Second annual ‘State of the DOM’ and faculty awards ceremony lauds success, innovation

Sixteen faculty members shared in the honors of the University of Arizona Department of Medicine State of the Department & Faculty Awards presented at the department’s general faculty meeting on Wednesday, May 27, in the College of Medicine – Tucson Social Hall.

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The DOM launched the ceremony a year ago to recognize faculty contributions to achievements of the college, the department and individual divisions — as well as to patient care, trainee success and research innovation. Awards presented this year included for clinical operations leadership, mentorship, quality and safety, collegiality and service, excellence in medical education, patient care and research.

State of the Department & Announcements 

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Before the awards ceremony, DOM Chair James K. Liao, MD, the Robert S. and Irene Flinn Endowed Professor in Medicine, announced as part of his State of the Department address that a new Division of Hepatology would be spun off from the Division of Gastroenterology. He lauded reactivation of the Division of Translational Medicine under Jennifer Carew, PhD’s leadership, as well as the hiring of two new division chiefs, Rajat Madan, MD, PhD, at the Division of Infectious Diseases and Ronadip “Ron” Banerjee, MD, PhD, at the Division of Endocrinology. And noted that Nora Singer, MD, PhD, had been hired as the new Division of Rheumatology chief and U of A Arthritis Center director, coming to Tucson in August from Cleveland’s MetroHealth and Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Liao also pointed out several ways in which the DOM leads the College of Medicine – Tucson in achieving its tripartite mission of clinical, education and research excellence. It is by far the largest department, with the most faculty by far, hosts the most and largest fellowship programs as well as the largest residency program in the state, and boasts a cadre of teaching faculty that regularly take top honors at annual awards events. On that last point, he congratulated the 25 DOM faculty members who recently also won promotions for the coming academic year.

In addition, Dr. Liao added, the DOM generally contributes the lion’s share of the college’s research and clinical trial dollars through its faculty. He noted advances made in the DOM’s share of National Institutes of Health grants per the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research and set a goal of getting the department once again into the 40s in that ranking of  academic medical institutions. Likewise, he also pressed faculty to improve U.S. News & World Report rankings in their medical specialties.

2026 DOM Faculty Award Winners 

You’ll find names and photos from awards presented below. To view all photos of the meeting and awards ceremony, visit this link. And now for the awards and awardees: 

Clinical Operations Leadership Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member whose leadership and contributions significantly enhance efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of clinical operations at our institution. Through strategic problem-solving, systems thinking and a commitment to excellence, the recipient supports high-functioning clinical environments that benefit both patients and care teams. Their work strengthens the foundation of academic medicine and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Presenter: Mathew Hutchinson, MD, Clinical Operations Vice Chair 

Winners

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Avin Aggarwal, MBBS, associate clinical professor, Gastroenterology Fellowship associate program director, and South Campus Endoscopy Services medical director, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. | Dr. Aggarwal has demonstrated a transformative approach to clinical management, specifically through his leadership at Banner – University Medical Center South’s endoscopy suite. By revamping operations, he fundamentally improved the unit’s efficiency and sustainability. His strategic redesign of clinical workflows yielded a remarkable 50% increase in endoscopy volume, ensuring the division can meet growing needs of patients while maintaining the highest standards of care. Beyond operational efficiency, Dr. Aggarwal significantly expanded the division’s clinical scope with essential new services. Under his guidance, South Campus now offers hemorrhoid banding, fecal microbial transplantation for recurrent C. difficile, and BRAVO pH monitoring for more precise GERD diagnosis. These additions enhance diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities but also reflect his commitment to innovative, patient-centered care. Dr. Aggarwal’s unique blend of passion for teaching and excellence in systems thinking has strengthened the foundation of the GI division’s clinical mission and fostered a culture of continuous improvement. 

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Joy Bulger Beck, MD, MS, associate clinical professor and medical director, general internal medicine & geriatrics clinics, Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, and Societies Mentor, College of Medicine – Tucson | As inaugural medical director for General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics clinics, Dr. Beck has demonstrated outstanding vision in streamlining workflows and optimizing processes to improve performance on key quality metrics. Her ability to effectively interface with the broader health system and population health initiatives has strengthened alignment with system-wide goals and enhanced delivery of value-based care. In addition, she has shown a deep commitment to team development and operational excellence through leadership of education initiatives for medical assistant and nursing staff, fostering a culture of accountability, growth and high-quality patient care. Her dedication and patient-centered approach have had a transformative impact.

