Alumni Class Notes

School of Medicine alumni updates

1970s

Paul W. Cosby – 1973

Retired emergency medicine lifetime fellow. Soon to be living on a boat in Key West, Florida.

Ranya Alexander – 1974

As of January 2019, I stopped seeing medical patients in San Diego. I have been extremely fortunate to have spent four decades across several disciplines within medicine from pediatric endocrinology to adult and pediatric emergency medicine. I have had exceptional physicians and health care workers as both mentors and students. Now, in my seventh decade, I have settled into my first UC Davis love, research. I am chief operations officer and part owner of a small biotech company, ICBI, in La Jolla, California. Determined to make a difference in neurodegenerative diseases of the CNS. Through all of these ventures I have been buoyed by my nurse practitioner wife of 40 years, Kamala (UC Davis undergrad '71-72), my daughter, neuroscientist Daya Alexander Grant, and son, screenwriter, Gyan Alexander. I owe the 1974 UC Davis med class a big thank you for launching me onto this marvelous journey. Love to all.

Thomas Koch – 1975

Semi-retired, with emphasis on retired. Ten years small town FP. Ten years major ER-trauma center and 15 years urgent care. Now mostly focused on the business end of things and consulting. Good health so far. Lots of travel. Life is good, though growing shorter. Still skiing, hiking, biking, and kayaking. Still in southern Oregon.

John H. Sand – 1976

I am closing my solo OBG practice in September. Enough of getting interrupted for labor and delivery or the ER 24/7! I alternate between euphoria at the coming freedom, and feeling lost. I will do some call relief/hospitalist work for a couple of years. I am looking forward to more time with the family, grandchildren sometime in the future (come on boys, let’s get going on this!!!), biking trips to Canada, and some cross-country ski races in Europe. Freight train hopping anyone? I was delighted to see Dr. Pappagianis picture at the last reunion. I frequently recall our professors, and cite Dr. Chang whenever I rail against the anti-vaccinators. My notes (now “free text”) are succinct, pertinent and highly appreciated by the other doctors navigating the data morass of the “EHR” (endless headless redundancy), thanks to Malcolm MacKenzie.

Martha Anne Shilling Bennett – 1976

Greetings to all! Hope you are all living the good life! I’m thankful to be semiretired, off the gerbil wheel and able to enjoy seeing family practice patients without rushing three days/week, leaving time and energy for grandma camp and great travels with my husband of 43 years, family (three kids plus four grandkids) and friends. Next trip is to Botswana for our son’s wedding to an Australian woman, then Newfoundland, Arctic, etc. The shortage of FP doctors has given me the opportunity to determine my own work schedule, which allows me to continue doing all that I love to do. The science and patient relationships in family medicine has been very rewarding.

Charles F. Chong – 1977

I did a year of a family practice residency in West Virginia and went to work. After a few part-time jobs I took a full-time position at a state mental hospital. I compare my working at Weston State Hospital with missionary work in a third world country. With my education, experience, consultation with other professionals, CME, reading, and the actual “practice” of medicine with the mentally ill, I developed my clinical skills. In the early ‘90s I continued to work for the state of West Virginia at a clinic which provided care for the indigenous, the underemployed, and the uninsured for 14 years, then at a FQHC, and finished my full-time career at the new state hospital. I retired for the year of 2015 and currently work part-time as a medical consultant for a private nonprofit psychiatric hospital. All for love, and to live on a 220-acre West Virginia holler.

Anne Hazelton – 1977

Retirement has been just wonderful! I am still dancing Tango and playing pickleball, as well as enjoying my nearby three grandkids, especially while tent camping in Colorado this summer. I’ve also slept in my Model 3, most beautifully in the Redwoods last August on my 5,281- mile road trip, including stops in Sacramento, the bay area, Seattle, and Banff. This year I’m planning another big trip, over 7,000 miles to Maine (including a Windjammer six-day sail) and then meandering past the West Virginia radio telescope for a tour, hanging out with siblings in Virginia, and then down to Florida, hoping to catch a SpaceX launch. Can’t miss the LIGO near Baton Rouge, and Houston’s NASA center tour. I highly recommend taking care of yourself in order to enjoy these years!

