Welcome to the University of Colorado’s Department of Family Medicine.

Duncan Chapman – UH Track
Wayne State University School of Medicine
I grew up on Gourdneck Lake in Portage, Michigan. A high school health program at local hospitals stirred my interest in medicine. My summers were spent lifeguarding at Ramona Park, a local beach. I graduated from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and did volunteer work at Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor. Wayne State University in Downtown Detroit was a great place to learn and begin to practice medicine. In my rare free time, I attended Red Wings, Tigers, and Lions games and music concerts at the Fox Theatre and the Fillmore. After an intense four years in downtown Detroit, I wanted a change of scenery and found a new home in Denver, CO. Hiking in Rocky Mountain National park, summiting 14,000 ft mountains, and skiing have provided balance with the demands of residency. I chose this program for the friendly atmosphere, reputation, and supportive faculty and residents. My medical interests are broad and include preventive medicine, teaching, and relationship-building with patients. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions: duncan.chapman@ucdenver.edu

Jessica Devitt - DH Track
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
My mom, who grew up in Brazil, and Dad, who grew up in Milwaukee, decided to raise a family in Santa Fe, New Mexico, so I grew up appreciating a little bit of diversity; an appreciation that has been cultivated through visiting family and traveling all over South America. I somehow ended up in Memphis, Tennessee, for undergrad due to some pretty clever soccer recruiting tactics. The experience only added to my cultural awareness. I returned to New Mexico for medical school and was reminded of how much I love blue skies, open spaces, and mountains; which is why I was ecstatic when I realized my favorite residency program just happened to be in Denver, Colorado. My interests in medicine are just as varied as my interests in life in general. I enjoy women's health, OB, sports medicine, hospitalist work, and international medicine; so I'm happy to be at an academic institution that can allow me more experience in all of the above. In life I'm all about quality time with the people I care about, including yours truly; which is why I still make time, not only for family and friends, but for playing soccer, exploring Colorado's playground of national parks, Denver's music scene, and pretty much anything else that just sounds too good to pass up.

Alexandra Johnson - UH Track
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
A San Francisco native, I was brought to Colorado by my husband just before medical school, and fell in love with the mountains! We took a four-year hiatus from the Rockies to live in Israel, where I attended the Medical School for International Health, a joint program between Columbia University & Ben Gurion University. After traveling the world we were ready to come home for a bit, and happily moved to Denver for residency. My main professional interests are in perinatal care, complementary medicine, community medicine and international health. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing in the mountains with my husband and children. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have! alexandra.johnson@ucdenver.edu

Haley Ringwood - DH Track
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
I'm originally from Gainesville, Florida, but spent nine years in North Carolina for undergrad at Duke and then for medical school and public health school at UNC prior to moving to Colorado. As far as medicine goes, I'm passionate about working with culturally diverse and underserved patient populations, which is what led me to the Denver Health track of the program. I'm particularly interested in maternal and child health, social determinants of health and health disparities, and community empowerment. During residency I have developed a particular interest in refugee health as well as in innovative models of care, such as group visits, for our multicultural patients. Outside of medicine, my husband Chris and I love outdoor adventures, live music, delicious food, local beer, Gator sports, and spending time with my awesome co-residents. We absolutely LOVE living in Denver, and despite our original plan of a 3 year adventure here, we now hope to call Colorado home for a long time!

Terry Siriphatnaboon - UH Track
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Hi there. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, moved to the south for a while for medical school, and am very happy to be with the University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency! I am grateful to be here because I wanted to learn serious family medicine with an amazing group of people in a beautiful environment. Outside of residency, I like photography, hiking, testing out new recipes, watching college football and exploring this great city with my co-intern buds!

John "Jack" Spittler - UH Track
Georgetown University School of Medicine
I am originally from just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and went to the University of Notre Dame for undergrad. I graduated from Notre Dame in 2005 and headed to Georgetown for a physiology masters program. After that, I stayed in DC to attend medical school at Georgetown. I definitely miss DC (especially with all of the recent action there with health care legislation!) but I already know that I will love my new home in Denver. The program is great, the other residents and faculty are amazing, and Denver is a fun city with lots to offer. Also having the mountains so close is awesome because I love to ski, golf, participate in triathlons and backpack. I have a specific interest in sports medicine and have already found great opportunities to see patients at the UH clinic, work with local sports teams, and staff local athletic competitions to explore the field more. This program truly ended up being the perfect fit for me. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions! john.spittler@ucdenver.edu

Rachel Woodruff - UH Track
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
I grew up in the foothills of Northwestern North Carolina then attended UNC-Chapel Hill for undergrad, public health school, and medical school. My husband, Alan, and I couples matched to Denver (he is a pediatric resident at Denver Children's Hospital) and we are pumped to be here! While our loyalty to the Tarheels will never waiver, we love Colorado and all the fun outdoor activities it has to offer - not to mention the endless restaurants, bars, sports venues and festivals.

