Alumni

Madeleine Durand, MD After residency, I am joining the Park Ridge office of Midwest Center for Women’s Healthcare. I will be affiliated with Advocate Lutheran General and Resurrection Hospital. I am excited to be starting my career as a general obstetrician and gynecologist and to be serving the Chicagoland community. I am very thankful to the Masonic family and to all of the teachers and mentors that I have learned from throughout this journey.

Gordon Skeoch, MD “Upon completion of my residency training, I chose to stay in the Chicago area and join a group in Munster, Indiana at Franciscan Alliance. There, I will continue to put the full breadth of my OBGYN training into practice as a generalist. In addition to the surgical skills, clinical reasoning, and quality obstetric care that I acquired through my residency at Illinois Masonic, I will also be taking a wealth of personal and professional relationships. I feel very confident in my transition from resident to attending, and I am extremely grateful to all my mentors, colleagues, and staff members at Illinois Masonic for their ongoing involvement in my growth as an OBGYN generalist."

Caitlin Walker, MD After residency I will be joining a private practice in the sunny state of Arizona! I’m joining a group of women at Lilac Ob/Gyn and can’t wait to start getting to know my patients. I’m grateful for my four years of training at AIMMC including my exposure to high-risk obstetrics and my extensive hands-on experience with minimally invasive gynecology. I know it will serve me well as I start on my journey as an attending. If I’m not busy with work, I’m busy elsewhere — hanging out with my friends, family, or doggo (Emmy!), climbing with Cody on my Peloton bike, kicking hard in a taekwondo class, trying out a new brunch spot, hiking up a mountain, or getting lost in a good book.

Monica Lai, MD "After residency, I will be joining a private practice group in Chicago called Women's Health Consulting, affiliated with Northwestern Hospital. I am very excited to be serving the Chicago community in general OBGYN. I am grateful to all of the attendings and staff at Masonic who have molded and prepared me to begin the next step in my career."

Kirthika Vijayakumar, DO "After completing my residency, I will be working for Franciscan Alliance in Munster, IN where I will be practicing full spectrum OBGYN. I feel ready and excited to start my career after my excellent training at Masonic. I feel confident in my skills as a clinician and a surgeon and am eager to serve the small community in Indiana as an attending physician!"

Imaan Ansari, MD "I am very excited to be staying near my family and friends in Chicago. I will be working with the private practice group NorthShore Associates in Gynecology and Obstetrics (NSAGO) at NorthShore Hospital in Evanston! I have always planned to be a generalist and Illinois Masonic has prepared me even more than I could have hoped. I am confident in my skills and knowledge moving forward in both Gynecology and Obstetrics. I feel very surgically and clinically competent. I am extremely grateful to the mentors, teachers, and friends at Masonic that have helped me achieve this. My interests include food, travel, and my dog Mochi! "

Yahaira Plata, MD "Upon completion of my training, I moved back to the west coast. I joined the Kaiser Permanente Group, practicing full scope general OBGYN. After 8 years in Chicago, I’m excited to be home with my family! I look forward to showing my daughters all the beauty of Southern California and I’m excited to start this next step in my career."

Tiphany Jackson, MD "I am looking forward to starting my career here in Chicago at Erie Family Health Centers/Northwestern Medicine. I am looking forward to working with communities that have been traditionally underserved in our city and believe that my training at Illinois Masonic has uniquely prepared me to provide excellent obstetric and gynecologic care. I am very confident in my skills as a clinician and a surgeon as I begin this next phase of my journey. When not working, I enjoy traveling, exploring the Chicago food scene, and spending time with friends and family."

Katherine Tadros, DO "I was lucky enough to stay in the great city of Chicago after residency as a generalist in private practice with Nye Partners in Women’s Health. My training at Masonic helped prepare me for life as an attending with extensive surgical experience, a wide variety of high risk obstetric volume, and great autonomy in patient management and decision-making in my chief year. I am grateful for the well-rounded training I received and my mentors who helped me along the way."

Maggie Pham, DO "I am excited to begin my OB/GYN career back in my home state of sunny California! I started working with a group practice in West Covina, CA. I feel my training and IMMC has prepared be for any obstetric or gynecologic challenge, and I am confident in my skills as a provider and surgeon. In my spare time I enjoy traveling, fitness, yoga, and eating."

Kate Roberts, MD "After completing residency, I moved to Milwaukee, WI where I now work as a generalist OB/GYN in a small group practice. My training at AIMMC has provided me with an excellent framework to transition from resident to attending, and I am confident in my skills as both clinician and surgeon. In my free time I enjoy traveling, musical theatre, and exploring my new hometown."

Ashley McClary, MD "After completing residency, I moved to Bend, Oregon and took a job as a general gynecologist. I am practicing gynecology only with an emphasis on surgical gynecology. Residency at Illinois Masonic prepared me well for both obstetrics and gynecology. I left feeling very confident to become a surgical gynecologist due to our high volume surgical training."

