Board members
Mohamed Abdi, MD
MD CLASS OF 2014
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
I am a Radiation Oncologist with an interest in making medicine equitable, accessible and humane. My background is in the physical sciences, radiation medicine, and oncology. I am currently working at a hospital-based practice and covering all sites with particular interest in CNS and Head & Neck. I am also an associate editor at Advances in Radiation Oncology and mentor to medical students and residents. I completed my undergraduate education at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and finished my MD at the University of Minnesota. I matched at Queen’s University for Radiation Oncology and moved back to the midwest to start my career last year. My other interests include biking, working on drones, gardening, reading science fiction novels, and working on our hobby farm.
Marc Berg, MD, FAAP
MD CLASS OF 1993
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
I'm a born and raised Minnesotan having grown up in Battle Lake (Ottertail County). Both my parents and three siblings have degrees, and some advanced degrees, from the "U," so I knew at an early age where I would be attending college. After graduating from the College of Biological Sciences with a BS in Biology in 1989, I started medical school at the Medical School, Duluth Campus and joined the main campus class to graduate in 1993. I have since spent 28 years "living abroad," currently in California for four years after 20 years in Arizona and stints in Utah and Michigan. However, I'm back to Minnesota at least once a year to spend time with family. In addition to my full-time academic pediatric critical care career, I spend additional professional time working in technology, both in adaptive learning and digital health. My wife is a Pediatrician and I have three kids, ages 24, 22, and 8. What time I have left over is spent riding my bike around the California coastal mountain range, reading, cooking and enjoying life. I'm honored and delighted to serve on the alumni board.
Kristina Chien, MD, JD
MD CLASS OF 2022
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Kristina Chien is a first year family medicine resident in St. Cloud, MN. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in African Studies and Global Health and went on to complete a dual MD/JD degree at the University of Minnesota. Kristina is the executive director of So Others May Learn, a non-profit dedicated to providing comprehensive academic scholarships for motivated students living in rural parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda. Kristina lives on Long Road Farm with her husband Eric and their four dogs.
Ira Davis, MD, MS
MD CLASS OF 1984
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
Professional Summary
An academic pediatrician, kidney specialist, educator, and physician executive with over 30 years of experience spanning a career in clinical practice and the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
Education and Training
Medical School Class of 1984
MS Genetics- University of Minnesota (1980)
General Pediatrics Residency, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio (1984-1987)
Pediatric Nephrology Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Department of Pediatrics (1987-1990)
Professional Experience
17 years as academic pediatric nephrologist at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital/University Hospitals of Cleveland, the primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, including 15 years as Division Chief (1990-2007); achieved academic appointment of Associate Professor of Pediatrics, current appointment-Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics.
14 years as a medical specialist in the medical device and pharmaceutical industry including: Global Medical Director and Medical Director Lead at Baxter International in Renal Care business (2007-2014); Medical Director at CTI Clinical Trials and Consulting (2014-2015); Medical Director at Hospira Infusions Systems (2016-2017); Independent medical consultant contractor for global medical device and pharmaceutical companies (2017-present).
David Einzig, MD
MD CLASS OF 1998
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
David graduated from the U of M Medical School in 1998. He completed the triple board residency program in Salt Lake City, UT before returning home to Minnesota. He is board certified in general pediatrics, adult psychiatry and child/adolescent psychiatry. He works at Children's Minnesota doing mostly outpatient care, including telemedicine. He is in the pediatric clinic 1 day per week doing some integrative/collaborative models of care. His interests include integrating psychiatry services into various pediatric subspecialty clinics, and working with the medically complex with co-morbid psychiatric needs. He enjoys teaching medical students and residents, and provides lectures to community providers. He has served on various steering committees for National Quality Forum in Washington DC. He is a distinguished fellow of the AACAP, and is past president of the Minnesota Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He loves gopher athletics, and is greatly looking forward to being a member of the Alumni Board!
