FACULTY

Click on a name to read more.
Peter Setness Jerry Potts Allyson Brotherson  Kim Petersen Paul Erickson
Rob Johnson Chuck Anderson Dana Barr

Dave  Councilman

Robin   

Councilman
Selma Sroka  Masha Hemmati   Michelle Karsten  Abby Kirschner  Nancy Newman
Tsewang Ngodup  Lourdes Pira Michelle Schabert Nancy Scheel  Joe Sierra
Henry Kerandi Natalie Hayes   Kara Parker Brendan Cullinan Ayham Moty

 

 

 

        
Carlos Figari        

 

 

 

Paul Erickson, MD

 

My name is Paul Erickson and I am Medical Director of North Point Health and Wellness Center, a large urban community health center in Minneapolis.   I received my medical degree from the University of Minnesota and completed my residency in Duluth, Minnesota.  I practiced full spectrum family practice in a small community in northern Minnesota for ten years.  I did a Bush Fellowship, which included a fellowship in Adolescent Medicine, a Master's of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health and a Sports Medicine CAQ.  I have worked medically in East Africa, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Indian Health Service, and Appalachia.  My interests are adolescent, sports medicine, integrative and holistic approaches to health, obstetrics and pediatrics, although I am really an old fashioned family doctor at heart.

 

Robert Johnson, MD

I was an early resident in the Department of Family Practice at Hennepin County Medical Center (1974- 1977).  After completing the residency, I practiced with a small group of family physicians in the southern and southwestern suburbs of Minneapolis.  I participated as a part-time clinical faculty in the residency program from 1979-1984.  In January 1985, I joined the faculty full time. My interests in medicine include sports and musculoskeletal medicine, exercise, physical activity, and health promotion through exercise.  I serve as the director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program.  We have four sports medicine fellows participating in the one year fully accredited fellowship.  To date, 56 primary care physicians in the specialties of Family Practice, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine have completed the fellowship.  My hobbies are reading, running, skiing and golfing.  I have two grown sons ages 31 and 28 living in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Chuck Anderson, MD

Several years ago, I was an HCMC resident after which I did a Sports Medicine Fellowship year under the tutelage of Rob Johnson, MD.  After a year in private practice, I returned in 1990 as a faculty member.  My "free time" is spent with my family (wife, 3 boys and a dog), often at a sporting event and occasionally at our cabin.  My current duties include being Co-Director of our Sports Medicine Fellowship Program and the Medical Director of the Family Medical Clinic..

 

Dana Barr, MD

I was raised in Montana and attended Carroll College (Helena, MT) and the University of Washington School of Medicine (Seattle). Growing up, I was a figure skater, Girl Scout, drummer, and had a brief stint as a rock star in an all girl band in high school. I am a graduate of our residency program and have been a part of the faculty since 1996.  My special interests in medicine are obstetrics, chemical dependency, mental health and doctor-patient communication.  I love being part of the residency program and am committed to providing excellent resident education patient care.  I enjoy photography, scrapbooking, baking, anything Disney, and traveling to visit my family.  I am an avid Minnesota Vikings fan and love watching figure skating events.

 

Allyson Brotherson, MD

My name is Allyson Brotherson and I am a transplant from Trinidad in the Caribbean.  I taught Junior High School in Trinidad before coming to the United States.  I did a Master's degree in Molecular Biology, before deciding that I preferred working with people instead of sea urchins, although I did some cool work with the expression of superoxide dimutase gene.  After graduating from the University of Maryland Medical School, I worked for two years as faculty in the Family Practice Residency after two years of private practice.  I live with 2 wonderful men, my husband who has been the wind beneath my wings and our 17 year old who we are gently nudging out of the nest.

 

Dave and Robin Councilman, MD

Dave is from Southern California and Robin is from Florida.  We met in medical school at Washington University in St. Louis.  We moved to Minnesota about 8 months after we married and never left.  Together we work 1.25 time and will occasionally fill in for each other on call.  Dave works at Family Medical Center, and Robin works at North Point and a school based clinic at Washburn High School.  Dave's special interest in medicine is caring for the developmentally disabled patients, while Robin is particularly interested in health care for immigrant and adolescent patients.  Robin does a lot of her own obstetrics, and at least a couple of nights each month you will find her up on L&D delivering babies.  Aside from work we have a daughter, a son, an old cockatiel (bird), a very spoiled Old English sheepdog, a cat, and a tank full of fish.   In our scarce free time, we like to garden and read and Robin loves to quilt.

