SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
Thesla Berne-Anderson, Ed.D.
SSTRIDE Founder & Exec Director
Dr. Thesla Berne-Anderson has been at FSU since 1993 and is the Executive Director of Precollege and College Outreach Programs for FSU College of Medicine. As a higher education professional, she founded and directed the first Florida educational pipeline program, SSTRIDE, and USSTRIDE, incorporating the AAMC Project 3000 by 2000 framework. She was the former director of Outreach and Advising at FSU College of Medicine and co-created FSU College of Medicine's Summer Mini Medical School Residential Camp for rising 11th and 12th graders. She is the faculty advisor to the Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS) and was also a member of the Florida Physician Workforce Advisory Council. She has 30 years of experience in higher education leadership, program development, and management and has served on FSUCOM's admissions committee for over 20 years. She recently became certified in Hardiness, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence training and will soon be a master trainer with the National Tutoring Association, where FSU COM holds institutional membership. She is a recipient of the FSU University Academic Advising Award, Inspiring Programs in STEM Leadership Award- INSIGHT Into Diversity, Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award & the Florida State University College of Medicine Guardian of the Mission Service Award.
Dr. Andria M. Klioze
Internal and Obesity Medicine Physician
Andria M. Klioze, MD graduated from the Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed her Residency at the University of Florida. Dr. Klioze is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Before moving to Ormond, she worked as a hospitalist and started the hospitalist program at the VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida and was Director of Faculty Development at the University of Florida. Currently, Dr. Klioze works at the Veterans Administration, Daytona Beach and runs the Diabetes, Metabolic and Obesity Clinic where her focus and treatment goals are disease stabilization and reversal. She is Past-President of the Volusia County Medical Society and weekly co-hosts, The Doctors Radio Show at WNZF out of Flagler Beach, Florida. She is CEO and founder of Shield of Life which provides education and support on healing and protecting the whole body. The company provides educational and support training on disease mitigation and reversal, sells BEMER, a device that enhances microvascular circulation and also sells protective clothing with antibacterial, antifungal and hypoallergenic properties through the Shield of Life Apparel site. The company’s goal is to provide a shield of protection and wellness, but her ultimate dream is to inspire and help to promote both Volusia and Flagler Counties to becoming Beacons of Wellness on the East Coast. Her mission is to help physicians and students understand disease can be put into remission and occasionally reversed, to encourage lifestyle change and then help patients see how to come off medications.
Dr. Elizabeth Foster
Associate Dean, IMS
Dr. Foster has been at FSU since 1998 and is now the Associate Dean of the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Division with the College of Medicine. Throughout her career in higher education, she has been an advocate and mentor to students interested in science, research, and healthcare. She has been recognized with the University Advising Award and the Transformation Through Teaching Award. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Southern California and expanded her research skills as the project director for the FSU Learning Disabilities Center. She oversees the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (IMS) Bachelor’s Degree and co-directs the Bridge to Clinical Medicine Master’s Degree at FSU. These programs integrate rigorous science coursework with experiential learning and research inquiry to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals. Her current research interests include interdisciplinary and interprofessional teaching in healthcare education.
Dr. Erica Miller
Teaching Faculty/Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Dr. Erica Miller is a Teaching Faculty in the Florida State University College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences program. In her current role, she teaches upper-level seminar courses to students seeking careers in healthcare professions. Before her tenure with the College of Medicine, she worked as an adjunct professor at Florida State University and Florida Agriculture & Mechanical University College of Social Work. Dr. Miller graduated from Florida State University with master’s degrees in social work and library and information studies and obtained her Doctor of Social Work from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In her 24-year-plus career history, she has worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing mental health services in private practice, hospital settings, community mental health, and administrative roles in both state government and corporate settings as a Quality Manager, State Contract Compliance Administrator, and Medical Healthcare Program Analyst. In 2008, Dr. Miller was awarded the Davis Productivity Award for her implementation of the Child Welfare Prepaid Mental Health Plan- the first managed care plan of its kind in Florida focused on servicing the behavioral health needs of children in the child welfare system. Dr. Miller is currently working with an interdisciplinary research team to conduct a needs assessment for a rural community in North Florida. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and traveling.
