A Colorado Native, Dr. Lenz earned undergraduate degrees in integrative physiology and molecular biology from the University of Colorado – Boulder campus. She then attended medical school in Northeast Tennessee at Lincoln Memorial University. Next, she completed a general surgery internship through Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Following that, she served eight years in the US Air Force as a General Medical Officer and Flight Surgeon with operational assignments in Northwest Florida, Okinawa Japan and then back home to Colorado Springs before joining the pathology residency program at Penrose-St. Francis. She enjoys camping, hiking, skiing, reading, and spending time with her husband and three young children as well as her extended family.
Dr. Caitlin Porter-Smith grew up in Grapevine, TX before earning a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy at Rice University. She then moved to Denver, CO eventually earning an additional bachelor’s of science degree at University of Colorado, Denver while also working in research and as a TA in Cellular Biology. She then moved back to Houston and worked as a Tissue releaser, evaluator and distributer for the Lion’s Eye Bank of Texas at Baylor College of Medicine. After applying to medical school, she attended Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine where she earned her DO degree. She enjoys spending time with her husband, young daughter, dog and two cats, as well as being outdoors for camping and hiking trips.
Dr. Kimberly Johnson is a Colorado native who attended the University of Colorado for her undergraduate degrees in Anthropology, History, Russian Studies, and Integrative Biology and then went on to Georgetown University School of Medicine. She is pursuing Forensic Pathology and has secured a fellowship at the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, NM for 2022-2023. She has been very involved in national/international professional organizations including serving on the Resident Advisory Council for the USCAP, Women in Medicine section for the AMA, Resident Forum for the CAP, and as a Career Ambassador for the ASCP. She also enjoys her role as the project development coordinator for the Global Surgery and Medical Support Group (GSMSG); a 501©3 she helped to establish during medical school. She loves to travel, explore the outdoors and most importantly spend quality time with her miniature Australian Shepard, Little Bear.
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.
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.
Ryan Coates
Dr. Coates attended the University of Utah for medical school and graduated in 2014. He completed an internship in general surgery at Oregon Health & Sciences University. He subsequently completed his residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center in 2019. He went on to complete a gastrointestinal and liver fellowship at the University of Washington Medical Center in 2020. He is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. He joined Penrose-St. Francis in 2020. He is a member of both the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso Medical Society. He currently is the Director of Cytopathology.
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.
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 with his Ph.D. in Pathology. 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 Society for Hematopathology. Dr. Myers has had numerous publications, presentations, and abstracts.
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 Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as hematopathology. She joined Penrose-St. Francis as director of Clinical Chemistry in 2019.
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.
- Ibrahim Hajjali, Hematopathology and Molecular (Oregon Health and Science University)
- Chadi Hajar, Gastrointestinal Pathology (Medical University of South Carolina)
- Laura Oscar, Surgical Pathology (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Al)
- Jarod Murdoch, Forensics (Miami-Dade Forensics, Doral, Fl)
- Zane Staubach, Hematopathology, (Oregon Health and Science University)
- 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)