Daniel Miller, MD "After residency, I joined a small private practice as a generalist serving nearby Park Ridge and Elk Grove Village. At Masonic, the patient volume, surgical exposure, and independent decision-making, especially during chief year, gave me the confidence and experience to manage patients both while present in the hospital and while on call outside the hospital. The flexibility required by a smaller program realistically reflected the day-to-day life of private practice."

Rachel Parritz, MD "After residency I moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where I work in a large private practice. Every day of residency was both challenging and exciting. The excellent teaching prepared me to become a competent OBGYN. I left with the knowledge I needed to safely manage obstetric complications, to perform difficult gynecologic and obstetric surgeries, and to manage a busy clinic. The urban location and large, diverse, patient population prepared me well to care for patients with different backgrounds and various needs."

Stacy Butler, MD "I am enjoying my post-residency life as a general OB/GYN. I feel my training and preparation at Illinois Masonic Medical Center prepared me well for the professional life of a general OB/GYN. My surgical training and experience with high risk OB at Masonic has served me well. The chief experience at Masonic prepared me for home call and managing patients as an independent OB/GYN."

Kelli Kilgore, DO "After completing residency, I moved to the northwest suburbs of Chicago to work in private practice as a general OB/Gyn with privileges at Good Shepherd Hospital. I have the opportunity to work with a diverse patient population that provides a good mix of obstetrics and gynecology. Residency at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center prepared me with the skills and knowledge to make a smooth transition to private practice and to be a confident practitioner. Our volume in surgical training, especially in minimally invasive surgery and the da Vinci robotic surgical system, provided me with the necessary skills to confidently perform many gynecologic surgeries right out of training. In my free time, you will find me running, cooking, and spending time with my husband and two children."

Louisa Griggs, MD "I work in a private practice in Hoffman estates IL with two other women. My experience at AIMMC prepared me to provide obstetrical and gynecological care to a diverse range of women. I live in Palatine, IL with my husband where we tinker on projects in our new house."

Ernest Powell, MD "I am currently on staff at Advocate Trinity hospital on the south side of Chicago. I am in a three person AMG group and my office is on 25th and King drive. I have a busy gynecology practice along with a mix obstetrics patients. I feel my training at Masonic gave me the skills and more importantly the confidence to begin my career as an attending."

Kemoria Granberry, DO "I am currently on staff at Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru, Il. I love my job! I've enjoyed the balance of both high risk obstetrics as well as office and surgical gynecology while serving in a community with diverse needs. Being a "city girl" at heart, it has been a pleasant journey into small town America. My practice is unique in that it is situated centrally, serving as a referral center for both obstetrics and gynecology. As such, I see a wide range of patients from diverse backgrounds while enjoying the relaxed pace of the country. When I am not at work I am enjoying family, friends and singing. I am grateful for the well rounded training I earned at AIMMC. I left feeling well prepared for life as a generalist."

Lena Braginsky, MD "I am currently a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellow at University of Chicago Medical Center/Northshore Evanston Hospital. I'm excited to expand my training in high risk obstetrics amongst a diverse patient population. Thanks to the excellent clinical and surgical training that I received at Illinois Masonic, I feel well prepared to manage the broad range of both medical and surgical dilemmas that we encounter in our field. The OB/GYN physicians at Masonic are very supportive of one another, making for a fun and positive work environment."

Bridget Buyea, MD "I am currently practicing in Chicago as a generalist OB/GYN at Heartland Health Centers. I am excited to be able to continue providing care to underserved communities in Chicago. Completing my residency at a busy community program like Advocate Illinois Masonic has prepared me to be an well-trained, independent, and confident physician. In my spare time I enjoy being outdoors, traveling, and trying new things."

Katy Kemnetz, MD "I am a general OB/Gyn in Naperville, IL with DuPage Medical Group. My days include a good mix of obstetrics, office, and gynecologic surgery. I take call with three other women, and we are enjoying our busy practice. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, dining out with my husband, and playing with our two attention-seeking cats"

Kimberly Bannon, MD "I was lucky enough after graduation to have the opportunity to remain at Advocate Illinois Masonic and join the OB/GYN Faculty Group. This group is a wonderful mix of more experienced physicians as well as newer graduates, and at the same time, I'm still able to remain working with the residents and medical students. This allows me to be involved with obstetrics, gynecology, and both resident and private patients, and look forward to the variety. I very much enjoyed my time at AIMMC, and that is why I chose to stay. In my free time, I enjoy exploring Chicago on my bicycle, and spending time with
my husband John and dog Harp."

Julie Springer, MD "After residency I moved to Arlington Heights and joined Northwest Women’s Consultants. I love delivering babies and this group allows me to do just that. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my nieces and nephews and working on my new house."

Allen Clark, MD I joined private practice in South Bend, Indiana at Michiana Obstetrics and Gynecology. It's a great practice with a good balance of low and high risk obstetrics as well as benign gyne surgery and urogynecology procedure.”