Sean Ewen, MD
MD CLASS OF 2012
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
My journey in the world of medicine began at the University of St. Thomas where I majored in biology while also volunteering as an EMT for the University of Minnesota Emergency Medical Services. This led to attending medical school and I earned my MD from the University of Minnesota in 2012.
During my time in med school, I felt called to tackle the problem of poor educational outcomes among prehospital care providers. So, I founded Allied Medical Training in 2010, which has now grown into a nationally-recognized EMS education program. This led me to take the non-traditional path as a full-time entrepreneur upon graduating. I then took a leap into the tech side of healthcare and started a consulting firm that guided healthcare organizations and physicians nationwide during their transitions to electronic health record systems.
A few years down the road, my entrepreneurial spirit combined with my brother's passion for brewing led us to partner up to start Wooden Hill Brewing Company, the first brewery & taproom in Edina, MN. From medicine to craft beer, my journey has been nothing short of diverse and dynamic, and I'm excited to contribute to and collaborate with my fellow alumni.
Alan Glass, MD
MD CLASS OF 1982
CHAIR, PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Alan Glass, MD, is an emeritus faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry, former medical director of the Standardized Patient Program and advisory dean for the Cori Society. He is the recipient of numerous teaching awards and an inaugural fellow in the Washington University School of Medicine Academy of Health Professions Educators. A pediatrician by training, he spent two decades as a higher education administrator and is a past president of the American College Health Association. His medical education expertise lies in medical student admissions, where he formerly served as assistant dean for Washington University, and in complex remediation in the areas of clinical skills and communication. Dean Glass has had faculty cameos is seven Washington University School of Medicine student musicals.
Kathy Halverson, MD
MD CLASS OF 1986
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS COMMITTEE
As an alumna of the University of Minnesota Medical School, participating on the Alumni Board allows me to repay some of the investment this institution has made in my life and career. I am grateful for those formative years, beginning at the Duluth campus, which provided me with the education, training, and support to practice Family Medicine for 28 years. What a great ride! My career has been interesting, diverse and meaningful. This has included a full Family Medical practice with obstetrics, helping establish a local multidisciplinary team response to Child Maltreatment as part of a national consortium, receiving a Bush Medical Fellowship in Adolescent Health Care, practicing in Urgent Care, and ongoing work in Gnlobal Health Promotion. My husband and I have adventured together outside for 38 years. We have a daughter, who is a Med-Peds physician; and a son, who is in media production.
Thomas Keul, MD
MD CLASS OF 1982
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
Except for my years in the University of Iowa Family Practice residency program in Mason City, I am a livelong resident of Minnesota. My wife, Pam, and I live in Roseville. My specific interest as a member on the UMN Medical School Alumni Board is to support medical students in reducing their debt and to also encourage other alumni to consider support for scholarships.
I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in zoology and obtained my MD degree in 1982 starting medical school in Duluth. I then completed a family practice residency and worked as a small town family physician for 5 years before returning to the University of Minnesota and completing a psychiatry residency in 1993. My clinical experience has primarily been with patients with chronic and persistent mental health problems while working at Hennepin County Medical Center for 20 years. In 2006 I departed from HCMC and took the position at Abbott NW Hospital as Medical Director for Mental Services and remained there until I retired from Allina in 2017. I returned to HCMC in 2017 and have worked part time since primarily in the psychiatric emergency department. While at HCMC and Abbott NW I was an assistant professor at the University, responsible for education of students and residents during their rotations. I also spent 1 year as the Medical Director at Anoka Metro Regional Treatment in the midst of my years at HCMC.
My interests and clinical experiences have been in community psychiatry allowing me to have clinics in shelters, detox facilities, group homes, addiction medicine and also forensic work. For 25 years I have been the Medical Director at Andrew Residence a large residence for people with chronic mental health problems. I have greatly enjoyed the diversity of work experience and also the broad range of patients from all over the world. I remain board certified in psychiatry but no longer in family practice. I am a board member with Avivo a non-profit provider in Minneapolis for substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, housing support and job training. I have also been a consultant to the Board of Medical Examiners assisting them in assessing concerns about physician prescribing patterns.
