Hometown: Lilburn, GA
Undergraduate: Emory University
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Transitional Year Program

Born and raised in Lilburn, Georgia, Allison attended Emory University for her undergraduate education. After majoring in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory, Sara moved up north to Michigan for medical school. She then completed a transitional year at Brookwood Baptist in Birmingham, Alabama. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and traveling.

Hometown: Lake Charles, LA
Undergraduate: Louisiana State University Agricultural and Mechanical College
Medical School: Louisiana State University School of Medicine In New Orleans
Internship: Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Baton Rouge

Hometown: Lexington, KY
Undergraduate: University of Kentucky
Medical School: University of Kentucky
Internship: The University of Kentucky College of Medicine (Bowling Green) Transitional Year Residency Program

He was born in Russia. He moved to the United States at the age of 19. His grandfather is a geometry professor and he always had an aptitude for analytical sciences and was happy to pursue a career in Diagnostic Radiology. He has practiced judo since the age of seven and has a black belt.

Hometown: Augusta, GA
Undergraduate: Georgia Institute of Technology
Medical School: Medical College of Georgia
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Sarah Bracher, M.D., grew up in Augusta, Georgia. She attended college at Georgia Tech where she studied Industrial & Systems Engineering. She moved back home to Augusta to attend medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. She completed her transitional year at Brookwood Baptist Health. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, being with family (especially her nephews), cooking, doing crafty projects, looking on Zillow, and any form of puzzles!

Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physics

Hometown: Kailua, Hawaii
Undergraduate: University of the Pacific, Stockton, California
Graduate School: East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Undergraduate: Mercer University
Medical School: Meharry Medical College - School of Medicine
Internship: Piedmont Macon Medical Center

Vanessa E. Dania, M.D. was born in Lagos, Nigeria and was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She always had a great interest in science and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Mercer University in Macon, GA. Throughout her life, she was aware of health disparities in the communities in which she lived and she felt motivated to find avenues to positively impact her communities. She pursued her dream of becoming a physician at Meharry Medical College and discovered her passion for Diagnostic Radiology. She is excited about what the future holds regarding her medical training at UAB and feels honored to serve patients within Alabama and surrounding areas. She has varied extracurricular interests such as painting or sketching in her free time. She also enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants and staying active by exercising.

Hometown: Ocean Springs, MS
Undergraduate: University of Mississippi
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Internship: University of Mississippi Medical Center

DeBardeleben grew up on the coast of Mississippi and loves being on the water and anything outdoors. Her husband Miles, their dog Ralph, and she love to spend their weekends hiking around Birmingham and trying all of the great restaurants. Things look a little different now that they have a four-month-old daughter, but she loves tagging along with them wherever they go! (Especially to residency hangouts!)

Hometown: Austin, TX
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Desai is a Texas transplant who has lived in a lot of places before finding her way to Birmingham. She was drawn to radiology because it is a great specialty that is at a unique intersection of technological innovation, problem-solving, procedures, and consulting within the field of medicine. In her spare time she enjoys exploring new restaurants, going to the farmer's market, hiking, and trying new recipes.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Internship: University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Preliminary Surgery

Born and raised in Knoxville, TN, John Doty, M.D., is a big Tennessee Vols fan by birth. He went to college in St. Louis at Wash U where he played football. He completed medical school in Memphis at UTHSC and then his internship at UTGSM in Knoxville. He decided on radiology during his third year of medical school when he realized how interesting and impactful the work of a radiologist is. In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing, hiking, spending time with his family and friends, and cheering for the Vols on Saturdays.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Johnson City, TN
Undergraduate: East Tennessee State University
Medical School: Quillen College of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Ahmed Elgazzar, M.D., was born in Egypt and spent the first several years of his life in southern Japan, before coming to the US and eventually creating roots in Johnson City, Tennessee, a place he now calls home. He attended college and medical school at his hometown institution, East TN State University, where his interest in radiology and endovascular procedures grew. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, working out, and spending time with friends and family.

Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt
Undergraduate: Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine
Medical School: Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine
Internship: St. Vincent Medical Center

Elkassem was born and raised in Egypt and also went to medical school there. He is married and a father of two kids. After medical school, he moved to the United States and started his journey in radiology as a research fellow. He is also a former water polo player and in his free time, he enjoys swimming and playing with his kids.

Hometown: Huntsville, AL
Undergraduate: Auburn University
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Internship: Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center

Michael Evans, M.D., is originally from Huntsville, AL and received his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences from Auburn University. He then earned his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Michael completed his Ph.D. in Cancer and Molecular Medicine in the lab of Dr. Iain Morgan, researching HPV-related head and neck cancer. He is excited to be back in Alabama to complete his radiology training at UAB while continuing to participate in translational research. Outside of radiology, he enjoys exploring local breweries, watching Premier League soccer, attending Auburn football games and spending time with his wife and goldendoodle.

