CA-2 Bios

Class of 2024 Resident Bios 

Aaron Adler, MD 

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH 

Hobbies: Rock climbing/bouldering, soccer, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, dog parenting, antique bottle collecting, trying to keep houseplants alive 

What is the biggest strength of our program? Diversity/volume of cases, fellowship opportunities, amazing people 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Prior to medical school I worked as a medical assistant for a small house-call practice in the field of geriatrics 

What is your dream vacation? A multi-country tour of Southeast Asia by motorcycle with my wife 

What skills/talents do most people not know about you? I once taught myself to juggle as a kid and remain fairly decent at it 

Kyle Anderson, MD 

Hometown: Twin Cities, Minnesota 

Medical School: Iowa Carver College of Medicine 

Intern Year: Medical College of Wisconsin 

Hobbies: Cross-country/downhill skiing, running, biking, photography, meeting new people, listening to music 

Favorite Denver activity: Running in Cheesman park 

What is the biggest strength of our program? The positive culture that exists throughout the entire department. People here look out for one another, value education, and promote a culture of wellness. I think our program offers a unique combination of strong clinical training, a great culture, and a high quality of life that can’t be found in many other cities across the country.   

Kevin Bartel, DO 

Hometown: Algonquin, IL 

Medical School: Kansas City University 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver (Internal Medicine) 

Hobbies: Alpine/backcountry skiing, mountain/road biking, furniture building, food/wine, live music 

Favorite Denver activity: Leaving Denver at just the right time to avoid I-70 traffic to go skiing/mountain biking 

What is the biggest strength of our program? The people of this program have been amazing. The faculty and senior residents have all been incredibly helpful and supportive since starting my CA-1 year. I also think this program excels in its regional anesthesia training and I have really enjoyed my rotations on the acute pain service.  

What were you doing before you went into medicine? I took a roundabout way into medicine. I taught English in China and traveled overseas after college, worked in at a tech start-up in San Francisco and spent two years working and skiing in Vail before moving to Kansas City for medical school. 

What is your dream vacation? To travel to Japan, ski Hokkaido, and explore Tokyo. 

 
Alex Connelly, MD 

Hometown: Azusa, CA (Los Angeles) 

Medical School: University of Colorado 

Intern Year: Internal Medicine Residency at UC San Diego; worked as a Hospitalist at Keck/USC for three years prior to starting Anesthesia Residency at CU 

Hobbies: Both social and competitive dancing in West Coast Swing, and I have taken up scuba diving in the past year. I hope to still be able to do some high-altitude scuba while in CO! 

Favorite Denver activity: City Park Jazz, followed by Washington Park Pub Run! 

Darren Donahue, MD 

Hometown: Austin, Texas 

Medical School: UT Health San Antonio 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital Denver (General Surgery) 

Hobbies: Cycling, hiking, video games 

Favorite Denver activity: Jazz in the park 

Cierra Grubbs, MD 

Hometown: Union Grove, Texas 

Medical School: Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin 

Intern Year: HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood Transitional Year 

Hobbies: Soccer, traveling, hiking, skiing, basketball; sign me up for any outdoor adventure! 

Favorite Denver activity: All the incredible nearby hiking trails! 

Michael Jarrett, MD 

Hometown: Southern Colorado 

Medical School: University of Colorado 

Intern Year: Intern year at CU in surgery (Did gen surg at CU for 4 years, then 1 year of CT surgery prior to starting as CA-1) 

Hobbies: Writing and performing music 

Favorite Denver activity: Yet to be determined! 

Azin Kheirandish Pishkenari, MD 

Hometown: Born in Iran, raised in Colorado 

Medical School: University of Colorado 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital Denver (Internal Medicine) 

Hobbies: Yoga, hiking, organizing (the home edit is a religion) 

Favorite Denver activity: Denver Art Museum and Denver Zoo - they always have fun events 

Peter Klauck, MD 

Hometown: Broomfield, CO 

Hobbies: My indoor hobbies include cooking, brewing, and roasting coffee.  Outside, I enjoy skiing, cycling, and SCUBA diving. 

What is the biggest strength of our program? I think opportunities available at CU are incredible, you have a unique experience at each of the hospitals we rotate at, ample access to research with great faculty mentors, a quaternary care center with many fellowship opportunities, and living in Denver isn't too bad either. 

What is your favorite educational activity as a resident? As a CBY you're able to interact with the Anesthesiology department through rotations with the acute pain service, pre-procedure clinic, and one month in the operating room. 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Before medical school, I worked for several years in medical oncology research.  While I eventually decided to pursue clinical medicine, I still have a passion for basic science research. 

What is your dream vacation? I've been dreaming of traveling to the Faroe Islands for some time now.  With luck, I’ll be able to travel there soon. 

What skills/talents do most people not know about you? I'm an avid gardener who has miraculously managed to keep an extensive patio garden thriving during medical school.  I'm hoping to continue gardening during residency, so far so good. 

Tessa Klumpp, MD 

Hometown? Haymarket, Virginia. 

