Leadership

 Melina Awar

Melina Awar, MD, FACP, FHM
Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

Imagine you no longer have to work.  How would you spend a Tuesday?  I would go shopping at a farmers market to buy locally-grown, fresh products and cook up a fun recipe for my family.

 

Favorite Dessert:  I will always go for the New York Style Cheesecake!

 

Beach holiday or ski trip?  As a girl who grew up in Hawaii, the beach is my happy place.  There is nothing more soothing to me than the sound of waves and the feel of soft, white sand.

 

 

 J Marietta Clewing

J. Marietta Clewing, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
Clerkship Director, Internal Medicine
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What is on the top of your Bucket List?  To travel to Iceland, Alaska and Japan.

 

Best kitchen gadget you couldn't live without:  Our built-in Miele coffee maker!

 

Coffee or tea?  Both!  I'm sure one would expect a straight answer from a German, but it really depends on time and occasion.  I could elaborate on the tea and coffee culture much more.  I can't live without my latte extra hot, but I equally like my 4 o'clock tea when I have the time to make a real tea (no tea bags).

 

 

Henry Ellison 

Henry Ellison, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What person from history would you add to Mt. Rushmore?  I'm not falling into the trap of having my first question be political!  It may be cliche but if we are judging based on unwavering service to the country in uncertain times, the first name that comes to my mind is Dr. Anthony Fauci.  Not a president, but hey, maybe he should have been.

 

Your go-to TV show:  I don't have a real go-to that I'll watch over and over.  I tend to have a show that I'm really watching attentively.  Right now that's Succession (which I highly recommend).  But it's also important to have an easier, decompression watch which for me currently is Suits.

 

Hotel or AirBNB?  I tend to gravitate to hotels.  When I'm traveling I don't like to spend much time at the place I'm staying.  I want to be out exploring.  So a convenient, dependable hotel is what I usually go for.

 

 

 Engler

Amy Engler, MD
Associate Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency
General Internal Medicine

What is something on your bucket list? To visit every national park.

 

What do you consider the best dessert?  Ice Cream!  Specifically coffee ice cream with crushed Oreos from Amy's Ice Cream.

 

Dog or Cat?  Cat.

 

 

 

 

 George Taffet

George Taffet, MD, FGSA, FACP
Vice Chair of Education
Division Head, Geriatrics

 

What person from history would you add to Mt. Rushmore?  Maybe John F. Kennedy, for the Camelot experience and then for reminding us how fragile the country can be.

 

Your go-to TV show:  Love watching the Astros.  Have some rerun games that I watch during the off-season when I need that perking up!

 

Coffee or tea?  I drink decaf.  From all the years of drinking coffee my tastebuds are shot so I can even drink Folgers without a problem.

 

 

 Michelle Henderson  Michelle Henderson
Academic Education Manager

 

Imagine you no longer have to work.  How would you spend a Tuesday?  At the spa or on vacation at the spa!

 

Best kitchen gadget you couldn't live without:  Electric wine bottle opener - takes the work out of it.

 

Dog or cat:  Dog

 

  

Faculty (Inpatient UTS and Primary Care Clinic)

 

Lara Colton 

Lara Colton, MD, MEd, FACP
Designated Institutional Official (DIO), GME
Primary Care Clinic Faculty

 

What is your Super Power?  Easy - multitasking!  I am pretty good at juggling my various work roles and my responsibilities as a wife and mother of two kids and one dog.

 

Best kitchen gadget you couldn't live without:  That's tough because I don't really cook much.  Does microwave count?  Maybe my air fryer.

 

Dog or cat: Currently we have a dog, but we had cats for nearly 20 years.  My kids also have a leopard gecko.

 

 

 Cam Duong

Cam Duong, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

Something interesting we wouldn't know about you just by looking at you:  I was born and grew up in France.

 

Who is the most famous person you've met?  Zinedine Zidane

 

Hotel or AirBNB?  Both. Depends on duration of stay and travel purpose.





 Christopher Force

Christopher Force, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What is your super power?  Emptying cups of coffee!

 

Favorite restaurant in Houston:  Depends on what kind of food I'm looking to eat that day, though I always enjoy El Tiempo Cantina on Richmond.

 

Beach holiday or ski trip?  I've been trying to make it to Bora Bora for a beach holiday!

 

 

 

 Heidi Matus

Heidi Matus, MD
Division Head, GIM
Primary Care Clinic Faculty

 

What is on the top of your Bucket List?  Traveling to every continent.