Hometown: Gallipolis, WV
Undergraduate: University of Rio Grande --- Graduate: Marshall University
Medical School: JC Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University
Internship: Marshall University

Gallagher was born and raised in southeastern Ohio. Before entering medical school, he had a career in nursing. He married a Florida girl and headed south for radiology residency. They have a wonderful daughter and Australian cattle dog. In his free time he enjoys running, reading, and cheering for the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals.

Chief Resident

Integrated IR

Hometown: Shreveport, LA
Undergraduate: Tulane University 
Medical School: Louisiana State University New Orleans
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health 

Integrated IR

Hometown: Greer, SC
Undergraduate: Clemson University
Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine- Columbia
Internship: Virginia Commonwealth University Health System

Born and raised in Greer, SC. Initially became interested in IR during an elective at the beginning of M3 year. Spent intern year at VCU in Richmond, VA with the general surgery program and is very excited to be an R1 at UAB. Outside of the hospital, Emily enjoys reading, hiking, and picking up new crafts.

Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Undergraduate: Birmingham-Southern College
Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Habash is a first generation Syrian American born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He loved traveling to Syria every summer to visit family growing up, getting to learn and tap into such a rich and unique culture. And at the same time, he valued growing up with his American friends and their families, and participating in their fun traditions and ways of life. He is a simple kind of guy, doesn't need too much to be happy, just good company and good food. What better place to call home than Birmingham, Alabama.

Hometown: Brentwood, TN 
Undergraduate: Belmont University
Medical School: University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Sherif Samir Helmey, M.D., was born in Cairo, Egypt and emigrated to Tennessee as a young child where he grew up. Having a passion for anatomy and physics he pursued medical school and later a career in radiology. Outside of the hospital, he enjoys playing soccer, weight lifting, and traveling with his wife.

Hometown: Tupelo, MS
Undergraduate: Hendrix College
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Internship: University of Mississippi Medical Center

Huffman studied computer science during his undergrad and worked in software development before attending medical school. He likes to play Dota and go hiking and camping in his free time. UAB Radiology provides a wonderful environment to learn and grow as a Radiologist. The residents are excited to continue learning, and the faculty are passionate about education. Birmingham has great hiking trails and great breweries.

Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
Undergraduate: Brigham Young University
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine
Internship: Cleveland Clinic Florida

From California to Florida, Sterling Jones, M.D., has called a lot of places home, but he considers himself a Virginian at heart. He met his wife in college out west and is the father of two spunky girls. When he’s not mastering the fine art of picking mashed pasta and peas out of high chair crevices, you'll often find him prowling the neighborhood with his daughters, on the hunt for wildflowers, insects, birds, and any other critters brave enough to cross their path. Otherwise, he enjoys perusing DK Smithsonian coffee table books, struggling to stay caught up with the Disney cinematic universe, and harnessing the power of AI chatbots to pretend to be a programmer.

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Undergraduate: Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine
Medical School: Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine
Internship: University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine - Montgomery 

Ahmed M. Khalaf, M.D., was born in Cairo, Egypt, and spent four years in Paris, France, where he learned French. His passion for radiology led him to the U.S. in 2013 as a visiting international medical student at SUNY Upstate Medical University and UAB. After completing his internship and earning his medical license in Egypt, he returned to work as a senior research assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center. In 2017, he joined UAB Radiology as a research fellow and became UAB’s first CT Radiologist Assistant (CTRA) in 2019. Delighted to continue his radiology training at UAB, Dr. Khalaf brings years of dedication to the field. Outside the hospital, he enjoys time with his wife, energetic daughter, and newborn son. His hobbies include auto detailing, Formula 1, Mediterranean cooking, biking, hiking, chess, ping pong, tennis, and playing the Doumbek.

Hometown: Pensacola, FL
Undergraduate: University of South Alabama
Medical School: University of South Alabama College of Medicine
Internship: University of South Alabama Hospital

Colton T. Knight, M.D., was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida. He attended University of South Alabama for his undergraduate degree and medical school. He became interested in radiology during his first year of medical school through a research project in portal hypertension interventions within radiology. He completed an internal medicine preliminary year at South Alabama. Outside of medicine, Knight enjoys hobbies including playing guitar, piano, and drums, enjoys classic film and TV, watching college football and formula 1, and spending time with his wife Katie and 2 corgis, George and Liz.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Abbeville, LA
Undergraduate: University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Medical School: LSU Health - New Orleans
Internship: UAB General Surgery

Coming from a small town in south Louisiana, working hard and partying harder has always been LaPorte's life motto. He stayed in Louisiana to play college football at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and subsequently switched over to LSU for medical school. Living in Alabama for residency was his first time living outside of Louisiana (which you can imagine was not easy for an LSU Tiger), however, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to train alongside Tanner Nielson, Radiology protege from Jackson, MS. In his spare time outside the hospital, you can find him exercising, watching sports, playing golf, hanging out with friends/family, cooking, hiking, and brewery hopping at all the sweet places in Birmingham.

