Class notes: 2000s
Melinda Lukens, MD ’05, “Moving from private practice full scope OB/GYN to academic practice GYN only focusing on menopause osteoporosis and obesity medicine. Board certified obstetrics & gynecology, American Board of Obesity Medicine and clinical densitometry. Also started independent weight loss coaching and app: www.reshapeandrise.com"
Veling Tsai, MD, JD ’02, has been appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to the Physician Assistant Board of California. Tsai has been an Attending Physician at Caring ENT since 2016. He has been Clinical Assistant Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine since 2008 and an Attending Surgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles Olive View Medical Center since 2012. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the American College of Legal Medicine. Read more here.
Nathan Jones, MD '09, returned on July 6, 2024 from a 378 day simulated mission to Mars. Dr. Jones calls this mission a success. Read articles about about their mission and return from Illinois Times, NASA and ABC News.
Matthew Winkleman, MD '02 was featured in the Spring 2024 edition of Life & Style in Southern Illinois "I am constantly amazed and inspired at his [Dr. Winkleman's] willingness to go the extra mile for patients. It is not an exaggeration to say he is a rare physician." Read the rest of the article pictured left.
Mettisa McLeod, MD '02 took a new position as Chief, Ambulatory Care at VA St. Louis Health Care System. Congratulations, Dr. McLeod!!
Megan Neely, MD '06 has been selected as the new Chief of Primary Care Service for the Marion VA Healthcare System. Read more here.
Kimberly Nordstrom, MD ’01, emergency psychiatrist and chief medical officer of Rocky Mountain Health Plans, recently discussed trends and statistics in a Boulder Town Hall as related to youth mental health, also offering recommendations on how parents can start and sustain discussions with their children about their mental health. Read about this here.
Dr. Nordstrom also continues as Medical Director of Signal Behavioral Health and an emergency psychiatrist at the University of Colorado Hospital. Dr. Nordstrom has spoken on various behavioral emergency topics nationally and internationally.
Jeremiah Anders and Joe Baima, MDs ’02, had a serendipitous meetup in Rome! Small world! (pictured left)
Jimmy Ruiz, MD ’04, has been promoted to Professor of Medicine; currently Section Chief of Salisbury VAMC; Assistant Director of Clinical Research at the NCI Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Melinda Lukens, MD ’05, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, has been practicing at Northwestern Obstetrics & Gynecology Consultants in Chicago since 2009. She is also on the medical staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Specialty: OB/GYN w/ special interest in minimally invasive surgery and weight loss medicine
Her Why: To optimize women’s overall health through coaching, nutritional and exercise counseling and planning as well as utilizing appropriate medications when necessary.
Fun Facts: When not working, Dr. Lukens enjoys spending time with her family, watching her kids play sports, and staying active.
Get to know more about Dr. Lukens here.
Elizabeth Stewart, MD ’07, Congratulations to Beth Stewart, MD, Associate Member in Oncology, for being named the 2023 St. Jude "Outstanding Physician"! Nominated by her peers, Dr. Stewart has been recognized for embodying key characteristics of a good physician such as executing high-level scholarship and demonstrating compassion, communication skills, collaboration, ability to work in a team, integrity, creative thinking, and having high personal ethics.
Jeffrey Tubbs, MD ’08, “is inpatient section chief for spinal cord injury and disorders, Richmond, Virginia VA Medical Center, and assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.”
Nathan Jones, MD ’09, “NASA intends to send a crewed mission to Mars in the decades ahead, but one team is already living on the Red Planet while staying put on Earth. CHAPEA1 is an analogue mission, a 378-day simulation of what it could be like when astronauts are actually on Mars.” Find out more about the mission, of which Dr. Jones is part.
Whitney Luke, MD ’09, "We welcomed our son, Cade Luke Cropper, on July 28, 2023.” Dr. Luke currently serves as Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Tabitha Wells, MD '09, opened a private practice, Be Well Health, in Springfield, IL. Dr. Wells started her Direct Primary Care practice to take back control of how she practices medicine while enhancing patient access and prioritizing the patient-physician relationship. Patients can expect her to take as much time as needed to understand their health needs and ensure they feel seen and heard on every visit.
Learn more about her new practice here! (pictured left)
Leah Delfinado Chapman, MD ’03, “Academic generalist obstetrician gynecologist and residency program director at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. I have served as the residency program director of obstetrics and gynecology at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center since 2014, and as the assistant residency program director 2012-14.”
Jill Wirth-Rissman, MD ’05, “After more than 13 years of clinical practice, I have accepted a position as the director of clinical operations for Student Health Services at Illinois State University in Normal.”
Thomas Butler III, MD ’06, has been appointed surgical director of kidney transplant surgery at Penn State Health’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He is one of three world-class surgeons recruited to lead the center’s new abdominal organ transplant program. Read more here (pictured right)
Jeffrey Tubbs, MD ’08, “is inpatient section chief for spinal cord injury and disorders, Richmond, Virginia VA Medical Center, and assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.”
Kristina Pedersen, MD ’09, “promoted to associate professor of medicine in January 2023. Co-founder and medical oncology director of the Young-Adult Colorectal Cancer Program, Washington University, opened in 2023. Named U.S. chair of the International Rare Cancer Initiative for Small Bowel Adenocarcinomas in February 2023. Current member of the ASCO Scientific Program Committee for Gastrointestinal, Pancreas, Hepatobiliary, Small Bowel and Neuroendocrine Cancers.”
Audrey Tanksley, MD ’09, will serve as a member of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. Read more here
Blaine Eubanks, MD ’08, SIU Class of 2026 medical students selected Dr. Eubanks as the 2023 Mentor of the Year. Blaine Eubanks is an internal medicine and pediatric physician with Southern Illinois Healthcare in Harrisburg. The students said Eubanks “goes out of his way to teach in between seeing patients; is always willing to answer questions and give his best advice; made me feel welcomed and a part of the health care team; and was overall a patient, kind and encouraging mentor.” (pictured left)
Joshua Knolhoff, MD ’08, became director of general surgery at St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus, NC. Read more here
These class notes are update with the latest content from 2023 through January 2025. Submit YOUR updates by using this Share Your News Form.