Dr. Angela Guzman
Associate Program Director, OBGYN
Dr. Guzman is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. She graduated from the Florida State University College of Medicine where I was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, where she was selected to serve as Administrative Chief Resident. During residency, she was honored as a recipient of the special Leory Raphel Teaching Award, an award provided to the resident who embodied Dr. Raphael’s ideal in learning, teaching, and leadership. Post graduation she worked in private practice for 3 1⁄2 years and ultimately returned to her love of resident education. She currently serves as the Associate Program Director for the UCF/HCA Osceola Regional OBGYN Residency Program. This position has augmented my passion for medicine and for teaching.
She currently serves as the Women’s Service Department Vice-Chair, Secretary of the Central Florida Medical Society, and she was recently elected as the District 3, Section XII Vice-Chair of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She loves mentoring, traveling, and volunteering. She is married and enjoys spending quality time with my husband and two rambunctious sons.
Dr. Amy Neal
Family and Obesity Medicine Physician/Associate Medical Director
Dr. Neal graduated from Florida State University College of Medicine in 2008 and then trained at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency. She then chose a position with Capital Health Plan Physicians Group. Over the next 12 years, she worked in Urgent Care and Primary Care and has added Obesity Medicine board certification and an MBA degree (also from FSU) to her tool belt. She has been the Associate Medical Director for the last two years. Dr. Neal is passionate about exercise, nutrition, family life, autonomy, and adventure.
Dr. Dejuan White
Physician, Psychiatry and Internal Medicine
Dr. DeJuan White is a physician who has maintained board certifications in general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and internal medicine. He is from Jacksonville, Florida, and completed his undergraduate and medical degrees at Florida State University. He joined the Emory community in 2009 when he began the Combined Internal Medicine and Psychiatry Residency. He then completed a Forensic psychiatry fellowship before joining the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as a faculty member. He serves as the Medical Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Service at Grady Memorial Hospital, Associate Program Director for the General Psychiatry residency program, and Small Group Advisor for the medical school.
He has been awarded for his teaching skills, including the Psychiatry Department’s Excellence in Teaching Award. His medical education research has focused on professional identity formation and experiences of underrepresented minorities in medicine. This led to the reception of the Division I American Education Research Association Outstanding Research Publication Award and the AAMC Research in Medical Education Underrepresented in Medicine Research Paper Award. Given his commitment to advocacy and service to the community, he was appointed to the Georgia Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission to evaluate and provide recommendations to improve Georgia’s mental health system. He has lectured and published articles on various topics, including professional identity formation of healthcare professionals, underrepresented in medicine, medical conditions in individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses, diversity and equity issues in healthcare, and mental health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Bernard Ashby
Medical Director, Professor, Vascular Cardiology, Owner
Bernard Ashby, MD, board-certified Vascular Cardiologist, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at FSU and owner of Comprehensive Vascular Care. Dr. Ashby is a Florida State University alumnus of the class of 2003. He received his Medical degree from Cornell University Medical College and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Columbia University Medical Center. He completed his Cardiology Fellowship at George Washington University Hospital, where he was elected Chief Fellow.
Dr. Ashby obtained his Master’s in Public Policy from Princeton University and trained in Vascular Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Ashby serves as a Professor of Medicine at Florida State University. He is also a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) & Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC). He started his career as an academic vascular cardiologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center and professor of Medicine at Columbia University. His clinical interests have been for cardiovascular disease and risk assessment.
Dr. Ashby has been nationally recognized for his excellent clinical care, including Legacy Magazine’s Top Healthcare Professional Award and the Powerful Professional Award. He is a part of the Erace The Hate organization, where he works with Overtown and Liberty City youth to create music and art to decrease gun violence. He volunteers at the Miami Rescue Mission Clinic, where he provides free care to the homeless in Miami. Dr. Ashby also founded the CVC Fellowship program: an internship program for students from High School to College to assist them in their healthcare careers. Dr. Ashby always commits time to mentoring the younger generation of up-and-coming doctors.
Dr. Kandis Adkins
Assistant Professor, Intensive Care Anesthesiology
A native of Indianapolis, IN, Kandis Adkins completed undergraduate studies at Florida A&M University. While there, she worked as a SSTRIDE mentor and tutored undergraduate students in chemistry, physics, and calculus. Initially planning a career in pharmacy, Dr. Adkins felt increasingly drawn to medicine as she bonded with premed students in the close-knit MAPS group. She took advantage of the many resources available through the SSTRIDE program to strengthen her qualifications for application, and subsequently returned home to attend medical school at Indiana University. Upon graduation, Dr. Adkins trained in Anesthesiology at Indiana University then continued with fellowship training in critical care at Duke University.