 

Best kitchen gadget you couldn't live without:  Big fan of the mini chop, immersion blender and soda stream.

 

Beach holiday or ski trip: Neither!  However, you will find me in the mountains not skiing.

 

Lara Nabbout

Lara Nabbout, MD
Primary Care Clinic Faculty

 

Something interesting we wouldn't know about you just by looking at you:  I love horror movies!

 

Favorite restaurant in Houston:  It's a tie!  Taste of Texas and Uptown Sushi.

 

Hotel or AirBnB:  100% hotel!

 

 

 

 Victor Narcisse

Victor Narcisse, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

Imagine you no longer have to work.  How would you spend a Tuesday?  Road cycling and (mostly digital) photography.  These are chicken soup for the soul and a means to create and express.  However, I love what we do at work and would love to continue to influence the lives of patients and our team.  I see our work as a vocation rather than a profession.  I hope that we make a positive impact.

 

Best kitchen gadget you couldn't live without:  Microwave (my grandmothers are rolling over as we speak).  In New Orleans culture, meals represent community rather than solely sustenance.  This, along with fantastic cultural convergence, lead to the best cuisine.

 

Coffee or tea:  Generically tea, with the exception of New Orleans Cafe au Lait which has a great history!

 

 

 Ryan Neal

Ryan Neal, MD
Division Head, Hospital Medicine
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What person from history would you add to Mt. Rushmore?
  Martin Luther King, Jr.  

Your go-to TV show:  Frasier

 

Dog or cat:  Dog

 

 

 

 

Toan Nguyen

Toan Nguyen, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

Imagine you no longer have to work.  How would you spend a Tuesday?

I would wake up, get the kids ready for school, spend a few hours doing charity care, learn new skills like woodworking or welding and read.  In the afternoon, I would help my kids do their homework and we would spend family time together like building a lego set, coloring or painting.

 

Favorite restaurant in Houston:  The one that my wife likes!

 

Beach holiday or ski trip:  The cheaper one.

 

 

Martina Ogbonna Martina Ogbonna, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

Imagine you no longer have to work.  How would you spend a Tuesday?  When I no longer have to work, I plan on joining Mercy Ships.  A Medical Ship that sails off the coast of Africa and provides free surgical and medical care on board the ship which is equipped with operating rooms, physical therapy rooms, etc.

 

Who is the most famous person you've met:  I have not met any truly famous people but I have been blessed by many who have sown kindness and wisdom into my life and I strive to carry that on.

 

Beach Holiday or ski trip?  Definitely a beach holiday, swaying in a hammock on the beach and reading a good book.


 

Cherry Onaiwu
Cherry Onaiwu, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What is on the top of your Bucket List?  To go hiking in Switzerland.

 

Your go-to TV show:  The Wonder Years (the original).

 

Hotel or AirBnB: Hotel





 

Leena Samuel  Leena Samuel, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What is on the top of your Bucket List?  To eat my way through Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

 

Favorite dessert:  European chocolate.

 

Coffee or tea:  Both.  Why are you asking me to pick between my 2 favorite drinks?  Coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon please!

 

 

 

Rachana Sanghani

Rachana Sanghani, MD
Hospitalist, UTS Faculty

 

What is on the tope of your Bucket List?  To go on a safari in Africa.

 

Favorite dessert:  Tiramisu

 

Beach holiday or ski trip:  This is a tough one.  I love the water, but I think I would have to say ski trip.

 

 

 Kim Sims Kimberly Sims, MD
Director, Primary Care Clinic
Primary Care Clinic Faculty

 

What is your Super Power?  I have many according to my kids.  But one I'd keep is the uncanny ability to read my patients.  One I'd give back is the ability to tell you within 30-60 minutes when rain is coming.

 

Favorite restaurant in Houston:  Depends on the day of the week.  Today.... Bungalow.

 

Beach holiday or ski trip: Beach!!

 

 

Zhihao Zhu Zhihao Zhu, MD
PGY-4 Chief Resident
Primary Care Clinic Faculty
UTS Faculty

 

Something interesting we wouldn't know about you just by looking at you:  I type with Dvorak keyboard layout on a blank keyboard.

 

Who is the most famous person you've met?  Shared barber with Mason Plumlee during college.  He was always there when I was getting a haircut.

 

Dog or cat:  Cat.