Michael Soman – 1978

Sara and I are still living on Bainbridge Island, Washington, though we spend a great deal of time in Baja California Sur near Loreto. We have enjoyed retirement as we get more into it over the years. We absolutely love our two grandsons (five and two years old) and travel has been a huge part of our lives for several years (Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Israel, Jordan, and Palestinian territories). Life is rich and complex. Struggles still visit us, but that is a part of the deal, yes?

Jon Andrus – 1979

On June 26 of this year in Mexico City, I had the honor and pleasure of being inducted into the Mexican National Academy of Medicine. I was inducted as an honorary member for contributions made in the field of global public health. I am very grateful for all those friends and colleagues with whom I have had the amazing opportunity to work with over the years. Thanks to all!

Paul Beninger – 1979

After a 30-year career at FDA and in the pharmaceutical industry, I transitioned to academia (yes, I know, it’s usually the other way). From 2014-2017 I was both vice president of pharmacovigilance at Genzyme/Sanofi and director of Tufts University School of Medicine M.D./M.B.A. program. I retired from Genzyme in 2017 and am now full time at Tufts. I was also recently promoted to associate professor. My wife, Betsy, calls this my encore career, and I’m really enjoying teaching and writing. We have two daughters and two granddaughters, all are doing well.

Casey Caldwell – 1979

My residency was at Mayo in internal medicine. I joined a group practice in Walla Walla, Washington before getting an offer to join Mayo Scottsdale when it opened in 1987. We were there for 11 years until transferring to Minnesota in 1998 in primary care internal medicine. I left Mayo in 2014 and have been working at community clinic (CHSI.org) caring for under and uninsured mostly Hispanic patients. I have also been leading a yearly medical mission to Mexico since 1995 and volunteering at the local Salvation Army Clinic and at a free clinic in Worthington, Minnesota. Still married with two kids and four grandchildren.

John Stanley Friden– 1979

My wife, Peggy, and I continue to live in the same neighborhood (in Ogden, Utah) that we moved to when we began our family practice residency. I retired a few years ago, and we enjoy traveling and spending time at our cabin in Bear Lake. Our time is also filled with activities and events involving our five daughters, sons-in-law, and 21 energetic and unique grandchildren. We look forward to our 40th reunion in October.

John Shepherd – 1979

Rather than summarize my life of unmixed happiness, we must recognize our profound obligation to our nation and earth. We understand that we all become less human and less well when those around us in the world lack the right to adequate nutrition, education, housing, safety, health care, and indeed basic respect and the security of equality. Our transitory existence should not lead us to ignore the oppression of our brothers and sisters nor the specious meritocracy of the self-entitled rich. The election of 2020 requires dedication to the proposition that we can move beyond the anti-democratic current leadership and support humanity, compassion, science and truth over divisiveness and mendacity by not succumbing to our fears and inadequacies. “...Hope is more the consequence of action than its cause.”

1980s

David Manske – 1981

Finally doing it! Retiring, effective Oct. 1, 2019, after 33 plus years at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento. I’ve had a fabulous, sometimes challenging, but always rewarding, career there. I’ve had the pleasure to care for thousands of people and made many lives better, I think. But it’s time to enjoy my home, my friends and family. Time to travel. Time for my hobbies and my home on the delta, the Sandpebble! I have three beautiful grandchildren to visit more often. I have many books to read. And I look forward to more “me” time! What will it be like to get to stay home every night, every weekend, and every holiday?! Thank you, UC Davis, for a wonderful professional life. Time for new adventures! Take care of yourselves and be kind to all.

Gregory Scott Spowart – 1981

Mostly want to say “hi” to everyone and hope you are all doing well! I remember my time at Davis fondly, not to mention it was also a great education that prepared me for what came next. I have been practicing cardiothoracic surgery in the Monterey area for over thirty years and hope to keep doing it as long as possible. Our three children are grown and off on their own. My wife is back to doing art, we do some ballroom dancing, and I am trying to take more vacations to warmer parts of the planet and try to surf again. Recently had a great trip to Indonesia. On the medical side, I have been chief of staff twice, and remain busy doing mostly heart surgery. Time goes too fast! Again, I wish everyone the best, good health, and the time that you need to enjoy your life!

