The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators announced the Academy Class of 2025. Four UCSF School of Medicine faculty at the Fresno Regional Campus are among the new members.
Congratulations to:
- Varsha Babu, MD, Department of Medicine
- Lin Li, MD, Department of Medicine
- Liana Milanes, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- Christine A. Nelson, MD, Department of Pediatrics
Drs. Babu, Li, Milanes, and Nelson join a distinguished group of health professionals and educators from the UCSF School of Medicine. Inductees in the Academy of Medical Educators demonstrate excellence in direct teaching of learners and/or faculty development for teachers and educators.
Kudos to the Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring Awards recipients at UCSF Fresno.
UCSF Fresno Department of Emergency Medicine
- Stephen Haight, MD
- Miranda Lewis, MD
- Fernando Macias, MD
- Scott Reichelderfer, MD
UCSF Fresno Department of Medicine
- Hiral Patel, DO
- Hebah Ghanem, MD
UCSF Fresno Department of Pediatrics
- Cynthia Curry, MD
- Janice Kezirian, MD
- Tamiko Kido, MD
These peer-nominated awards highlight outstanding front-line teachers of learners, mentors of learners and faculty at all UCSF teaching sites for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Academy of Medical Educators inductees and Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring Awards recipients were recognized at the Celebration of New Members at UCSF Parnassus on Sept. 17.
Congratulations in advance to Gregory Simpson, MD, UCSF professor and division chief of Dermatology at UCSF Fresno. Dr. Simpson will be installed as the 2026 president of the Fresno Madera Medical Society (FMMS).
Kudos in advance to Alex Sherriffs, MD, who will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Fresno Madera Medical Society. Dr. Sherriffs is co-medical director of the UCSF Fresno Alzheimer & Memory Center and has a UCSF School of Medicine volunteer appointment with the UCSF Fresno Department of Family and Community Medicine.
Kudos in advance to Amir Fathi, MD, UCSF associate professor of Surgery, will receive the Fresno Madera Medical Society Community Service/Special Project Award for the Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Tumor Board, a multidisciplinary program that has transformed cancer care in the Central Valley.
Drs. Sherriffs, Simpson and Fathi will be recognized at the FMMS Installation & Awards Gala on Nov. 21.
Congratulations to Marina Roytman, MD, Department of Medicine and director of the UCSF Fresno Liver Program, for being named one of the Marjaree Mason Center’s Top 10 Professional Women. These awards honor women in the Central Valley who have made a significant positive impact in the community. Honorees were recognized at the 42nd Annual Awards Luncheon on Oct. 15.
Congratulations to Renee Kinman, MD, Department of Pediatrics, on receiving a Leonard P. Rome CATCH Visiting Professorship Award. The purpose of the award is to promote advocacy for children and advance the field of community pediatrics.
Kudos to Rais Vohra, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, and the Fresno County Department of Public Health, for being published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), Vol. 74, No. 24, the week of July 3, 2025. The team was recognized for their rapid response to save lives and protect public health during an outbreak from home-jarred prickly pear cactus that hospitalized eight patients in 2024.
Congratulations to the UCSF Fresno staff members who were honored with Milestone Service Awards. UCSF Fresno proudly recognizes those who have reached a service milestone of five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 or 50 years. Staff were recognized at an All-Staff Meeting and posed for photos with Vice Dean Jose M. Barral Sanchez, MD, PhD, (right) and Michael A. Chagoya, Human Resources administrative assistant III, (left).
25-Year Milestone
Brandy Ramos Nikaido, Public Affairs, Communications and Government Relations
20-Year Milestone
- Vanessa Gonzalez, Department of Family and Community Medicine
- Dieu Nguyen, Facilities
- Nancy Oloizia, Department of Medicine
15-Year Milestone
- Gerri Cortez-Ahart, Continuing Dental Education
- Sandra Ortega, Department of Medicine
- Valerie Pamatmat, Department of Surgery
10-Year Milestone
- Breana Dennie, OMFS
- Lee Hagerty, ITS, Clinical Skills and Simulation Center
- Barbara Price, Department of Psychiatry
- Ariana Zaghmouri, Department of Emergency Medicine
Five-Year Milestone
- Patti Bianchi, Department of Psychiatry
- Paz Delsid, Office of Health Career Pathways
- Marie Martinez, Undergraduate Medical Education
- Jeanette Naranjo, Department of Emergency Medicine
Kudos to the following staff for receiving
Spot Awards:
- Karina Reyes Banuelos, Office of Health Career Pathways
- Hope Delgado, Office of Health Career Pathways
- Trina Hughes, SJV PRIME, Undergraduate Medical Education
- Michelle Newman, Graduate Medical Education
- Seeka Yang, Clinical Research Center
Team Spot Award
- Leslie Irion and Patti Bianchi, Department of Psychiatry