Some of my interests in the world of family medicine include international and preventive medicine, women’s health and family planning. I'm excited about this program's unique P4 initiative, and to be a part of it at such an exciting time for primary care.

Ryan Bartkus - UH Track
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Welcome all! I am a born and bred Hoosier: a corn-eating, cow-milking, basketball-playing native of the great state of Indiana. I grew up in South Bend specifically, but have been VERY fortunate to travel extensively around the globe since a young age. It's quite a big world out there, especially for a hick from the midwest like me! I eventually went far afield and did my schooling at the University of Notre Dame, where I gained a keen appreciation for the finer points of Irish culture and a love affair with Guinness. I straight-away jumped into med school at the University of Virginia, where I spent my time traipsing around Civil War battlefields and centuries-old cemeteries and occasionally going to class. There I developed a particular love for primary care and the nuanced skills of Family Medicine. I convinced myself that if there were to be any hope of saving the 800 lbs gorilla in the room that is our national health care system, I would have to go to the front lines as an effective family doc. Though UC was not originally on my radar, once I got out here I knew the program was something special and revolutionary. The training here is unlike any other that I have seen, and I have no doubt that I am being shaped into a physician that can mold the future. Oh yeah, and Go Colts!!! I will never root for the Broncos. NEVER.

Kimberly Breidenbach - UH Track
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
Raised in Green Bay and educated in Madison, I'll always be a Badger and I do love cheese. And nothing beats a Sunday Tailgate with family and friends outside Lambeau Field. Go Pack Go! The move from Wisconsin to Colorado for residency has been great--I wonder if I'll ever get used to seeing mountains out my window. My philosophy of patient care is that medicine is a helping profession rather than a fixing profession. My duty is to offer what I know about cells and organs, to listen to and respect each person's story and each community's history, and to assist individuals and communities in finding their own ways to better health. I obtained a Masters in upblic health to gain knowledge and skills to enhance the health of the community in which I practice. While working on my MPH I became energized to be a physician leader in the effort to improve health systems and to redesign the delivery of primary care services. In my non-medical life, I'm usually busy cooking and eating or burning those calories in the form of running, hiking, or chasing my darling toddler. Gunner the dog brightens my day in the way only a dog can. And thanks to my husband, I laugh every day! All in all, Denver+My Family+Family Medicine Residency+the Packers=Good Times!

Aimee Falardeau - UH Track
University of Massachusetts Medical School
I came to the University of Colorado from Massachusetts where I was born, raised, and educated, and somehow managed to still pronounce words ending in "r" correctly (most of the time). I was raised in a small town on the border of Rhode Island and studied management and biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, then attended the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. I elected to extend my medical school course by one year to travel, learn Spanish, and work on a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) implementation project within several of the University's primary care practices. My interests include biking, hiking, and crafting of all sorts. In particular, I'm an avid knitter, and have been moderately successfun in selling some crafts through my Etsy webiste, www.growtogrow.etsy.com. My interests in Family Medicine include providing full-spectrum care, particualrly obstetrics and office-based procedures, as well as implementation of practice change and the patient-centered medical home (PCMH).

Sarah Hemeida - DH Track
Texas Tech University School of Medicine
I’m a native Austinite, so you might say that I am a HUGE lover of the arts. I spend my free time bgirl’ing (break dancing), painting, and seeing as much quality live music as I can find time for. I’ve spent most of my adult life advocating for the underserved, so I have long term plans to work in a FQHC and hopefully stay in academia. I came to Denver because this program is pushing the envelope to teach the new health care model for the future of family medicine. All of family medicine is wonderful, but my favorite niche tends to be adolescent sexual health and family planning. I have another huge passion for policy, so if anyone wants to talk health care reform let me know! I’m a big foodie and love to introduce my friends to my native Libyan cuisine, come on over and we’ll talk about hip hop, bicycle culture, Middle Eastern politics and eat some rishta!

