Family Medicine Residency: Residents

Ralph Akl is a Lebanese American who grew up attending a dual immersion French American school. There he learned how to speak French and Spanish while discovering his love for sports, specifically basketball. He then attended California State University, Fullerton and received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. He was accepted in to an early linkage program to Western University of the Health Sciences where he attended medical school. While striving toward his academic and career goals, Ralph was able to enjoy his free time by backpacking through Europe twice and visiting 15 countries. He practices the healthy lifestyle he preaches by going to the gym, playing all kinds of sports, hiking in the mountains, and relaxing on the beach whenever the opportunity presents itself. He feels blessed to continue his training and participate in an exciting growth process at CMH and serving the Ventura Community!

Katherine Boehm was born and raised in Santa Barbara as the youngest of 3 children. She grew up playing soccer, dancing, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors available locally. She went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study kinesiology and nutrition. After graduating, she spent a year traveling before coming back to start medical school at Western University. Within family medicine, she is specifically interested in lifestyle medicine, sports medicine, and global health. She enjoys traveling, photography, reading, exploring new hikes, and spending time with her dogs.

Home Town: Tustin, CA

Undergrad School: University of California, Santa Cruz

Graduate School/Medical School: Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Meridian, Idaho

Life Before Medical School: Behavioral Therapist in Los Angeles

Why Ventura? I had the pleasure of spending a month with CMH for an audition rotation and fell in love with the team and larger community. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and supportive as I learned to navigate the new system. Ventura is also diverse, within the patient population, provider team, and general community which is incredibly important to me. I am excited to return to Southern California to be closer to my family and continue exploring the nature and activities Ventura has to offer.

Next Adventure: Intern year, wish me luck.

Medical Interests: Geriatric Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Care

Dr. Matt Cross was born and raised in Lexington, Alabama. He earned his B.S. in biology with a minor in chemistry at the University of North Alabama. He attended medical school at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Auburn, Alabama. Growing up in a rural town, he has always had an interest in family medicine and knows the importance of the specialty in healthcare. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing sports, spending time outdoors, and traveling.

Dr. Daniel Duong is a first-generation born American of a Vietnamese immigrant family. It was through his humble upbringing that he developed a passion for helping the underserved community. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Duong devoted a lot of time to community service activities serving homeless and Hispanic populations around San Diego, Phoenix, and Tucson. Dr. Duong received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, San Diego and his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from A.T. Still University in Arizona. Dr. Duong is pursuing family medicine due to his interest in preventive medicine and full-spectrum patient-centered care. While not studying Spanish and medicine, Dr. Duong enjoys playing the piano, cooking, working out, and attending classical concerts.

Hometown: Plains, Kansas

Undergrad School: Davidson College

Graduate school/Medical School: Campbell School of Osteopathic Medicine, Raleigh, NC

Life before medical school: Phlebotomist for the Red Cross in Oakland, and a Lab Technician in San Francisco

Why Ventura? CMH really stood out to me as a program that not only stated that they cared about their residents, but also took concrete steps to facilitate our well-being. From the very beginning I felt like an important and valued member of the team, and that feeling has only gotten stronger.
Additionally, even though I was raised in Kansas, my mother hailed from the Bay Area, so California has always held a special place in my heart. Ventura then stuck out to me even more due to its natural beauty, plethora of outdoor activities, and access to the beach!

Next Adventure: Getting married in the Italian Alps! Then perhaps teaching my dog to surf.

Medical Interests: Outpatient procedures, Immunology, and Lifestyle Medicine

Chase Fauer was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. He grew up playing golf, basketball, and skiing. When Chase is not on the golf course, he enjoys connecting with his family and friends through playing online video games. Due to receiving a sports related head injury as an adolescent, Chase became interested in studying traumatic brain injuries. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Arizona State University. During his undergraduate studies, Chase researched and engineered novel ways of treating traumatic brain injuries. Chase then received his doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. Within Family Medicine, Chase’s passions involve sports medicine, integrating osteopathic manipulative treatment in sports related injuries, and preventative medicine.

