Meet The Team
Roberto Silva, MD
Co-Director FM UME; Assistant Director SOM Rural Program
Residency: University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency, Denver Health Track
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Clinical/Academic Interest: Rural medicine, Care of underserved populations.
Advising Expertise: Students who are undecided about residency choice, community health center/federally qualified health center residencies, rural medicine and residencies.
Email: roberto.silva@cuanschutz.edu
Roberto Silva, MD
Brandy Deffenbacher, MD, FAAFP
Co-Director FM UME; Associate Professor, Director Community & Primary Care Clerkship; Associate Director Foundations of Doctoring Physical Exam
Fellowship: UNC Family Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship
Residency: University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency
Medical School: University of Colorado
Clinical/Academic Interest: Faculty development - teaching teachers howe to teach, provide feedback, direct observation, and curriculum development.
Advising Expertise: Improving academic medicine and medical education.
Email: brandy.deffenbacher@cuanschutz.edu
Brandy Deffenbacher, MD, FAAFP
Mark Deutchman, MD
Director School of Medicine Rural Track; Associate Dean for Rural Health; Patrick and Kathleen Thompson Endowed Chair for Rural Family Medicine
Residency: Family Medicine Spokane, Spokane, WA
Medical School: The Ohio State University
Clinical/Academic Interest: Full-scope family medicine, rural family medicine, rural workforce development, and maternity care.
Advising Expertise: Defining and refining research options, choosing a career based on personal interests and aptitudes, personal financial management.
Email: mark.deutchman@cuanschutz.edu
Mark Deutchman, MD
Melissa Johnson, MD, DOCS Coach
UME Core Faculty; Director Physicians as Educators Course
Residency: University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency
Medical School: University of Colorado
Precepting Site: Westminster Family Medicine
Clinical/Academic Interest: Medical student education, outpatient family medicine (all ages), women's health (IUD's, Nexplanon placement), office-based procedures (shoulder and knee injections), and minor skin procedures.
Advising Expertise: 4th year applications, self-discovery and specialty selection, work-life balance, interview preparation.
Email: melissa.n.johnson@cuanschutz.edu
Melissa Johnson, MD
Kari Mader, MD, MPH
Director of Clinical and EducAtion Innovation, Aurora Community Health Commons; Chief Operating Officer, DAWN Clinic;
Fellowship: Community Medicine and Public Health, University of Colorado Department of Family Medicine
Residency: University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency, Denver Health Track
Medical School: University of Florida
Precepting Site: A.F. Williams Family Medicine
Clinical/Academic Interest: Women's health including obstetrics, immigrant health, community-based research and organizing for achieving health equity, innovative care for underserved populations, team-based care, and leadership training.
Advising Expertise: Supporting students in finding their "place" in any specialty, 4th year application and interviewing process, Colorado programs, Southeast programs, and academic programs with innovative curricula.
Email: kari.mader@cuanschutz.edu
Kari Mader, MD, MPH
Janet Meredith, MBA
Director of Committed to Community Program, 2040 Partners for Health
Clinical/Academic Interest: Community engagement and community engagement research.
Advising Expertise: Community engagement opportunities.
Email: janet@janetmeredith.com
Josina (Jo) Romero O'Connell, MD
Director Colorado Area Health Education Center Program Office
Residency: Exempla St. Joseph Family Medicine Residency
Medical School: University of Colorado
Precepting Site: Denver Health Montbello Family Medicine Clinic
Clinical/Academic Interest: Care of underserved populations, health professionals pipeline programs.
Advising Expertise: NHSC.
Email: josina.oconnell@cuanschutz.edu
Josina Romero O'Connell, MD
Cleveland Piggott, MD, MPH
UME Core Faculty
Residency: University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency
Medical School: University of North Carolina
Clinical/Academic Interest: Achieving the quadruple aim, behavioral health integration, advocacy, leadership development, undergraduate/residency education, and social justice.
Advising Expertise: Colorado residency programs and those in the Southeast, connections to colleagues who have trained at many large family medicine programs around the country, and couples match.
Email: cleveland.piggott@cuanschutz.edu
Cleveland Piggott, MD, MPH