Kimberly Insel - UH Track
University of Arizona School of Medicine
Originally from Tucson, I received my bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Brown University and an MPH from Boston University in International Health. Prior to medical school, I worked& in several countries on public health projects. My work included evaluating prevention of maternal-to-child-transmission of HIV programming in Cameroon, training healthcare providers in surveillance and outbreak investigation for the World Health Organization in Turkey, and working as the "resident tutor" for a graduate course in Managing Complex Humanitarian Emergencies and Disasters at Boston University. In medical school I spent a year in Atlanta, GA working as a full-time research fellow in the Experience in Applied Epidemiology Fellowship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At the CDC, I developed (with the help of an excellent team and EIS officer) primary assessment tools for evaluating the health needs of passengers returning from Haiti s/p 2011-Earthquake. My passions include prevention of maternal mortality and developing health care systems globally. In addition, I am interested in developing models of the patient-centered medical home. I intend to continue working in public health and academic medicine after residency.

James "Jimi" Joslin - UH Track
Kansas City University of Medicine and Briosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
I was born in California and raised in Las Vegas (not the one in New Mexico, the other one). I am a Runnin' Rebel who left his hometown for Kansas City, where I attended medical school. During my medical school journey, I was lucky enough to meet my beautiful fiancée, Erin, in Ann Arbor (you know, in the mitten). During the totally chaotic, yet incredible, first year of residency Erin and I were blessed with our amazingly beautiful daughter, Sophie (A.K.A. The Sophster). She was a total surprise, but we wouldn't have wanted her any other way. Currently, she is working on walking, but maybe she should crawl first? I have enjoyed being in Denver and really love the feel of this city and the people that live here. During my time here, it has been great to explore the surrounding areas and take advantage of the amazing outdoors and gorgeous weather.

Kaylin Klie - UH Track
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
Hello! I grew up in a little town north of Seattle, WA. Although I loved the Northwest and grew up hiking, camping, and skiing with my family, I moved to Chicago for undergraduate education at Wheaton College. After graduation, I worked for a year in Radiology before returning to school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. During that time, I became increasingly interested in family dynamics surrounding health and illness, and decided to return to medical school at Rush Medical College, also in Chicago. I decided on a pathway in primary care early on in med school, and found Family Medicine to combine all the things that I love most about caring for people across a lifespan. I am particularly interested in mental health in the primary care setting, alcohol and chemical dependency and recovery, and family dynamics/therapy in a healthcare setting. I am thrilled to be training here, and couldn’t ask for more. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time outside in the Colorado sunshine with my husband Dan, my brother and sister-in-law in Boulder, and our little Dachshund Liesel. Please email me with any questions; I’d be happy to chat! Kaylin.Klie@ucdenver.edu

Alexandra Sledd - DH Track
Tulane University School of Medicine - DH Track
My roots are Southern. I grew up just outside Richmond, VA, and got my degree in Biology from the College of William & Mary. I then migrated to the Crescent City to get my MD and MPH&TM at Tulane University. Living in New Orleans was life-changing, and I feel so privileged to have been able to be a part of the city's ongoing recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was an amazing opportunity and I absolutely fell in love with the unique resilient people of this city and their culture (not to mention the fantastic food!). It was hard to leave for residency, but the University of Colorado has everything I could possibly ask for in a program. My interests include public, community, and international health. Six years ago, I created and began leading a student volunteer trip to rural Kenya and have traveled there with my teams to undertake sustainable community development projects annually. I hope to spend my career working with disadvantaged populations both in sub-Saharan Africa and in the American South as a doctor and as an active community member. I feel like this program will give me the tools I need to pursue this vision. Their emphasis on the dynamics of behavior and health as well as community health and the opportunities to interact with the refugee population at Lowry Health Center are priceless. The people in this program are also amazing and committed! I am having so much fun already getting to know my intern class. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact me at alexandra.sledd@ucdenver.edu

Pamela Valenza - DH Track
Temple University School of Medicine
I grew up outside of Philadelphia and stayed in the city of brotherly love as a BA/MD student through undergraduate and medical school at Temple University. I received my B.A. in Anthropology and took a year off to serve as an AmeriCorps member working at a charter school for 18-21 year old high school dropouts in North Philadelphia. The urban underserved population that I worked with through Habitat for Humanity in undergrad, during medical school and during my year off inspired me to find a residency program that woudl foster my interest in working with such a population. The DH track brought me to Colorado because it provides the opportunity to work with diverse, urban, underserved patients and refugees within an academic residency program with a unique curriculum and extensive public health network through the DH system. I am excited to be here in Colorado and am looking forward to taking part in everything Denver has to offer -- the great outdoors, music concerts, great microbrews and restaurants, good people, and more! Feel free to contact me with any questions: pamela.valenza@ucdenver.edu.