Hobbies? My favorite hobbies depend on the season, really. In the summer I love to hike, road bike, car camp, and go to local farmers markets. In the winter skiing pretty much takes the cake. I also love spending time with my dog, and since she can't ski snow shoeing is a close second favorite.  

What is the biggest strength of our program? My husband and I came to Colorado originally for the mountains, nearby family, and outdoor activities, but we've definitely stayed for the CU family. I could tell within my first few weeks of joining this program just how supportive the Anesthesia department is from the top leadership down. 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Before medicine I played soccer in college and studied Spanish. 

What is your dream vacation? My dream vacation is my COVID-postponed honeymoon. We had planned a trip in Corsica - to bike from town to town and eat our weight in food. The trip will happen one day! 

 
Aaron Mauner, MD 

Hometown? Highlands Ranch, CO 

Hobbies? Carpentry, 3D Printing, Tabletop games, PC videogames, hiking, snowshoeing, playing with my dogs 

What is the biggest strength of our program? The faculty. Everyone is very happy and willing to teach residents. They go out of their way to make sure that residents have learning opportunities in many different settings. 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Worked as an embryologist for 3.5 years at one of the nation's highest volume In-Vitro Fertilization labs. 

What is your dream vacation? Cabin in the mountains during the winter with a nice fire going in the fireplace and a warm beverage. 

Yoad Porat, MD 

Hometown: Israel, via California 

Medical School: Western Michigan University School of Medicine 

Intern Year: Mercy Health Grand Rapids, Michigan State University 

Hobbies: Scuba diving, hiking, board games 

Favorite Denver activity: Hiking! 

Kelsey Repine, MD 

Hometown: Denver, CO 

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital Denver (Internal Medicine) 

Hobbies: Skiing, hiking with my yellow lab Hank, Peloton competitions, reading, and finding the best hazelnut latte in town. 

Favorite Denver activity: My favorite thing about Denver is the people! I grew up in south Denver and my whole family and many of my childhood friends still live in town. My second favorite thing is all the outdoor activities that we have easy access to here in Denver. 

What is the biggest strength of our program? I knew CU was the place for me because It was so clear not only how well trained the anesthesia residents were but also how well the program takes care of its residents; in turn, the residents are able to thrive and provide really excellent medical care. This is something I looked for when selecting an anesthesia residency and I found my home at CU! 

Dominic Royster, DO 

Hometown: Bury St. Edmunds, UK 

Hobbies: Spending as much time outdoors with my wife Allie and our dogs, Winston and Jo. Whether it's hiking, camping or fly fishing, enjoying Colorado's majestic landscape provides the ideal headspace. Other activities include reading American history, cramming podcasts, cooking, and grabbing a brew with friends. 

What is the biggest strength of our program? One thing that drew me to the program is the wide range of opportunities available to the residents. 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Before medicine I was enlisted in the United States Air Force as a surgical medic. During my 8 years in the AF, I lived in San Antonio, TX and Colorado Springs, CO. It was in the military that my aspiration for becoming a physician started. I utilized the military's education benefits and took night class to start the long road to medical school. After serving 8 months in Iraq, and then Afghanistan, I realized if I wanted to finish my college degree efficiently I needed to break from service. Using the GI Bill and working as a surgical tech, I was able to finish my degree and apply to medical school. 

What is your dream vacation? Rounding up family and friends then heading to one of those Tahiti-style bungalows over turquoise water. Enjoying the beauty of the ocean's riches, with delicious food, endless cocktails, banter and laughter. 

What skills/talents do most people not know about you? As a British Expat, my British accent impressions are on point ; ) 

Brian Tashjian, MD 

Hometown: Campbell, CA 

Hobbies: Backpacking, cycling, hiking, tennis 

What is the biggest strength of our program? The people! 

What were you doing before you went into medicine? Living the college life! 

What is your dream vacation? #vanlife trip through the US and Canada 

What skills/talents do most people not know about you? I have recently developed quite the green thumb, growing plants from the seeds of grocery store fruits + veggies! 

Robert Taylor, MD 

Hometown: Richmond, VA 

Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine - Greenville 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital Denver (General Surgery) 

Hobbies: I enjoy staying active - hiking, biking, basketball, running, playing golf. I'm an avid college football fan, particularly my alma mater the Georgia Bulldogs, and I love reading/learning about history 

Favorite Denver activity: Exploring the outdoors. My wife and I welcomed our first child in July 2021. Also, the fantastic cuisine - Angelo's Taverna has the best Italian food in town! 

Erin Wylie, MD 

Hometown: Denver, Colorado 

Medical School: University of Colorado 

Intern Year: Saint Joseph Hospital Denver (General Surgery) 

Hobbies: Adventures with my boxer, Beckett! Fly fishing, skiing, and hiking the Rocky Mountains with my husband, Alex. Gardening. Tennis. Biking. Cooking at home and exploring Denver's dining scene. 

Favorite Denver activity: Biking to the Chatfield dog park, followed by Breckenridge Brewery hydration.