Mariam Gheissari was born and raised in San Diego, CA. She attended the University of California, Irvine where she earned a B.A. in Art History. She worked at Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, in the quality management department, which ignited her interests in healthcare and medicine. While completing her pre-medical coursework, she explored women’s health as a birth doula and prenatal educator at San Francisco General Hospital, and became passionate about social determinants of healthcare access. She carried her experiences in pediatrics and women’s health with her to medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WV. She had the privilege of living in the “coolest small town in America” and as a lover of the outdoors enjoyed exploring the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. As a medical student, she received a peer-nominated leadership award for organizing the LGBTQ Health Series and hosting the first Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Series. Her professional interests include women’s health, health disparities, and preventative care. Dr. Gheissari is thrilled to join the CMH family, and build lasting relationships with her patients. Outside of medicine, she enjoys traveling, hiking national parks, yoga, art museums, and striving to match her parents’ Greek and Persian culinary skills.

Home Town: Los Angeles, CA

Undergrad School: California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA

Graduate School/Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences, COMP, Pomona, CA

Life Before Medical School: ED Scribe Dignity Health Northridge Hospital, IM Scribe Huntington Hospital Pasadena, CA, Post-bac in Biotechnology, CSULA

Why Ventura? Other than the obvious perks that accompany being by the  beach, with great weather and in such a friendly community, it will be exciting to be so close to family and friends from college! Having completed an audition rotation, I gained firsthand experience with the knowledgeable, passionate, and supportive faculty and staff here at CMH! I cannot wait to have the privilege to serve the Ventura and surrounding communities as a resident physician, advocating for quality healthcare, while breaking down language and cultural barriers to bring a holistic and integrative approach to family medicine.

Next Adventure: Hopefully getting a puppy after moving to Ventura!

Medical Interests: Women’s Health, Sports Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine

Hometown: Sacramento, California

Undergrad School: Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California

Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Life Before Medical School: Research Technician in La Jolla, California

Why Ventura: During my rotation with CMH I was impressed with the close-knit family culture of the program and how well supported the residents were by the program. The faculty were very passionate about teaching and were thriving in careers that I hoped to emulate. I grew up visiting my family along the coast of Northern California and Ventura reminded me so much of the small beach town vibes that I loved.

Next Adventure: Planning my wedding and getting married! I would like to start traveling again and hope to make it Europe at some point in the next few years.

Medical Interests: Women’s health, LGBTQ health, outpatient procedures, preventive medicine

Andrew Mace (he, him) grew up in sunny Southern California before heading north to pursue a degree in neuroscience at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Upon graduating UCSC, Andrew spent the next four years exploring a wide variety of medical interests, surfing the central coast, and making memories abroad. Andrew returned to medical school at Des Moines University in Iowa, where he was further encouraged to pursue a career in family medicine. He seeks breadth and variety in his practice and hopes to build lasting relationships with the patients he meets. In his free time, you might find him driving the coast in search of waves, walking his pit bull, Babe, or losing a game of cribbage to his partner, Richon.

Home Town: Irvine, CA

Undergrad School: University of California, Riverside, Bachelor of Science in Biology

Graduate School/Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Life Before Medical School: Certified Medical Assistant in Orange County

Why Ventura? After spending the past 4 years in Alabama, I wanted to come back to sunny Southern California to be closer to family. Seeing the camaraderie between the residents on my interview day made me confident that this would be a supportive and welcoming program.

Next Adventure: Exploring everything that the beautiful Ventura County has to offer and planning my wedding with my fiancé!

Medical Interests: Preventative Medicine, Geriatrics, Palliative Care

Dr. Nataliya Panivska was born in Ukraine and moved to the U.S. where she grew up in Northridge, CA, and pursued competitive ballroom dancing. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. During her undergraduate studies, Nataliya continued to teach and compete in ballroom dance. She later attended Touro University, Nevada where she received her Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. While in medical school, Dr. Panivska chose to further pursue family medicine because she was drawn to its versatility and emphasis on preventative care and women’s health. She is ecstatic to begin her family medicine residency at Community Memorial Hospital. In her free time, Nataliya enjoys cooking, salsa nights, and spending time with her friends.

Dr. Joey Papador was born and raised here in Ventura, California. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a degree majoring in Integrative Biology and minoring in Music. After graduating, he returned to Ventura and worked as a clinical research coordinator at the Pediatric Diagnostic Center where he focused on Cystic Fibrosis research. He received his Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. Joey has found a passion for Family Medicine and is thrilled and honored to care for a community that has been so impactful and meaningful to him. In his free time, he enjoys playing his guitar and trumpet, birdwatching, and spending time outdoors.

