Each University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) graduating class has one or more class representatives who play an integral role in working with the Wisconsin Medical Alumni Association (WMAA) to keep in touch with their classmates.
Those featured here are planning virtual reunions for fall 2020. Social connection remains an important part of the SMPH community, so please watch for additional details from the WMAA.
Class Representatives Honoring Milestones
- 1980: Patrick McBride, MD ’80, MPH
- 1985: Timothy Gundlach, MD ’85, MBA
- 1990: John Hokanson, MD ’90 (PG ’93), and Joshua Safer, MD ’90
- 1995: Courtney Scaife, MD ’95, and Thomas Weigel, MD ’95, MBA
- 2000: Gary Brunette, MD ’00, MS, FFTM (RCPSG), and Tanya Kausch Hoerneman, MD ’00
- 2005: Scott Anderson, MD ’05 (PG ’10), and Brian Arndt, MD ’05 (PG ’08)
- 2010: Lisa Shen, MD ’10 (PG ’14, ’15), and Sarah Tevis, MD ’10 (PG ’17)
- 2015: Allison Saiz, MD ’15, and Augustine Saiz, MD ’15
Patrick McBride, MD ’80, MPH
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I’m retired, but I provide mentoring for faculty members, medical students and pre-medical students.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
My fondest memories are meeting my wife, Kim, and my classmates, as well as planning and performing class skits.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Drs. James Pettersen, Dennis Maki and Peter Hanson were incredible role models.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy writing, reading, working on our barn and farmhouse in Waupaca, golfing and fishing.
Message for your classmates?
The Class of 1980 has a long history of the highest percentage of donors to the school, and the highest turnout for reunions! We are fortunate to be part of this generous, kind, fun and successful class. Let’s show the next generation how to combine a career of service, success and fun!
Timothy Gundlach, MD ’85, MBA
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I am president of the Aurora Health Care Medical Group’s Anesthesia Division. Each week, I spend four days on administrative work and one on clinical duties at Aurora Grafton and Aurora West Allis in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
I made lifelong friends, many of whom remain my closest friends.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
I most remember Drs. James Pettersen and Jim Weese. Dr. Weese is the vice president for Advocate Aurora’s Clinical Cancer Program, and we regularly work together. One day he may forgive me for leaving general surgery for anesthesia!
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling and watching Badger sports.
Message for your classmates?
It will be great to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in decades. Our classmates have earned federal research grants, served in the White House, and helped develop and lead clinical departments and health care systems. We are scattered across the United States. This will be an opportunity to catch up with friends, honor classmates we’ve lost and remember the four years that started us on our uniquely rewarding careers.
John Hokanson, MD ’90 (PG ’93)
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I completed a pediatric residency at UW Health; practiced for a year as a hospitalist in the United Kingdom; completed a pediatric cardiology fellowship at the SMPH; and worked for three years in private practice in Illinois. Twenty years ago, I joined the SMPH faculty, and I’m a professor of pediatrics.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Two professors I remember most fondly are Dr. Robert Schilling, who was still deer hunting in his 90s, and Dr. Norm Fost, who remains an important voice in medical ethics.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I can’t run as much as I did in medical school, so I’ve had to devolve back to swimming.
Message for your classmates?
It has been exciting to watch the health sciences campus grow so much since we were students.
Joshua Safer, MD ’90
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I am the executive director of Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery and a professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
Our class was quite social, and I had fun at the WMAA’s Friday afternoon dance parties. My favorite learning experiences were inpatient clinical rotations, especially those in Marshfield and Janesville, and at the Veterans Administration Hospital. During those months, I felt like I was “getting it” and marveled at my luck in becoming a physician.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Dr. Patrick McBride was a great role model. He outlined an achievable path to success.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy running and traveling.
Message for your classmates?
Madison and the campus are better than ever. Lake Mendota is beautiful, and the restaurant scene has great new places and many old classics.
Courtney Scaife, MD ’95
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I have an academic surgical oncology practice with a subspecialty interest in hepato-pancreato-biliary conditions, gastrointestinal cancers and intra-abdominal sarcomas. I am a professor of surgery, vice chair for cancer affairs in surgery, and section chief of surgical oncology at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
My great memories including sitting with friends on the front “patio” for lunch, biking to class in storms, “Ants,” clicking our four-colored pens in unison so we could draw anatomy pictures when the color of the board changed; and trying to figure out the University Hospital pod system.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
I revered many faculty members in the Department of Surgery — my field.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love living in Utah, where we have mountains and desert, and all seasons. I spend much of my hobby time trail running or alpine touring.
Message for your classmates?
It will be fun to catch up and see how well everyone is doing. I am hoping many class members will attend the reunion. After all, who doesn’t want to see Rock, “The Dom,” Danno and the rest of the gang? Ants will be missed.
Gary Brunette, MD ’00, MS, FFTM (RCPSG)
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I completed a master’s degree in epidemiology and a preventive medicine residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. I then joined the U.S. Navy as a medical officer and was stationed in Italy for three years. Next, I deployed for eight months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2006, I joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2006 and am now the director for FLIGHT, a leadership development program. I am a fellow of the Faculty of Travel Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow and a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
My favorite memories include the amazing friends I met in medical school!
What are your hobbies/interests?
I love the international travel opportunities I have had through my work at the CDC. I have visited more than 75 countries.
Message for your classmates?
I am looking forward to our reunion. Sending a special shout-out to the Class of 2000!
Tanya Kausch Hoerneman, MD ’00
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I work at the Marshfield Clinic Colby/ Abbotsford Center, which provides care to a rural population in central Wisconsin.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
My fondest memories of medical school include gross anatomy with my lovable tank mates and meeting my future husband.