 

Masha Hemmati, MD

I was born and raised in Iran. In 1981, I graduated from medical school and practiced as a general practitioner and teacher.  In 1990, I completed Urology residency training in Iran and practiced, taught, and trained residents following my residency. Ten years ago, I moved to the Twin Cities and found HCMC as a perfect match for my heart and soul in medicine. In 2004, I graduated from the Family Medicine Residency Program and joined the faculty.  I have enjoyed the diveristy and am daily rewarded by being able to contribute to the mission of bringing health care to underserved people. My special interests include ambulatory surgery and geriatrics.

My wife and I have been married for 20 years and have one son. Our son graduated from high school in 2007, and is now in college. Outside of medicine, I enjoy my family, visiting with friends, running, biking, and golf.

 

Michelle Karsten, MD

I am a cheesehead transplant.  Born, raised and educated in Madison, WI all the way through medical school.  I moved to the Twin Cities to attend resiency.   I completed my first year at Regions Hospital in St. Paul and transferred to HCMC for my last two years and have stayed on as a faculty member here at the Department of Family Medicine at HCMC.  My areas of interest are maternity care, family planning and adolescent care.   I live in South Minneapolis not far from FMC or Hennepin Care South with my husband Jake, son Zach and two very cute mutts.

 

Abby Kirschner, LICSW

I am Abby Kirschner, the Co-Director of Behavioral Medicine in the residency.  I am originally from New York and although I have lived in Minneapolis for over 25 years, people still tell me I am a New Yorker.  I went to graduate school in Madison, ran away from home, decided to travel the country to find a place to live and ran out of money in Minneapolis.  I have worked at HCMC for over 25 years, first as a Pediatric social worker in the hospital and then as a supervisor of Peds and OB and finally in a combined hospital social work supervisor and Behavioralist in the Family Practice Residency.  When I am not doing my two jobs, I am playing tennis, gardening and visiting my family and friends in Texas, Vermont, Massachusetts and Florida.

 

Nancy Newman, MD

I've been at HCMC Family Medicine Residency since 1993.  I grew up in a small town outside of Boston.  After graduating from Carleton College I spent a few years in Washington, D.C., and then decided to go to medical school.  Nine years later after CWRU Medical School (Cleveland, Ohio) and family medicine residency and family systems fellowship (both in Rochester, NY) I moved to Minnesota.  I practice and teach family medicine both in the clinic and the hospital.  And since I am also a family therapist, I have a small family therapy practice as well.  I have particular interest in physician-patient relationships that are challenging, as well as teaching about "the family in family medicine."  Outside of medicine I enjoy gardening, camping, attending Quaker meetings and going to local playgrounds with my kids.

 

Tsewang Ngodup, MD

I joined the department as a resident physician in 1997. Fortunately, I was able to continue working as a faculty.  I enjoy spending time with my family and friends as much as I am able.

 

Kara Parker, MD

I have been faculty at HCMC Family Medicine Department for 4 years, after graduating from the program, and have enjoyed the diversity, and also the rapid change that we are undergoing.  HCMC is a place dear to my heart, and I daily contribute to the mission of bringing health and healing to people who cannot access it on their own.  In  fall 2006, I pursued my Integrative Medicine interests and began practicing Holistic Medicine at the HFA Alternative Medicine clinic, and also opened my own private practice called Seven Bridges Holistic Medicine. I enjoy assisting patients to live vibrantly and to prevent illness by encouraging them to take care of a themselves on all levels - body, mind, emotions and spirit. I savor being a physician that clients bring their supplements and wellness plans to for review, and share their experiences of care from community alternative medicine practitioners with. I also thrive on being a model for and teaching medical students and residents patient-centered holistic care in this exciting new era of medicine we area entering.

 

Lourdes Maglaya-Pira, MD

Lourdes Maglaya-Pira is one of the cool Family Practice docs at the Family Practice department at HCMC.  She is Filipina by birth, trained in OB-GYN in the Philippines in the 1980's and trained in the family practice at HCMC in the 1990's.  She has two children, a daughter age 16 and a son age 9.  She is in charge of the Gyne Block and the Uro-Gyn rotation for the G3's.  She does colposcopy clinics at FMC every Thursday afternoon.  She works a lot of clinic hours seeing her own patients and occasionally does precepting.  She is very approachable and helpful with residents' concerns.  She loves to teach.

Jerry Potts, MD

I am a native of the Twin Cities, attended medical school at the University of Minnesota, and did my family residency at Silas B. Hayes Army Community Hospital in Fort Ord, California.  I joined the Department of Family Medicine at HCMC as a faculty physician in 1987 and in 1991 was appointed Assistant Chief of the Department and Medical Director of the Clinic.  In July, 2007, I was named Chief of the Department.  My interests are in colposcopy, LEEP, and minor surgery.  I am a busy parent of two daughters ages 13 and 10.

