Beth Spradling
DO, PGY2
Dr Spradling grew up in Wittmann, AZ and received her BS in Conservation Biology from ASU. After graduating she worked in various jobs, the last one being a grossing technician at an anatomic pathology lab. She then went on to obtain her medical degree from Midwestern University and during her fourth year electives did an externship with the Penrose program. Shen then applied the next application season. Her hobbies include dance, camping, and hiking with her dog.
Jodie Timberlake
MD, PGY2
Dr. Jodie Timberlake was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, but lived most of her life in Atlanta, GA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at the University of Georgia. She then worked for a year in a dermatology office as a medical assistant before applying to medical school. She joined the Air Force as a commissioned officer and attended the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, where she earned her MD degree. She then did a preliminary intern year in internal medicine at the San Antonio Military Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Afterwards, she attended the Air Force’s Aerospace Medicine Primary course in Dayton, Ohio, where she became a Flight Surgeon. She had two Flight Medicine operational assignments at Lackland Air Force Base and Ellsworth Air Force Base before joining the Penrose St. Francis Pathology Residency Program and continuing to maintain active duty in the Air Force. She enjoys spending time with her husband, three sons, dog, and two cats as well as being outdoors, running, swimming, hiking, skiing, and baking.
Chadi Hajar
MD, PGY3
Dr. Hajar grew up in Lebanon, where he received his Medical Degree and completed three years of surgical pathology residency at the Lebanese University, before moving to the U.S. He then joined the research program at the University of Colorado Hospital and Veterans Affair Medical Center. He is now completing an MBA in Health Administration at the University of Colorado, Denver. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, playing table tennis, traveling and hiking.
Ibrahim Hajjali
MD, PGY3
Dr. Ibrahim Hajjali was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He earned his Bachelor’s in molecular biology from the University of California, San Diego while pursuing several academic research projects. Ultimately, he decided to pursue a medical career and moved to Ireland where he graduated from University College Dublin School of Medicine. He returned to Los Angeles to earn his Master’s in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine before joining the pathology residents at Penrose-St. Francis. Ibrahim loves spending time with his wife, exploring the outdoors, cooking good food, enjoying good company, and messing around with electronics and technology.
Jarod Murdoch
DO, PGY4
Jarod Murdoch originally grew up in Orleans, Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney where he received a BS in Pre-medicine. He then moved to Colorado to attend Rocky Vista University College of Medicine before choosing to pursue a career in pathology. His hobbies include spending time with his wife, hiking, camping, snowboarding, and being an avid sports fan.
Laura Oscar
MD, PGY4
Dr. Oscar is from the beautiful island of St. Lucia. For undergraduate school, she attended Seton Hill University majoring in biology and Indiana School of Medicine for her medical degree. Her interests include volunteering at various organization, reading Christian historical romance novels, finding and sampling the best cuisine and cupcakes, and being with family. As a young child growing up in the Caribbean, Dr. Oscar often wondered what path she would choose in life and here she is – a resident pathologist at Penrose Hospital endeavoring to excel in one of the most exciting fields in medicine.
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Faculty
Leslie Torgerson
Dr. L. Torgerson graduated medical school in 1991 from the University of Texas HSC – Houston. She completed her AP/CP residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in 1996. Dr. L. Torgerson is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. She joined the Penrose-St. Francis group in 2003. She is a member of the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. Dr. L. Torgerson is the Residency Director for the Penrose-St. Francis Pathology Residency Program.
Barrett Lawshe
Dr. Lawshe graduated medical school at the University of New Mexico in 1981. He completed his AP/CP residency at Penrose-St. Francis in 1985. Dr. Lawshe is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as of 1986. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society.
Daniel C. Mayes
Dr. Mayes graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed his residency at the University of Virginia Health System in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. He did his dermatopathology fellowship at the University of Virginia Health System. Dr. Mayes is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as Dermatopathology. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. Dr. Mayes joined us here at Penrose-St. Francis in 1991. He is currently the Director of Blood Bank.
Erin Merboth
Dr. Merboth completed medical school at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 2008. She graduated her AP/CP residency here at Penrose-St. Francis in 2012. She did her fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University in hematopathology. She is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well Hematopathology. She is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. She joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2013. Dr. Merboth is the Director of Flow Cytometry and Cytogenetics. She also serves on the Centura Flow Cytometry and Cytogenetics Best Practice Team, Centura Anatomic Pathology Medical Best Practice Team, Centura Network Cancer Committee, Penrose-St. Francis Breast Care Center Leadership Team, Penrose-St. Francis Physician Advisory Board, and Penrose-St. Francis Credentials Committee.
