Current Residents

Freddy Abraham is from Western Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburgh. He received a B.S. in Biology from Grove City College, where he also minored in Theology and met his wife, Emily. After one year working for a pain clinic, Freddy enrolled in Liberty University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. Freddy is excited to join University of Florida’s Neurology Department. When he isn’t studying puzzling Neurological pathology, Freddy enjoys strategy games–like Chess and Settlers of Catan, hiking, and other outdoor activities with his wife, and spending time with family and friends.

Kristin Hedtke is originally from Delano, Minnesota and grew up reading everything she could get her hands on and exploring the great outdoors. She moved south for college at the University of Houston in Houston, TX where she studied biochemical and biophysical sciences. It was here that a neuroscience course first introduced her to the exciting possibility of a career in neurology. She attended medical school at UT Health San Antonio and was further drawn to the field of neurology by the fascinating cases she studied and took part in. She is looking forward to residency training at the University of Florida. Outside of medicine, Kristin enjoys reading, playing tennis, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

Ramsha Farrukh was raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She was fascinated with neurology early on when she majored in Neuroscience at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB). She completed her medical degree from UAB as well and took advantage of research, leadership, teaching, and service opportunities. She is thrilled to continue with her next steps in training at the University of Florida. In her spare time, she loves reading, trying new recipes, and spending time outdoors.

Ziyad is a native Floridian from Jacksonville. Growing up he enjoyed outdoor activities such as swimming, weight-lifting and fishing with his three brothers. Ziyad completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Florida State University and attended medical school at William Carey University in Mississippi. During his clinical training, he met a number of Neurologists who served as mentors that guided his path to residency. In the future, he has aspirations to practice in the great state of Florida.

Claudia Hernandez is originally from Havana, Cuba and moved to Florida at a young age where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Florida Gulf Coast University. Her passion for Neurology manifested at an early age when her family member was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Her journey in medicine continued at the Medical College of Georgia. During medical school, her love for the complexity and beauty of the neurological system combined with the rapidly growing field of research and understanding solidified her pursuit of becoming a Neurologist. During medical school, she spent much of her time volunteering for Clínica Latina, a free clinic for the underserved Spanish speaking population of Georgia. With the resources and supportive faculty at the University of Florida, she strives to continue her efforts to bridge the gap between the underserved populations and access to care. In her spare time, Claudia enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and embroidering. She also spends much of her free time tending to her garden and looks forward to all that she can grow in sunny Florida!

Marcos spent his early childhood at the Brazilian Cerrado then moved to the Atlantic Forest, where he spent most of his life. He grew up dedicated to music, as most of his family, and various sports. The curiosity for what controls the minds and bodies that learn, reason, create and execute ignited a genuine desire to understand the central nervous system. After graduating from medical school, Marcos became a research fellow at MGH/Harvard Medical School. There he investigated the EEG patterns of patients on ECMO , the neurotoxicity of CAR-T therapy, the use of Dexmedetomidine to prevent delirium, methods to predict the neurological outcome of comatose patients, among other research projects. His main areas of interest are Behavioral Neurology and Computational NeurosciencesIn his spare time, Marcos enjoys playing the Accordion and Guitar, meeting family and friends, playing soccer, and exploring new places and cultures. Marcos is thrilled to have just joined a team of uniquely creative, passion-driven, and supportive professionals at UF!

Riley grew up in the small Midwest town of Galesburg, Illinois. He later attended college nearby in Monmouth, Illinois where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology from Monmouth College. During his time there he developed a passion for neuroscience and decided to pursue a career in the field. Interested more in the clinical application of neuroscience, he attended medical school at the University of Illinois and graduated with neurology as his chosen specialty. Outside of medicine, Riley enjoys playing guitar, golfing, camping, and hiking.

Jessie Walker was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She attended the University of Florida, where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She obtained a second Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Florida International University. She went on to study medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, where she developed her strong passion and interest in the field of Neurology. She is so thrilled to return to Gainesville to become a Neurologist at her alma mater! During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, running, photography, and Gator Football.

Brianna Alex grew up in Indianapolis, IN and graduated from the hilly and beautiful Indiana University with a BS in Neuroscience. She then served in AmeriCorps as a health educator to refugees. After her grandmother had a stroke, Brianna’s desire to help patients with neurological conditions grew, so she returned to Indiana University for medical school. She is thrilled to join UF’s neurology program and explore opportunities in medical education and advocacy. She enjoys hiking, landscape photography, listening to podcasts, and a good pour-over coffee.

