Early Career Sections

Bridget Bush, MD
Anesthesiologist, Island Hospital, Anacortes
Chair
Dr. Bush is a board-certified anesthesiologist. She was born and raised in Reno, NV, completing her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Nevada Reno. She worked for the government through the Department of Energy with the Yucca Mountain Project during college and in their High-Level Nuclear Waste Engineering at the Savannah River Site, SC before entering medical school at Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans. She graduated in 2006 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and started her Internship with the US Navy at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va. After internship, she attended Flight School with the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute in Pensacola, Fla. She then worked as a Flight Surgeon with the Electronic Attack squadrons VAQ-138/133/132 out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., where she completed deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Upon resigning her active duty commission, she finally got to find a home in the Evergreen State, completing her anesthesiology residency at the Virginia Mason Medical Center. She is passionate about patient safety and appropriate reporting of unusual occurrences. When not working she enjoys reading, playing the piano, pole dancing, skiing and hiking with her husband and Greater Swiss Mountain dogs.

Amish J. Dave, MD
Rheumatologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle
Vice-Chair and AMA Alternate Delegate
Dr. Dave completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Russian and Eastern European history, biological sciences, and neuroscience. He completed his medical degree at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and his internal medicine residency training at Stanford. Dr. Dave did his rheumatology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston and completed his master's in public health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Dave is a rheumatologist at Virginia Mason Medical Center practicing in Seattle and on Bainbridge Island. He is a board member of the King County Medical Society Board of Trustees focused on preventing childhood lead exposure and gun violence in Washington state. He is a 2006 Humanity in Action Senior Fellow, a 2007 Sue Mercy Fellow, a member of the Senior Fellows Leadership Council, and a board member of the Humanity in Action Foundation. Dr. Dave is on a member of the Washington Rheumatology Alliance, the American College of Rheumatology, the American College of Physicians, and the Washington State Medical Association.

Olabode (Bode) Akinsanya, MD
Family medicine, Overlake Medical Clinics, Issaquah
Delegate
Dr. Akinsanya is a board-certified family medicine physician who treats patients of all ages. He takes a patient-centered approach to delivering cost-effective, compassionate health care with an emphasis on preventive health care and a passion for treating the whole person. He believes the best care stems from a strong relationship between a patient and their doctor, with both working toward the patient's specific health goals and overall well-being.

Catherine Yee, MD
Interventional pain physiatrist, Western WA Medical Group Orthopedics Sports, Spine & Hand, Everett
Alternate Delegate
Dr. Yee is a physician who is double-board certified in physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) and in pain medicine. Her residency training started in internal medicine in Rochester, NY, advanced training in physical medicine & rehabilitation in Chicago, and subspecialty fellowship training in pain medicine in Iowa City, IA. Her primary training and clinical focus is in managing chronic pain is with minimally invasive procedures. She approaches managing chronic pain through physical therapy, pain psychology, lifestyle changes, multimodal analgesic therapy and interventional procedures. She is a strong advocate for opioid minimization in chronic pain management by helping patients with alternative pain management methods that are safer, healthier and more evidence-based. She also encourages people to take charge of their health care through improved health literacy as a Medical Advisor to WXXI's "Second Opinion" television program.

Tsering Lhewa, MD
Pediatrics, Child and Adolescent Clinic, Vancouver
At-Large
Dr. Lhewa is a board-certified pediatrician with Child & Adolescent Clinic, where he enjoys working with a team dedicated to providing quality care for children and families in Southwest Washington. He also serves as the medical director at Innovative Services Northwest, Neurodevelopmental Center for Clark County and as the Physician Champion for Southwest Washington region of the Pediatric Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI). He moved to Southwest Washington during childhood and has since called the Evergreen State home. He did his undergraduate studies at Whitman College, medical school at University of Washington and pediatric residency at Oregon Health & Science University. He has enjoyed traveling and learning from global health work in Tibetan communities, and different parts of India and Australia. He also completed National Institutes of Health Academy fellowship program in Bethesda, Maryland and conducted biomedical research while learning more about our nation's health disparities from leading clinicians and researchers in our country. His special interests are focused on improving access and quality of care for all children and improving communication between healthcare providers and other advocates for children. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, drawing and listening to public radio.

Lola Oluyitan-Okeze, MD, MHMS
Family Medicine, 6M Geriatrics & Hospital Medicine, Seattle
At-Large
Dr. Oluyitan-Okeze, MD, loves family medicine and the opportunity it provides to be an integral part of patient care. Establishing strong, life-long relationships with patients is the reason she chose family medicine. Her patient philosophy focuses on getting to know people, not patients. She has a passion for public and global health. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family, eating at new restaurants, reading/listening to audiobook autobiographies, and snorkeling.

Elizabeth (Libby) Parker, MD
Anatomic/Clinical Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle
AMA Alternate Delegate
Dr. Parker is from Alaska, studied biology at Dartmouth College, graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine, and is currently an Acting Assistant Professor with UW Medicine Laboratory Medicine & Pathology.