Jerome B. Myers
Dr. Myers attended Boston University School of Medicine from 1983 to 1990 and graduated as a M.D.,PhD. He completed his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center from 1991 to 1995. He did his hematopathology fellowship at Beth Israel Hospital & Harvard Medical School. Dr. Myers is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and hematopathology. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. Dr. Myers joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2006. He is a member of the American Society of Hematopathology and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathologists, and the International Academy of Pathologists/ American Society of Hematopathologists. Dr. Myers has had numerous publications, presentations, and abstracts. Currently, he is the Chief of the Medical Staff at Penrose-St. Francis.
David Newton
Dr. Newton attended medical school at Loma-Linda University and graduated in 1999. He completed his AP/CP residency at the University of Utah in 2004. His did a hematopathology fellowship at the University of Utah. As of 2005, Dr. Newton is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as hematopathology. He joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2005. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. He currently is the Director of Anatomic Pathology and Director of Autopsy.
Ryan Okal
Dr. Okal attended Marshall University in West Virginia for his medical school and graduated in 2012. He completed his residency at West Virginia University in 2016 and continued there in a hematopathology fellowship. He is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as Hematopathology. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. He joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2017. His current position here is as Medical Director of Hematology and Coagulation. He is also the Medical Director of Keefe Memorial Hospital.
Tania Saliba
Dr. Saliba attended Rocky Vista University for medical school and graduated in 2014. She completed her AP/CP residency here at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in 2018. She went on to complete a hematopathology fellowship at Oregon Health and Science University in 2019. She is board certified in both Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. She joined Penrose-St. Francis as director of Clinical Chemistry in 2019.
Derek Seaquist
Dr. Seaquist attended the Uniformed Services of Health Sciences for his medical school and graduated in 2002. He finished his AP/CP residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in 2007. His completed a fellowship in GI pathology at the University of Arizona in 2014. Dr. Seaquist is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. Dr. Seaquist joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2017. He is currently the Medical Director of Microbiology and he is also the Assistant Program Director for the Pathology Residency Program here at Penrose Hospital.
Sigurd Torgerson
Dr. S. Torgerson attended medical school at the University of Iowa and graduated in1993. He did his residency through the Army at Tripler Army Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center. He finished his AP/CP residency in 2002. He completed a fellowship in dermatopathology at the University of Texas HSC, Galveston in 2003. He is board certified in AP/CP and dermatopathology. Dr. S. Torgerson joined the Penrose-St. Francis group in 2003. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society. His current position within the hospital is that of Laboratory Medical Director and Director of Cytology.
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Past Residents
- Zane Staubac MD, PGY-4
- Tania Gorchynsky, Hematopathology (Oregon Health and Science University)
- Justin Blake Rodman, Gastrointestinal Pathology (The Robert E. Petras Fellowship in GI Pathology, Cleveland, OH)
- Kieran Sultan, Gynecologic Pathology (Mt. Sinai, New York, NY)
- Kelly Mrachek Neuropathology (University of Virginia)
- Beth Settembre, Hematopathology (Indiana University)
- Steve Jovonovich, Cytopathology (Indiana University)
- Nathan Thompson, Hematopathology (University of New Mexico)
- Drake Poeschl, Dermatopathology (St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO)
- Ben Wetzel, Hematopathology (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM)
- Erin Merboth, Hematopathology (Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR)
- Jen Wheeler-Buenger, Transfusion Medicine (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM)
- Miran Rhee, Surgical Pathology (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN), Pediatric Pathology (University of Colorado, Denver, CO)
- Jacob Sramek, Hematopathology (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM)
- Joseph White Forensics (Denver Medical Examiner's Office, Denver, CO)
- Pamela Lyle, Molecular (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN), Surgical Pathology (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN)
- Leon Kelly, Forensics (University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX)
- Tess Karre, Microbiology (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN)
- Issac Grindeland, Gastrointestinal Pathology (Ameripath, Petras, Cleveland, OH)
- Sara Henry, Hematopathology (Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR)
- Virginia Burdine, Hematopathology (University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI)
- Tom Steidler, Private Practice (Colorado Springs, CO)
- Jennifer Stratton, Private Practice (El Paso, TX)
- Sara Nash, Gastrointestinal Pathology (Ameripath, Petras, Cleveland, OH)
- Christopher Montague, Surgical Pathology (Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York, NY)
- Ronald Harris, Dermatopathology (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA)
- Ronald Slaughter, Surgical Pathology/Cytology (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA)
- Denise Francois, Private Practice (San Antonio, TX)
- Terry Bruner, Private Practice (Wichita, KS)
- Kirk Peterson, Private Practice (Twin Falls, ID)
- Alex Cudkowicz, Private Practice (Cortez, CO)
- Marlene Maseburg, Private Practice (Denver, CO)
- Melanie Markarian, Private Practice (Spokane, WA)
- Leo Hardy, Private Practice (Price, UT)
- Sheva Khalafbeighi, Dermatopathology (Penn State, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA)
- James Atkinson Gastrointestinal Pathology (Ameripath, Cleveland, OH)