Becky (Rebecca) Klint – 1982

Hi, all! I’m so happy to report I’ve joined the crowd of the every-day-is-a-weekend crowd, retiring from Kaiser Permanente in Fremont, California. We have moved back to Visalia, where I grew up and have family, and are enjoying the slower pace, friendly people and lower housing costs. I am enjoying helping Scott, my husband, with some of his nonprofit work and getting to see my great nephews, nieces and other family. Please look me up if you are on your way up to Sequoia National Park and stop to say hello.

Randall D. Reed – 1983

2018 was a great and horrible year. Our son, Grant, married a wonderful young woman, Anna, in August and they are living in Walnut Creek, only an hour from us. Linda (Davis-Reed, M.D., ‘86) and I lost our lovely home in Paradise due to the Camp Fire in November 2018, and have been homeless wanderers since. We’ve relocated to Sonoma and should be in our new (old) home October 1, 2019. It is intimidating to establish a new social/support system in a new place at this stage in life, but we’re both retired and still somewhat charming, so we’re hopeful. Once established, we’ll gladly welcome friends and family to the wine country. Our best to all.

Patty and Ron Sand – 1983

Ron and I lost our home in the Carr Fire last year and are transitioning to early retirement (Patty) and part-time work (Ron). We are relocating to Jacksonville, Oregon near our daughter and her family (M.D. ‘11). Ron enjoys his palliative care practice, mostly via Televideo into patient’s homes so they can stay out of long-term facilities and hospitals. I will miss my pediatric patients and my colleagues, but playing with grandchildren, attending local music and play events, and traveling turns out to be fulfilling too!

Ralph Dellus – 1984

Can’t believe it’s been 35 years! My memories from med school are as vivid as if they happened last year. It’s been a good life... four kids, three grandkids, a career as a congenital heart surgeon, including a short stint at our alma mater in the late ‘90s. For what it’s worth, Bill Blaisdell was just as awesome as a colleague as he was as an intimidating, yet inspiring attending when we were third year students. After sacrificing much for my career over the years (we’ve all been there), I’ve decided to slow down a bit as my 60s have arrived, and have just started working at a vein clinic, of all things. Still trying to figure out what to do with my days since I only work 9-to-5! Hope all of you are happy and healthy!! Picture is with youngest daughter.

Robert F. McLain – 1984

I’ve experienced an absolutely wonderful year in the service of the Mid-American Orthopedics Society (MAOA), culminating in an outstanding program, spectacular presentations, and a great kids program so everyone could try to relax. Elected society president in 2017, and served on the board and finance, and on the crucial program committees. MAOA experienced its largest turnout in our history, with 650 attending orthopedists and residents filling the Hilton Sandestin Resort for my 2019 annual meeting. Olympic skater and Davis alum Eric Heiden (R-Orthopaedic) provided the Keynote Steele Lecture, while Kristy Weber, M.D., presided over the academy portion of the meeting. Dr. Weber got a warm standing ovation from the group, as the first female physician elected to the presidency of the America Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, our national leadership organization! Becky had a blast, ran the spouses' program and educated about 100 kids on the majesty of sea turtles.

Brian Guthrie – 1985

I retired in June 2018 after 30 years of pediatric practice at The Permanente Medical Group in Clovis, California. My wife and I finally got to move to Colorado (Arvada) and I absolutely love it. Retirement has been very busy so far and our first adventure was a month of trekking in Nepal where I made it to 20,000 ft. I’ve been volunteering at a nonprofit pediatric practice in Thornton a few days a month and looking forward to an international medical mission trip to Uganda in the fall. Life has been good.

Linda Davis-Reed – 1986

See Randall Reed – 1983

Greer M. Murphy Jr. – 1986

I received the 2019 David A. Mrazek Award in Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics from the American Psychiatric Association. I was among the first to apply genetic technology to predict medication response in psychiatric patients and have published a series of pioneering studies, including research that identifies genetic markers that affect responses to antidepressants.

Robert L. Berkowitz – 1987

Continue to enjoy my private practice in psychiatry, especially the way that it leaves me time to pursue another passion, my interest in piano. I continue to participate in the New England Conservatory School of Continuing Education and was honored to discover that a video of my January 2019 end-of semester recital performance was posted by the conservatory on its official YouTube channel. You can find it by going to youtube.com and searching for “New England Conservatory Robert Berkowitz.” It is the one that appears at the top of the list.

