PhiDE LEADERSHIP
Fraternity Board Members
Russ Stitzlein, MD
President
Dr. Russ Stitzlein is a fellowship-trained UCI Health orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in bone and soft-tissue tumors as well as hip and knee replacement. He finished his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and his fellowship in musculoskeletal oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Russ served as the International Medical Student Representative to the Board in 2010-2011 and has served as a Board Member since his graduation from Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) in 2012. While at CCLCM, he was a Governing Chapter Coordinator and served as Chapter President for the Epsilon Epsilon Chapter. Russ initially joined PhiDE as an undergraduate and was a founding member of the OH Gamma Chapter at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He also served as the VP of Programming for the OH Gamma Chapter where he was instrumental in founding the chapter's annual charity banquet and silent auction to benefit the local CMN affiliate, Cincinnati Children's. Russ is married to PhiDE alumna, Brenda De La Cruz Stitzlein and has two children.
Anish Ghodadra, MD
Vice President
Dr. Anish Ghodadra is an Interventional Radiologist and the Medical Director of the 3D Printing Program at UPMC in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Ghodadra received his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and worked as a medical device engineer at SpineMedica. He graduated from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and pursued his internship in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Ghodadra completed his Radiology residency at UPMC, where he also served as a Chief Resident and founded the UPMC 3D Printing Program, and his Interventional Radiology fellowship at Yale New Haven Medical Center. He joined PhiDE as a founding member of the Epsilon Epsilon chapter and served as Vice President of Recruitment and Chapter President. At our International Convention in 2012, he was honored with the Shipley Glick Award for Outstanding Medical Member. Dr. Ghodadra joined the International Board in 2014.
Brittany Badal, MD
Board Member
Dr. Brittany Badal is a fellow in Adolescent Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. She previously completed her residency in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. She first became involved with PhiDE as an undergraduate at the University of Central Florida, where she founded the FL Beta chapter and served as the Governing Chapter Coordinator and later Chapter President. She continued working with PhiDE as a medical student at the University of Louisville SOM where she served as Phi Chapter President. Additionally, Brittany served as the International Medical Student Representative to the Board in 2014-2015. She has attended multiple regional and international conventions and is passionate about her work with our organization and bringing the perspective as an undergraduate, medical student, and now graduate member.
Martin Wrobel, MD
Board Member
Dr. Martin Wrobel is a family medicine physician in Park Ridge, IL. He completed his residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, where he also served as a Chief Resident. Dr. Wrobel completed an undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science at Northwestern University. He joined Phi Delta Epsilon’s Beta Tau chapter while attending Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and served as the chapter’s Vice President of Finance. He served as the International Convention Chair in 2017 and International Medical Student Representative to the Board from 2017 to 2018. As a medical student and now graduate member, he has remained involved with the Beta Tau chapter as a Mentor. Dr. Wrobel joined the International Board in 2019.
Sarafina Kankam, MD
Board Member
Dr. Sarafina Kankam is an anesthesiologist and fellowship-trained interventional pain physician. She completed her residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine- Wichita where she served as chief resident. She then completed her interventional pain medicine fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Kankam received her undergraduate degree and medical degree at the University of Kansas. She joined PhiDE as a founding member of the Kansas Alpha chapter and served as the Vice President of Recruitment and Vice President of Programming. In medical school, she served as the President of the Beta Gamma chapter. Dr. Kankam also served as the International Medical Student Representative to the Board in 2015- 2016. Dr. Kankam joined the International Board and has served as a physician on board since 2016.
Tony Johnson, MD
Board Member
Dr. Tony Johnson resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he is completed his Sports-Medicine Fellowship at Baton Rouge General, serving as a team physician at LSU and Southern University. He finished his residency training in Primary Care at the University of Alabama, where he served as chief resident. Dr. Johnson received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with concentration in Biomedical Science from Wiley College. He attended American University of Antigua College of Medicine where he joined our Epsilon Delta Chapter and served as Chapter Vice President of Recruitment and President. The year he graduated medical school, he also received his Master’s in Business Administration from Urbana University. Dr. Johnson strives to live by the fraternity’s motto “Facta-Non-Verba” (Deeds Not Words).
Jessica Walpole, MD
Board Member
Dr. Walpole is a fellow in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Nationwide Children's Hospital. During her residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Dr. Walpole pursued a Master of Arts in Educational Studies, with a specialization in Biomedical Education, to prepare her for a career in academic medicine as a clinician-educator. She became involved with PhiDE at Miami University, serving as Philanthropy Chair and Chapter President while completing undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Zoology. She continued her involvement in the fraternity as an individual medical student member before serving as Governing Chapter Coordinator for Chi at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. While at OSUCOM, she served on the 2016 International Convention Committee, as the 2018 International Convention Chair, on numerous RLC/LI Committees, and as the 2018-2019 International Premedical Student Representative. Dr. Walpole is passionate about all that PhiDE has to offer to students, especially mentorship, education, and a phamily.
Monica Campa, MD
Resident/Fellow Representative
Dr. Monica Campa is a resident in Emergency Medicine at CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi Texas. She became involved with PhiDE at the University of Nevada Reno where she served as the Chapter President while completing her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. She subsequently founded the Epsilon Nu Chapter at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. While at UNLV, she served as the International Premedical and Medical Student Representative from 2019-2021. She is passionate about PhiDE and the opportunity to serve as the Resident Representative starting in 2022.