Joseph Adragna - UH Track
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Hello. I am from rural Colorado, attended college at Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction, CO where I received a BS in biology and then went on to obtain a Master of Health Administration and a Master of Geriatric Health from AT Still University. During college, I worked as an EMT for the local EMS system, volunteered heavily with the American Red Cross and for St. Mary's Hospital. I attended medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, CO where I discovered my passion for primary care. My business interests are practice design and integration of mid-level providers into efficient and effective private primary care practices with physician supervisors. My medical interests are primarily in musculoskeletal medicine, inpatient pain management, and primary care cardiology. I intend to return to rural Colorado after my training is complete, where I look forward to coalescing the limited resources to streamline service delivery and reduce community expenditure on health care by addressing redundancies. I chose the University of Colorado Family Medicine residency program, because the size of this department affords each resident ample access to a multitude of faculty each with their own interests, some procedural-inclined faculty, nearly limitless elective opportunities to delve deeper into any area of interest that you might have, and finally, I worked with the residents as a medical student and discovered that they are just the type of residents I want to learn from. They are dedicated, compassionate, and very knowledgeable. One last point, senior management in this department is stable, highly respected in the field, and readily accessible. Coming to this residency will expose you to the leaders of the field and allow you to become involved at the national level if you are so inclined.

Stephanie Gold - DH Track
University of Virginia School of Medicine
I grew up in Olney, MD, and moved up and down the East Coast before deciding it was time to try something new and head West I went to Tufts for undergrad, where I majored in Spanish, and University of Virginia for medical school, where I was part of the Generalist Scholars Program, a student director of the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians, and a volunteer interpreter at the Charlottesville Free Clinic. Volunteering for public health projects and taking community health classes inspired me to pursue primary and preventive care, with a whole-person and family-centered focus. I was looking for a residency program that was committed to being a part of the exciting changes around the future of Family Medicine and found what I was looking to find here – quality improvement, community medicine, and PCMH heavily integrated into the curriculum – plus an extremely supportive group of faculty and residents. Within medicine, I’m particularly interested in public health and policy, models for behavior change and chronic disease management, and care for the underserved. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running, hiking, yoga, playing squash, cooking elaborate vegetarian meals, reading, and dominating at word games. If you have any questions at all please feel free to email me at stephanie.gold@ucdenver.edu.

Meghan Hughes - DH Track
Tulane University School of Medicine
Hi! I grew up mostly in WV. Seeking a big city adventure, I moved to Washington, DC for college, where I attended George Washington University. I had a great experience at GWU studying public health, running cross country, and studying abroad. I was able to spend a semester in Ghana, where I fit in some studying between traveling and volunteering at a local hospital. After college, I moved to New Orleans, where I served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. I stayed there for medical school and to get a Master’s Degree in Public Health. I cast a broad net when looking for residencies, but a desire for full spectrum family practice, underserved medicine, and a love of mountains brought me to Colorado.

Daniel Jones - UH Track
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
I grew up in Colorado Springs and spent much of my childhood playing competitive athletics. I continued to devote much of my time to sports through college by playing baseball at Mt Mercy U in Iowa. While there I also obtained my BS in biology, worked on an ambulance service, developed a passion for medicine, met and proposed to my wife. Next we moved to St Louis for medical school where we enjoyed getting to know the city and attending Cardinals games. Now I am excited to be back in Colorado and excited to hit the slopes in the winter. Oh yeah, Go Broncos and Rockies!

Mukti Kulkarni - UH Track
Washington University University in Saint Louis School of Medicine
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, for college and medical school at Washington University. Through my undergraduate training in Anthropology, I became interested in patient-centered communication, sociocultural influences on health and behavior, and international medicine. In medical school I enjoyed exercising these interests through middle and high school sun protection and sexual health education programs and international trips with the organization Remote Area Medical. When it came time to choose a medical field in which I could continue these pursuits, I found the breadth and perspective of Family Medicine offered the best fit. In the future, I hope to focus my career on preventative health and education in adolescent and international populations. Though there are many wonderful things about the Midwest, I am happy to have the opportunity to branch out, live in beautiful Colorado, and be part of such a strong Family Medicine program.