Leonid Gozman was born in Ukraine but moved to the US when he was two years old. He grew up in an immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn and completed his undergraduate degree in History and Psychology at CUNY Macaulay Honors College/Brooklyn College. After that he completed his M.D. at Tel Aviv University where he discovered his love for neurology while completing his second year module. Leonid was drawn to UF because of the strong academic neurology program, the warm and welcoming department, and the promise of no more New York traffic. In his free time, Leonid likes to be outdoors, either skiing in the winter, or hiking, golfing, and mushroom hunting in the summer. At home he enjoys reading, drinking tea, and cooking.

Whitney King grew up in Kentucky. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and her Master’s Degree in Health Promotion from Mississippi State University. During medical school, she enjoyed rotating within the Neurology department.

Whitney and her family always traveled to Florida every summer, fall break and in the spring. Florida is now home and she loves it. She is so excited to be part of the University of Florida Neurology family and cannot wait to explore the different sub-specialties of Neurology.

In her free time, Whitney loves spending time with her family and traveling.

Karina Maria Rodriguez, was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, so she is an island gal. Karina went to medical school in her hometown at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. She knew she wanted to go into the Neurology field very early in her career because of its complexity and beauty. Also, she enjoys teaching and supporting students interested in the Neuro world in any way she can. Karina is very drawn to Headache Medicine because even though headaches are a frequent complaint among patients, how much they can impact their lives is not always understood. In her free time, Karina loves to practice creative writing, binge-watch TV series, and go out and discover new places to eat.

Bhavin Patel was born and raised in the small beach town of Fort Pierce, Florida. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Florida. It was during this time that he worked as a free-lance photographer that he developed his love of working with others. Having a curiosity for the complexity of the human mind, he was drawn to Neurology while completing medical school in the Appalachian Mountains at Lincoln Memorial University. This curiosity grew into a pursuit after working with two of his clinical neurology mentors on a variety of fascinating cases. Outside of medicine, Bhavin enjoys cooking, reading, video gaming, and playing basketball with friends.

Neha Pirwani grew up in Chicago, IL and moved to Upstate New York to pursue her bachelor’s and MBA in healthcare management degrees. She then went on to obtain her medical degree from Albany Medical College. During medical school, Neha became eager to learn about different neurological diseases, explore a multitude of neurological subspecialties, and help patients through her clinical practice. Neha graduated from medical school with a distinction in Health Systems Analysis and is also passionate about quality improvement projects in health care. Her family moved to Ocala, FL about 4 years ago, and she is honored to be able to join the Gator family by completing her residency here. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

William “Bill” Remley was born and raised in Jacksonville, FL. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and completed medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton. He enjoys the outdoors and fitness in Gainesville, FL. He is a long-time sports fan, especially Gator football and baseball.

Rory Weston has been interested in neurology since college, having majored in behavioral neuroscience at Western Washington University. He subsequently attended Virginia Commonwealth University where he received a PhD in neuroscience in addition to his medical degree. He has a strong interest in research and has worked on the molecular neurobiology of alcohol use disorder, Huntington’s disease, and schizophrenia. Rory enjoys the outdoors, board games, VR, and BBQ.

Maryellen Campbell grew up in the Midwest and Northeast, and now calls Florida home. She completed her undergraduate studies in economics at Georgetown University, where she also competed on the swim team. She went on to earn her medical degree from Florida Atlantic University. Maryellen is excited to join the neurology residency program at the University of Florida. She enjoys swimming, playing Spikeball, and reading novels in her free time.

Steven Carter grew up in Tampa, FL, and completed his undergraduate studies at Florida State University before obtaining his master’s degree in human anatomy at the University of South Florida. He finally left Florida to obtain his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Even though he enjoyed his time out of state, he decided that he wanted to come back home and complete his residency training in Florida with the University of Florida Neurology Program. He is unbelievably excited to become a neurologist and expects this excitement to continue throughout his training. He enjoys many of the subspecialties of neurology, including Traumatic Brain Injury, Headaches, and Vascular Neurology, and is currently trying to choose his favorite between them. When he is not in the hospital, Steven enjoys exercising at the UF Fitness Center, playing golf, and enjoying Florida’s sunny weather at the beach.

Scott Crawford was born and raised in Frisco, Texas, where he developed a lifelong love of music, drumming, and running. After a year of college, he took time off and spent two years in Brazil on a mission trip. He ultimately returned and received his Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Brigham Young University. After that, he moved back to Texas to complete his MD at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where his curiosity and passion for the central nervous system came to full fruition. He is excited hone his skills and interest in neurology at UF! In his free time now, he still enjoys drumming, video games, and reviewing horror movies.

