1960s
Armie Harper, MD’63, participated as a volunteer surgeon during a three-week sight-saving mission in Ghana in 2025, in partnership with Orbis International.
1970s
Lathan Edwards (Ed) Settle, MD’71, HO’71, retired Dec. 1, 2025, after 52 years as a practicing physician at Baptist Health Medical Group Family Medicine.
Lowell Anthony, MD’79, HO’79, FE’82 & ‘85, was awarded the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society.
1980s
Lewis Schrager, MD’81, released his debut novel, “The Radical Radiance of the Fishing Fly,” in which a logical medical researcher, David Nichols, is drawn into the world of fly-fishing in Alaska by his brother, Larry, who has cancer.
Keith Harmon, MD’82, received the Earl G. Young MD Physician of Excellence Award at the annual meeting of Park Nicollet/ Methodist Hospital/ Health Partners in Minneapolis. This is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing clinical excellence, innovation and leadership.
Mace Rothenberg, MD, HO’82, was named a founding member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc.
Jeff Deaton, BS’79, MD’83, director of the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Center for Fertility and Reproductive Surgery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has published a book, “When Waiting Becomes Life: Encouraging Stories and Medical Advice from the Heart of an Infertility Doctor.”
Thomas (Thom) Mitchell, MD, HO’84, received the Council Meritorious Service Award from the American College of Emergency Physicians for being an outstanding leader in emergency medicine.
Denise Raynor, MD’84, released her novel, “Birthing Pains,” in January 2026. The historical fiction focuses on Laura Hampton, a new OB-GYN, trying to improve women’s health care in rural North Carolina in the late ‘80s.
Gregory (Greg) Davis, BA’83, MD’87, HO’87, was installed as the 2025-2026 President of the American Society for Clinical Pathology during the society’s annual meeting.
1990s
Michael Chang, BS’83, MD, HO’92, was promoted to Chief Physician Executive at the University of South Alabama in 2025, adding to his current role as System Chief Medical Officer. In his new role, Chang is responsible for clinical strategy, physician practice performance, safety and quality.
William (Bill) Altemeier IV, BE’86, MD’92, has been appointed the Endowed Chair in Pulmonary Diseases Research at the University of Washington.
Paul Boone, MD, HO’93, ‘94 & ‘95, has joined FryeCare Physicians Network as a board-certified neurosurgeon.
James Andrew Conrad, MD’94, has joined St. John’s Health as a surgical specialist. With over 30 years of experience as a general surgeon, Conrad has dedicated his career to providing exceptional surgical care throughout Colorado.
Arjun Srinivasan, MD’96, was appointed the Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Joint Commission in November 2025. He has more than 25 years of experience in infectious diseases, public health, and quality measurement and improvement.
Elisabeth Fowlie Mock, MD’97, MPH, was elected to the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians, an organization representing 138,000 family physicians and medical students in the United States. She is also a consultant for the Maine State Opioid Response initiative.
Josh Peterson, MD’97, MPH, FAC, professor of Biomedical Informatics and Medicine, director of the Center for Precision Medicine and Vice President for Personalized Medicine, was named chair of Vanderbilt Health’s Department of Biomedical Informatics in January. He joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2002.
Derek Abbott, MD’00, PhD’98, joined National Jewish Health as the Cecil and Ida Green Chair of the Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine in July 2025.
2000s
Neal Patel, MPH’00, FAC, Chief Informatics Officer at Vanderbilt Health, has joined Heald, a tech-enabled platform redefining diabetes care, as a strategic adviser. Patel is recognized for his leadership in clinical innovation, care transformation and digital health strategy.
Charles Shieh, MD’02, has joined Holy Name, New Jersey’s only independent Catholic health system, as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon.
Kyla Terhune, MD, MBA, HO’04, FE’07 & FE’08, EMBA’16, FAC, former associate dean for Graduate Medical Education for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Senior Vice President for Educational Affairs for Vanderbilt Health, was named the Senior Vice President for Education at the American College of Surgeons, effective Nov. 1, 2025.
Kevin Palka, MD, FE’05, has joined SSM Health Cancer Care as a board-certified hematologist and oncologist.
Anna Hemnes, MD, FE’06, FAC, professor of Medicine, director of the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, physician-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Lung Institute and director of the Center for Lung Research, was chosen to serve as the 11th chair of the Department of Medicine and system physician-in-chief for Vanderbilt Health, effective Jan. 1.
Brian Nelms, MD, FE’06, has been named as Fisk University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Nitin Gupta, MD’07, was honored by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation as the Premier Adult Healthcare Professional of the Year for his dedication to Atlanta’s IBD community, specifically adults with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Robert E. Lee Browning IV, MD’08, has joined AdventHealth Lake Wales as a general surgeon.
Philip Lammers, MD, FE’08, MCI’13, FAC, chief of Medical Oncology and medical director of Oncology Research for Baptist Cancer Center, recently became the first physician in Memphis and the Mid-South selected for the American Society of Clinical Oncology Leadership Development Program.