Excellence in Trainee Mentorship Award 

This award honors a Department of Medicine faculty member who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to mentoring medical students, residents and/or fellows. The recipient fosters professional growth, clinical excellence, scholarship and personal well-being among trainees through dedicated guidance, advocacy and role modeling. They meaningfully shape the next generation of physicians by creating supportive learning environments and investing deeply in the development, confidence and success of emerging clinicians and scholars.

Presenters: Laura Meinke, MD, Education Associate Vice Chair  

Winners

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Saman Nematollahi, MD, MEPH, associate professor (clinical scholar track) and program director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Division of Infectious Diseases; medical director, transplant infectious diseases, Banner – University Medicine Tucson; and assistant director, Internal Medicine Clerkship, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Nematollahi implemented a “student chief” position that starts to develop students interested in academic medicine and mentorship. He spends his own time teaching them how to disseminate clinical reasoning to others, which helps supplement the college’s clinical reasoning track and to successfully complete the IM clerkship but really is geared to creating physicians who can evolve from algorithms to clinical masters. For residents, he brings his clinical reasoning expertise to conferences and also mentors chief residents to ensure shared vocabulary and help them transition into the educator role. In his fellowship program he has guided the first fellow at this institution into an ID/critical care pathway. He has implemented clear fellow wellness events into the ID Fellowship, including a fellows retreat, to show that wellness and balance is important. The students, residents and ID fellows are fortunate to have him be a part of their training.

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Ryan Wong, MD, associate clinical professor and core faculty, Nephrology Fellowship, Division of Nephrology, and Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson, Department of Medicine, as well as director, Internal Medicine Sub-Internship, and associate program director, IM Residency – Tucson, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | While Dr. Wong’s impact spans all levels of training, his work with medical students and residents is where his mentorship is most visible and meaningful. As IM Residency associate program director, through his thoughtful and deliberate work on the Performance Improvement Committee, and as IM Sub-I director for fourth-year medical students, he has developed a reputation for not only identifying struggling learners early, but leaning into that responsibility in a way that’s deeply thoughtful, individualized and effective. He doesn’t shy from difficult situations. Instead, he meets learners where they are in a way that’s inspiring. His approach is personal, intentional and grounded in a desire to see each learner succeed, helping them build confidence while steadily strengthening their clinical reasoning and performance. His transformation of the sub-internship into a truly immersive, high-yield experience is one of his most enduring contributions. What was once more observational has become a structured introduction to intern-level responsibility, and it’s consistently described by students as one of the best rotations they experienced. That level of feedback isn’t incidental. It reflects a rare degree of investment, attention and commitment to learner growth.

Excellence in Faculty Mentorship Award 

This award honors a Department of Medicine faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to mentoring fellow faculty members across career stages. The recipient strengthens the academic community through career development guidance, sponsorship, collaboration and leadership cultivation. They play a pivotal role in advancing professional growth, scholarly achievement, well-being and retention by generously investing in the success and advancement of their colleagues.

Winner

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Laura E. Meinke, MD, professor (clinical scholar track) and critical care specialist, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine; director, IM Residency Program – Tucson, and associate vice chair of education, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Meinke has consistently been an active role model in her leadership of the largest residency at the College of Medicine – Tucson and across the state. She provides mentorship through displaying a balanced, thoughtful and considerate dissection of problems. As she navigates residents with varied personalities, backgrounds and hardships, she always seems to have the right next steps. It’s calculated and measured to fit the situation at hand. She has helped many faculty under her leadership learn to consider consequences of actions and reminded all of us perhaps the best thing to do is something not tried before. She able to navigate clinical partners effectively while maintaining integrity of the residency program. There’s always something to learn from Dr. Meinke in how to guide others and handle situations. Her leadership exists as a role model to all, supporting residents, chief residents, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine fellows and faculty. It’s difficult to find someone who has the reach she does in this institution.

Excellence in Quality & Patient Safety Award 

This award honors a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to improving patient safety and health care quality. Through initiatives that enhance clinical practices, reduce harm and promote a culture of safety, the recipient has made a meaningful impact on the well-being of patients and integrity of care delivery. Their work reflects dedication to continuous improvement and excellence in clinical outcomes.

