Residents

Katie Estill, MD

Hometown: Everett, WA

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine

More details to come!

Gillian Glivar, MD

Hometown: 

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine

More details to come!

Claire Huber, MD

Hometown: 

Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine

More details to come!

Sylvia Mast, DO

Hometown: 

Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

More details to come!

Greta Prokosch, MD

Hometown: 

Medical School: University of Minnesota

More details to come!

Suresh Kumar, MD

Hometown: 

Medical School:  Western Michigan University School of Medicine

More details to come!

Jon Scott Wrigley, DO

Hometown: 

Medical School:  Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine

More details to come!

Charlotte Evans, MD

Hometown: Essex, VT

Medical School: Larner College of Medicine, Vermont

Charlotte (she/her) grew up in Essex, Vermont surrounded by the beauty of the Green Mountains. She stayed close to home to attend the University of Vermont and obtained a degree in neuroscience. Wanting to better understand neurological diseases pushed her to pursue medicine, and her senior thesis focused on learning and behavior with particular relevance to addiction.

During the pandemic, she worked at a local community health center and discovered a love for primary care. She then attended medical school in Vermont and continued to explore specialties that would allow her to work with patients of all ages and backgrounds. Charlotte did research on access to healthcare in Vermont during the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of telemedicine, important in a rural state, and continued to seek out opportunities to work in rural areas throughout her clinical rotations, including in Maine and upstate New York. Outside of academics, she continued volunteering and also took interest in mentoring, planetary health, and medical school recruitment and admissions.

She is excited to start a new adventure in Washington with TFM. Within family medicine, Charlotte’s interests include reproductive health and obstetrics, addiction medicine, adult gender affirming care, wilderness medicine, and integrative medicine. She hopes to practice full-spectrum Family Medicine, continue efforts to improve public health and healthcare policy through legislative advocacy, and work with students and learners in whatever community she eventually lands. Outside of medicine, Charlotte loves to bake, hike, travel, watch soccer, and care for her houseplants.

Amy Iloani, DO

Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas

Medical School: University of North Texas Health Science Center

Katie Kesler, MD

Hometown: Albuquerque, NM

Medical School: Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine

Jose Lopez, MD

Hometown: El Paso, TX

Medical School: Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Jose (he/him) is originally from El Paso, Texas, and attended the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. He previously served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft mechanic, working on A-10s, F-15s, and F-22s, and traveling across the country. After completing his military service, he earned degrees in biology and philosophy, drawn especially to ancient philosophy and its insights on human nature, ethics, and resilience. Before medical school, Jose conducted research at the NIH and Georgetown University—experiences that deepened his curiosity about medicine and public health.

Growing up in a working-class family and witnessing the impact of healthcare disparities firsthand, he felt called to provide full-spectrum care in underserved communities. He values continuity of care and hopes to build long-term relationships with patients while advocating for equity and access.

Outside of medicine, Jose enjoys hiking, mountain biking, exploring national parks, and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Nihar Mahajan, MD

Hometown: Sammamish, WA

Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Nihar, a longtime Washingtonian, is excited to be back in Tacoma for his residency. In his free time, he enjoys hiking- especially in the Enchantments and the North Cascades- where he’s explored some of the state’s most breathtaking landscapes. A regular in the gym, he’s passionate about weightlifting and is currently working on building his running routine. He rarely misses a Seahawks game. A fun fact- Nihar holds double black belts in both Taekwondo and Arnis, showcasing his dedication, discipline, and versatility.

Katarina Schneiderman, MD

Hometown: Sol III, Orion Spur, Milky Way Galaxy

Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Katarina (xe/xem/xyr) likes to say xe has grown up a little bit of everywhere, raised between the United States and Slovakia by more spectacular humans than one can possibly give credit to. For undergrad, xe attended the Ohio State University where xe received a B.S. in Neuroscience and first became passionate about maternal-child dyads whilst caring for NICU patients with neonatal abstinence syndrome. This was followed by a year of research at the National Institutes of Health, and working at Baltimore shelter for those impacted by intimate partner violence.

Xe then continued on to medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine where xe grounded xyr training in structural determinants of health. As a Social Medicine Fellow, xe developed educational exposure to refugee and immigrant healthcare, spearheaded curriculum reform for medical student immersion in Pittsburgh neighborhoods and associated community organizations, and direct a women’s health education group with Bhutanese and Afghani refugees. Xe also coordinated the free clinic at Women’s Center and Shelter of Pittsburgh for those impacted by intimate partner violence.

