Other Clinical Faculty

Here are some bios and pictures from just a subset of our other amazing faculty.

Aneela Ahmed, MD (she/her)

Psychiatry

I am a Geriatric Psychiatrist at CCRMC, the place I love. I graduated from Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan and completed my Psychiatry residency and Geriatric Psychiatry fellowship at a renowned geriatrics program at UTSW in Dallas, Texas in 1999. I started my career at CCRMC in August 1999, thinking I would move to another job in CA soon thereafter. But almost 15 years later, I am still at CCRMC. I have great passion to serve the elderly in Contra Costa County. I love my job. What also keeps me so interested in CCRMC is the Family Practice Residency program. I am very lucky to work with dedicated, motivated, intelligent, empathic residents. Every day, I learn something from them. I enjoy teaching and interacting with residents - having fun, seeing patients with them and igniting a passion to care for the elderly. I am very lucky to be part of this strong residency program. In my fifteen years here, I have seen many residents bloom into extraordinary faculty members.

Vijay Bhandari, MD (he/him)

Internal Medicine

I went to the UC-Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program, then did my residency in Internal Medicine at UCSF, where I graduated in 2008. I've been at CCRMC ever since, and I can't imagine working anywhere else! What drew me to CCRMC was the incredible sense of warmth and comradery, the vulnerable yet resilient patients we serve, and my passion for teaching. Ever since my involvement with Teach For America (Corps year '97), I knew I wanted teaching to be at the core of my job as a physician, and I love how our extraordinary residents keep me on my toes. I work in the hospitalist group at CCRMC, Internal Medicine clinic at the Concord Health Center, and Endocrinology clinic at the Pittsburgh Health Center. Outside of work, I love going on adventures with my wife, Melanie, and our 2 children, Thomas and Sage.

Nichole Boisvert, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area:Family Medicine Clinic, Prenatal care/continuity deliveries, Hematology/oncology

Born, raised, and trained on the East Coast (I grew up in New Hampshire and trained at Georgetown), I knew I had to come west to find an excellent full-spectrum family medicine program, and I could not have been happier to match at CCRMC. Though I had originally planned to do more global health, life and COVID happened, and now I've been here for a decade. I work at the West County Health Center, the same site where I had my continuity clinic as a resident, and am in awe at the relationships I've developed with patients and families over the time. It's such a gift to watch kids I've delivered grow, take care of multiple generations of families, and see people heal. It's also been one of my greatest joys to precept residents and watch them become incredible clinicians. My particular interests are prenatal care, reproductive health, hematology/oncology, and palliative care. I also have a strong interest in the body-mind connection and the somatic manifestations of trauma and hope to spend more time working with that in the future. Outside of medicine, I love reading and writing (poetry/nonfiction primarily, occasional fiction), yoga, exploring the coast in the winter, and hanging out with/walking my silly sweet dog Pippin.

Jeff Chiu, DO (he/him)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area:Emergency Medicine

I went to medical school at Touro University (right across the bridge in Vallejo, CA), and trained in Family Medicine at San Joaquin General Hospital near Stockton, CA. I started out wanting to become a primary care physician in the Kaiser system, but somehow ended up training at a county trauma center and began my career unexpectedly in the Emergency Room. After working at 5 different hospital systems across the Bay Area, I considered myself lucky to have discovered and landed at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center. It is truly an amazing place to be: I love my coworkers, the mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the underserved, and the culture where family medicine physicians get to practice full-spectrum medicine with our area of focus/interest. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing sports, and getting to know people over a cup of coffee or meal.

Madeline Eells, MD (she/her)

Obstetrics/Gynecology

Clinical Focus Area: Labor and Delivery, Women's Health

I grew up in California but went to residency in Phoenix, AZ. I worked at a small hospital on the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona prior to coming to Contra Costa. One of my main professional motivations is to empower my patients to make informed choices about their body. I love working in all aspects of obstetric and gynecologic care. Similarly, I love teaching anyone willing to learn about women's health! When I'm not working, I like to organize board game nights and explore the local restaurants/breweries. I have two huge (14lb), old cats who I love like children. Feel free to show me pictures of your pets!

Chris Farnitano, MD (he/him)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine Clinic, HIV Medicine

I'm a graduate of Duke Medical School and a family doc and HIV specialist. I completed my family medicine residency at Contra Costa in 1994, and I've been on the faculty ever since. I love this place. My career has included working in the hospital and emergency department, delivering babies, and of course lots of outpatient care. I helped start the first HIV clinic at the Pittsburg Health Center in 1995. I've served as Assistant Residency Program Director, Family Medicine Department Chair, Ambulatory Care Medical Director, Director of Process Redesign and System Integration, and County Health Officer. I currently see patients in my family medicine and HIV clinics in Pittsburg, and I precept our fantastic residents in their family medicine clinics. When not working I am taking road trips, hiking, studying history, or spending time with my wife, 3 sons and 2 granddaughters.