Presenter: Tejo Vemulapalli, MD, Quality & Safety Vice Chair 

Winner

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Vijay H. Chandiramani, MD, associate professor and associate chief, Division of Inpatient Medicine, Tucson Campus, College of Medicine – Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center Tucson | “Training under ‘Dr. C’ has given me the privilege to care for others in a humanistic approach with multidisciplinary cooperation amongst team members and patient/patient families. What stands out to me about him is not only his consistency in values and integrity, but his continued efforts in shaping our future providers and the face of healthcare. One example that stands out to me includes the usage of the antibiotic vancomycin in the hospital setting,” said Kathy Drinkwater, DO, a hospitalist who nominated Dr. Chandiramani. “In a world where we delegate tasks to others, or AI is taking over some of our duties, we continue to become narrow in our scope of practice. Dr. C has been an advocate for patient safety since before my residency. And even now after I’ve been in practice four years, he still deliberately relays his message to the group. In passing, I see him teaching residents, hospitalists and interdepartmental groups (i.e., the pharmacy team). Because of his persistence, Dr. C has shown me the importance of using my skills and maintaining them to provide the utmost care for my patients and staff. His empathic lessons never belittle people, but rather empower them to continue to improve on oneself. Through his advocacy for vancomycin dosing and teaching the appropriate techniques to acquire vancomycin troughs, we have seen many shortcomings of relying on otherwise good-intentioned pitfalls that caused adverse effects in patients. With Dr. C’s continued efforts, he has shaped our campus to be more deliberate in our actions, learning to calculate our own dosages and to be truly accountable for our patients.”

Exemplary Collegiality & Service Awards 

This award honors a Department of Medicine faculty member who consistently demonstrates exceptional collegiality, responsiveness and commitment to supporting others. The recipient reliably steps forward when needed, contributes generously to shared efforts and strengthens the department through everyday acts of professionalism, collaboration and service. The recipient is someone whose dependability, generosity and steady presence make a meaningful difference to colleagues, learners and the broader academic community.

Presenter: Joe Alpert, MD, Appointments & Promotions Vice Chair

Winners

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Monica Hinestroza Jordan, MD, assistant clinical professor and associate program director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Hinestroza has proven to be a wonderful resource for infectious disease-related questions. Whether they’re questions on patients or questions related to general management, she’s always willing to get the answer and helpful to the greater patient community. She could be in the middle of 25 patient consult notes, but she’ll still take time to let you know she’ll get you the answer. She has passionately taken up the role as ID Fellowship associate program director. She has helped create a welcoming environment for fellows. She’s known to invite the group over, share her space and her culture while providing a fun time out of the hospital for journal club. She participates in programs for the college, including a procedural boot camp for students to get experience with invasive procedures. In meetings to advance fellowship programs, she provides wonderful insight at venue that’s mostly quiet. She displays the upmost professionalism, is generous with her time and is the perfect person who exemplifies collegiality and service.

Anthony Witten, DO, associate clinical professor, Division of Inpatient Medicine, and associate program director, IM Residency – Tucson, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Witten functions in various venues here, primarily, as a hospitalist. He’s often asked to care for the sickest of the sick with the hope any family or friends entering the hospital are on his service. He ensures appropriate stones are turned and that there’s shared decision making. When doctors are stumped, they go to him. He’s a role model for students and residents. He shows what an exemplary physician is. He’s professional and thoughtful. He’s the grand master of quarterbacking a treatment plan. He shares his time with all, interacting and taking an interest in them as individuals. He dedicates a lot of time to his role as an IM Residency associate program director, volunteering to head the Performance Improvement Committee. He makes it his responsibility to ensure improvement plans are set in place, followed up on and completed to the best of his ability. He supports those in need. In recent stressors to the residency, he ensured residents could organize their time to attend events placing little to no burden on the residents themselves. This was done quickly and behind the scenes. He essential at being professional in the discussions between the healthcare partner and the program and the college of medicine to ensure the residency program remains able to train residents.

Innovation in Medical Education Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrates exceptional creativity and impact in the development, implementation or dissemination of innovative educational strategies within medical education. The recipient exemplifies forward-thinking approaches that enhance learning for medical students, residents, fellows or peers, and advance the academic mission of our institution.