Katarina completed intern year at Monument Health Family Medicine Residency in Rapid City, South Dakota where xe fell in love with full-spectrum family medicine. Xyr research, publications, and QI initiatives have spanned addressing agency and menstrual stigma in rural Nepal, optimizing patient-provider communication in the context of periviable birth, and developing interventions for universal perinatal depression screening during postpartum and pediatric visits at a South Dakota clinic. Katarina is positively thrilled to be in the PNW with Tacoma Family Medicine. Xe’s interests include care of maternal-child dyads, surgical obstetrics, gender-affirming care, abortion provision, addiction medicine, as well as refugee/immigrant health care. In addition to delivering evidence-based clinical practice, xe hopes to work with students and learners, and is committed to community engagement and advocacy for all xyr patients. Outside of medicine, xe loves to escape to the wilderness, experiment with new vegan recipes, as well as curl up with xyr cat Pema and a good book.

Rachel Straughn, MD

Hometown: Everett, WA

Medical School: University of Washington School of Medicine

Alexis Yagoda, DO

Hometown: Miami, FL

Medical School: Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

Alexis (she/her) was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She grew up in a large and lively family with three sisters and a brother. Most of her education and training took place across different parts of Florida. After graduating high school, she moved to Orlando, Florida to pursue her degree in Health Sciences. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for medicine and preventive care. Through her travels and volunteer work in countries with limited access to resources, Alexis became inspired to study medicine with a more holistic, patient-centered approach.

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Alexis spent time working as a medical scribe in an OB/GYN office, where she first discovered her passion for women’s health. She was inspired by the role that physicians play as advocates for their patients and the impact of compassionate, respectful care. Alexis went on to earn her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. During medical school, she became actively involved in community outreach efforts focused on sun safety and skin cancer prevention, leading several educational initiatives in collaboration with local organizations. These experiences deepened her understanding of how targeted public health interventions can uplift underserved populations and reinforced her desire to become a primary care physician focused on prevention, continuity of care, and overall well-being.

Alexis’s medical training took her across the country and abroad, including an international rotation in Portugal. Experiencing medicine in diverse cultural and clinical settings deepened her understanding of how to care for patients with empathy, adaptability, and respect. These passions combined brought her to Tacoma, Washington, where she is thrilled to be starting her residency in Family Medicine with TFM.

Outside of medicine, Alexis loves spending time with her loved ones, exploring new places, binge-watching TV shows, reading, and experimenting in the kitchen. She believes in building meaningful connections—with patients, families, and communities—and is excited to grow alongside the people she serves.

Sumeet Aujla, DO

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Medical school: Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Sumeet (she/they) was born in Seattle and raised in Kent and Auburn, Washington, surrounded by her parents, grandparents, and sister who inspired her healthcare journey. She attended Washington State University for her undergraduate education (Go Cougs!), majoring in sociology and minoring in psychology. It was during this time that she truly discovered her passion for addressing healthcare disparities through a holistic lens and providing culturally appropriate care to all patients.

After graduating, Sumeet worked as a Punjabi language interpreter and as a medical scribe in an emergency department where she developed a deep appreciation for the pivotal role of primary care in promoting health within communities. Motivated by this, she attended medical school at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima, Washington, where she aimed to approach medicine with a holistic perspective. During her medical education, Sumeet has continued to evolve her passion for reducing inequities in healthcare. She was elected as the Senator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for her medical school cohort and her advocacy extended to the national level when she served as the Assistant Director of Intersectional Medical Education for the Medical Student Pride Alliance where she worked on increasing and amplifying diversity in osteopathic medical education. She has stayed involved in her local community through advocacy, mentorship, and volunteering. Ultimately, Sumeet has discovered that family medicine is the ideal specialty for her to effect meaningful change over the course of patients’ lives in a variety of contexts.

Throughout her journey, Sumeet has been steadfast in her commitment to Washington state, viewing it not only as her home but also as the foundation upon which she hopes to build her future. With a strong sense of belonging and a dedication to serving the diverse population of Washington, Sumeet is honored to be in Tacoma for her training and eager to remain in the region for her future practice to contribute to the well-being of her community.
Her interests within family medicine include obstetrics and reproductive justice, advocacy, addiction, behavioral health, and LGBTQIA+/adult gender-affirming care. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, writing poetry, tarot reading, cooking, eating out at local restaurants with her partner, friends, and family, and spending time with her cat, Venus.

Danielle Bojorquez, MD

Hometown: Burien, WA

Medical School: University of Washington, School of Medicine

Danielle grew up in Burien, WA with her two siblings and parents. She studied public and global health at the University of Washington in Seattle. There she developed a passion for working with underserved and underrepresented populations, volunteering for local organizations such as Street Soccer Seattle. After graduation, she embarked on an adventure as a Peace Corps volunteer spending two impactful years in the rural Andes Mountains of Peru. As a health educator, she worked with community members promoting healthy behaviors, and combating chronic malnutrition and sexually transmitted diseases.