Brenessa Lindeman, MD’09, MEHP, associate professor of Surgery and Medical Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was awarded a research grant from the American Board of Medical Specialties Research and Education Foundation.
2010s
Jason James, MD, HO’10, was named the Chief Medical Officer of Nexus Health Systems. In this role, he will lead clinical strategy and operations across Nexus’ network of hospitals and residential treatment centers.
John Phillips, MD’10, was appointed Executive Vice President of Radiation Oncology Centers at Tennessee Oncology. He oversees the enterprise-wide radiation oncology service line, including clinical development, quality, research, radiopharmaceutical growth and strategic expansion.
Gerald (Jeb) Denny, MD, FE’12, MCI’15, has joined Medtronic, a global leader in health care technology, as Chief Medical Officer for its Acute Care and Monitoring business.
Saad Rehman, BA’13, MD’18, has joined the medical staff at Maury Regional Medical Center. He is associated with Vanderbilt Heart-Columbia.
2020s
Samuel Trump, MD’20, assistant professor of General Internal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, has been appointed medical director of the student-run MEDiC Southside Clinic. In this role, Trump will serve as mentor and adviser to the medical students on the clinic’s administrative team and will oversee the clinical care provided at the clinic.
Andrew Kuhn, MD’20, was presented with the Herodicus Award at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine annual meeting. The award is given for the best resident paper selected by the Herodicus Society, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education and research in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine.
Jeffanie Wu Gayoso, BS’19, MD’23 and Matthew Elmo Garcia Gayoso, MD’23, were married in Lake Forest, Illinois, on Aug. 9, 2025.
Kimberly Bress, an MD-PhD candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program at Vanderbilt University, was selected as the 2025 Vanderbilt Prize Student Scholar. She is interested in the application of neuroimaging technology to understand cognition and behavior in adults with neurodevelopmental differences.
Faculty Notes
Romney Humphries, PhD, FAC, director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt Health, has been named the department’s vice chair for Clinical Affairs, effective Jan. 1.
Kendra Parekh, MD, MHPE, FAC, associate professor of Emergency Medicine, has been named Vice President for Educational Affairs and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)/National Resident Matching Program Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for Vanderbilt Health, and associate dean for Graduate Medical Education for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, effective Dec. 1, 2025.
Anna Person, MD, FAC, professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt Health, was named chair of the board of directors of the HIV Medical Association.
Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH, FAC, Vanderbilt Health’s new Department of Pediatrics chair, delivered his inaugural State of the Department address Sept. 9, 2025, celebrating the success of his colleagues’ work, and laying out his vision for the future. He was appointed Aug. 15, 2025.
Timothy Sterling, MD, FAC, professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt Health, has received a five-year, $5.7 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to investigate the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
H. Keipp Talbot, MD, MPH, FAC, professor of Medicine and Health Policy at Vanderbilt Health, was awarded the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2025 Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award.
Losses
Susan Ann Buhrow, MD, FE’83, PhD’83, died Nov. 15, 2025. She was 69. Dr. Buhrow is survived by her husband of 35 years, Dr. Sidney Waldo (Wally) Whiteheart; two siblings; two children; and six nieces and nephews.
Donald Patrick Burney, MD, HO’70 & ‘77, died Nov. 23, 2025. He was 80. Dr. Burney is survived by his wife of almost 58 years, Charlotte; their three children; and two siblings. He was a hero grandpa to seven grandchildren.
Boyd Lee Burris, MD, HO’57, died July 6, 2025. He was 95. Dr. Burris is survived by his wife, Marcella; three children; and four grandchildren.
Robert Hanen Carnighan, MD’67, died Oct. 12, 2025. He was 87. Dr. Carnighan is survived by his wife of 40 years, Carol Wiedmer Carnighan; daughter; sister; and three grandchildren.
Janelle Lunette Cooper, MD’86, died July 19, 2025. She was 69. Dr. Cooper is survived by her wife, Kathleen Hanson (whom she married July 31, 2021); two children; four grandchildren; two sisters; Kathy’s East Coast family; and very special friends.
Guy Nelson Copeland Jr., MD, HO’60, died Dec. 6, 2025. He was 89. Dr. Copeland is survived by two children; sister-in-law; and five grandchildren.
Alfonso Escobar, MD, HO’73, died Aug. 24, 2025. He was 83. Dr. Escobar is survived by his wife, Gladys Escobar Viveros, with whom he shared a 63-year love story. He is also survived by three children; three grandchildren; three siblings; and many nieces and nephews.
Richard Lewis Foss, MD’70, died Aug. 26, 2025. He was 81. Dr. Foss is survived by his wife of 57 years, Evelyn; two children; and three grandchildren.
David Thomas Gilliam, MD, HO’75, died Oct. 20, 2025. He was 78. Dr. Gilliam is survived by his wife of 34 years, Rita Kerr Gilliam; and son.