 

Nancy Scheel, MSN, MS, MA, FNP

I have been a faculty member for the Family Medicine Residency Training Program since 1997.  As Coordinator of Nursing Home Rotation, I have been actively involved training second and third year residents in geriatric medicine.  I have enjoyed working with resident physicians and find it of great pleasure to participate in their professional and personal growth and also the contributions they have made to my professional and personal growth.  My master prepared degrees include education, anesthesia and nursing.  Pain management is a special professional interest of mine.  Included in my foremost interests are: family and friends; on-going spiritual insight; and appreciation of many cultures in the world.

 

Joe Sierra, MD

I graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, completed three years of general surgery residency at St. Joseph's Hospital in Milwaukee, and then entered private practice in Colorado.  Following seven years in private practice, I moved to Minneapolis to become a resident in Family Practice at Hennepin County Medical Center. Upon completion of my residency in 1992, I joined the family practice department as a faculty physician.  I am the father of four children, and grandfather of one, and I work hard to keep up with volleyball, baseball and concerts.  I have been married for 24 years.  I enjoy gardening, astronomy, painting and my wife's quilting.  My special interests include ambulatory surgery, urgent care and health care for the homeless.

 

Selma Sroka, MD

I was born in Minneapolis, MN on Labor Day 1947.  My parents got married after my father returned from WWII and they moved to "the city." I spent my summers on the farm and winters in the city and started learning about having a foot in different worlds.  I went to the U of M for medical school and then did my Family Practice Residency here at HCMC and joined the faculty in 1994.  I have worked at the Indian Health Board and some Community Elder Clinics. I am studying indigenous/Traditional Healing approaches and find great potential and effectiveness in these philosophies and belief systems.  My activities on community boards and organizations have taught me a great deal about differing world views as well as the commonalities that we share when we take the time to deeply listen to each other.  My special interests also include holistic/integrative medicine, spiritual healing, stress management and wellness, family-centered birth and elder/end-of-life care.  Away from work I enjoy gardening, music, creative hand work, nature, family and friends.

Natalie Hayes, MD

South Minneapolis has always been home to me.  I may not like the winter weather, but I love the diversity the city and Hennepin have to offer. I spent my youth playing at neighborhood parks and going to 'the lake' (usually Harriet). I worked odd jobs, waited tables and lived in Mexico before completing my B.A. in biology with a minor in Spanish (get to use it every day at work). I graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical school in 1999 (where my fondest memories are singing and dancing in the talent shows). I completed residency at HCMC in 2002, and returned as faculty in 2006 after working at a community clinic in South Minneapolis for several years. My personal intersts include theater, drumming, and dance (Latin, African and belly dance). My professional interests include integrative medicine, obesity, smoking cessation, and evidence-based medicine. I am very grateful every day for the opportunity to teach residents and the privilege of being a doctor. Family Medicine supports me in developing my interests and abilities while allowing me to work with and serve a diverse population.  I can't imagine doing anything I love more or doing it anywhere but HCMC.

 

 

Henry Kerandi

My name is Henry Maranga Kerandi.  I was born, raised, and educated in Kenya.  I have beeen a faculty member since July, 2005.  I graduated from the University of Nairobi Medical School and did my residency in pediatrics before moving to the USA in 2000.  I completed my Family Medicine Residency training at HCMC.  I have a special interest in travel and tropical medicine.

Brendon Cullinan, MD

I grew up outside Chicago, IL, but also lived in Texas and Germany.  I was a college Astrophysics major in Boston, where I discovered the people-side of that field to be a little thin.  I then taught high school in Florida and finally realized that the Midwest is my home and medicine my calling.  Minnesota is a great place to live; there is a humility here that coexists with an expectation of excellence in what we do.  Oh, and I was a country doctor in rural Minnesota before coming back to HCMC.  I love obstetrics and enjoy learning and teaching quality improvement and the business of medicine.

 

Didi Koka, MD

Hi, I'm Didi Koka. I work at Hennepin Family Care East Lake Clinic. Although born and somewhat raised in Southern Ohio, my childhood was broken up by jaunts to live in Boston and England, and exchanges to France and Mexico.  My parents were immigrants (from Nigeria and India) and traveling was a norm growing up.  So in that tradtion, I moved to Minnesota for residency training at Region's Ramsey Family and Community Medicine program and continued on after residency to wrok in community clinics in the twin cities before joining Hennepin.  I have special interests in community health, exercise and nutrition, and patient education.  Also, I enjoy working with immigrant and minority populations.  Outside of medicine I have many joys I balance including raising my son, exercising, gardening and writing.