Back in the United States, Danielle continued her commitment to community health. She took on the role of a medical scribe in a bustling pediatric emergency department. Later she became a community health navigator for a federally qualified health center specializing in care for Latino populations. These meaningful experiences led her to pursue her medical degree at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Spokane. She discovered her passion for family medicine with its broad scope of practice, focus on community health, and ability to develop long-lasting relationships with her patients.

Danielle was drawn to TFM for its full-spectrum training and diverse patient population. She is excited to pursue her interests in preventive care, reproductive health, and global health while embracing the role of listener, educator, and advocate for all patients.

Outside of medicine, Danielle loves spending quality time with her husband, Darrin. She enjoys playing and watching soccer (Go Sounders), traveling the globe, attending live concerts, and exploring the outdoors – she is always searching for new hikes and lakes to paddleboard!

Katie Castellanos, DO

Hometown: Portland, OR

Medical School: A.T. Still University of Osteopathic Medicine, Arizona

Katie grew up in Portland, Oregon and remained through college. She graduated from Portland State University, studying public health. Her interest in underserved healthcare delivery was emphasized in her senior thesis on physician language concordance for Spanish speaking patients.

She attended medical school in Arizona where she was paired with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), focusing on primary care. While rotating with the FQHC, Katie completed a quality improvement initiative aimed at increasing lung cancer screening in alignment with new USPSTF guidelines. While in medical school, Kate took advantage of many rural rotations and developed a love for practicing rural medicine. Kate is a National Healthcare Service Corps scholar and plans to repay her years of service in the Pacific Northwest.

Within Family Medicine, her passions include pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, reproductive health, and adolescent medicine. She looks forward to eventually practicing full-spectrum Family Medicine with Obstetrics in a rural community. Outside of medicine, Katie loves to cook, sew, and hang out with her spouse and new baby!

Andrew Fu, DO

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Medical School: A.T. Still University of Osteopathic Medicine, Arizona

Andrew, a native of New York City, was raised in a working-class family alongside his older brother in the culturally vibrant streets of the Bronx. Having been a part of this diverse yet underserved borough for nearly three decades, he intimately experienced the financial challenges, complex urban struggles, and profound health disparities within his community. Despite these hardships, he found comfort in exploring his interests in baseball, music, technology, and science.

Andrew obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at CUNY Hunter College while navigating the bustling streets of Manhattan as a bike messenger to support his family. He shifted gears to become a medical scribe in nursing homes and medical assistant in a homeless shelter. Additionally, Andrew volunteered at New York-Presbyterian to assist patients during their most challenging moments. These foundational experiences fortified his desire to become a physician.

Andrew enrolled in A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). Its unique curriculum allowed him to return to New York City and complete his clinical education in underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens. His passion for family medicine blossomed as he worked closely with marginalized individuals in federally qualified health centers and community hospitals.

Along the journey in medicine, he was fortunate to meet the love of his life, Treza Mwangi. Together, they have fearlessly ventured into uncharted territories, offering unwavering support during life’s trials. Their bond is strengthened by a mutual admiration of Earth’s natural beauty, and they often find solace in hiking trails, coastlines, and discovering hidden gems nestled in small towns. Their favorite activities include kayaking, ziplining, biking, and horseback riding. When they’re not feeling adventurous, they enjoy cooking meals, binge watching shows, playing video games, and going on long walks around the neighborhood. Andrew and Treza are thrilled to start the next chapter of their life in the Pacific Northwest!

Grace Merritt, MD

Hometown: Boulder, CO

Medical School: University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine

Grace was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, where she grew up exploring the beautiful Rocky Mountains. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she developed an interest in the intricate connection between physical and mental health. After graduating, Grace worked as a phlebotomist and medical scribe for an integrative medicine physician, solidifying her passion for integrative medicine and the importance of considering a holistic view of every patient.

Grace attended medical school at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine in Burlington, Vermont. Throughout her time in medical school, she remained dedicated to promoting wellness among her peers, leading the yoga student interest group and mentoring premedical and medical students.

Grace is thrilled to join the TFM family and continue her medical training in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Her clinical interests include reproductive health, obstetrics, pediatrics, integrative medicine, and behavioral health. Outside of medicine, she enjoys exploring new running and hiking trails, bird watching, gardening, practicing yoga, and listening to music.