Murray Heimberg, MD’59, died Nov. 17, 2025, two months before his 101st birthday. Dr. Heimberg is survived by two sons; two stepsons; two nieces; nephew; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
David Hamilton James Jr., MD’51, died July 24, 2025. He was 99. Dr. James is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ann; 11 children; 21 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Doris Yvonne Kelsey, MD’62, HO’62, died Nov. 8, 2025. She was 88. Dr. Kelsey is survived by her sister; four nieces; two nephews; and her 14-year-old Lhasa apso that she described as “the best little dog on Earth.”
Glenn Knox, MD, HO’87, died Jan. 9, 2025. He was 69. Dr. Knox is survived by his wife of 35 years, Alisa Kelsey Knox; two children; and numerous extended family members.
David Martin Lieberman, MD’49, died Oct. 28, 2025. He was 98. Dr. Lieberman is survived by his wife of 74 years, Elayne Schermer Lieberman; two children; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Edward Litkenhous, BE’57, MD’61, HO’62, died Aug. 13, 2025. He was 90. Dr. Litkenhous is survived by his wife of 66 years, Caffey Smith Litkenhous; brother; two children; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Shawna Cutting Malkoff, MD’07, died July 25, 2025. She was 47. Dr. Malkoff is survived by her husband, Michael; two children; mother; father and stepmother; sister; and other family members.
Bernard (Barney) Mathis Malloy, MD’54, HO’54 & ‘55, died Aug. 1, 2025. He was 96. Dr. Malloy is survived by three children; two grandsons; and his devoted caregiver and friend, Marie Jim Cabagnon.
Richard Hobson Morgan, MD, HO’61, died Nov. 7, 2025. He was 90. Dr. Morgan is survived by his wife of 67 years, Barbara Roser Morgan; four children; and 11 grandchildren.
Julian Lee Owen Jr., BA’55, MD’58, died Nov. 29, 2025. He was 92. Dr. Owen is survived by his wife of 64 years, Sophia; four children; and nine grandchildren.
Robert Carroll Owen, MD, HO’65, died Sept. 23, 2025. He was 88. Dr. Owen is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carole Lynch Owen; two children; sister; and many extended family members and friends.
Earl Q. Parrott, MD, HO’76, died Oct. 26, 2025. He was 77. Dr. Parrott is survived by his wife of 49 years, Celia Watson Parrott; son; two aunts; three nieces; and a nephew.
Lawrence Huitt Parrott, MD, HO’60, died Oct. 24, 2025. He was 89. Dr. Parrott is survived by his wife, Joy B. Parrott; three children; and six grandchildren.
Don L. Pennington, MD, HO’68, died Aug. 4, 2025. He was 86. Dr. Pennington is survived by his wife, Patricia Kennedy Pennington; three sons; two granddaughters; sister; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
John Callison Rawl, MD, HO’71, ‘73, & ‘74, died Aug. 24, 2025. He was 78. Dr. Rawl is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lynn Tate Rawl; daughter; four grandsons; sister; two brothers; and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his faithful Scottish terrier, Wellington.
Lloyd Douglas Richardson, MD, HO’76, died June 29, 2025. He was 77. Dr. Richardson is survived by three sons; foster son; brother; and three grandchildren.
Hayden A. Ross-Clunis III, MD’91, died Oct. 5, 2025. He was 65. Dr. Ross-Clunis is survived by his wife, Monica Green Ross-Clunis; two stepchildren; and two siblings and their families.
Herbert Howard Schaumburg, MD, HO’60, died Nov. 29, 2025. He was 93. Dr. Schaumburg is survived by his wife, Dr. Lucy L. Brown; daughter; and son-in-law.
Murray Wilton Smith, BA’60, MD’63, HO’63 & ‘69, FE’67, died Sept. 14, 2025. He was 87. Dr. Smith is survived by three children and three grandchildren.
Keith Walter Stampher, MD’81, HO’81, died July 21, 2025. He was 72. Dr. Stampher is survived by his wife, Lori; stepson; two children; two granddaughters; and three brothers. He also leaves behind two cats, which his wife is now obligated to give snacks.
Scott Stewart III, MD, HO’67, died July 27, 2025. He was 87. Dr. Stewart is survived by his wife, Andy; sister; two sons; three grandchildren; and two nieces.
Charles Daniel Stutzman, MD, HO’82, died Aug. 9, 2025. He was 77. Dr. Stutzman is survived by his wife, Marygrace Orff; two stepdaughters; and six grandsons.
Gerald Eugene (Jerry) Sullivan, MD’62, died Aug. 19, 2025. He was 87. Dr. Sullivan is survived by a sister, Angela Sullivan Anderson; two sons; three grandchildren; and six nieces and nephews.
Curtis Green Tribble, MD’80, died Sept. 6, 2025. He was 72. Dr. Tribble is survived by his wife of 33 years, Megan Tribble; five brothers; six children; and 13 grandchildren.
Jane Leslie Tyler, HO’81, died Dec. 12, 2025. She was 74. Dr. Tyler is survived by four children; two grandchildren; and two siblings and their families.
Arville Vance Wheeler, BA’57, MD’60, HO’60, died Sept. 2, 2025. He was 90. Dr. Wheeler is survived by three children; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.