Touro University California's The Current

Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari, DO Class of 2006 and a newly published author, founded FemForward Health with its mobile clinic in 2022 to bring OB-GYN care where it’s needed in the Portland, Oregon area to serve those who are not always well-served through traditional models of medicine. Her memoir, “Labor: One Woman’s Work,” takes readers on a deeply personal and transformative journey through her life...

Dr. Jonathan Revels, DO Class of 2012, shares his cross-country experiences at Touro University California, through residency and fellowships, and into his career. Along the way, he shares a roadmap for conducting research that leads to publication and discusses the evolution of an initiative to provide full-tuition scholarships to DO students. His advice to students: “Be kind.” Discover more abou...

What’s it like as a physician to know in detail what’s happening to a family member who's in distress? Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Jennifer Himmel Salch, DO 2002, and Trauma Surgeon Dr. Dawn Brown, DO 2012, discuss this very topic after having had parents who suddenly faced life-threatening medical conditions.

Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Jennifer Himmel Salch, DO 2002, and Trauma Surgeon Dr. Dawn Brown, DO 2012, discuss what it’s like to serve in the mid-2020s as a woman in the medical profession, and the importance of finding a work-life balance in the profession.

Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Jennifer Himmel Salch, DO 2002, sits with Trauma Surgeon Dr. Dawn Brown, DO 2012, to discuss Brown’s career arc prior to medical school, through medical school, and into residency as part of the inaugural “Where Are They Now?” spinoff of “The Current." Dr. Brown shares how the effects of dyslexia forced her to relearn how to read while attending medical school.

Dr. Domenica Giovannini, a 2011 graduate of the Master of Public Health program at Touro University California, has built a career of community service on the foundation of her MPH degree and recently added “Doctor” to her list of professional accomplishments. Now she’s giving back to her alma mater with service on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Dr. Jessica Mitter-Pardo, a 2022 graduate of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, details strategies to help medical students find their niche in medicine, something she characterizes as a “passion project” or “passion field” within the broader specialty of Family Medicine.

Dr. Teekz Yenpasook, a 2018 graduate of the College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Master of Science in Medical Health Sciences program and a 2022 graduate of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, leverages personal experiences and social media to bring skin care education to fellow physicians as well as the public.

Nkiruka “Niki” Anudokem, a 2024 graduate of TUC’s Joint Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies/Master of Public Health program, shares how empathy among her student peers and professors on campus helped her to complete her dual master’s degree program after her mother died.

Dr. Jennifer Himmel, a 2002 graduate of TUC’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, and TUC Alumni Board President discusses life as an Emergency Medicine Physician during the height of the Covid-10 pandemic as well as the importance of women serving in health care professions. She practices in the Tidewater area of southeast Virginia.

Dr. Maricel Dela Cruz, a Bay Area native who is a 2012 dual Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine/Master of Public Health graduate of TUC and practices in Solano County, shares her thoughts about the need to continue to add diversity among practitioners in the medical profession, as well as the importance of collaboration across specialties, and ongoing mentorship.

Dr. Kevin Carrasco is a 2013 dual PharmD-Master of Public Health graduate of the College of Pharmacy and College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California. He serves as an Emergency Department Pharmacist at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He describes a career arc that was strongly influenced by associations he made in the profession while still a studen...

Dr. Hugh Ngo is a 2013 dual PharmD-Master of Public Health graduate of the College of Pharmacy and the College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California. He serves in Toronto as the Senior Medical Science Liaison in HIV with the Medical Affairs Department at Gilead Sciences Canada. He discusses the varied career paths for those who hold PharmD degrees as well as MPH degrees,...

Dr. Karis Clarke, Assistant Dean of the College of Education and Health Sciences, Director of the Graduate School of Education, and a Professor for the GSOE program celebrates those who teach our children – as well as those who teach adults of all ages in various settings – during Teacher Appreciation Week. A series of GSOE alums share what motivates them as teachers, as well as their passion for...

Lisa Marie Smith holds two Master’s Degrees in Education from Touro University California, one completed in 2016 and another in 2019 through the Graduate School of Education. She is a special education teacher in the St. Helena Unified School District, where she has served for 15 years. Smith co-owns a pair of businesses in Calistoga with her husband – and is not afraid to clown around when the ti...

Natalie DuMont, who in 2020 earned her multiple-subject teaching credential trough Touro University California's Graduate School of Education, was raised with an appreciation of nature and later in life used that appreciation to support a career in environmental stewardship. Now she's teaching kindergartners in Vallejo, sharing with them her love of nature and the environment.

Dr. Robyn Young, a 2012 graduate of Touro University California’s College of Osteopathic Medicine who practices in the Orlando, Florida, area, shares her experiences while at Touro – to include a particularly challenging time academically – and how those experiences helped to shape her into the physician she is today.

Victoria “Tory” Gaba, who obtained her Teaching Credential through Touro University California’s Graduate School of Education before completed her Master’s in Education degree at Touro in 2016, knew early on that her “first love” was childhood education. But it was years before she taught in a public-school classroom. She worked along the way in the hospitality sector and in high-end retail before...

Ashley Cumpas, a 2016 graduate of Touro University California’s Independent Master’s in Public Health program, shares her experiences while at Touro and during her career with Solano County Public Health. She also shares the trials she and her peers shared during the Covid-19 pandemic and how her experiences during the pandemic taught her skills that make her a better public health professional.

Brenda Mitchell, a 2015 alumna of the Graduate School of Education’s Master’s program, had a 15-year career in the financial sector before she transitioned to teaching – a career that spans generations within her family. She discusses her family and career history, the traits necessary for a successful teaching career, and her roles as an Assistant Professor in the GSOE program and as a Clinical C...

Eric Worden, a 2022 graduate of Touro University California's Graduate School of Education, had a 20-year career in advertising before making the move to a teaching career. But that was always the plan. He leveraged the connections he made with his cohort of experienced classroom teachers – as well as his professors – while at Touro University California to build a network of informal mentors...

Dr. Joy Moverley, a 2012 graduate of Touro University California’s Joint MSPAS/MPH program and current director of the program, joins the podcast to share her Touro journey.

Dr. Clipper Young is a 2013 graduate of Touro University California’s College of Pharmacy and a member of the faculty in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. In this podcast, he discusses how and why he became involved with the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and the future he sees for Touro’s various community-focused programs that seek to improve the overall health of residents across Sol...

Dr. Clipper Young is a 2013 graduate of Touro University California’s College of Pharmacy and a member of the faculty in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. In this podcast, he discusses how he came to Touro, his experiences as a student, and how time with his family as a child led him to specialize in diabetes research, treatment and prevention.

Dr. Fatima Sadat, a 2016 graduate of Touro University California's College of Pharmacy PharmD program, shares how going above and beyond, networking at Touro, and building a stellar, professional reputation set her up for success in her pharmacy career.