Kathryne Mitchell, MD

Hometown: North Pole, AK

Medical School: University of Washington, School of Medicine

Kathryne grew up in a small town in Alaska filled with streetlights decorated like candy canes and streets named Santa Clause Lane. Her first taste of medicine came when she trained and began working as an EMT and firefighter at her local fire department. She fell in love with serving her community. She earned an undergraduate degree in Emergency Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and certified as a paramedic all while pulling full shifts on the firetruck and ambulance. After relocating for her spouse’s military service, Kathryne had the opportunity to see how field medicine was done in other communities, inspiring her to further her education and become a physician. She prepared for medical school by diving into the sciences at Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington and was admitted to the University of Washington School of Medicine.

During medical school, Kathryne focused on women’s health and obstetrics, medication for the treatment of addiction, and rural medicine completing rotations throughout Alaska and Western Washington in rural and urban hospitals. Kathryne also helped to build mentorship opportunities for rural youth interested in medicine and for medical students during their training. She wanted to make sure other first-generation students like herself knew there was a place in medicine for them. Kathryne is ecstatic to start her career as a family physician with Tacoma Family Medicine Residency and to continue her training in the beautiful PNW. She has a particular interest in obstetrics, gynecologic care, addiction medicine, and community health. She loves taking care of both individuals and families from the beginning of life to the end. The breadth of service offered by family physicians is what drew her to this specialty.

Outside of medicine, Kathryne can be found playing board and card games with her husband and friends, chasing after her house full of pets, playing co-ed volleyball, settling down with a good book, or off finding an adventure in the mountains.

Treza Mwangi, DO

Hometown: Lake Placid & Miramar, FL

Medical School: A.T. Still University of Osteopathic Medicine, Arizona

Treza was born in Kisumu, Kenya and moved to the United States at the age of 3. For 10 years, she and her family lived off the grid on a 10,000-acre cattle ranch in the heart of Lake Placid, Florida. Her mother, Zilpah, was a special education teacher, and her father, Stanley, was completing postdoctoral research. Being surrounded by the endless marshlands that were fed by the tributaries of Lake Okeechobee sparked her love of natural sciences.

Growing up, one physician left an everlasting impression on Treza because he cared for her entire family and delivered her sister, Stacey. She wished to have this impact on others as a physician in the future. Shortly after moving to south Florida, Treza simultaneously earned her high school diploma and associate degree at the age of 18. She then joined Florida International University for her undergraduate studies. During this time, she explored the healthcare system through the lens of a medical scribe and medical assistant. On the weekends, Treza tutored her peers, volunteered at an equine therapy center for children with disabilities, and accompanied her brother Irvin at his soccer games. These formative encounters not only shaped her personal growth, but also profoundly influenced her vision to become a family medicine physician.

With this vision in mind, Treza attended A.T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). The school’s unique curriculum allowed her to complete all her clinical rotations in the culturally colorful world of New York City. She immersed herself in the complexity of medicine in urban underserved communities and witnessed the lasting impact of quality healthcare.

Medicine also gave Treza the chance to meet the love of her life, Andrew Fu. They navigated the challenges of the concrete jungle and realized the importance of expanding their horizons with new experiences in nature. Together, they rode horses through the forests of California, kayaked with otters in Monterey Bay, zip-lined through the fall foliage of the Catskills, and unwound in the hot springs of Colorado. Now, their chapter as first-generation physicians begin in the beautiful city of Tacoma, Washington!

Ashlyn Richie, MD

Hometown: Seibert, CO

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine

Ashlyn grew up on the eastern plains of Colorado in the small rural-frontier town of Seibert, boasting a graduating high school class of nine. Her journey toward a career in medicine was deeply influenced by her father’s battle with Multiple Sclerosis, which ultimately led to his passing during her sophomore year of college. Inspired by this experience, Ashlyn was driven to pursue a path in medicine with a focus on improving healthcare accessibility and addressing social determinants of health.

As a first-generation student, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) with a major in Biology and minors in Leadership and General Communication. During her time at UCCS, Ashlyn worked for three years as an emergency department scribe in a Level 1 Trauma Center where her interests in medicine and confidence grew.

In medical school at the University of Colorado, Ashlyn opted for a rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) in Wray, CO, where she cultivated a passion for full-scope family medicine and cherished the continuity of patient-care relationships. Outside her academics, Ashlyn volunteered and was a site lead for CU Street Medicine – a mobile outreach program increasing access to healthcare for unhoused neighbors. Both experiences gave her an appreciation for the stories and struggles of urban and rural underserved populations.

Ashlyn is excited to make the move to the beautiful PNW and join the TFM family. Her interests within family medicine include obstetrics and reproductive health, street medicine, rural health, LQBTQ+ care, and health equity. Outside of medicine she has not mastered skiing like many Coloradans but enjoys the outdoors whether she is hiking, biking, kayaking, or camping – all with the company of her golden retriever pup, Wally. She loves a good book, farmer’s market, and cup of coffee, as well as being the cool aunt to her new niece.