Matthew Grierson, MD
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Seattle Spine & Sports Medicine, Seattle
WSMA Speaker of the House and AMA Delegate
Dr. Grierson is a board-certified physiatrist with subspecialty board certification in sports medicine. Dr. Grierson earned his medical degree from Boston University and completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Washington, where he also served as chief resident. Having experienced his fair share of dance-related injuries, Dr. Grierson appreciates the importance of finding a physician who understands the functional impact of an injury. He is medical director of the Clinic for Performing Artists (CoPA) at Seattle Spine and Sports Medicine and is committed to helping all patients across the spectrum of age, ability, and function. Outside of work, Dr. Grierson assists in shaping health care policy through his work with the WSMA and the American Medical Association. He co-founded a local non-profit (SeaPAM) that provides treatment to local performing artists who otherwise would not have access to care. When he has time, he loves spending time hiking or skiing in the mountains or baking decadent desserts in the kitchen.

Alex Hamling, MD
Pediatrics, Pacific Medical Center Canyon Park, Bothell
Liaison from WSMA Board of Trustees
Dr. Hamling is a board-certified pediatrician working at Pacific Medical Centers at their Bothell campus. He obtained his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and his MBA in Healthcare Management from the Fox School of Business at Temple University. He completed his general pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medicine Center. Dr. Hamling serves as PacMed's Culture of Disclosure Physician Champion for process resolution for unexpected medical outcomes during care. He is also active in quality improvement projects focused on pediatric care, including vaccination safety and screening for pediatric obesity and its related diseases. He served two years as the vice chair of the WSMA Young Physicians Section Governing Council, prior to being elected chair in 2017. He also serves on the WSMA CME Program Committee and Bylaws Committee. During his off time, he enjoys geocaching, gardening, walking with his daughter to local coffee shops and dancing (salsa, swing, tango, etc.)

Nariman Heshmati, MD
Obstetrics/gynecology, The Everett Clinic, Everett
Liaison from WSMA Executive Committee and AMA Alternate Delegate
Dr. Heshmati is a board-certified OB-GYN in Everett. He completed his residency at Vanderbilt University and now practices at The Everett Clinic, where he has served on numerous committees and retains one of the highest-volume clinical practices with a focus on high-risk obstetrics and minimally invasive surgery. He also serves as the medical director for Providence Regional Medical Center's obstetrics unit, which manages 5,000 deliveries per year. He strongly believes that physicians must stay active in advocacy and serves on WSMA's board and as chair of the Washington Medical Political Action Committee. In addition, he serves as vice chair of the Washington Section of the American College of OB-GYNs (ACOG) and is a graduate of ACOG's Cefalo Leadership Institute at UNC. Through these positions he advocates for many pieces of health care legislation.

Tony Quang, MD, JD
Radiology/oncology, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle
Liaison from WSMA Board of Trustees
Dr. Quang is a board-certified radiation oncologist who has been practicing medicine for 15 years. He treats cancer patients, teaches medical students and residents, conducts research, and reviews clinical protocols as chairman of the VA IRB. He takes care of patients at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. He provides consulting services for risk management, medical malpractice, hospital quality improvement/peer review, entrepreneurial IT, and biotechnology start-ups working with clients to address regulatory issues in the health care community to position companies in compliance with national standards and emerging trends. As an attorney, his areas of interest include medical malpractice, contracts, clinical trials protocols, FDA regulation, and intellectual property law.

Rasheed Durowoju, MD
Internal medicine resident, University of Washington, Seattle
Vice-Chair
Liaison from WSMA Board of Trustees
Dr. Durowoju grew up in Toronto, Canada. He earned his medical degree at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, prior to joining the internal medicine residency program at University of Washington. Before medical school, he obtained a master’s in global medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. He has strong interests in global health, health policy, and ensuring appropriate baseline healthcare needs of communities are met by the systems that serve them. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends exploring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Alicia Gonzales, MD
Family medicine resident, Providence, Spokane

Mara Hazeltine, MD
Resident, Family Medicine, Spokane
Dr. Hazeltine is from Spokane, studied psychology at the University of Washington, and then went on to teach middle school math in Colorado. She discovered an enthusiasm for family health and returned to health care. She graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine and is currently a resident at Family Medicine Residency Spokane.

Brian Mugleston, MD
Physical medicine and rehabilitation resident, University of Washington, Seattle
Dr. Mugleston is a local, having grown up in Tacoma, Washington. He earned his medical degree at UT Health in San Antonio, and afterwards came back home for a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Washington. Before medical school, he obtained a master's in education at UW and taught high school physics in Tacoma. He is interested in health policy, health education, and helping patients obtain the highest level of health and function through comprehensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation. He likes being active outside in beautiful Washington State.

Jose Carlos Flores Rodarte, MD
Family medicine resident, University of Washington, Seattle
At-Large
Dr. Flores-Rodarte was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and grew up in the Central Coast of California. He studied Philosophy & Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine before earning his M.D. and M.P.H with a focus in Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. He is currently a resident at the University of Washington Family Medicine Residency and has interests in serving Spanish-speaking, underserved populations as well as health policy and healthcare administration.