With post-graduate training complete, Dr. Adkins helped start a closed ICU program for the cardiovascular and thoracic surgical intensive care unit at University of Louisville Heart Hospital. Since arriving in Louisville 10 years ago, Dr. Adkins has been involved in numerous university, hospital and community-based programs to contribute to the overall health of Louisvillians. She currently serves as the President of Falls City Medical Society, Louisville affiliate to the National Medical Association. In addition, Dr. Adkins serves as the Assistant Program Director of the Critical Care Anesthesiology fellowship program, co-chair of the Cardiogenic Shock Team and Director of Problem-Based Learning for preclinical medical students. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023 and continues to grow as a leader, educator, and clinician. Outside of clinical and teaching duties, she cherishes time with her husband, Donnie, and 5-year old daughter, Dahlia.
Leroy Cordero Floyd III
Physician- Internal Medicine, Chief Medical Officer
Leroy Cordero Floyd III, M.D., MBA, CPE, FACP, FHM is a native of Ft. Pierce, FL. He graduated from Florida State University in 2002 with B.S. degrees in Biology and Secondary Science/Math Teaching. Dr. Floyd continued his education and graduated from Florida State University College of Medicine in 2010. He completed an Internal Medicine Residency & Chief Year at UMDNJ -NJ Medical School now known as Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ. Dr. Floyd holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts.
Dr. Floyd is a board-certified Internist. He is employed at Garnet Health System in Middletown, NY. He serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Garnet Health Medical Center-Catskills, Medical Director of Hospitalist Services, and President of the Medical Staff. He was the 2021 Leadership Award Recipient for Garnet Health Medical Center. Dr. Floyd is an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine- Middletown Campus. He is a member of multiple medical professional societies and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Chemika Burkhalter
Executive Director, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Dr. Chemika Burkhalter is a mental health professional and coach who started her career providing therapy to incarcerated individuals at a maximum-security prison. Dr. Burkhalter holds a Doctorate in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, both from Florida State University. She is an approved Clinical Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Certified Life/Professional Coach. Presently Dr. Burkhalter is an Executive Director for a non-profit early childcare center. She continues her passion for social work as a field liaison with FIU’s School of Social Work. If those endeavors weren’t enough, Dr. Burkhalter has a private practice where she assists individuals in understanding that they have control of their life, the boundaries they want to set, and the choices they want to make.
Alpha Journal
PA-C, Pediatrics
Alpha B. Journal was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He attended Florida State University (FSU) and received his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science. While at FSU, he served on the executive board for 3 consecutive years of the Multicultural Association of Pre-health Students (MAPS). For his graduate education, Mr. Journal attended Keiser University, where he earned his Master of Science in Physician Associate (MSPA). He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Davenport University. Mr. Journal resides in Connecticut with his wife, three children, and a mix of lab-collie. He is currently practicing as a Pediatric PA at the Center for Pediatric Medicine in Danbury, CT. His hobbies include working out, volunteering, learning about personal finance, and teaching others how to become financially independent. Mr. Journal acquired over 2 million dollars in real estate assets over the past couple of years, ran a few small businesses that earned him passive income, and invested in many tax-deferred accounts.
Cierra Mathis, M.Ed, RDN, LDN, CDCES
Dietitian and CDCES, Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare
Cierra Mathis, M.Ed, RDN, LDN, CDCES, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. She mainly practices at the Endocrinology, Obesity, and Diabetes Center, which is the only facility of its kind in the Big Bend region, specializing in caring for adults and children with all types of diabetes, and other related metabolic disorders. In her role, she works with patients to provide individualized medical nutrition therapy for diabetes and weight management. She also provides care to patients with malnutrition, those who require enteral nutrition, and a variety of gastrointestinal imbalances that are nutritionally related. In addition, she collectively works with other dietitians at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to help combat food insecurity in underserved areas and rural communities like the one she grew up in, Gadsden County. Her passion is helping fight obesity, prevent diabetes, and analyzing the development of nutrition-related chronic diseases, especially in the pediatric population. She has always had a passion for patient care, pediatric medicine and serving underserved communities. Raised in Gadsden County, there was something inside her that longed to be in healthcare and treat patients through food and nutrition to improve overall health and wellness.