Karthic Chandran, MD
Resident/Fellow Representative
Dr. Karthic Chandran started his Cardiology Fellow at USF Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, FL after completing his Internal Medicine Residency at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. He plans to pursue further training in Interventional and Structural Cardiology. Karthic joined PhiDE during his freshman year at the University of Illinois as a part of the IL Beta chapter where he served as the VP of finance his senior year. He subsequently founded the Beta Tau chapter at Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University. Dr. Chandran has attended numerous regional and international conferences and served the Fraternity as the International Convention Chair in 2016. He served as the International Medical Student Representative on the Board in 2016-2017. Dr. Chandran has been involved in chartering and advising numerous chapters and his passions in PhiDE focus on mentoring and education.
Razaq Durodoye
Medical Student Representative
Razaq Durodoye is a fourth-year MD/PhD Candidate at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (Upsilon) in Cleveland, Ohio. He is interested in Pediatric Neurology and Child Psychiatry while researching genetic contributions to mental health disorders. Razaq grew up and attended college in Texas. He joined PhiDE during his first year of medical school and became the president of the Upsilon chapter pre-pandemic. He is excited to help build up our community again now that things are getting more stable. As Medical Student Representative, he most wishes to amplify the PhiDE community around the world, facilitate the sharing of skills necessary to succeed in medicine, and continue fostering the sense of belonging Phi Delta Epsilon gives him.
Alexandra Taylor
Premedical Student Representative
Alexandra Taylor is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Florida (Florida Eta) studying biochemistry and researching therapeutic interventions for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. She is the Florida Eta Vice President of Finance and shares her love for philanthropy with her chapter and the Gainesville community. She has a great love for PhiDE, our members, and the people we serve as future physicians. She looks forward to serving on the International Board as the Premedical Student Representative and having the honor of sharing that love and dedication to all of our premedical chapters.
Karen Katz
PhiDE CEO
Karen Katz is the Chief Executive Officer of Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity and serves as an ex-officio member of the Board. She earned a bachelor of science from the University of Evansville and a master of science in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University. Karen is a past president for both the Professional Fraternity Association (PFA) and Professional Fraternity Executive Association (PFEA). She has served Chi Omega Fraternity on the National Recruitment Team and is the University of Louisville Chi Omega Ritual Advisor. She was the Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisor at Florida International University (FIU) for four years where she starting volunteering for numerous fraternities including Sigma Phi Epsilon which she advises now as the KY Beta Alumni Volunteer Corporation Vice President of Housing. She has been a lead facilitator for the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute since 2004 and volunteers on advisory boards for Campuspeak and Circle of Sisterhood.
Foundation Officers
Lowell D. Katz, MD
President
Dr. Lowell Katz graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine after earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisville. He completed his residency at UofL SOM in general surgery followed by a two-year fellowship in colorectal surgery at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. He returned to Kentucky to form Louisville Colorectal Associates, a practice dedicated entirely to colorectal surgery. Dr. Katz served as Hospice of Louisville’s first medical director. He is Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Louisville Medical School and after retiring from practice several years ago, remains on the staff of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Healthcare as the Director of Patient Safety. Dr. Katz served as International President of the Fraternity from 1998-2000 and remains actively involved as a chapter advisor, mentor and speaker. He is one of the first UofL mascots and attends as many games both at home and away as possible.
Barbara Isaacs, MD
Treasurer
Dr. Barbara Isaacs has served on the Phi Delta Epsilon Foundation Board since 2002. She has served PhiDE in many capacities beginning when she was the President of the Phi Chapter at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. In 2000, she became the first woman to hold the position of International President of Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity. She enjoys mentoring students and is an advisor for the Phi medical chapter and the Kentucky Beta premedical chapter at University of Louisville. Dr. Isaacs is in the private practice of allergy in Louisville, Kentucky and has served on the clinical faculty at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in both the Department of Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics. She developed an interest in biomedical ethics during her training and has continued to educate herself in this field. Dr. Isaacs has served as the chair of the Ethics Committees of both Jewish Hospital and the Greater Louisville Medical Society and has written several ethics articles and training modules for the Fraternity.
Simon (Steve) Soldinger, MD
Board Member
Dr. Simon Soldinger is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and has been practicing psychiatry in the Los Angeles community since 1981. In the past thirty years of private practice, he has had the pleasure of treating patients with many complex diagnoses. Steve joined Phi Delta Epsilon in medical school at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. As a member, he has been active regionally serving as a director and locally as a chapter advisor and speaker. He has held several international leadership positions including Fraternity President, 2009-2012, and joined the Phi Delta Epsilon Foundation in 2016. Dr. Soldinger is a huge fan of Sky Line Chili and the only person we know who has tickets to both UCLA and USC home football games.
Brian Zachariah, MD
Board Member
Dr. Brian Zachariah is the Chief Medical Coordinator at the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation and an emergency medicine physician in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Washington University in St. Louis for his undergraduate degree and received his medical degree from University of Louisville School of Medicine before earning his Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix. Dr. Zachariah and has been in practice for more than 20 years and before moving to Illinois, served as Division of Emergency Medicine Director at University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston. Dr. Zachariah served at International President from 2012-2016 and joined the Foundation Board in 2018. He is an avid runner and Iron Man.
Karen Barnes, MD
Board Member
Dr. Karen Barnes attended medical school at the University of Kentucky where she joined our Kappa Psi chapter twenty years ago. She became involved internationally after a decade of attending conventions and conferences and mentoring students. She worked for UC (University of Cincinnati), in Student Health, and for UC’s Employee Health program. Karen practices medicine at the Cincinnati VA hospital and VA nursing home. Before receiving her medical degree, she received a master's degree in nutrition. Karen is the recipient of this year’s Seymour Greenstone Graduate Member Award and she lives with her family in Lexington, KY.