Stu Forman, MD (he/him)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: ICU, Gastroenterology

Stuart Forman graduated from the CCRMC Family Medicine Residency in 1993 and never left. Before his daughter was born he did everything from C-sections to debriding gunshot wounds, but he's settled down since and now is the Medical Director of the ICU. He also is a part time Gastroenterology Registrar doing full spectrum GI procedures and is a Family Medicine Surgery Registrar. His special interests are procedural medicine, including ultrasound, and critical care medicine. He is the founder of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Group on Hospital Medicine and Procedural Training, and has published two articles on procedural training in Family Medicine residencies in the Family Medicine Journal. A geek in every sense of the word, he is an avid amateur astronomer and he knows his way around a 20-sided die.

Erik Gonzalez, MD

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine

Hello, my name is Erik Gonzalez. I am an outpatient preceptor, and I work at the West County Health Center in San Pablo as a primary care provider. I grew up in Pacoima, California. I am a first-generation high school and college graduate. I am a Latinx, neurodivergent nerd who before becoming a doctor worked in a bevy of white collar, blue collar, and no collar jobs. I went to UC Davis for undergrad and post-bacc. After 5 years of odd jobs, I went to Drew-UCLA for medical school. I completed residency at CCFMRP in 2015 and stayed on as a staff physician.

Jenny Guss, MD

Psychiatry

Clinical Focus Area: Psychiatry and Psychology

I have been the chair of the department of psychiatry and psychology at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers since 2022. Since becoming chair, I have focused on expanding ongoing provider education in our health system and increasing my department's role in teaching resident physicians in our family medicine residency program. My time with Contra Costa Health Services began in 2009, when I graduated from the psychiatry residency program at the University of Pennsylvania, and I have remained with the County ever since. I received my MD from New York University School of Medicine. I appreciate being in the County's integrated health system which allows for greater collaboration among specialties, the opportunity to be clinically innovative, and to deliver the best care possible.

Kim Haglund, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Inpatient Medicine, Inpatient Informatics, Wound Care

I went to University of Michigan for medical school and have been at CCRMC since starting as a resident in 2001. After graduation and doing full-spectrum Family Practice and inpatient Family Medicine Surgery Service for 8 years, I gave up my family practice clinic to take on my half-time Inpatient Informatics role in February 2013. In that role, I focus on tweaking ccLink, our electronic health record (Epic-based), so that review of patient information and workflows for hospital staff are as streamlined as possible. I still do a lot of inpatient clinical work with the Department of Hospital Medicine and have a special interest in wound care. Outside of work, I spend lot of time hiking with my dog, paddling on the Russian River, and perfecting my favorite recipes.

Kathy Hamlin, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine, Procedures

I feel very grateful to be a part of the Contra Costa family. After graduating from UCSF, I completed my residency training with Contra Costa in 2016. Since then I have been working at the Pittsburg Health Center as a PCP and a preceptor in Family Medicine. I run a clinic performing Minor Procedures as well. I love being involved in a vibrant and active residency program, and I feel inspired every day by the people I work with, particularly the residents here. I feel lucky to be able to incorporate procedural skills and teaching into my practice as well. When I’m not in clinic, I am usually spending time with my husband and my two girls (ages 5 and almost 8) and our sweet dog Sox. We enjoy going to playgrounds, going to the pool and checking out library books. From time to time I may also bake some banana bread or do a little drawing.

Mariel Lougee, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Obstetrics, addiction medicine, and street medicine

 I am originally from Minnesota and came to Contra Costa because of its strong full-spectrum training in both OB and inpatient medicine. I stayed at Contra Costa as an attending, where I now work in our OB department and our Public Health department with our Healthcare for the Homeless program. I get to use my broad training every day, between seeing high-risk prenatal patients, providing abortion care, and providing healthcare for folks living on the street and in our county shelters. I am double boarded in both family medicine and addiction medicine and get to precept our residents on Labor & Delivery, in clinic, and in our street clinics. When I am not at work, I enjoy baking and exploring California state parks with my husband.

Sarah McNeil, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Women's Health, Reproductive Justice, Academic Medicine

 I came to Contra Costa Family Medicine residency from the East Coast for the strong OB and abortion training. I always wanted to work in the public sector and was lucky to get a job here after residency over 10 years ago. I am currently the Medical Staff President of the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center hospital and clinics. Outside of my Contra Costa work, I am on the board of TEACH (abortion training) and a Planned Parenthood abortion provider. Beyond work, I love hiking in the Berkeley hills, enjoying California weather, and eating at the 1000s of amazing local restaurants.

