Dana Sprute, M.D., M.P.H.
Program Director
Dana Sprute, MD, MPH, is a native of Idaho. Prior to medical school, she received a Master's in Public Health from the University of California at Los Angeles and worked in a variety of research and community education projects. She received her medical doctorate from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1993 and was the graduating senior recipient of the Medical Dean's Award for Outstanding Commitment to Service. In 1996, Dr. Sprute completed her residency training through the Central Texas Medical Foundation Family Practice Residency (later DBA Austin Medical Education Program and now the UT Southwestern Austin Family Medicine Residency Program); she served as chief resident and has been practicing medicine in Austin since completing her residency. Dr. Sprute is currently the Residency Program Director of the UT Southwestern Austin Family Medicine Residency Program. In 2002, she completed a Faculty Development Fellowship through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Family Medicine.
Dr. Sprute has academic appointments as Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine with UT Southwestern and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine with the University of Texas Medical Branch. She has been a faculty member with the Family Medicine Residency Program since 1998. Her practice activities include general primary and urgent care, chronic disease management and office procedures; her areas of special interest include women' health and preventive medicine. Dr. Sprute serves on the Texas Medical Association Council on Science & Public Health.
Cindy Ripsin, M.S., M.P.H., M.D.
Associate Program Director
Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cindy Ripsin, MS, MPH, MD, obtained her undergraduate (BS in education) and graduate (MPH in epidemiology) degrees from the University of Minnesota. She completed her medical training at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia, and was a solo family physician in rural Virginia for six years before coming to Texas to pursue her interests in primary care research, teaching and patient care. Although she enjoys caring for all patients from birth through the final stages of life, she has a special interest in the management of chronic disease, especially diabetes and heart disease.
Kelly Alberda, M.D.
Clinical Director
Dr. Kelly Alberda is a native of Bozeman Montana and graduated with highest honors from Montana State University. He earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine where he was a student leader in the Family Medicine Department. After graduating medical school in 2000, he completed his Family Medicine Residency in 2003 in Billings Montana. Having a strong interest in Obstetrics, he did 12 months additional training at Austin Medical Education program's Obstetrics Fellowship finishing in July of 2004. He then joined the faculty at the Family Medicine Residency in October of 2004. Dr. Alberda continues to focus on obstetrics in addition to the full scope of Family Medicine in his private clinic and his teaching responsibilities.
Swati Avashia, M.D.
Faculty Physician
Dr. Swati Avashia spent most of her childhood in Charleston, WV and graduated with honors from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She obtained her medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine and went on to complete a combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Indiana University in Indianapolis. After residency, Dr. Avashia spent two years in the United States Public Health Service as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During her term of service, she was stationed at the Texas Department of State Health Services in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Surveillance division. Dr. Avashia has spent the last five years working in indigent care clinics in Austin.
Dr. Avashia just recently joined the Department of Family Medicine in October 2009. She is currently involved in the University of Texas Medical Branch Scholars in Education Faculty Development Program. Her academic interests include pediatric and adolescent medicine curriculum and development and teaching evidence-based medicine. She enjoys treating patients of all ages but has a particular interest in adults and children requiring complex medical care.
Adam Barta, M.D.
Faculty Physician
Adam P. Barta, M.D. attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1990. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, in 1995. Dr. Barta then completed his Family Practice residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. He was in private practice with the Austin Regional Clinic from 1998 until he joined the Family Medicine department of the Austin Medical Education Programs (AMEP) in May 2003.
Terrell Benold, M.D.
Faculty Physician
Terrell Benold, M.D. is a local native. He graduated from Rice University and then received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Texas A&M University College of Medicine in 1983. After two years of residency training in General Surgery at New Orleans' Ochsner Foundation Hospital, Dr. Benold completed his Family Medicine residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. After 10 years with Austin Regional Clinic, he decided to complete the transition to a full-time faculty position at Austin Medical Education Programs (AMEP) in 1999. Dr. Benold served on the Peer Review Committee of ARC, and he has also performed peer review for the Texas Medical Foundation.
Dr. Benold particularly enjoys working on the in-patient service and performing the full gamut of office procedures with the residents. He is the program's representative in the Residency Research Network of Texas. Dr. Benold is also a sports fan and he helps organize the Sports Medicine/Orthopedics curriculum.
Mathis Blackstock, M.D.
Professor Emeritus
Lisa Clemons, M.D.
Faculty Physician
Lisa Clemons, M.D. joined the faculty of the Family Medicine Residency Program in 2002. Dr. Clemons attended Texas A & M at College Station, Texas, where she earned her undergraduate degree in 1991. She completed medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, and did her Family Medicine residency with the McLennan County Medical Education and Research Foundation in Waco, Texas.
Dr. Clemons completed a fellowship in Obstetrics & Gynecology with the Austin Medical Education Programs (formerly Central Texas Medical Foundation) at Brackenridge Hospital in 2000. She then accepted a position as a Family Practitioner with Obstetrics with the McAllen Family Care Clinic in McAllen,Texas. Dr. Clemons teaches residents and medical students at the Blackstock Clinic and University Medical Center at Brackenridge. Dr. Clemons is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice.
Margaret Kini, M.D.