Jane Loitman, MD, MBA, MS, FAAHPM
MD CLASS OF 1992
CHAIR, ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS COMMITTEE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1992, Dr. Loitman completed an internship and residency at Brown University and a fellowship in Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She has worked in hospice and palliative medicine since 1997. She started Palliative Care programs and worked in hospice in St. Louis and around New England. An author and contributor, she is also on the editorial board for various palliative care and AAHPM publications. She has a Pain Medicine private practice in addition to working in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at the VAMC. She lives in St. Louis, MO but loves to return to MN and spends one week every summer in Bemidji as a camp doctor and occasionally makes it back for the State Fair!
Joseph Milo Meland, MD
MD CLASS OF 1968
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
I am a retired diagnostic radiologist. Born and raised in Bemidji, MN, I graduated from Harvard University in 1964 and UMN Medical School in 1968. After two years of training in internal medicine at the University of West Virginia and two years in the Navy, I completed a residency in diagnostic radiology at UMN Med School. The part of medicine that has always appealed most to me is the diagnostic effort so this was a perfect choice. I practiced for 15 years at Metropolitan Medical Center and 20 years with the Abbott Northwestern radiology group. I married a med school classmate fifty two years ago (Mary Hobbs Meland,MD) and our immediate family includes two pediatricians, a surgeon, and me, a radiologist. We all trained at this medical school so I feel a great attachment and a responsibility for its future. I have served for two years on the UMN Med School Scholarship Committee and for four years on the UMN Med School Admissions Committee. In both of these settings I have come to appreciate the great unmet financial needs of so many of its graduates. I benefited from scholarships in my education and want to repay my backers.
Jay Noren, MD
MD CLASS OF 1970
CHAIR, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
I attended high school in Moose Lake in northern Minnesota and began my college education at the University of Minnesota School of Engineering. I received very valuable advice and mentoring when I was a chemical engineering undergraduate, most importantly from meetings with the Dean of the Medical School, H. Meade Cavert, who encouraged me to apply to medical school after three years in the engineering undergraduate program. He continued to serve as a mentor and advisor throughout my medical school experience. Dean Cavert encouraged me to become involved in new curriculum developments as the president of my medical school class. That experience substantially influenced my long-term career commitment to medical education.
I did my residency in internal medicine, a graduate degree in public health, and specialty certification in preventive medicine. I was a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow and during my fellowship year worked in Congress on the House Appropriations Committee. I also benefited from a Winston Churchill Fellowship in Great Britain, studying the British National Health Service. I have spent much of my career in several medical schools and schools of public health as a faculty member and dean. Those experiences led to additional university leadership roles as provost, vice-chancellor, chancellor, and president in several universities and higher education systems, including Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. I will always have deep gratitude for the personal development benefits I gained from my University of Minnesota Medical School experience.
Dale Ray, MD, MMM, CPE
MD CLASS OF 1988
BOARD PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
I am an emergency medicine physician with over 25 years of practice in West Michigan at Level One trauma and tertiary medical center. During this part of my career, I also had departmental, health system, residency program, and GME-consortium leadership roles. For seven years, I was a member of the ACGME Clinical Learning Environment Review team, which aimed to enrich the training of physicians and enhance patient care at the institutions where physicians are trained. Most recently, I have worked at the medical school level in directing the third and fourth year clinical curriculum. I joined the board in order to share my experience and passions with alma mater, and to help support the experiences of physicians in training. In my spare time, I enjoy salt and freshwater fly fishing, the training of upland hunting dogs, reading and learning on a wide range of topics, and spending time with friends and family.
