Getting to know our Residents (Class 2017)

Wendy Alcanter, MD 
Hometown: Houston, TX mostly, but I claim NOLA too
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Other Degrees: MEd in Bilingual Education from University of Houston
Favorite song: Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti & Spearhead (and anything by Kesha)
Favorite food: Queso and margaritas
Hobbies: I used to do fun stuff like mountain bike race, rock climb, international travel with nothing but a backpack and an open ticket out….then I had kids. So now they are my hobbies. Most exciting thing you’ll see on my FB page is them learning to ride bikes!
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Used to love salsa dancing downtown and at authentic little dives, concerts outside, all the cool festivals…these days we love the zoo, the beach, Blessington Farms, and still LOTS of good festivals and outdoor concerts/ performances that are great for the whole family. Basically if I’m with my 3 little people and they aren’t screaming or hitting one another, that’s my favorite thing to do.

Liliya Aznaurova-Anderson, MD
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Undergraduate: University of Kansas- Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine – Kansas City
Other training completed: Residency at UTHSCSA in Internal Medicine, and am board certified in IM.
Hobbies: Traveling, shopping, makeup, fashion, dance, working out, foodie!
Favorite Movie: My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Favorite thing to do in Houston: um. eat…. And Sunday Funday!
Most surprising thing about me: I box!

Kevin Beres, DO
Hometown: Waukesha, WI
Undergraduate: Bowling Green State University
Medical School: Kansas City University of Medical and Biosciences.
Favorite Food: Any kind of meat with Poppyseed Cake for dessert.
Hobbies: Travel, taking the dogs to the dog park, watching or playing sports, board games, brewing beer
Favorite sports team: BGSU, The Ohio State Buckeyes, Cleveland Indians, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Sabers, and Milwaukee Bucks.
Most surprising thing about me: Being from Wisconsin my family of five would drink over 10 gallons of milk a week and my favorite snack was a brick of sharp cheddar cheese.

Elena Berry, MD
Hometown: Austin, TX
Undergraduate: Tulane University
Medical School: University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio
Hobbies: Playing with my puppy (Houston has amazing dog parks!), I also like to read, golf, and go camping/kayaking/hiking or skiing.
Favorite sports team: Saints! (Who dat)
Favorite Movie: Zoolander
Most surprising thing about me: My grandmother is Japanese, so I can make sushi and other delicious Japanese dishes!

Natalie Elliot, MD 
Hometown: Stuart, FL
Undergraduate: University of Florida
Medical School: University of Florida College of Medicine
Favorite Song: Yesterday ~The Beatles
Hobbies: Baking and anything to do with the ocean
Favorite thing about EM program: The diversity between the two hospitals we work at. Makes for an excellent training environment.
Most surprising thing about me: My family includes a quirky little beagle and an outgoing tortoise.

Emily Endacott , MD
Hometown: League City, TX
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Austin
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Hobbies: Gymnastics, happy hours, eating, power walking (because I hate to run), laying in my bed.
Favorite movie: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Favorite thing about EM program: The people! From the attendings to my co-residents to the nurses/ancillary staff…everyone is AWESOME!
Most surprising thing about me: I was a competitive gymnast from the time I wore a diaper until it was legal for me to drink!

Matthew Herrick, MD
Hometown: Fresno, CA
Undergraduate: Point Loma Nazarene University
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Hobbies: Brewing beer, volleyball, gaming
Favorite Sports Team: Indianapolis Colts
Most surprising thing about me: I speak near fluent German after living in Austria for a year
After residency plans: Community practice to start probably end up in academics once my family is school age.

Chris Hong, MD
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Undergraduate: Santa Clara University
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University
Other Degrees: M.S. Electrical Engineering
Hobbies: Napping, mountain biking, road cycling, home brewing, and attempting to train my two dachshunds.
Favorite thing about EM program: Definitely the people. UTH has become a second family to me since I’ve moved to Houston. It’s hard to have a bad day when you’re surrounded by so many kind, fun-loving, and thoughtful people. I also love the fried chicken strips.
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Trying out the local dining, Tex-Mex, and micro-brew scene with my wife, Claudia.
Most surprising thing about me: Pay off my student loans, open a nano-brewery, and start racing my dachshunds competitively.

Akhil Khosla, MD, MPH
Hometown: Plano, TX
Undergraduate: Texas Tech University
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Hobbies: Listening to music, traveling, water sports.
Favorite sports team: Mavs
Favorite Movie: Face Off
Most surprising thing about me: I ran with the bulls and survived to tell the story

Kyle Lewis, MD
Hometown: Hershey, PA
Undergraduate: Penn State, University of Washington
Medical School: Penn State University College of Medicine
Favorite sports team: Philadelphia Eagles
Favorite movie: The Hurtlocker
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Drink margaritas and eat nachos while watching football in shorts and a crewneck in the winter.
Most surprising thing about me: According to recent polls, I’m more likable than Travis Guthrie

John McLean, MD 
Hometown: Houston, TX
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Dallas
Medical School: McGovern Medical School Hobbies
Hobbies: Scotch, grilling, video games
Favorite Food: Meat
Favorite Movie: Diehard
After residency plans: Resuscitation fellowship

Michael Pandya, MD, MBA
Hometown: Lubbock, TX
Undergraduate: Rice University
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Other Degrees: MBA
Favorite sports team: No favorite team. Favorite sport: napping.
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Getting outside with family and friends. Exploring new places to eat. Taking my baby to socials at a bar and having strangers say “oh my you are bringing a baby to a bar” and being like “yea he’s a baby he’s not gonna drink” and then he falls asleep.
Most surprising thing about me: I once hiked 27 miles over 5 peaks in 1 day. I wouldn’t recommend it.
After residency plans: Retire

Richard Rissman, MD
Hometown: McKinney, TX
Undergraduate: Texas A&M
Medical School: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Favorite Food: Pizza
Hobbies: Sports
Favorite Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Heather Robinson, MD
Hometown: Depends… Odessa, TX is where I grew up, Houston, TX is where I’ve been longer…
Undergraduate: Which time? SHSU/UTMB the first time, University of Houston the second.
Medical School: Texas A&M Health Science Center
Favorite Food: Seriously? Texas = Mexican Food
Hobbies: SCUBA diving, snow skiing, jet skiing, bicycling, movies, concerts
Favorite Sports Team: Texans football…They’ll win one day, hopefully before I die.
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Concerts with live music and cold beer.

Michael Rokyta, MD
Hometown: Victoria, TX
Undergraduate: Texas A&M
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Favorite Food: Oysters
Favorite Sports Team: Aggies

Dean Sagun, MD 
Hometown: Spring, TX
Undergraduate: UT Austin – Hook em’ \m/
Medical School: McGovern Medical School
Favorite Song: Hakuna Matata
Favorite food: Crawfish
Hobbies: Riding bikes, Backyard BBQ, Yelping, flying kites, dog parks
Most surprising thing about me: I’m a balloon artist expert. You name it, I can make it (for tips)

Joseph Snow, DO
Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Undergraduate: University of Texas at Arlington
Medical School: AT Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Other degrees: Nursing
Favorite Food: Steak
Hobbies: Sports, outdoors, craft beers, family
Favorite Sports Team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite thing to do in Houston: Get out and enjoy the beautiful winter weather

Neil Wingkun, MD
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis
Medical School: University of Florida College of Medicine
Other Degrees: MPH – Harvard
Favorite song: King Harvest’s Dancing in the Moonlight
Favorite Food: Anything brunch?
Hobbies: Biking, frisbee, brunching, swerving through Houston in my Prius
Plans after residency: Community practice with some public health/ global health mixed in