Faculty Physician
Margaret Kini, M.D. is a native of New York. She received her undergraduate degree at Wesleyan University. An interest in midwifery brought her to Austin and she stayed in Texas to earn her medical degree at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Upon graduating, she was awarded the John S. Primomo Exemplary Family Physician award. She returned to the northeast for residency training at Greater Lawrence Family Medicine Residency in Lawrence, MA, serving predominantly Dominican and Puerto Rican patients. She also developed and completed a one-year Obstetric and Women’s Health Fellowship, in which she achieved competency in operative deliveries, skills in high risk obstetrical care and expertise in women's reproductive health. For the following three years, she worked for the residency and fellowship and was nominated for the Family Medicine Education Consortium "Emerging Leader" award. Dr. Kini moved back to Austin with her family and joined the UT Southwestern Austin Family Medicine Faculty in 2009. She has done medical work in Latin America and is interested in healthcare to immigrant populations.
Dr. Kini enjoys full-spectrum family medicine and has a passion for women's reproductive health. She has a strong interest in the role of family physicians in women's reproductive health and obstetrical care. She is also interested in preventative care and increasing care to underserved populations. She enjoys live music in Austin. Her most vibrant passion is her two children and husband.
Brent Sanderlin, D.O.
Faculty Physician
Dr. Sanderlin is a native Texas who completed his undergraduate work at Texas State University (formerly known at Southwest Texas State University) and then attended Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, graduating with a D.O. degree in 1996.
Following TCOM, Dr. Sanderlin served for 9 years in the US Navy, where he completed his internship and residency in Family Medicine at Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Florida, and was trained as a Naval Flight Surgeon, serving with the US Marines at MCAS New River in North Carolina, first with HMH-461 as a helicopter squadron flight surgeon, and then with MAG-26 and as the group surgeon. While in the military, he received additional training in tropical medicine, disaster medicine, and chemical, biological and radiological defense. He also served at the Naval Air Station JRB in Fort Worth as the senior medical officer.
Following service in the Navy, Dr. Sanderlin taught medical students at TCOM for three years, where he also received a Certificate in Travel Health® from the International Society of Travel Medicine, as well as designation as a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner by the FAA. He moved back to central Texas in 2008 and currently practices family medicine, travel and wilderness medicine and aviation medicine at Seton Family of Doctors at Hays in Kyle, Texas, and is affiliated with Seton Medical Center Hays.
Dr. Sanderlin is active in the osteopathic medical profession, serving as district president and vice-president and statewide committee chair, as well as serving in the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association House of Delegates. He currently serves on the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association Board of Trustees.
Dr. Sanderlin is married with three children. He enjoys amateur radio, gardening and working with the Boy Scouts of America.
David Wright, M.D.
Faculty Physician, Clerkship Director
Dr. David P. Wright completed medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX in 1980. He completed residency at Central Texas Medical Foundation Family Medicine Residency Program at Brackenridge Hospital in 1983. Following his residency, Dr. Wright became clinical director for the Mescalero Indian Health Service in Mescalero, New Mexico until 1985. He then returned to the residency program where he became the Associate Director and Director until 1994. Dr. Wright was also named Texas Academy Family Physician, Texas Physician of the Year 2002.
Dr. Wright is a clerkship director who precepts 3rd year medical students who rotate through Austin from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. Dr. Wright enjoys working with Hepatitis C and HIV patients.
Jennifer Ayres, PhD
Psychologist
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Debbie Lopez, Pharm D., CDE
Clinical Pharmacist and Faculty
Dr. Lopez completed her doctor of pharmacy at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in 1999. She then completed a Primary Care Specialty Residency at Blackstock Family Health Center in conjunction with The University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Lopez works in a pharmacist-managed anticoagulation, diabetes and general pharmacy clinic at the Blackstock Family Health Center. As the residency director/preceptor, she provides a specialty residency in primary care and has a rotational site for Pharm D students. Dr. Lopez also teaches the family medicine residents.
Dr. Lopez is the clinical coordinator for the Austin/Temple/Waco region. She assists the regional director with the administration of the regional internship program, works to develop clinical practice sites, serves as a resource to student pharmacist-interns during the internship, and recruits and serves as a resource to practitioner-faculty (preceptors) and practice sites.
She is a faculty advisor to the Mexican American Association of Pharmacy Students and is active in local, state and national organizations.
Peggy Russell, D.O., C.M.D., FACP
Dr. Peggy M. Russell, DO, CMD, FACP has been practicing Internal Medicine and Geriatrics in Austin, Texas since 1984. She is dedicated to helping each of her patients achieve their highest level of well-being.
Dr. Russell works throughout the local, state and national medical community to improve health care, especially for the complex older individual. Dr. Russell serves as the Medical Director and leads a team of physician specialists who are all Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. Since January 2009, Dr. Russell has taught and supervised UT Southwestern Austin family medicine residents in their care of geriatric patients in two facilities, Stonebridge Health Center and Park Bend Health Center.
ORGANIZATIONS:
- Past President of the Travis County Medical Society
- Past President of the Texas Medical Director's Association
- Recipient of Jack Sayres Weinblatt Award 2004
- Recipient of TexPEC Championship Award 2005
Liam Fry, M.D., C.M.D.
Dr. Liam Fry was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin for undergraduate school and received a B.A. in the Plan II Honors Program. After college, she attended Oxford University in England and studied theology and Irish Literature before starting medical school in Dallas.
Dr. Fry graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in 2002, followed by an Internal Medicine Residency in New York City at Mount Sinai Medical Center. After completing her residency, she completed a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in Honolulu, Hawaii. After her fellowship, she and her husband moved back to Austin where she has served as a physician with Austin Geriatric Specialists since 2006. Since January 2009, Dr. Fry has taught and supervised UT Southwestern Austin family medicine residents in their care of geriatric patients in two facilities, Stonebridge Health Center and Park Bend Health Center.