Dr. Joshua Golden
PA-C, Pediatrics
Dr. Joshua Golden, DDS, MPH, was born and raised in Miami, Florida. After obtaining his Dental degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, he made a pit stop in New York City for a General Practice Residency at Montefiore Hospital. In 2015, he returned home ready to give back to his community. He now serves as the Owner Dentist of West Sunrise Dentistry, where he enjoys providing modern dentistry in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Recently, Dr. Golden was awarded the 2021 “We Serve” Award with Pacific Dental Services for providing outstanding service to his community and donating dentistry to those in need.
As a Freshman at Florida State University, Dr. Golden became an active member of the Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS). He would later serve in many leadership positions with MAPS, including President, Vice President, and Public Relations Officer. Also, at this time, Dr. Golden was introduced to the SSTRIDE program through MAPS, where he enjoyed mentoring local middle and high school students. Thanks to these amazing programs, Dr. Golden could travel to Guyana, South America, for a medical mission trip, attend several National healthcare conferences, and a summer externship program called SMDEP at Columbia University. The Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) was the spark to guide Dr. Golden into the Dental profession. Dr. Golden credits any success in his life to his time spent with Mrs. Anderson, MAPS, and SSTIRDE. Without you, there’s “NO” Dr. Joshua Golden!
Dr. Inaki Bent
Primary Care/Internal Medicine Physician, DO, MBA, MS
Dr. Bent is a Board-certified physician who has worked in Primary Care/Internal Medicine since 2013. This Miami native and son of Haitian immigrants received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University and a Master of Biomedical Science from Barry University. He attended Nova Southeastern University and received a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine and a Master of Business Administration degree in 2010. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital-University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
He is an Attending Physician with Jackson Health System and Associate Medical Director of My Home Doctor, LLC. His academic appointments include Assistant Clinical Professor at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and Clinical Instructor at Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Bent is a member of the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad-South Florida Chapter, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, and the James W. Bridges Medical Society.
Dr. Bent's passion and expertise were recognized in 2015 when he was awarded "Top Healthcare Professional of South Florida" by Legacy Magazine. Dr. Bent is married with five children. “Medicine is my ministry, and I’ve dedicated my career to serving the underserved to improve outcomes and address health care disparities.”
Dr. Brittany Foulkes Crenshaw
Internal Medicine
Dr. Brittany Foulkes Crenshaw is a board certified internal medicine physician. A Florida native, she graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences in 2003. She earned a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Barry University in Miami, Florida. She then went on to pursue her doctorate of medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee in 2010. She completed her internal medicine residency at Orlando Health in Orlando, Florida in 2013. She completed a fellowship in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine with board certification by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. In November 2020, she was elected to the Fellowship in the American College of Physicians. Her FACP status reflects her commitment and accomplishments within the internal medicine community. She enjoys providing care to adult patients and specializes in preventative medicine, nutritional medicine, weight loss counseling, and bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. She is proficient in providing care in underserved and rural communities. She has experience in clinic, hospital, and skilled nursing facilities. She has multiple state licenses allowing her to provide care via the tele-health platform to individuals across the country. She mentors and educates medical students as a clinical instructor for the Florida State University College of Medicine. She is committed to providing quality and personalized medical care in every patient interaction she encounters.
Dr. Haria Henry
Family Medicine Resident Physician
Haria Henry, MD is a graduate from Wayne State University Family Medicine-Urban track residency program where she served as chief resident. She served as the Resident Advisory Council Member in the MIDOCS (Michigan Doctors Improving Access to Care). In her intern year she was featured as a Resident Spotlight in the fall issue of WSU Residency Times Graduate Medical Education Newsletter. She was also part of the Global Health & Urban Health Equity educational program at Wayne State University and worked closely in the Detroit community with the Mobile Health Unit.
She is a native of Tallahassee and was part of STTRIDE in high school. She graduated from Florida State University in 2008 with a B.S degree in Exercise Physiology. At FSU she was part of MAPS and served as treasurer. Both organizations were pivotal in her trajectory into her medical career. Having the guidance and direction from both programs was integral for her getting into medical school and residency. Dr. Henry went to medical school in Cuba at the Latin American School of Medicine. There the curriculum was solely in Spanish which allowed her to be currently fluent in Spanish. She is now starting her new position as a Global Health Fellow at FSU in Ft. Myers.
