Board of Directors
Exectutive Director/Founder
Heval Mohamed Kelli, MD
Northside Hospital Cardiovascular Institute
Dr. Heval Mohamed Kelli came to the US as a teenage Syrian refugee and worked as dishwasher to support his family and education for several years. He graduated Cum Laude from Morehouse School of Medicine then he completed internal medicine residency training with honorable distinctions at Emory University. He is dedicated to serve his community and re-create the American Dream for everyone.
Heval Mohamed Kelli, MD
Northside Hospital Cardiovascular Institute
Dr. Heval Mohamed Kelli came to the US as a teenage Syrian refugee and worked as dishwasher to support his family and education for several years. He graduated Cum Laude from Morehouse School of Medicine then he completed internal medicine residency training with honorable distinctions at Emory University. He is dedicated to serve his community and re-create the American Dream for everyone.
YPI Southeast Director
Julio Santana, MD
University of Miami
Dr. Julio Cesar Santana is a Cuban-American immigrant who came to the US at 22 years old. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is completing his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is committed to mentorship and recreating opportunities for his community.
Julio Santana, MD
University of Miami
Dr. Julio Cesar Santana is a Cuban-American immigrant who came to the US at 22 years old. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is completing his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is committed to mentorship and recreating opportunities for his community.
Ubeyond President/YPI sponsor
Omar M. Lattouf, MD, PhD, FACS, FACC
Professor of Surgery / Cardiothoracic
Emory University
Dr. Omar M. Lattouf is as senior cardiothoracic surgeon, widely published and frequent speaker at national and international cardiology and cardiac surgery conferences. He is also inventor with several patents in the field of minimally invasive and transapical heart technologies. Dr Lattouf is dedicated to education and mentorship.
Omar M. Lattouf, MD, PhD, FACS, FACC
Professor of Surgery / Cardiothoracic
Emory University
Dr. Omar M. Lattouf is as senior cardiothoracic surgeon, widely published and frequent speaker at national and international cardiology and cardiac surgery conferences. He is also inventor with several patents in the field of minimally invasive and transapical heart technologies. Dr Lattouf is dedicated to education and mentorship.
Clinical Education Director
Kazeen Abdullah, MD
Clinical Cardiologist
Dr. Abdullah is a Kurdish American who arrived to Nashville as refugee child in 1992. She graduated from East Tennessee Medical School then finished her internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is dedicated to provide mentorship and network to students from underserved backgrounds and communities.
Medical Education Director
Amy Zeidan, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Emory University
Dr. Amy Zeidan is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. She received her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, completed an Emergency Medicine residency at The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, and an Emergency Ultrasound fellowship at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Zeidan is passionate about health care delivery and outcomes to refugee, immigrant and asylum populations.
Amy Zeidan, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Emory University
Dr. Amy Zeidan is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. She received her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, completed an Emergency Medicine residency at The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, and an Emergency Ultrasound fellowship at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Zeidan is passionate about health care delivery and outcomes to refugee, immigrant and asylum populations.
Clinical Education Advisor
Scott Keller, MD
Medical Director
Grace Village Clinic
Scott T. Keller D.O. FAAFP graduated from West Virginia University cum laud and attended medical School at West Virginia School of Osteopathic. After residency at what is now Case Western University, he practiced in rural West Virginia before before moving to the Atlanta area to direct a family medicine residency clinic. He is presently adjunct assistance professor of medicine at Emory University and senior physician at Emory at Mountain Park as well as medical director of Grace Village Medical Clinic where our purpose is to serve, inspire and teach
Scott Keller, MD
Medical Director
Grace Village Clinic
Scott T. Keller D.O. FAAFP graduated from West Virginia University cum laud and attended medical School at West Virginia School of Osteopathic. After residency at what is now Case Western University, he practiced in rural West Virginia before before moving to the Atlanta area to direct a family medicine residency clinic. He is presently adjunct assistance professor of medicine at Emory University and senior physician at Emory at Mountain Park as well as medical director of Grace Village Medical Clinic where our purpose is to serve, inspire and teach
Medical School Advisor
Stewart Neill, MD
Neuropathologist
Associate Director, Pathology Residency Program
Emory University
The Young Physicians Initiative provides outstanding opportunities for students from less privileged backgrounds to meet and learn from physicians across multiple specialties. As a native of Atlanta and a product of our local public school systems, the YPI grants me the joy of sharing my enthusiasm for our work with students in my community.
Stewart Neill, MD
Neuropathologist
Associate Director, Pathology Residency Program
Emory University
The Young Physicians Initiative provides outstanding opportunities for students from less privileged backgrounds to meet and learn from physicians across multiple specialties. As a native of Atlanta and a product of our local public school systems, the YPI grants me the joy of sharing my enthusiasm for our work with students in my community.
Medical School Advisor
Jenna Blythe-Tjia
M.Ed| Program Manager
School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion Student Affairs
UAB | The University of Alabama at Birmingham
“I have always had a genuine interest for inclusion and bringing underrepresentation to the forefront. Being able to advocate for students while serving diverse and minority student populations, is work I find meaningful and needed.” Jenna stems these passions from having grown up in what nationally is ranked as the poorest town in her home state of Washington, where she lived on a Native American Indian Reservation, raised by a Caucasian family, and where agriculture and Hispanic and Latino populations still flourish today.
Jenna Blythe-Tjia
M.Ed| Program Manager
School of Medicine Office for Diversity and Inclusion Student Affairs
UAB | The University of Alabama at Birmingham
“I have always had a genuine interest for inclusion and bringing underrepresentation to the forefront. Being able to advocate for students while serving diverse and minority student populations, is work I find meaningful and needed.” Jenna stems these passions from having grown up in what nationally is ranked as the poorest town in her home state of Washington, where she lived on a Native American Indian Reservation, raised by a Caucasian family, and where agriculture and Hispanic and Latino populations still flourish today.
General Surgery Advisor
Mohamed Kelli, MD
East TN University
“I am blessed and fortunate to have the necessary mentorship and opportunities to pursue my American Dream of becoming one of the first Kurdish American trauma surgeons. I am dedicated to mentor the next generation of healthcare providers."
Mohamed Kelli, MD
East TN University
“I am blessed and fortunate to have the necessary mentorship and opportunities to pursue my American Dream of becoming one of the first Kurdish American trauma surgeons. I am dedicated to mentor the next generation of healthcare providers."
High School Academic Advisor
Tara Wyman, PhD
Academic of Oaks
Tara Wyman earned her Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry studying molecular recognition at the University of California at Los Angeles. As a post-doctoral fellow, she performed research in gene therapy before teaching college chemistry in California. Dr.Wyman has been teaching chemistry and physics at Academe of the Oaks since 2004. She is a strong supporter of the YPI program which makes the medical profession accessible to every student interested.
Tara Wyman, PhD
Academic of Oaks
Tara Wyman earned her Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry studying molecular recognition at the University of California at Los Angeles. As a post-doctoral fellow, she performed research in gene therapy before teaching college chemistry in California. Dr.Wyman has been teaching chemistry and physics at Academe of the Oaks since 2004. She is a strong supporter of the YPI program which makes the medical profession accessible to every student interested.