Patience Reich, MD
MD CLASS OF 1997
PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
As a physician and humanitarian for over 20 years, I have led and developed leaders locally, nationally and internationally. I was national Chairman of the Society of Hospital Medicine’s Leadership Committee, developed leadership training curriculum for my peers and participated as faculty. Besides that, I have been involved in humanitarian and philanthropic work all over the world through out my career as a hospitalist. I have worked with marginalized people both here at home and on every continent except Antarctica. I was recognized by the Society of Hospital Medicine with its inaugural Humanitarian Award in 2014. I am adept at cross cultural communication and engagement, navigating complexity, managing risk, diplomacy, building relationships and collaboration.
The reason is that I would like to give back to the U and serve as an Alumni Board member is that I consider the U my home and want to see her prosper and flourish and set up another generation of servant-leaders. Along with providing strategic and operational leadership, these are the things I bring to the alumni board. I graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1997. I am second generation U of M. My dad graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine. I was born at the U’s teaching hospital and will forever consider the U of M my home. I am an Internal Medicine Hospitalist in Thomasville, North Carolina with Novant Health. I chose the hospital setting because I enjoy acuity and complex systems re-design. I love re-designing complex systems to make care safer for patients. I am married and live with my husband and two cats in Winston Salem, North Carolina. We have two adult children. I have a parallel career as a jazz singer. When I am not practicing medicine, I am usually playing music. I won first place in my category at the American Protégé International Music Competition in 2013 and made my debut at Carnegie Hall that same year. So someone other than my mother thinks I can sing.
Amy Sehnert, MD
MD CLASS OF 1992
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS COMMITTEE
I am a native Minnesotan and proud graduate of the U of MN; Medical School Class of 1992 and Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Technology in 1983. I completed my residency in Pediatrics at the University of Colorado, The Children’s Hospital, followed by a fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at University of California, San Francisco where I was also a fellow in the Pediatric Scientist Training Program. I have lived in San Francisco since 1995. After fellowship, I continued as a physician-scientist at UCSF as an Assistant Professor supported by research grant funding from the NIH, American Heart Association, and other institutional sources. It was at UCSF where my passion for bench-to-bedside work began - studying the genetic underpinnings of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a common inherited heart disorder affecting individuals and families and clinically caring for children with HCM or at-risk for developing it in their lifetime. In 2005, my career pivoted to the biotech industry where I have spent the last 18 years as a physician executive leading clinical research and development programs, teams, and global clinical trials in a variety of therapeutic areas spanning genomic diagnostics to precision therapeutics. I am currently a Vice President in Cardiovascular Drug Development at Bristol Myers Squibb where I have been deeply involved in developing a first-in-class, disease-specific medical therapy now approved for symptomatic HCM (full circle!).
Having been fortunate to build a rewarding career on the foundation of my strong education at the U of MN, I am excited and look forward to giving back to my alma mater through service on the Medical School Alumni Board. I am married to a med school classmate, who is also a physician-scientist and we’ve raised two daughters, now both college graduates. We enjoy travel, music, nature, and spending time with family in Minnesota whenever we can. In the past we have contributed to a Student Travel Award for MD/PhD students at the U of MN, helping them to attend professional meetings and share medical-scientific knowledge. As a pediatric cardiologist and female leader in the life sciences, I am committed to mentor and advocate for today’s students and to engage other alumni coast-to-coast to collectively join in these efforts.
Yeng Yang, MD, MBA, FAAP
MD CLASS OF 1996
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS COMMITTEE
Medical School: University of Minnesota
Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency training: Medical College of Wisconsin
Healthcare MBA: University of St. Thomas Opus College of business
Board certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Yang currently practices primary care at HealthPartners, the largest consumer-governed, non-profit health care organization in the nation with an integrated health plan and care delivery in Minnesota. She co-chairs the Health Equity and Anti-racism cabinet and provides medical leadership to advance health equity and anti-racism across the organization. Dr. Yang also serves as the regional medical director of one of the primary care regions. She has practiced internal medicine/pediatrics for 21 years and has expertise in patient-centered medical home, quality and process improvement and innovation as well as health equity. She is active in the community with several organizations that provide youth leadership development and health and well-being as well as mentoring youth.