Daniel Lombardo - DH Track
University of Florida College of Medicine
I hail from the gator-infested swamps of beautiful Tallahassee, Florida. I made a brief escape to the deep(er) south to attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where I met my wife, Megan. After a detour through South and Central America, we headed back to the Sunshine State to tackle the beast that is med school. For residency I was looking for a place that practiced full spectrum Family Medicine, served the underserved, and was on the forefront of PCMH and the Future of Family Medicine. Not only that, I also wanted a program that felt like a family itself (I know, high standards, right?). I have found all of that and more here in Denver! Our new city has so much to explore, and endless opportunities to get out into the mountains with our two pups. Come see what Family Medicine can be.

Kari Mader, MD - DH Track
University of Florida College of Medicine
I hail from Ocala, Florida a small town just south of Gainesville, FL where I spent the last eight years of my life developing a deep-seeded love for the Florida Gators. I majored in Exercise Physiology for undergrad at UF and filled my free time with Gator games, clubs, intramural sports and as many outside adventures as I could find in the Southeast. I happily stayed for medical school because of the great community there and opportunities to explore my passion for underserved care. I got involved in our student-run free clinic and international trips and realized I was called to Family Medicine. My interests in Family Medicine are broad - maternal child health, underserved care in any setting, sports medicine and public health (to name a few). I was drawn to UC Denver by the wonderful people, DH track, innovative curriculum, and opportunities to grow my interests within Family Medicine. The outdoor playground here with hiking, backpacking, skiing, and running/bike trails everywhere was a big factor as well, providing ample opportunity for me to stay balanced. Please feel free to email me with any questions - kari.mader@ucdenver.edu.

Luke Miller - UH Track
Indiana University School of Medicine
I am originally from a small town outside of Indianapolis and I wear the badge "Hoosier" with pride. I stayed close to home for both undergrad and medical school, attending DePauw University (go Tigers!) and IU School of Medicine, respectively, so when it was time to choose a residency program I knew that I wanted to spread my wings and experience another part of the country. I have always loved the mountains and the vast array of recreational opportunities they provide (you'll find this to be a common theme among our residents) so Denver was high on my list of places to explore. I came out a week early to get a feel for the area and fell in love with it, but it was really my interview here at University Family Medicine Residency that sealed the deal. Here I found a really wonderful mix of enthusiastic people and a warm, supportive culture that really cares about their residents. I have a strong interest in Sports Medicine and Denver's mix of professional teams, major competitive events (I recently got to work the Leadville 100 mile trail race), and general lean twoard active lifestyle make it a perfect place to pursue this interest. Hobbies of mine include both road and mountain biking, backpacking and trail running, going to shows, cooking, and playing guitar. I really couldn't ask to be in a better place!

Jill Tirabassi - UH Track
SUNY Upstate Medical University
A bunch of diverse interests led me here to Denver for a residency in Family Medicine. I grew up in Syracuse NY, not far from Niagara Falls where a glimpse of what is left from the Love Canal disaster peaked my interest in environmental determinants of health. I have a great love of the outdoors and sports and was a very active child. I played varsity soccer while I attended Cornell University for undergrad where I studied nutrition and did research in fisheries and really developed my broad vision of health. During medical school, I traveled to Alaska for a course in wilderness medicine and performed research at the CDC and enjoyed the workings of public health. Experiences in community and rural medicine were the icing on the cake. How could I combine all these rambling ideas and visions in my head? Family Medicine! I chose this residency because I loved the residents and faculty I met during interviews, the focus on improving primary care and the strong reputation. Moving out to a beautiful part of the country and the opportunity to rock climb and ski in the mountains is, of course, a wonderful added bonus! Please feel free to contact me with any questions: Jill.Tirabassi@ucdenver.edu

Karin VanBaak - UH Track
University of Connecticut Shool of Medicine
I was born and raised in Rochester, NY, and spent my college years at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. Since college, I've been attracted to Family Medicine for the broad spectrum of work and relationships. I see our profession as the best way to practice primary care. I spent my first two years of medical school at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, then transferred to the University of Connecticut to be closer to my husband. For residency, I wanted an innovative place where I could learn high quality full spectrum Family Medicine. I'm thrilled to have found that and more at the University of Colorado! I'm particularly interested in women's health, sports medicine, and practice innovation. When I'm not working I love to spend time outside exploring this beautiful state hiking, rock climbing, on my bike, or with my camera. I'm having a great time getting to know my wonderful colleagues, and to enjoy Colorado's sunshine and mountains. We'd love to have you come get to know us, and I'd love to chat if you have any questions please just ask! karin.vanbaak@ucdenver.edu

Vivian Yeh, M.S.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
I grew up in a suburb outside of Washington, D.C. and completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I've spent the last four years at Rutgers University in New Jersey working towards my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Moving out west has been a great thrill and I'm enjoying Denver very much!