Home Town: Riverside, CA

Undergrad School: University of California, San Diego

Graduate School/Medical School: A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine, in Arizona (Hawaii campus)

Life Before Medical School: STEM private tutor, national park explorer

Why Ventura? So many reasons! I am excited to be back in Southern California close to my family and the ocean. I love that CMH prioritizes training Dos, as well as providing opportunities to practice osteopathic manipulative medicine. This program fosters community, and I have been able to connect with the residents easily. Various opportunities are offered to the residents, and they are encouraged to pursue their own interests within medicine. This was my favorite program.

Next Adventure: Now that I am living in California, my husband and I plan to visit as many west coast national parks as we can this upcoming year.

Medical Interests: Urgent Care, Family Medicine Clinic, Osteopathic manipulative medicine

Dr. Andrew Singh was born in San Diego, California. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. Prior to attending medical school he also graduated from San Jose State University with a Professional Masters of Biotechnology while simultaneously researching small cell lung cancer at Stanford University. He then worked as a researcher for several years in the biotechnology industry focusing on developing therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and a variety of autoimmune disorders. Dr. Singh attended medical school at Touro University Nevada. His passion for patient care and the opportunity to establish lifelong relationships is what drove him to pursue family medicine. In his free time Dr. Singh enjoys spending time with his girlfriend and their cat, cooking, exercising, traveling and exploring different cultures and cuisines. He is excited to join the residency team at CMH due to their strong academic focus and family atmosphere.

Dr. Marisa Strobridge was born and raised in San Diego, California and received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Irvine. Following graduation, she worked as a behavioral therapist for children and adults with developmental disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders for three years. She went on to receive her Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM). She is thrilled to be back in Southern California and considers it a privilege to serve the Ventura Community.

Some of her medical passions include women’s health, mental health, osteopathic manipulative medicine, pediatrics, and LGBTQ+ medicine. She is dedicated to the pursuit of wellness both amongst her patients and within the medical community. She believes health equity and social determinants of health are just as important as healthcare itself and she plans to continue learning on these subjects throughout her career.

She has many hobbies, but dancing, baking, live music, and being outside are her favorites. She loves to travel and experience new cultures, customs, and ways of thinking. She has a large family that she is close with, even though they live all over the country. On a day to day basis, she finds joy in the little things, like walking the dog with her husband and laughing with friends and family whenever she can.

Dr. Clark Wilkey was born and raised in St. George, Utah. Growing up with Zion National Park in his backyard, he developed an appreciation for nature and the outdoors. Clark loves to travel, has backpacked Europe twice, and has been to five continents. He enjoys playing tennis, snowboarding, and golfing. He completed undergraduate studies at Southern Utah University earning bachelor’s degrees in Nutrition and Spanish. Clark attended medical school at Rocky Vista University in Denver, Colorado. Prior to medical school, he worked for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) as a certified application counselor. As he worked with this specific patient population, Clark developed a passion for preventive medicine and primary care. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter finding new places to adventure and explore.

Home Town: Walnut Creek, CA

Undergrad: University of Oregon

Graduate school: Boston University School of Medicine – Master’s Science Medical Science

Life before medical school: Worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Children’s Hospital Oakland in Pediatric Pulmonary and Cystic Fibrosis. Clinical Research Coordinator at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine.

Medical School: Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine

Why Ventura? I love the people of Ventura and the faculty that care a lot about teaching. Ventura is also a great place to spend time outdoors and be by the beach with my fiancé, surfing, cooking, golfing and playing volleyball.

Medical Interests: Sports medicine

Home Town: San Francisco, CA

Undergrad School: Seattle University

Graduate school/Medical School: Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine

Life before medical school: Marine Biologist for King County in Seattle, Washington.

Why Ventura? I actually didn’t have the opportunity to interview with the program until late into the application season, but I was quickly drawn to how supportive the program is towards its residents. There was also just a gut feeling that made CMH fit with my interests. A large part of that was probably seeing how everyone got along so well with each other, how many opportunities are presented, and how diverse the patient population is; you really can’t help but become excited at all the possibilities! Also I’m a California boy, and having the opportunity to be back is a great plus!

Next Adventure: Can’t wait to learn how to become a great physician, but also looking forward to wedding planning w/ my fiance, going hiking again (sorry Alabama, but you’re way too humid for that), and exploring the region w/ my co-residents!

Medical Interests: Preventative & Community Medicine!