Presenter: Laura Meinke, MD, Education Associate Vice Chair 

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Winners

Eric Brucks, MD, MSc, assistant clinical professor and associate program director, IM Residency – Tucson, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson, and staff physician, Internal Medicine Section, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System | Dr. Brucks, a designated campus colleague with the SAVAHCS, is passionate about evidence-based medical education and has created both a unique journal club for our residents, as well as a small group, evidence-based academic half-day session held once monthly at the VA. The journal club uses a chat app to post articles and engage faculty and residents in joint discussions of articles published recently in some of the most impactful journals. He recruits VA faculty to precept small group sessions one Thursday a month, ensuring residents get personalized education, with a focus on how the most recent evidence applies to patient care. These sessions are a residents’ favorite, and now presenters at other venues are hoping to emulate it due to strong resident and faculty engagement.

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João Paulo “J.P.” Ferreira, MD, assistant clinical professor and associate program director, IM Residency – Tucson | Dr. Ferreira took it almost entirely upon himself to create a point-of-care ultrasound elective that’s in high demand for the IM Residency Program. He has read endless books and attended many in-person and online conferences to gain expertise in this subject. He worked diligently to obtain funding to acquire the necessary ultrasound equipment and learning materials for our residents. He dedicates his own time to mentor residents one-on-one, providing videos and reading assignments in the morning. He communicates with attending physicians throughout the hospital to find patients with interesting ultrasound findings so he can take residents bedside to learn scanning and interpretation skills. He and the chief residents work together to provide ultrasound procedural skills during noon conferences at BUMC South campus simulation lab, and will be extending these experiences throughout multiple sites in the coming year. Dr. Ferreira has literally grown this from the ground up, dedicating significant time and effort to create an opportunity that’s fun, comprehensive and exceedingly useful to our residents.

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Sasha Taleban, MD, associate professor (clinical scholar track), associate program director, Gastroenterology Fellowship, and director, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Taleban has revolutionized the traditional educational landscape within gastroenterology and hepatology by developing a pharmaceutical-supported monthly CME conference that bridges the gap between seven distinct academic centers. By leveraging digital platforms like Zoom, he has created a robust, sustainable infrastructure for regional collaboration that transcends the limitations of a single institution. This forward-thinking approach not only modernizes the delivery of continuing medical education but also fosters a unique community of practice focused on the complex clinical management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The true impact of his initiative lies in its multi-generational educational model. By featuring presentations from fellows followed by commentary from distinguished faculty across seven institutions, the program provides trainees with a high-stakes, prestigious platform to sharpen their clinical reasoning and presentation skills. Simultaneously, it allows for a rich exchange of expertise between senior leaders, ensuring the latest evidence-based IBD management practices are disseminated widely. Dr. Taleban’s creativity in securing external support while maintaining academic rigor has significantly advanced our department’s educational mission and set a new standard for collaborative learning in the digital age.

Innovation in Patient Care Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member who has developed and implemented a novel approach to improving patient care. Whether through clinical process redesign, use of technology, interdisciplinary collaboration or new models of care delivery, the recipient has demonstrated creativity, initiative and measurable impact. Their work enhances outcomes, efficiency and patient experience, setting a standard for transformative care.

Presenter: Dawn Coletta, PhD, Academic Engagement Vice Chair

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Winners

April L. Ehrlich, MD, MHS, assistant professor (Clinical Scholar Track) and chief for clinical research development, Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson | In her role as clinical research development chief in her division, Dr. Ehrlich has demonstrated a clear and sustained commitment to building a collaborative research community — particularly for early-career faculty and those new to scholarly work. She took a thoughtful, proactive approach to identifying barriers that limit research participation and created structures to make engagement more accessible, transparent and inclusive. Her leadership reflects not only a deep understanding of the research enterprise, but also a genuine investment in helping others find their place within it.

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Talha Riaz, MD, associate clinical professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Riaz developed and implemented an interdisciplinary musculoskeletal infection clinic at the BUMC South campus that brings together infectious disease, orthopedic surgery, podiatry, interventional radiology and wound care to provide a previously unattainable standard of care for patients with complex musculoskeletal infections such as open infected non-united fracture, prosthetic joint infection and Charcot neuroarthropathy. “Over the five years that I have worked with Dr. Riaz, I have seen just how transformative this novel approach to caring for patients with complex musculoskeletal infections can be,” said U of A orthopedic surgeon Daniel Latt, MD. “It has allowed us to save numerous limbs that previously would’ve been destined for amputation.” Overcoming numerous institutional challenges with intuitive creativity, Dr. Riaz’s work significantly impacts the lives of thousands of “our most vulnerable patients.”