Hometown: Hoover, AL
Undergraduate: Auburn University
Medical School: University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Andrew Lenzie, M.D., was born and raised in the Birmingham area. His interest in science and technology lead him to study chemical engineering at Auburn University. He then sought to apply these interests to medicine when he started medical school at the University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine. From his involvement with multiple imaging based research projects and radiology rotations, he found an interest in diagnostic radiology. Andrew was excited to match at UAB for residency to stay in his home town where he enjoys spending time with his wife, dog, family, and friends.

Medical School: Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine

Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physics

Hometown: Orlando, FL
Undergraduate: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Graduate School: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Integrated IR

Hometown: Madison, AL
Undergraduate: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System

Originally from Madison, Alabama, Ben McCafferty, M.D., moved to Birmingham for college. He loved the city so much that he stayed for medical school and now residency which offically makes him a "UAB lifer." During his second year of medical school, he became interested in interventional radiology because of its unique blend of imaging expertise, technical procedures, and advanced technology. In his free time, Ben enjoys ultimate frisbee, videogames, hiking, and eating any dessert in sight.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Conway, AR
Undergraduate: University of Central Arkansas
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Internship: Dartmouth-Hitchcock

McMoran is an IR resident born and raised in Central Arkansas. His family and he are so excited to finish up training here at UAB. They are an outdoors family who love to hike with their family golden retriever Summit. He also enjoys a solid craft beer and minor league baseball games.

Chief Resident

Hometown: Olive Branch, MS
Undergraduate: Delta State University
Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Moore is from Olive Branch, MS. She went to Delta State University for undergrad, where she majored in chemistry and cheered for the fighting okra. She attended medical school at UMMC in Jackson, MS. She moved to Birmingham for her internship at Brookwood Baptist. She’s now a radiology trainee at UAB with a focus in undergraduate medical education and wellness. She has the most precious pup, Pepper, and makes a mean sourdough. She takes care of a bunch of houseplants and is trying to start a vertical garden. She’s super close with her family and even convinced her mom and sister to move to Birmingham because she loves it so much! Even before they got there, her co-residents felt like family. She loves everyone in her class and can’t wait for new trainees to join them.

Hometown: Fairfax, VA; Tehran, Iran
Undergraduate: Iran University of Medical Sciences
Medical School: Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine
Postgraduate: National Institutes of Health, Radiology and Imaging Sciences - Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Internship: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Preliminary Surgery Program

Moozhan Nikpanah, M.D., earned her medical degree from Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and completed her general surgery internship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Prior to residency, she undertook a postdoctoral research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Radiology and Imaging Sciences, where she was avidly involved in multiple clinical trials as an associate investigator. She currently serves as the Chair of the Society of Abdominal Radiology Resident and Fellow Section (SAR-RFS). In her previous leadership roles, she led the American Association for Women in Radiology (AAWR) Medical Student Outreach Subcommittee and served as the Education Team Leader for Radiologists for a Sustainable Future (R4SF). She was selected for the RadioGraphics trainee editorial board (RG TEAM) from 2022 to 2024. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, nature photography, and spending time with her family.

Hometown: Tuscaloosa, AL
Undergraduate: University of South Alabama
Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Renu Pandit, M.D., was born in Oregon and grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL. She fell in love with radiology during her third year of medical school through her involvement with UAB's Women in Radiology Education (WIRED) interest group. She completed a preliminary year with Brookwood Baptist Health's General Surgery program. She hopes to serve as a mentor for anyone interested in learning more about radiology as a career path. Outside the hospital, she can be found cooking Indian and Mexican food, spending time with her family, or traveling and hiking with her husband, Sagar.

Chief Resident

Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Undergraduate: University of Tennessee at Martin
Medical School: ETSU Quillen College of Medicine
Internship: Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System

Reeves was born and raised in Knoxville, TN. He went on to play four years of college golf at UT Martin where he also met his beautiful wife, Tori. They have two daughters (Kate and Caroline, both way cooler than them) and a golden retriever named Daisy. He loves to golf, hike, ski, spend time with family/friends, and get his heart broken by his beloved Tennessee Vols.