1990s

David Boardman – 1992

Now 20 years in practice as a joint replacement specialist, I’ve remarried and started with a small orthopaedic group in Northampton, Massachusetts. Hello to the class of 1992!

Abdul Harris – 1995

Recently relocated family to Central Valley (Fresno) to be close to wife’s family. Huge transition after more than 16 years in a successful surgical practice in Santa Rosa, California. Now working at Saint Agnes Medical Center as a member of Saint Agnes medical providers surgical services. Wife and kids have adjusted well. I’m starting over but rediscovering community surgical practice outside of trauma. Also getting a chance to reconnect with fellow UC Davis alumni in the area. Looking forward to the next half of my career!

David Inwards-Breland – 1997

Hello all! The last 20 plus years have been quite full for me. I completed residency at Children’s Hospital Oakland and a National Health Service Corps obligation in Albany, Georgia. After completing this service, I completed an adolescent medicine fellowship at UCSF. I am currently an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children’s Hospital in the Division of Adolescent Medicine. Currently, I am a founder and medical director of the Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic. I married my husband Ric in 2017 and we welcomed our daughter Amari in December 2018. She is a bright and shining star in our lives.

2000s

Rom Kandavel – 2001

Hi all, Monica and I have been married now for 17 years! It has been a great time in our lives raising our two kids, Jayan (12) and Leela (nine). Monica is practicing pediatrics at Kaiser Panorama City, and I have been in private practice in Encino for 14 years. Time seems to be accelerating as the years go by. We enjoy skiing and traveling together, which we try to do as much as our schedule allows. I hope that all of you are doing well and would much appreciate reconnecting. If you are ever in Encino look us up!

Monica Kandavel – 2002

See 2001 – Rom Kandavel

Stephanie Eden – 2004

I moved back to the Sacramento area (now living in Granite Bay) after 10 years in the bay area. I’m currently an emergency medicine physician at Kaiser Roseville/Sacramento. I have three kids (ages six, four, and two) that keep me busy when I’m not at work.

David Law – 2008

I recently began pursuing my passion for film and won “Best Film” last year at the Utah Film Festival as a first-time director. My next film deals with the topic of physician burnout and will hit the festival circuit this fall!!

2010s

Andrew Last – 2010

After taking (another) circuitous route, I finally completed my residency training in family practice at Natividad Hospital in Salinas, California. The whole family (I + Ronda, Flora, Fauna and Will) are going to France to celebrate. Then we are moving to the Midwest, where Ronda has taken a job with the Wisconsin School for the Deaf and I will be working for the Mayo Clinic, doing full-spectrum family practice. The kids are going to be starting third, fourth and eighth grades respectively, and Flora — remember her? The tiny preemie? She’s now taller than Ronda. If anyone is passing through Chicago, Minneapolis or Rochester, drop us a line! We’d love to catch up.

Sukhjeet Batth – 2012

My wife, Nitasha, and I moved back to my hometown of Fresno where we’re both in private practice. Our biggest news is the arrival of our first child, Arjun, who is now a year old! He has been the best thing that has happened to us, and it’s been such a joy seeing him grow. I’ve picked up golf, and we’ve been traveling quite a bit. Arjun has already been to Cabo San Lucas and the Bahamas, and we’re off to Japan in the fall!

Erin Healy – 2014

I completed residency in radiation oncology at Ohio State University on June 17, 2019. I will be staying on and starting as faculty in August 2019, treating breast and gynecologic cancers.

Relhaneh Forghany – 2016

It is so hard to believe that I am starting my last year of anesthesiology residency here at UC Davis. These past few years have truly flown by! UC Davis has been my home for the past eight years, including four years of medical school, one year of internal medicine internship, and three years of anesthesiology residency. It was just yesterday that I began as a new medical student and am now embarking on my journey as chief resident. I am excited to have time to complete a research study this upcoming year, assessing the role of anesthesia providers in hospital deficiencies, published by the CMS over a 10-year period. I look forward to the many more opportunities this upcoming year.