Rising Star Clinical Excellence Award 

This award recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence, teamwork and professionalism. The recipient is recognized for their exceptional work ethic, compassionate patient care, collaborative spirit and positive contributions to the clinical and academic environment. They exemplify the values of integrity, collegiality and dedication to the mission of patient-centered care.

Presenter: Serena Scott, MD, MBA, Faculty Development Vice Chair

Winner

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Samuel Cook, DO, assistant clinical professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, and member, Arizona Arthritis Center, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Cook is an excellent clinician. Immediately after completing his fellowship, he went to work as an attending at BUMC South campus and committed to serving the Tohono O’odham Nation’s Sells Clinic. His communication skills are excellent, and his bedside manners are aspirational. He’s also very well-liked by patients, faculty and staff, and has forged strong professional relationships. And he’s demonstrated superb teaching skills, helping medical students and trainees navigate clinical operations and taking the time to teach them about various topics in rheumatology on the spot. His ability to guide and inspire these learners reflects his natural inclination to foster growth and excellence within the field of rheumatology. In addition, he consistently gave excellent, engaging presentations in Rheumatology Grand Rounds.

Rising Star Research Award 

This award recognizes early-career faculty for their burgeoning excellence in producing new insights into important biomedical problems. These insights may be delivered using clinical, translational or basic research approaches and are demonstrable by high-quality peer-reviewed publications, acquisition of competitive external funding, and the development of sustainable research programs that enhance the department’s research enterprise.

Presenter: Janet Funk, MD, Research Vice Chair 

Winner

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Iván Menéndez-Montes, PhD, assistant professor, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, and member, Sarver Heart Center, College of Medicine – Tucson | Due to his rapidly emerging national and international impact in cardiovascular and metabolic biology, Dr. Menéndez-Montes has already demonstrated remarkable scientific productivity and originality, generating novel mechanistic insights into cardiomyocyte metabolism, hypoxia signaling and cardiac regeneration. His research contributions are highlighted by multiple high-impact publications, including landmark studies in the Nature journals, underscoring the significance and rigor of his work. These achievements reflect his ability to identify fundamental biomedical questions and address them using innovative basic and translational research approaches that align closely with the DOM’s mission to advance discovery-driven cardiovascular science. Importantly, Dr. Menendez-Montes is establishing a sustainable and forward-looking research program focused on metabolic regulation of cardiac growth and regeneration, an area with substantial implications for therapeutic development in heart disease. 

Outstanding Senior Faculty Research Award 

This award recognizes senior faculty who have made significant research contributions toward advancing the field of medicine. This recognizes novel and significant research that will result in impactful advancements of the medical field. Successful candidates will have served as role models for their colleagues by maintaining high standards of excellence and professionalism with their own discipline and the greater institution and demonstrated leadership skills and professionalism.

Presenter: Janet Funk, MD, Research Vice Chair

Winner

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Asaithamby Aroumougame, PhD, associate professor, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Associate Professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and member, Sarver Heart Center, College of Medicine – Tucson | Dr. Aroumougame is an internationally recognized investigator whose pioneering work has significantly advanced our understanding of DNA damage response mechanisms and their implications in cancer, aging and cardiovascular biology. His research has uncovered fundamental insights into clustered DNA damage repair, replication stress, and the interplay between genome stability and immune signaling, with publications in top-tier journals including Nature, Cell, PNAS and Circulation. He has established a highly productive and sustainable research program, supported by substantial external funding, including NIH, NASA and American Heart Association awards. He currently serves as contact PI on a multi-PI U01 grant and has led multiple R01-level projects, reflecting his national scientific leadership and competitiveness. Importantly, his work has strong translational relevance, particularly in mitigating radiation-induced injury and cardiotoxicity. He also contributes extensively to the scientific community through NIH study sections, editorial activities and mentorship.

(Photos courtesy of Kate Gardiner, UAHS BioCommunications, and David Mogollon, Department of Medicine)

ALSO SEE: 
“Twenty-five faculty members in the Department of Medicine earn promotions” | Posted May 14, 2026
“Faculty Teaching Awards show no time like present to celebrate medical educators” | Posted March 16, 2026
“DOM students, residents, faculty shine at 2025 ACP-AZ Chapter Scientific Meeting” | Posted November 19, 2025
“New DOM awards honor 20 faculty members in 2025” | Posted June 5, 2025