Allison Justice
Assistant Professor, Principal Faculty School of Physician Assistant Practice
Ms. Justice is a US Army Veteran, serving 10 years in the Florida Army National Guard as a Combat and Flight Medic. She served 2 tours in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn where she was awarded the Air Medal, Combat Action Badge, among others. She left the service in 2012 to go to Physician Assistant School at Nova Southeastern University in Jacksonville. She has worked in Primary care, Urgent Care, and Emergency Medicine. Currently, she is Principal Faculty as an Assistant Professor at Florida State University in the Physician Assistant Program and works clinically in Primary Care and the Emergency Medicine in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the faculty advisor for the Pre-PA Club and the Military and Veterans Special Interest Group at FSU. Ms. Justice works with the Homeless Outreach Medicine and Education (HOME) program at the College of Medicine, supporting local outreach workers and connecting the unsheltered population to medical care. She is currently earning her doctorate in education in Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies with a focus on Physician Assistant and medical student perceptions for performance improvement of the professions. Ms. Justice is also an advocate for exercise and believes this is the (one of the) most powerful tools to battle mental illness and health epidemics. She enjoys CrossFit, rucking, Obstacle Course Races, and Mountain Biking on her time away from academics.
Sean Wimberley
PharmD, M4
Prior to attending medical school, Sean worked as a clinical pharmacist for 10 years. For seven of those years, he worked on a multidisciplinary team providing care to the underserved population of Tallahassee and the surrounding areas. This sparked his passion for providing care to the underserved and his desire to further his education to attend medical school so he could provide more to his patients. During his second year of medical school, he researched under Dr. Quintero, identifying barriers to care for patients in the underserved communities FSU Primary Care treats and opportunities to help resolve these issues. His research won the Medical Student Basic Research Poster Competition at the 2023 American College of Physicians Florida Chapter Annual Residents and Medical Students Meeting. He is currently a 3rd year medical student completing his clinical rotations in rural medicine at the Marianna campus. He is also the President of the Class of 2025.
Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews M.D., FAAFP
Assistant Professor
Dr. Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine & Rural Health at FSU College of Medicine and has served in this position for the last five years. She is also a 2015 graduate of FSUCOM. She currently serves on numerous FSU College of Medicine committees. She is also the current Block Co-Director of the second year medical student courses Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems and Reproductive Systems. She has served in several leadership roles at FSUCOM and currently serves on the Florida Academy of Family Physicians CPD committee. She is currently faculty co-advisor for FSUCOM’s Student National Medical Association and Family Medicine Interest Group and advisor for Family Medicine Scholars. She is currently researching perfectionism in medicine and medical education.
She was the chief resident at St. Vincent’s Family Medicine Residency in Jacksonville, FL. During her Chief Residency, Dr. Hogans-Mathews focused on creating and starting the first resident-led board preparation initiative at St. Vincent’s. She spent her last two years of residency obtaining an area of concentration in psychiatry given her interests in behavioral health. National Awards include the 2023 American Medical Women’s Association Exceptional Mentor Award among others. Her current clinical interests include primary care behavioral health, mood disorders, perinatal mood disorders, and spirituality in medicine.
Achalanka Dalawella
Healthcare Administrator
Achalanka is the Head Of Product for Sach Analytics, a healthcare data technology company . He has a BSc in Public Health with a concentration in healthcare administration and a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt. Using his extensive experience in hospital operations combined with his technical expertise in process engineering optimization and machine learning and AI, Achalanka is working with hospitals and large primary care groups in the US, UK and South Asia to unlock the trapped capacity in healthcare operations.
In addition to his role as Head Of Product for Sach Analytics, he is also the Sr. Director Of Operational Improvement for Rendr, the largest health care provider group for the immigrant population in NYC.
Achalanka and his wife has four dogs and loves walking, running and picnicking in Central Park.
Dr. Kathleen Burns
Psychiatrist at Burns Mental LLC
Dr. Kathleen Burns is a board-certified psychiatrist living in the Tampa area. Dr. Burns received her medical degree from FSU college of medicine and completed psychiatry residency at the University of Florida. Currently, she is practicing tele psych with jail inmates in the Philadelphia area while residing in Florida.