Program Director and Administration

Mark R. Nehler, MD

Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Professor of Surgery
Vice Chair for Education, Department of Surgery

Clinical Interests: Limb salvage surgery, clinical trial design, resident education and mentoring, upper extremity ischemia, advanced aortic surgery including hybrid cases, advanced dialysis access, and healthcare economics.

Hobbies/Interests: Reefkeeping, history, cooking and wine, college and professional sports, and globalization.

Medical School: Oregon Health Sciences University

Residency: Oregon Health Sciences University

Fellowships Oregon Health Sciences University

Board Certification: Vascular Surgery

Thomas N. Robinson, MD

Associate Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Professor of Surgery, GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery Division

Chief of Surgery, Denver VA Medical Center

Clinical Interests: Videoscopic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, endocrine surgery

Hobbies/Interests: Running, skiing

Medical School: Columbia University

Residency: University of Colorado Denver

Fellowships: University of California, San Francisco

Board Certification: Surgery

Kshama R. Jaiswal, MD, FACS

Associate Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Associate Professor of Surgery
Breast Surgical Oncologist

Clinical Interests: Breast Cancer, Oncoplastic Surgery

Research Interests: Health Services Research in underserved breast cancer population; time to diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in safety-net hospital; USPSTF 2009 mammography recommendations and stage migration; patient-centered outcomes in breast cancer in the underserved population.

Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern

Residency: Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern

Fellowships: Surgical Oncology Research Fellowship, National Cancer Institute;Breast Surgical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certification: General Surgery

Other Interests: Family (2 kids), yoga, fiction literature, chess

Alexander P. Morton, MD, FACS

Assistant Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Denver Health Medical Center

Clinical Interests: Minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, emergency general surgery

Research Interests: Coagulation and obesity

Hobbies: Skiing, hiking, cooking, travel

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine

Residency: University of Colorado Surgery Residency

Nicole Christian, MD, MSCS

Associate Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology

Clinical Interests: Breast surgery, women’s health

Research Interests Surgical decision making, care of special populations in breast cancer, surgical education

Hobbies/Interests: Cooking, camping, travel, family

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine

Residency: University of Colorado Department of Surgery

Fellowships: Breast Surgical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Ann Kulungowski, MD

Assistant Program Director, General Surgery Residency

Assistant Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Director of Vascular Anomalies Ctr.

Children's Hospital Colorado

Clinical Interests: Children's health, Pediatric Surgery, Cancer Surgery, Vascular anomalies

Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Residency: University of Colorado Denver

Fellowships: Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado; Board Certification, General & Pediatric Surgery, specialized training in Vascular anomalies

Daniel Valentino MD, FACS

Assistant Program Director, Memorial Hospital, Colorado Springs

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery, GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery Division

Clinical Interests: Acute care surgery, critical care, trauma surgery, complex abdominal wall reconstruction

Research Interests: Quality and process improvement

Hobbies/Interests: Travel, cooking, wine

Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Residency: Surgery Residency, Cook County Hospital/Rush University Medical Center

Paul Montero, MD

Director of Simulation, General Surgery Residency

Assistant Professor of Surgery, GI, Trauma, and Endocrine Surgery Division

Clinical Interests: Minimally invasive surgery, general surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction/hernia repair

Hobbies/Interests: Bass Guitar, Live Music, Snowboarding

Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School

Residency: University of Colorado Denver

Fellowships: Minimally Invasive Fellowship, Carolinas Medical Center

Board Certification: Surgery

Claire E.M. Travis, MA, MBA

Education Manager, Department of Surgery

Hobbies/Interests: Choral music, reading, marathon running, volunteering to make a change

Graduate School: Clark University, MBA, Healthcare Administration; Ohio State University, MA, Education

Undergraduate: Bryn Mawr College

Phone: 303-724-2685

Email: claire.travis@cuanschutz.edu

Brittney Reyes, M Ed, MHA

Surgery Residency Program Administrator

Hobbies/Interests: Attending concerts, traveling, hiking, reading and watching Auburn football

Graduate School: M Ed, Auburn University, Clinical Mental Health Counseling; MHA, University of Arizona Global Campus

Undergraduate: Texas State University, Psychology

Phone: 303-724-2680

Email: brittney.reyes@cuanschutz.edu

Jennie Almeida

Surgery Residency Program Administrator

Hobbies/Interests: Dance, Zumba, sporting & musical events, travel, time with family & friends 

Phone: 303-724-7031

Email: jennie.almeida@cuanschutz.edu

Devon Viart, BA

Surgery Simulation Specialist

Hobbies/Interests: Magic the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, Rugby, Gaming and Knitting

Undergraduate: University of Colorado (Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Philosophy)

Phone: 303-724-7309

Email: devon.viart@cuanschutz.edu

Alyssa Ontiveros, MA

Surgery Residency Database Administrator

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, photography, hiking, spending time with family and friends

Graduate School: MA, University of Arizona Global Campus (Higher Education)

Undergraduate: California State University of Monterey Bay, Human Communication (English)

Phone: 303-724-2683

Email: alyssa.ontiveros@cuanschutz.edu