Michaele Garrison grew up in a quiet beach town in Central Florida. She first became a gator during her undergraduate education at the University of Florida. She then used her time between undergraduate and beginning medical school to work at UF Health Shands Hospital as a tech, where she cultivated her passion for working in a healthcare team. During medical school at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, her interest was piqued by neuroanatomy and clinical applications of neuroscience, making neurology a clear choice. During medical school, she found it particularly rewarding to tutor and mentor her classmates, which has propelled her to pursue a career as a clinician educator. She is beyond excited to be returning to the University of Florida for residency. Outside of medicine, she enjoys paddle-boarding, yoga, weightlifting, watching Gator football, and thrifting.

Edwin A. Glueck IV was born and raised in WA state. From a young age he was interested in neuroscience and pursued his education at Western Washington University, obtaining bachelor’s degrees in both behavioral neuroscience and biochemistry. During that time he contributed to several scientific publications pertaining to brain structure, behavior, and neuronal intracellular signaling pathways. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree in biomedical science and doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Kansas City University. He has completed a fellowship in clinical anatomy where he taught medical students gross human anatomy and dissection technique. While completing his fellowship, he achieved the Vesalius Award for exceptional performance in neuroanatomy and contribution to the anatomic scientific literature. The award is named after Andreas Vesalius, widely considered the founder of modern human anatomy. Dr. Glueck is a current University of Florida neurology resident physician with interests in vascular neurology. He enjoys spending his spare time with his family. Of note, his younger brother is an officer in the United States Air Force completing his pilot training, and Dr. Glueck is very proud of him.

Lindsey Le is from Fairfax, Virginia outside of Washington DC and moved to sunny South Florida to complete her undergraduate degree in Biology and medical school at Nova Southeastern University. Her passion for medicine was shaped from her experiences with people, patients, and mentors, where it further guided her journey to pursue neurology. Creating tutoring programs in high school and college for underserved populations cultivated her love of teaching and mentorship, where she aspires to have an avid role in academic medicine. In her free time, you will most likely find Lindsey playing tennis, at a local coffee shop, or at Trader Joe’s.

Michael Siegel was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Allegheny College, where he was a member of the Allegheny Gator’s men’s tennis team. He then completed his medical school training at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, during which time he developed a further love and passion for helping patients who were struggling with neurologic conditions. Michael is very excited to be a “Gator” once again, this time at the University of Florida. Outside of medicine, Michael enjoys tennis, pickleball, hiking, traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Nishita Varde spent her childhood in New York and New Jersey before moving to Jacksonville, Florida. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida where she studied Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience and became interested in pursuing neurology. At UF, she was a research assistant and teaching assistant for health disparities research, and she became passionate about patient advocacy and increasing awareness of social determinants of health. She continued her education further south in Florida, receiving her master’s degree in Medical Sciences before earning her medical degree, and was ecstatic to return to her alma mater for neurology residency training. While in school, Nishita balanced her studies with travel when her family relocated to Tokyo, Japan. She loves to experience new places and has been to over 15 countries – she hopes to continue adding more to her list!

Johnna Caputo is originally from Staten Island, New York. Her love for neurology began during her undergraduate journey at Stony Brook University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. While at Stony Brook University, she was involved in neuroscience research including rat models of benign essential blepharospasm. After graduating, she went on to receive her master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences at Rutgers University. Throughout her studies, her interest in neurology grew deeper and she went on to obtain her medical degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a first generation college graduate, she has a great passion for patient advocacy. Johnna is thrilled to be moving to Florida for her residency training. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking homemade Italian meals, building Legos, traveling, and spending time with family, friends and her cat, Kia.

Sebastian Edwards was born and raised in Los Angeles, California but moved to the East Coast to play football at Johns Hopkins University where he studied neuroscience and quickly fell in love with the brain. He graduated with a B.A. in Behavioral Biology then moved to Nashville, TN, and obtained an M.S. in Biomolecular Science from Lipscomb University. During this time, he also worked as a server and a clinical trials specialist. He moved to East Tennessee to attend LMU-DCOM before finally moving to Florida to complete his clinical rotations. He enjoyed living in Florida so much that he knew he wanted to train here and in particular UF given its strong academics and positive culture. He loves all fields within neurology, but currently, he is drawn to vascular neurology, interventional neurology, and TBI. When he is not in the hospital, you can find him watching football, playing pickleball or video games, or paddleboarding.

Stephen Klaus was raised throughout the US until his family settled in Ocala, FL. He attended medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and then worked as a doctor in Dublin. He also earned a Masters degree in Neuroscience and a Doctor in Medicine from Trinity College Dublin. He is passionate about teaching and has worked as a clinical lecturer for both the RCSI and TCD medical schools. His primary research interest in Ireland was examining how people with epilepsy are impacted by driving restrictions. Outside of his professional life, he most enjoys spending time with his family. He also plays soccer, chess and builds scale models.

