Dr. Michelle Mifflin, DO: Director & Osteopathic Medicine
Michelle D. Mifflin, D.O. is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor in Family Medicine at Midwestern University. Concurrently, she serves as the Director and AZCOM Faculty Advisor for H.O.M.E., assisting students in providing free medical care to homeless shelters in the Phoenix area. She also acts as the Faculty Advisor for the Midwestern University Integrative Medicine Club.
Dr. Mifflin has been working as a board certified family practice physician in the Phoenix area since 2004. She specializes in working with patients with complex chronic health problems, with an emphasis on preventive care, including lifestyle and nutrition.
Dr. Mifflin enjoys vigorous outdoor activities, yoga and volunteering for numerous community events. She is active in the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association, the America College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and the Arizona Society of Osteopathic Family Physicians.
Dr. Mitra Esfandiarei, PhD: Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Mitra Esfandiarei, PhD serves as the biomedical science H.O.M.E. Faculty Advisor. Dr. Esfandiarei is an assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences at Midwestern University, and an adjunct professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She obtained her BSc in Microbiology with High Distinction from Tehran University and earned an MS in Medical Microbiology from Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute in Iran. Dr. Esfandiarei then earned her MS and PhD in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine from the University of British Columbia in Canada.
Dr. Esfandiarei’s research has a focus on understanding the underlying mechanisms contributing to the progression of aortic aneurysm, and the protective effects that exercise may have on the disease process in both laboratory animal models and human patients. Dr. Esfandiarei’s research is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Rare disease foundation, and the Marfan Foundation.
Dr. Cara Copeland, M.S., D.M.D., M.Ed.: Dental
Dr. Copeland is a graduate of Midwestern University and after spending time in public health, she returned full-time to MWU. She is the chair of the CDMA community outreach committee and course director for the community service curriculum. She currently teaches 4 days a week in the preclinic and is in the pediatric clinic one day a week.
Alison de la Montaigne, MOT, OTR/L: Occupational Therapy
Alison (Ali) de la Montaigne is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at Midwestern University in the Occupational Therapy Program. Ali teaches two foundational courses that focus on the OT process, adult practice courses, and the evidence-based practice series in the OT curriculum. Ali received a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Health and Human Performance from Saint Mary’s College of Northern California, Mater’s in Occupational Therapy from Midwestern University, and is in her doctoral candidacy at National University pursuing a Doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Leadership. Ali’s clinical experience in occupational therapy began in 2012 and has since had experience working in acute/subacute rehabilitation, neuro-outpatient, home health, and acute care/ICU.
Ali is the acting Vice President for the Arizona Occupational Therapy Association (ArizOTA) and in this role has served as co-chair of both spring and fall ArizOTA conferences and oversees the education committee. Ali enjoys being a liaison for occupational therapy for the H.O.M.E. program and has a passion for working with the underserved population through providing access to medical education. Ali, along with her OT students, started a program at Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) providing occupation-based groups to clients in the emergency shelter, and is looking forward to expanding this program to incorporate the interdisciplinary team as a part of H.O.M.E.
Dr. Andrea Burns, PharmD: Pharmacy
Dr. Andrea Lopes Sauers, PT, PhD: Physical Therapy
Dr. Lopes Sauers is currently an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Midwestern University. She joined Midwestern University and H.O.M.E as the Physical Therapy Faculty Advisor in May of 2021. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas de Minas Gerais and a PhD in Translational Medicine from Federal University of Sao Paulo, both in Brazil, where she practiced as a physical therapist, and provided care to underserved populations. She moved to the United States in 2014 to complete a funded Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Clinical Outcome Studies at A.T. Still University in Mesa, AZ. Her research interests, in which she has published and presented original research investigations, are in clinical outcomes following rehabilitative interventions, continuous quality improvement in healthcare, community-based interventions and health disparities.
Dr. Josh Subialka, PT, DPT, DScf: Physical Therapy
Dr. Subialka is an assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Midwestern University. He teaches courses related to patient evaluation, therapeutic exercise prescription, and manual therapy, as well as works with students in the MWU PT clinic. Dr. Subialka is also active as a MWU H.O.M.E. faculty leader, where he oversees student run community clinics and educational events. In addition to his teaching and clinic work, he is active in research and has presented at state and national conferences.
Amber Herrick, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA: Physician Assistant
Professor Herrick currently serves as one of two physician assistant (PA) Faculty Advisors for the H.O.M.E. clinic. Professor Herrick is an associate professor and is the Director of Didactic Education for the PA program here at Midwestern University. She graduated from AT Still University in 2008 and has a clinical background in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
Regan Alford, MMS, PA-C: Physicians Assistant
Professor Alford earned a B.Sc. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University and a Master’s of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University-Glendale. She has worked in several surgical specialties with a focus in acute care and general surgery with certification in da Vinci robotic surgery. Professor Alford enjoys mentoring students and small group instruction as well as clinical assessment and didactic lecturing. Professor Alford continues to work per diem in surgical oncology and is a member of AAPA, ASAPA, AASPA, and PAEA.
Dr. John Anthony Charski, DPM: Podiatry
Dr. John Anthony Charski, DPM, is a podiatrist licensed in Arizona since 1988. He is both a diplomate of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and the American Board of Podiatric Medicine, as well as a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Charski has been involved with the Midwestern HOME program for over ten years. He provides medical care to the homeless population while at the same time teaching future doctors, which truly brings him joy.
Dr. Melissa Pierce-Rivera, PhD, CCC-SLP: Speech Language Pathology
Melissa Pierce-Rivera, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology. She serves as the SLP department’s H.O.M.E. Faculty Advisor. Dr. Pierce-Rivera completed her doctorate at Arizona State University and is a licensed and certified bilingual speech-language pathologist. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings in the United States, Peru, and China since earning her master’s at Boston University including schools, outpatient and early intervention.
Dr. Pierce-Rivera’s research involves distinguishing language differences from disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse children, and effective language interventions for young children using drama-based instruction and embodiment.
Dr. Rachael Kreisler, VMD, MSCE, ACVPM: Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Kreisler joined Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine in August 2015 to help build a shelter medicine curriculum. In November of 2015 she launched the extracurricular mobile clinic program that provides sterilization, wellness and minor medical services to shelters and reservations in Arizona. Additional service to the community has involved shelter data analytics and shelter animal disease outbreak investigation, including distemper, Streptococcus zooepidemicus and pneumovirus.
Dr. Kreisler is the veterinary medicine faculty advisor for the H.O.M.E. program as well as to the Shelter Medicine and Veterinary Business Management Association clubs. Her clinical interests include shelter medicine, field medicine, feline medicine and surgery.