• Home
  • Residents
  • Faculty
  • Wellness
  • Community Medicine
  • Highlights
  • Recent Graduates
  • Residency Family
  • Med Students
  • Rotations
  • Sports Medicine
  • POCUS (Ultrasound)
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Alumni Invitation
  • Alumni Only Page (login)
Picture

Our Faculty

With decades upon decades of experience, our Faculty is a nationally recognized and award winning Team of Resident Educators, committed to training the next generation in every area of life and practice as a Family Medicine physician.

Our Faculty Leadership Team

Picture

Kara Cummins, MD
Residency Program Director
​

The practice of medicine is in my blood. My father was a family physician in a small town in the middle of Illinois. I love interacting with people and knew that I wanted to be a family physician from the first day of medical school in St. Louis. I completed my residency training in downtown Chicago, and I continued on as part of the core faculty and eventually served as Medical Director of the resident clinic. After working in a semi-private practice in Northern Illinois, I decided to leave the cold winters and join family here in Southern California.  Since working for Permanente, I have been delighted to continue my career in academic medicine first as Assistant Program Director, and now as Program Director.  I believe that we have one of the best family medicine training programs in the country.  
Residency: Resurrection Health Care / St. Joseph Hospital FMRP
Medical School: Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Undergrad: DePauw University
Picture
Leena Patel, DO
Assistant Residency Program Director
Sports Medicine / POCUS
​Part of what drew me to Family Medicine was the wonderful people who choose this profession, and the relationships we get to build with patients. After I completed my Family Medicine and Sports Medicine training at KP Los Angeles, I moved to San Jose for 7 years and was part of the founding faculty that started a new Family Medicine residency program. I went on to become Associate Program Director, and I also completed a Faculty Development Fellowship to learn how to better teach in medical education, along with continuing my Sports Medicine practice. Watching residents grow from timid interns to eventual colleagues is a rewarding transformation to be a part of, and I am very happy to be back in Orange County (where I grew up) to continue doing this every day.

Fellowship: KP Los Angeles (Sports Medicine)
UCSF (Faculty Development)
​Residency: KP Los Angeles
 
Medical School: LECOM Bradenton

Undergrad: UCLA
Picture

Huey Dang, MD
Assistant Residency Program Director
​ Pediatrics/Inpatient Medicine​

As Assistant Program Director, I'm blessed to be able to unite my two professional loves: teaching & Family Medicine!  From taking care of newborn babies, to performing minor surgery, to caring for hospitalized patients -- the breadth, scope and constant learning in our field is inspiring and invigorating.  Witnessing and investing in the journey of so many amazing people: from medical student, to resident, to colleague is one of the most rewarding things about being a faculty member here at KPOC.
Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: UC Davis
Undergrad: UCLA

Core Faculty

Picture

Michael Provenghi, MD
Med Student Rotations
​

I am a family physician at heart! I believe in caring for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.  I believe in care that is based on the latest research and most effective practices, but I’m not against traditional or alternative treatments. Listening and caring are my most important daily activities.  I spend about half of my time at work caring for my patients, and the other half is splint between teaching medical students and residents as a faculty member at the Santa Ana Medical Offices. 
Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: New York Medical College
Undergrad: Pomona College
Picture

Carrie Nelson-Vasquez, MD
Geriatrics / Palliative Care
​Residency & Medical School Faculty

 Every person has their own unique set of life experiences and circumstances that influence who they are and how they approach life, health, and being well. Every single patient I see gives me the opportunity to learn something about life and about myself. My commitment as a physician is to use my knowledge and skills to help my patients understand their options and to make choices that best suit their individual needs. I strive to partner with my patients in their decision-making processes and then explore those options together.
Residency: KPOC FMRP
​
Fellowship: San Diego Hospice & Institute for Palliative Medicine
Medical School: UC San Diego
Undergrad: UC Irvine
Picture

Bobby Davari, MD
Curriculum/Research
​
2013 CAFP Educator of the Year

I feel that medicine is not just my job, but also my calling, and I love taking care of my patients. I also love to teach—I’m currently on the clinical faculty of the residency program for physicians-in-training.  I’m involved in physician leadership and quality improvement on the local and regional level. I’m a firm believer in practicing medicine based on current evidence and research, and I enjoy keeping up with the latest medical literature.

Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: UC Davis
Undergrad: UC Davis
Picture

Sofia Meraz, MD
Community Medicine Fellowship  Site Director / OBGYN Liaison​
2018 PECA (Physicians' Exceptional Contribution Award) Winner

I was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. when I was 14 years old.  After medical school at Stanford, I returned to Southern California for residency (at KPOC FMRP). This is where I started my medical practice and have been able to use my bilingual and bicultural skills to care for the surrounding community. ​ I serve on the board of directors for the CAFP, Orange County Chapter, as well as on the board of directors of Lestonnac Free Clinic.  Some of my other interests include behavioral medicine, outpatient procedures, LGBTQ+ health, equity, diversity and inclusion in medical education and training.
​Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: Stanford University
Undergrad: Cal State Long Beach

Picture
Scott Murray, MD
Innovation/Technology/ Graduation

I’m native to Southern California and was actually born at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center. My parents are both educators and I try to incorporate their influence when I teach medical students, residents, and, of course, my members.  I left private practice to join Kaiser Permanente because I believe we provide great care for our members. I strive to stay up to date with the latest medical knowledge, and I’m a firm believer in the practice of medicine based on scientific evidence.
Residency: Long Beach Memorial FMRP
Medical School: University of Maryland
Undergrad: UCLA
Picture
Lance Brunner, MD
Patient Safety/Quality
Leadership Development

 A career in family medicine has afforded me the opportunity to develop wonderful, long-lasting relationships with members and their families. It is an honor and privilege to participate in the care of members spanning the entire spectrum from infancy to the end of life. My most meaningful career experiences are those that support and help people during their greatest times of need. I also love to teach and I am apart of the administrative faculty at our Kaiser Permanente Orange County Family Medicine Residency Program and am an assistant clinical professor of family medicine at UC Irvine.
Residency: Long Beach Memorial FMRP
Medical School: UC Irvine
Undergrad: UC Irvine
Picture
Paul Vollucci, DO
Asst. FM Department Chief
I'm a native Southern Californian who grew up as a Kaiser Permanente member. I did not begin my professional life as a doctor. I worked as a high school science teacher prior to medical school.  My approach to health is a combination of primary prevention and aggressive disease management. I consider healthcare a team responsibility. The team is made up of my members, my staff, and myself. It takes a team to provide the necessary support to maintain and achieve wellness.  I enjoy family medicine because of the diversity of my members.
Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: Western University Health Sciences
Undergrad: UC Irvine
Picture
Diane Jerng, MD, MSEd
Resident Learning /  Faculty Development
My career passion is supporting residents and medical student learners in their education and training to optimize their learning and growth. I enjoy the process of understanding my learners so that we can together maximize effective strategies to improve clinical performance and personal well-being.   I have taught and coached residents since 1999. I enjoy sharing my love of learning with clinical experiences in broad-spectrum Family Medicine. 
Masters in Medical Education: University of Southern California
​
Residency: Long Beach Memorial
Medical School:  
Washington University School of Medicine
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania

Picture
Sushant Mohleji, MD
Core Administrative Faculty
Assist. FM Department Chief 
​Certified Hypertension Specialist 
From the moment I stepped into medical school, I knew I wanted to be a Family Physician. Caring for our members is the greatest privilege as we guide them through their health journeys. Primary care is the cornerstone of our patient’s health due to the breadth of our care and relationships with our patients. My training instilled a deep interest in evidence-based medicine, quality improvement and a passion for teaching. The joy of seeing freshly minted physicians evolve into world-class, mature,  Board-certified Family Physicians is unparalleled. My favorite modes of teaching are at the bedside, in the exam room, spur of the moment “chalk talks” and organized didactics. I’ve been fortunate to be engaged in multiple administrative roles which have shown me the great complexity and teamwork it takes to provide world-class top quality care.

Residency: KPOC FMRP
Medical School: UCLA
Undergrad: UC Riverside
Picture
Vincent Valenzuela, MD
Pediatrics
I am originally from Northern California and attended medical school at the University of Utah. After four years in beautiful Salt Lake City, where I was able to take part in the excitement of the 2002 Olympics, I finished my residency training at Children's Hospital of Orange County. With the constant sun and my love for running and other outdoor sports, I quickly made Orange County my home.  After graduating from my pediatrics residency, I stayed on as an attending physician for one more year, before eventually joining the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. 
Residency: Children's Hospital of Orange County
Medical School: University of Utah
Undergrad: Santa Clara University
Picture
 Adam Pollock, PsyD
Behavioral Medicine
I was born at a KP hospital in Los Angeles and, if all goes as planned, I’ll retire as a career-long Kaiser Psychologist in Orange County. My focus is on psychological testing, individual psychotherapy, and the training of beginning psychologists and physicians.  This aspect of my career has allowed me to share my experience, love of learning, and pay back some of the time and effort that was shared with me over the years by amazing teachers, professors, mentors, and colleagues.
Graduate School: California School of Professional Psychology – Los Angeles – Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Residency training: Kaiser Permanente – Department of Psychiatry – Santa Ana
Undergrad: CSULB