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy cheering for my three boys at their sporting events, including cross country, hockey, track and soccer, and spending family time at our cabin in the northwoods.
Message for your classmates?
I am looking forward to the reunion, and I hope many classmates can join in and catch up with each other.
Brian Arndt, MD ’05 (PG ’08)
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
Since 2008, I have been part of the residency faculty in the UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the SMPH. I am the site lead for the Verona Family Medicine Clinic. I provide comprehensive outpatient family medicine care, and I provide inpatient services at University Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital in Madison.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
I have so many great memories, but certainly a highlight always was playing football in the Dean’s Cup and our victory over the Law School! Now, it’s hard to think about our bodies taking the beating we did in those days.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Dr. Ed Bersu spent so much time circulating around the tanks in gross anatomy and teaching effectively. He always had a great ability to connect through a good laugh from a joke and had a smile on his face.
What are your hobbies/interests?
My wife, Dr. Kimberly Arndt (MD Class of 2005), and I and our three daughters enjoy doing anything outdoors. We routinely get to our 200-acre farm, which is a recreational property in Richland Center; it’s a great retreat only an hour from home. Our family enjoys gardening, and we have been able to contribute in many ways to the Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens (MAFPG) to help address food insecurity in our community with fresh produce. This is an exciting year for the 20-year-old MAFPG with its first major expansion — creation of the Forward Garden at the Pope Farm Homestead in the Town of Middleton.
Message for your classmates?
I am looking forward to our 15-year class reunion even though it will be virtual due to the pandemic. Social connection remains important regardless of circumstances.
Lisa Shen, MD ’10 (PG ’14, ’15)
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I completed a dermatology residency and pediatric dermatology fellowship at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago at Northwestern University. I am the associate medical director of pediatric dermatology at the Boston University School of Medicine and a pediatric dermatologist in Boston.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
Match Day was one of my fondest memories of medical school. You could feel the positive energy as everyone celebrated the amazing successes of our class. Our Match Day party also was a blast — thanks to the WMAA.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Dean Patrick McBride is an amazing student advocate and made the effort to get to know each of us personally. He has great school spirit and pride, and his enthusiasm is contagious. Dr. John Harting also is a phenomenal professor and friend to the class. He made sure everyone mastered his subject and gave us plenty of life advice!
What are your hobbies/interests?
I enjoy exploring the Boston area and running.
Message for your classmates?
I’m looking forward to reminiscing at our virtual reunion. Thanks to Dr. Mike Colburn, we also have a group Facebook page to keep in touch.
Sarah Tevis, MD ’10 (PG ’17)
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
I completed my general surgery residency at UW Health in 2017 and a breast surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2018. I am a breast surgeon at the University of Colorado in Denver.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
Among the many great memories, my favorite was the first week of third year. It was amazing to participate in operations, talk to patients and learn from residents. It helped me fully appreciate what an incredible career I was embarking on, and I discovered my love of surgery.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Many amazing mentors I had as a medical student and surgical resident at UW helped me prepare for residency and fellowship and decide what career path was best for me. Multiple mentors from the SMPH also were instrumental in me finding a faculty position that has the clinical, research and teaching opportunities I was looking for. I am in regular contact with many of my mentors and anticipate they will continue to be influential throughout my career.
What are your hobbies/interests?
In my spare time, I spend as much time as possible with my family. My husband, Lucas Tevis, and I have a son and daughter, as well as two Labradors. Our family has been enjoying all that Colorado has to offer, including hiking, camping and snowboarding.
Message for your classmates?
This is a big year with our 10-year reunion, and I am excited about the opportunity to catch up with classmates! I can’t wait to hear what everyone has been up to since graduation, although from social media it is obvious our class has been up to amazing things personally and professionally!
Allison (Ali) Saiz, MD ’15, and Augustine (Augie) M. Saiz, Jr., MD ’15
What type of practice are you in now, and where?
Ali: I am a gynecologic oncology fellow at Northwestern University in downtown Chicago.
Augie: I am in my final year of a six-year orthopedic surgery/research residency at University of California, Davis in Sacramento.
What’s your fondest memory of medical school?
Ali: My fondest memory was Match Day. It was amazing to see so many of our friends’ dreams come true at the same time. I’ve never been surrounded by more joy. And Augie and I successfully couples matched at one of our favorite places!
Augie: One of my favorite memories of medical school was planning the 2012 Dean’s Cup with Ali and participating in all of the events with our colleagues. The SMPH’s victory was the cherry on top.
What SMPH faculty do you remember the most, and why?
Ali: I’ll always remember Dr. Jacob Greenberg. When Augie and I were on the general surgery rotation, Dr. Greenberg was impressed by our teamwork, since he initially didn’t know we were dating. I loved operating with Dr. Greenberg and was impressed with the patience and excellent communication that he had with his patients and his team of trainees. I thought about applying to general surgery, but my strong interest in minimally invasive surgery remained one of the reasons that I chose gynecologic oncology.
Augie: Dr. Patrick McBride was loved by our whole class due to his constant positive energy and genuine interest in each one of us. For Allison and me, he provided keen insights and guidance to help us achieve our goal of successfully matching in the couples match. Also, Dr. McBride and I are basketball aficionados, and I always enjoyed discussing his time working for the Milwaukee Bucks.
What are your hobbies/interests?
Ali: I enjoy swimming, playing tennis, reading, backcountry camping, traveling, knitting, sending snail mail and watching Badger sports.
Augie: My hobbies are participating in fitness activities, reading, backcountry camping, downhill skiing, traveling, exploring enology and watching Badger athletic events.
Message for your classmates?
We’re most looking forward to catching up with our classmates, remembering fun times at the SMPH, celebrating successes and discussing plans.