Mathew King, MD “After graduation I moved to Washington D.C. to join a large private OB/GYN practice. I now have a great mix of obstetrical, gynecologic, office, and hospital based responsibilities. The hands-on clinical training that I received at Masonic has definitely helped me to feel comfortable in taking care of the wide variety of women's obstetric and gynecologic needs that I have encountered in practice so far. OB/GYN residency at Masonic was a challenging experience, but an experience that I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to go through with amazing attendings, co-residents, and supportive staff.”

Anita McCarthy (formerly Bordoloi), MD “I am currently practicing general OB/GYN at Erie Family Health Center with privileges at Swedish Covenant Hospital on the North Side of Chicago. Erie Family Health Center is a large network of federally qualified health centers that provides care to over 50,000 patients throughout Chicago who are largely uninsured or underinsured. Working at Erie is not only fulfilling professionally, knowing that I am helping those who need it most, but also is helping with loan repayments for medical school. I love working with the culturally diverse patient population at Erie, which is very similar to the resident clinic population at AIMMC. I am grateful for my training at AIMMC, which I feel has prepared me to go out on my own with confidence. Also, I'm now officially Anita McCarthy :)

Riva Branch, MD “I’m currently working for the Halsted OB Gyne Faculty (AMG) practice. The practice has a wide range of OB and gyne patients. Also, being a member of the faculty, I enjoy working with residents and medical students, as well as overseeing a more diverse patient population. In my free time I enjoy playing racquetball, spending quality time with my husband, and going to brunch!”

Michelle Giannone, MD “I work at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital in New York. The hospital serves a diverse group of patients and focus on equal care for the underserved and uninsured population. While not working, I enjoy exploring New York City with my husband and Labrador Retriever, Aria. “

Kate Thompson (formerly Geaman), DO “After residency, I moved to Florida and joined a private practice in Boynton Beach & Boca Raton. My partner and I have a great patient population and provide care for women of all ages. Being in Florida, I see many perimenopausal & menopausal women and have continued to learn through practicing. My primary focus is on gynecology surgeries including robotics and urogynecology procedures, along with obstetrics. The practice has been great and I love living in sunshine!”

Kristen Witkowski, MD “After residency, I worked at Fond du Lac Regional Clinic which is a physician owned multi-specialty practice in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. I was recruited by my former chief resident, Brita McCullough. In 2015 I came back to Illinois Masonic and joined the Advocate Women’s Health practice and have enjoyed working with students and residents again. Being a resident is hard work but I enjoyed it and had excellent training, and I am very grateful to all of my attendings and colleagues at Illinois Masonic. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring the Wisconsin outdoors, traveling, golfing, and gardening.”

Rania Khan, DO “I am currently working in Denver Colorado at South Denver OB/GYN. We are a multi disciplinary practice which includes CNM's and NP's. I have been working on Robotics with the DaVinci Robot and will start an advanced course and sacrocolpopexy course with Intuitive surgical next month. My practice is a lot of fun; I enjoy a lot of diversity within the scope of women's health. I mainly see gynecologic and urogynecologic complaints and high risk OB. It's been a great job!”

Shelly Tien, MD “I am a Maternal-Fetal Medicine attending at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, IL. I completed my MFM fellowship at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. My research interests include diabetes in pregnancy, management and outcomes in abnormal placentation, obstetrics and critical care, and immunology and pregnancy. I enjoy cooking, good wine, Minnesota parks and lakes, and spending time with my husband and dog.”

Megan Graber, DO “I stayed on staff at Illinois Masonic Medical Center. I work in two offices which gives me the opportunity to see a wide variety of patients and pathology. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues who are intelligent, hard working and supportive. On the academic front, I'm currently transitioning into the position of undergraduate medical education director for the UIC students at our site. It has been interesting to learn about new teaching techniques and a good challenge applying them in the ever changing ob/gyn environment. In my free time, I enjoy running and working out. When I have an extended time off, I enjoy travelling to ski, sit on the beach or explore new cities.”

Kiarra King, MD “I currently work in Park Ridge Illinois at Lutheran General. I am a member of a small private practice that is affiliated with the hospital. I am enjoying a broad scope of practice in general obstetrics and gynecology. I am able to participate in resident education which has been quite fulfilling. I am also preparing for Oral Boards and can't wait to check that off my list of accomplishments. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family & friends, singing with my church band and shopping!”

Brita McCullough, MD “I work for the Fond du Lac Regional Clinic which is a physician owned multi-specialty practice in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. I am currently working with Dr. Kristen Witkowski who was in residency with me at Illinois Masonic. I grew up in Fond du Lac and am happy to be back home practicing OB/GYN. My residency training certainly prepared me for our busy practice. We have a good variety of obstetric and gynecologic patients. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends, running, reading, and traveling.”