Picture
Mahnaz Pezeshpour, MD
Behavioral Medicine
I grew up in Tehran, Iran, and after finishing medical school, I moved to the United States. I completed my Adult Psychiatry residency and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship. Since 2009, I have been with Orange County Kaiser Permanente.  My approach to mental health involves advocating for awareness, reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions, and improving the quality of life for my patients and their families. I believe in collaborative care model between psychiatry and family medicine, as well as early intervention programs for at-risk populations, and strongly support the mental health needs of adults, children and adolescents.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Training: Medical College of Georgia
Residency: Albert Einstein Medical Center
Medical School: Azad Tehran University School of Medicine


Picture

Timothy Munzing, MD
Founding Residency Director (Emeritus)
2017 CAFP Hero of Family Medicine &
​National FM Residency Director of the Year


Having been the Program Director of KPOC Family Medicine Residency Program for over three decades, I  transitioned to Program Director Emeritus in January 2021, turning the reigns over to Dr. Kara Cummins, one of our amazing (former) Assistant PD’s. I will continue to serve on the national ACGME Family Medicine Review Committee, responsible for accrediting all Family Medicine programs in the country. I am one of the top physician national experts on appropriate opioid prescribing, having lectured to thousands of physicians, law enforcement and prosecutors.
Residency: KP Los Angeles FMRP
Medical School: UCLA
Undergrad: Cal State Fullerton
Picture

David C. Cheng, MD
Assistant Residency Program Director (Emeritus)
​​

Picture

Angie Ivashkin
Residency Program Administrator
Picture

Shasta Hess
Administrative Coordinator II
As Assistant PD and one of the core faculty members for our residency program, I enjoy the intellectually stimulating and challenging setting of this office and my role as a faculty clinician. I believe that our scope of practice here is exceptional in that we see children, pregnant women, young adults, and geriatric members.  Professionally, my greatest passion is teaching.  Nothing brings me more joy than participating via teaching and coaching in the intern’s metamorphosis from an anxious med-school graduate to a confident and competent physician.
Residency: KP Los Angeles FMRP
Medical School: UC Irvine
Undergrad: UC San Diego
Being the “Residency Mom” has been one of my most fulfilling roles in my working career. It’s been my pleasure to "be there" for the residents as well as our faculty and staff -- helping one another in good times and the ever-challenging time that we now face together.  Our residency is one of the most supportive programs with a faculty and Administration that is more like an extended family. It’s my goal to help alleviate and manage the many administrative tasks of our program and residents while preserving their time needed to focus on their education.  I truly adore all of my residents/graduates and am personally rewarded by being part of their career development.
As the Admin Specialist for residency program, my role is to help provide a variety of services to help relieve the residents and faculty of administrative details. I help to ensure effective day to day operations.  I truly love working for the KPOC Family Medicine Residency and all the wonderful residents and faculty that have turned into extended family throughout the years.

Picture

Pranav Shah, MD
Behavioral Medicine/Wellness
​(Emeritus)
Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a psychiatrist. My father is a psychiatrist, and I grew up fascinated with the idea of learning why people behave the way they do. This quest to understand human behavior has guided me in my choice of a career and has continued to fuel my professional life. Through medical school and residency training, I learned about health and illness, and about the intricacies of the human body, brain, and mind. But perhaps the most important lesson I learned was about the value of an empathic bond between the doctor and his/her patient and its importance in the healing process.  
Residency: Albert Einstein / Montefiore Medical Center Psychiatry Residency
Medical School: Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College, Gujarat Univ 
Undergrad: St. Xavier's Science & Art College, India
  • Home
  • Residents
  • Faculty
  • Wellness
  • Community Medicine
  • Highlights
  • Recent Graduates
  • Residency Family
  • Med Students
  • Rotations
  • Sports Medicine
  • POCUS (Ultrasound)
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Alumni Invitation
  • Alumni Only Page (login)