Hometown: Marianna, FL
Undergraduate: University of Florida
Medical School: Florida State University College of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health

Riley was born and raised in the Florida panhandle and worked as a retail pharmacist in his hometown of Marianna for several years before pursuing medical school. He is a big sports fan, especially college football (Go Gators!) and loves getting outdoors to go fishing and boating. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Amy, and their son and daughter, Shepard and Wallis. They can be found most weekends at the McWane Science Center or Birmingham Zoo.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate: Emory University
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont
Internship: St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
msaon@uabmc.edu 

Hometown: Franklin, TN
Undergraduate: University of Tennessee
Medical School: University of Tennessee, Health Science Center
Internship: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
apschultz@uabmc.edu 

Integrated IR

Hometown: Cedarville, AR
Undergraduate: Arkansas Tech University 
Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Internship: University of Arkansas

Integrated IR

Hometown: Isfahan, Iran
Undergraduate: Arak University of Medical Sciences
Medical School: Arak University of Medical Sciences
Postgraduate: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Internship: University of Pennsylvania - Surgery

Omid Shafaat, M.D., is an integrated vascular and interventional radiology resident. He went to medical school at Arak University of Medical Sciences in Iran. After graduation, he joined the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD as a research fellow. Omid was then promoted to a staff scientist at the Department of Radiology at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Omid has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and is pursuing a career in academic Interventional Radiology. In his free time, Omid enjoys calligraphy, drawing caricatures, cooking Persian and Mediterranean cuisines, exploring new restaurants and bars, and playing volleyball.

Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Undergraduate: University of Alabama 
Medical School: University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: USF Morsani School of Medicine, Blake Medical Center Transitional Year 

Grant Smith, M.D., was born and raised in Birmingham. He attended the University of Alabama for college, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering before returning to Birmingham to attend UAB for medical school. He became interested in radiology during his second and third years of medical school and loves both the mix of anatomy and pathology as well as the advanced technology of radiology. He completed his transitional year in Bradenton, FL before returning to Birmingham for his radiology residency. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Madeline and their dog Mosley. He loves golfing, hiking, and cooking.

Hometown: Dyersburg, TN
Undergraduate: University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Internship: University of Tennessee Health Science Center

While Smith was born in Texas, he spent most of his life in Tennessee. He studied physics in school, which in hindsight is likely where his interest in radiology began. He’s a big baseball fan and tries to make it to Hoover every year for the SEC baseball tournament. His ideal Saturday would include watching the Tennessee Volunteers beat Florida.

Integrated IR

Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Undergraduate: Wofford College
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Hospital 

Dr. Stibolt attended the prestigious Indian Springs School before receiving an academic scholarship to Wofford College (Spartanburg, SC), where he studied Finance and began pursuing a career in Financial Technology. After college he initially lived and worked in Boston, MA before returning to Birmingham to attend UAB School of Medicine in 2015. Stibolt was drawn to the field of interventional radiology while doing elective rotations in orthopedic and vascular surgery. He completed his intern year locally at Brookwood Baptist Health, where they say he is a "fan favorite!" Outside of the hospital, he can be found hiking at Oak Mountain State Park with his dog Harvey (malinois) and gradually renovating his house in Hoover.

Hometown: Peachtree City
Undergraduate: Mercer University
Medical School: AU/UGA Medical Partnership
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Medical Center

Ulversoy grew up in suburbia Atlanta, finding ways to spend time outdoors when not playing video games growing up. Once in college, he became much more active and found himself becoming interested in many topics. Since then, he’s found himself acquiring more hobbies and activities, ranging from culinary escapades to outdoor adventures involving both travel and sports. In his free time you can currently find him fermenting something or designing a retaining wall for his and his wife's yard.

Hometown: Mobile, AL
Undergraduate: The University of Alabama 
Medical School: University of South Alabama
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Hospital
wcwiggins@uabmc.edu 

Hometown: Brewton, AL
Undergraduate: University of Alabama
Medical School: University of Alabama School of Medicine
Internship: University of Maryland Medical Center - Midtown

He was born and raised in Brewton, Alabama, before attending the University of Alabama where he studied chemical engineering and biology before attending UAB as a first generation medical student. It was in medical school where he discovered the wonderful world of radiology, and he is delighted to be able to continue his radiology training at the institution he's come to love so much over the past several years. When he is outside of the hospital, his favorite things to do include hiking at Oak Mountain, making pasta from scratch, playing video games, watching horror movies, and hanging out with his dog Olive (she's the best).

Hometown: Philadelphia, MS
Undergraduate: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Medical School: UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Internship: Brookwood Baptist Health Transitional Year

Joseph Willis, M.D., MBA, grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi before moving to Madison, Mississippi to complete his senior year of high school. After playing football in junior college in Mississippi, Joseph went on to complete his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at UAB while also playing football as a member of the UAB football team. After graduating, Joseph stayed in Birmingham to complete a dual M.D., MBA degree at UAB Heersink School of Medicine. With a background in engineering as well as a lifelong interest in technology, Willis was naturally drawn to the field of radiology. In his free time, Willis enjoys spending time with his wife, working out, traveling, and scratching his engineering itch with 3D printing projects that he shares on social media.