Xiaojun Li was born and raised in sunny Southern China. She attended medical school at Tsinghua University, where she found her love for cognitive neuroscience. During medical school, she spent two years at the University of Pittsburgh as a visiting scholar, investigating the orbitofrontal cortex’s roles in compulsion and action selection under conflict. She then returned to China and participated in building a multimodal dementia database. After graduation, driven by a desire to improve the well-being of patients with dementia, Xiaojun moved back to the United States and led enrichment therapies for patients with dementia at a skilled nursing facility in Berkeley, CA. Her academic interests include cognitive neurology, movement disorders, and palliative care. For fun, she enjoys kayaking, playing frisbee, experimenting with new coffee beans, and fiddling with her art projects.

Neha Saini was born in New Delhi, India, and lived there till she was nine, at which point her family relocated to Miami, Florida. Neha loved growing up in South Florida, and after high school she attended the University of Florida where she received her undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Cell Science. After graduating from UF, she accepted a teaching position at FSU’s SSTRIDE program through which she spent a year teaching Biology and Chemistry to high school students in rural communities. During this time, she also completed her Master’s in Public Health degree and matriculated into FSU College of Medicine soon after to start her medical training. As a medical student, Neha spent the majority of her time outside of class working on community engagement projects, including: organizing COVID vaccine clinics during the pandemic, starting a scholarship for underprivileged high school students, hosting community health fairs, dementia awareness workshops, and more. She found her love for Neurology as a result of the incredible patients who volunteered their time to teach during her neuroscience course. She was deeply inspired by their stories and is thrilled to have the opportunity to pursue a career in Neurology. Neha loves the Neurology community and spent her fourth year of medical school, working to increase Neurology interest by serving as a Neuroscience teaching assistant at her medical school, being an NMatch2024 leader, and the social media chair for the Neurophilia podcast. In her free time, Neha loves traveling, reading, and spending time with her loved ones!

Growing up in the sunny city of Rio de Janeiro, Luis Silva became interested in Neurology as a teenager through the works of Oliver Sacks and Miguel Nicolelis. During medical school, he reinforced that interest by becoming the President of the Student’s Neurology Interest Group, advocating for more clinical and research opportunities. Luis also played volleyball for his medical school team, winning a silver medal in the state championship. After graduating from medical school, he volunteered to become a physician for the Brazilian Navy. He spent 18 months providing care to isolated communities in the Amazon while serving aboard the Hospital Ship “Soares de Meirelles.” During his time in the Amazon, Luis discovered his passion for photography and now travels with his DSLR camera when on vacation to catch pictures of nature, especially the sunset! Upon completing his military duty, he moved to Minneapolis to pursue his master’s in public health with an emphasis in Data Science at the University of Minnesota. He learned to program with R and Python, becoming extremely interested in using natural language processing to streamline medical research. A proud Brazilian, Luis enjoys soccer and listens to various genres of Brazilian music, from Pagode to Bossa Nova. He is extremely happy to be a resident at the University of Florida, where he can continue expanding his academic interests in education and research while contributing to a welcoming work environment.

Abbigail Stidham is from a small town in the southeastern part of Georgia and later moved to the eastern part of Tennessee. She subsequently attended the University of Tennessee, and then worked as a Naturalist (outdoor science teacher and field guide) in Charleston, SC. During her time as a naturalist, she came to understand that immersion in nature can bring pivotal peace and healing to the mind and body. It was also during this time that she fostered and then adopted Honey Nut, a gray squirrel, met her husband, and became an amateur birder. Guadalupe, a yellow-bellied-slider (turtle), and Peaches, a Holland Lop rabbit are also a part of her growing family. As she entered medical school, she intended to pursue Geriatrics and Palliative medicine, both of which heavily overlap with the practice of neurology. She also realized that she thoroughly enjoys performing and applying the neurologic exam and soon fell in love with neurology. Her favorite pastimes include DIY projects, hunting for “treasures” a.k.a. thrifting, and reading thriller novels in the sunshine. Currently, she aspires to fellowship in Movement Disorders and Palliative Care. She ultimately hopes to spend her life addressing disparities in health literacy and education, incorporating nature walks into her practice, and providing free medical care as often as she can.

Katie Wehrer is from a rural (and often snowy) town outside of Erie, Pennsylvania. She attended Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University for medical school. She has three dogs named Beau, Etta, and Lincoln that she shares with her fiancé Garret. When she has the time she loves to travel and spend time in nature. She is very excited to be living closer to Florida’s natural springs.