Dan Moring-Parris MD, AAHIVS (he/him)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine Clinic and HIV medicine

I am originally from slightly upstate New York and started my training at the University at Buffalo Medical School and completed Family Medicine residency at the Stanford-O’Connor Hospital in San Jose, California. I had always wanted work at Contra Costa given its strong history of Family Medicine training and encouragement of learning in multiple practice areas. Most importantly, the patient population is what keeps me here. Our patients come from all over the world and right around the corner. I have been providing primary care (peds, adults, prenatal, HIV) at the Miller Wellness Center and North Richmond Health Center and precepting in the family medicine clinics for 10 years, and feel I am encouraged to learn and expand my skills all the time. I am well supported by my colleagues and love working with the residents. I worked as a Core Faculty member for several years and now also work at the UCSF HIV warmline which compliments my HIV work for the county.

My wife (Ruxi Radu-Radulescu) is an OB/GYN here, and we have two little kids and 3 cats. We love hiking and cycling and visiting local parks.  

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine Clinic, HIV Medicine

I graduated from the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program in 2003 and was a resident at CCRMC from 2003 to 2006. Since then I have practiced family and HIV medicine at Richmond Health Center, which is now the West County Health Center. I serve on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committees. My interests include health informatics, science fiction, and sustainable living.

Mana Pirnia, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine Clinic

I came to CCRMC by way of Southern California, where I attended osteopathic medical school and studied public health. I fell in love with Contra Costa's full-spectrum family medicine training during my medicine sub-I here in 2013, graduated from the residency program in 2016, and have stayed on since to practice family medicine in a variety of settings and continue to work with our amazing residents as a clinic preceptor. I am perpetually impressed with the compassion, focus and energy each class brings to our community. Outside of work, I can be found at my pottery wheel in my shed, in the garden, or on one of our amazing Bay Area trails.

Ashley Porteus, DO (she/her)

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Inpatient Medicine, Palliative Care, Wound Care, Chair of Ethics Committee

I grew up in Portland, OR and never thought I would leave the Northwest. However, life doesn't always go according to plans and I ended up moving to Southern California for medical school. This decision changed my life forever as I met my husband in medical school and together we pursued our passion of working with the underserved by going to residency here at CCRMC. After graduating from residency I joined the Department of Hospital Medicine. I love our hospital culture, the interdisciplinary comradery, and working together to provide compassionate care to a vulnerable patient population. Our registrar system is one of a kind and allows tailored learning to meet the needs of a changing medical culture. When I'm not at work, my husband (Brent, also a Hospitalist at CCRMC) and I enjoy traveling, getting outdoors and hanging out with our 3 crazy toddlers!

Lisa Rodelo, MD (she/her)

Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: OB, Women's Health, Addiction care, Deputy Health Officer for Contra Costa Public Health

Hi! I graduated from this residency program in 2013 and then joined the OB/GYN department afterwards. I am the Deputy Health Officer at Contra Costa Public Health. My primary clinical practice focuses on providing addiction care and obstetrical care for patients at Contra Costa Health and general primary care at La Clinica de La Raza part-time. I am conducting work on improving how substance use disorders are perceived, diagnosed, and treated in the perinatal period and beyond. I really enjoy teaching residents on labor and delivery and in my addiction medicine clinic. I am a keen Star Trek fan and currently reside in Martinez with my husband, son, and many, many animals.

Jim Walls, MD (he/him)

Residency Faculty: Rotation Supervisor for Redwood and Manzanita

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine Clinic, Minor Procedures

Prior to pursuing a career in medicine, I spent my first four years after college working in R&D for a consumer product company. I grew disillusioned with the corporate world and wanted to do something more meaningful. I initially thought I wanted to do Emergency Medicine, but after ER and FQHC experience, I saw how much of a difference continuity can make and how lack of access to quality primary care led to preventable acute care visits. For residency, CCRMC was my #1 choice because I was looking for an unopposed program that would provide rigorous, broad-spectrum training, which would prepare me to provide quality primary care for underserved patients. And CCRMC did not disappoint. But it's the people at CCRMC that really make this place special and that is the reason why I stayed on after finishing my residency training in 2014. I am a husband, a father, a PCP at the West County Health Center, and a preceptor. I have a specialized interest in clinical procedures.

Jose Yasul, MD

Family Medicine

Clinical Focus Area: Family Medicine, Musculoskeletal Clinic

Before Medicine, I was an actuary working on pension plans and health care plans as a Benefits Consultant. I graduated from St. Louis University Medical School in 2002. I was fortunate to be accepted at CCRMC Family Medicine residency and graduated in 2005. I was one of 3 co-Chief residents for my class. Since graduation I have worn many hats in service to Contra Costa County. Clinically, in addition to family medicine clinic and precepting residents, I run a resident education-focused Musculoskeletal clinic. In the past I have served as a Orthopedics and a Urology Registrar. I was the chair of the Department of Family Medicine and served as the Medical Director for Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP), the Medi-Cal managed care plan for Contra Costa County. I live with my wife (Laura), son (Max), and dog (Buddy) in Martinez, where my wife and I have lived since starting as a resident in 2002. My hobbies include disc golf, basketball, tennis, and microbreweries.