EM doc, a courageous advocate for my Oakland community, and a loving friend, partner, and dog mom.

Stephanie Terell

Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
High School: Pioneer High School
Undergraduate School: Haverford College
College Major: Chemistry Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Interests/Hobbies: Running, swimming, biking, camping, crafting, soccer, picnicking, baking
5 Year Plan: Become a thoughtful and kind physician, learn from every interaction, create community in the East Bay, spend lots of time with friends and family