Kelsie Smith, MD
Family medicine resident, Spokane Teaching Health Clinic, Spokane

Matthew Grierson, MD
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Seattle Spine & Sports Medicine, Seattle
Liaison from WSMA AMA Delegation
Dr. Grierson is a board-certified physiatrist with subspecialty board certification in sports medicine. Dr. Grierson earned his medical degree from Boston University and completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Washington, where he also served as chief resident. Having experienced his fair share of dance-related injuries, Dr. Grierson appreciates the importance of finding a physician who understands the functional impact of an injury. He is medical director of the Clinic for Performing Artists (CoPA) at Seattle Spine and Sports Medicine and is committed to helping all patients across the spectrum of age, ability, and function. Outside of work, Dr. Grierson assists in shaping health care policy through his work with the WSMA and the American Medical Association. He co-founded a local non-profit (SeaPAM) that provides treatment to local performing artists who otherwise would not have access to care. When he has time, he loves spending time hiking or skiing in the mountains or baking decadent desserts in the kitchen.

Erin Hegarty
University of Washington, Spokane
Liaison from WSMA Board of Trustees
Chair
Erin Hegarty grew up in the Tri-Cities, before attending Baylor University for her bachelors degree in health science studies and the University of North Carolina for her masters degree in sport administration. Before coming to the University of Washington, she spent a year coaching cross country and track at the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. She is very much enjoying being a medical student and resident of Spokane. Something about which Erin is particularly passionate is the impact the practice of medicine has on the environment. Erin is excited about the opportunity to serve the University of Washington - Spokane as its WSMA representative and looks forward to learning from its members.

Erin K. Johnson
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane
Vice-Chair
Erin Johnson's journey to medicine started with a love for teaching and witnessing the many disparities in low income and underserved populations while volunteering in free medical clinics in Montana and Seattle. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in physiology. From there she attended Bastyr University's Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program in Kenmore, Washington. Knowing that continuation of schooling was necessary to meet patients' needs in Washington state, she determined to return to school to further her education. She is honored to be part of a medical school that focuses on community needs and advancement of health and science. She is also looking forward to participating in WSMA's Medical Student Council to create change and improve health care delivery. During her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, playing guitar and singing, camping with her husband, Jack, and riding horses. She grew up in Whitefish, Montana and has spent the last 10 years in Seattle attending school, volunteering, and working.

Carly Celebrezze
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Spokane
Prior to medical school, Carly graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in human physiology and then from University College London with a master's degree in global health and development. She then worked at a community health center in Wenatchee, helping to lead the outreach department. Her professional interests include global health, child health, post-operative pain management, and the use of mobile medicine to serve underserved populations, and her personal interests include traveling and adventuring. As a member of the Medical Student Section, she is interested to learn more about health care policy, advocacy, and ways in which practitioners can make a positive impact on the health care system.

Erik Risa
University of Washington, Spokane
Erik Risa is a second-year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Spokane. He is interested in otolaryngology and neurosurgery. Prior to starting medical school, he was an ethics fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University where he developed an interest for neuroethics and biomedical research, and the political and societal conversation surrounding those topics. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, music, playing soccer, and being outdoors.

Vera Schulte
University of Washington, Spokane
Vera is the WSMA Medical Student Section chair at the University of Washington in Spokane. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in May 2017 with a degree in physics. After a summer of hiking and traveling, she started medical school at the UW Spokane campus. In St. Louis, she developed a passion for health policy and advocacy, an interest which she is pursuing during her involvement with the WSMA and AMA.

Jacob Straus
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Yakima
Jacob grew up in Bothell, Washington and earned his Bachelor of Science in General Biology from the University of Washington. He attended his first lobby day in high school and has continued his engagement with the state legislature throughout college and medical school. Jacob is passionate about public health and connecting health care providers with their local, state, and federal elected officials. Outside of medical school Jacob enjoys any and all outdoor adventures including hiking, running, skiing, and cycling.

Matthew Grierson, MD
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Seattle Spine & Sports Medicine, Seattle
Liaison from WSMA AMA Delegation
Dr. Grierson is a board-certified physiatrist with subspecialty board certification in sports medicine. Dr. Grierson earned his medical degree from Boston University and completed his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Washington, where he also served as chief resident. Having experienced his fair share of dance-related injuries, Dr. Grierson appreciates the importance of finding a physician who understands the functional impact of an injury. He is medical director of the Clinic for Performing Artists (CoPA) at Seattle Spine and Sports Medicine and is committed to helping all patients across the spectrum of age, ability, and function. Outside of work, Dr. Grierson assists in shaping health care policy through his work with the WSMA and the American Medical Association. He co-founded a local non-profit (SeaPAM) that provides treatment to local performing artists who otherwise would not have access to care. When he has time, he loves spending time hiking or skiing in the mountains or baking decadent desserts in the kitchen.