Faculty

Montana Family Medicine Faculty members are affiliated with the University of Washington School of Medicine which consistently ranks among the top schools in Family and Rural Medicine by U.S. News and World Report.

Garth Brand
M.D.
Director

Schooling: M.D., Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica
B.A. in Biochemistry Biophysics and Microbiology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
Residency: Montana Family Medicine Residency, graduated in 2015
Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine diplomate
Joined Faculty: 2015
Medical interests: Addiction medicine, simulation training.
Family: Married for 5 years to Katie, we have one son, Oliver.
Outside interests: BBQ/cooking, hiking/camping, skiing, travel.
The most satisfying part of teaching at MFMR: Working with underserved patients in a Community Health Center with a focus on teaching many levels of students and residents. Running the simulation program. Working with residents to develop skills to work in rural and underserved areas.

James Guyer
M.D., FAAFP
Associate Director

Schooling:
M.D., University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla
B.A. in Chemistry and Biology, University of Montana, Missoula

Residency: University of Utah Affiliate Hospitals, McKay-Dee Hospital, Ogden

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Joined Faculty: 2004

Medical interests: Rural medicine, aerospace medicine, veterans medicine, complementary medicine

Family: My spouse, Jeanie, and I have two grown children: Chris and Danielle

Outside interests: Running (slowly), skiing-downhill and cross-country, biking with Jeanie, and tinkering.

The most satisfying part of teaching: Working with residents and faculty who teach me something every day, who are without pretense, and seriously concerned about those people who have less.

Mike Geurin
M.D., FAAFP
DIO

Schooling:
M.D., University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Tulsa
A.A. in General Science, Magna Cum Laude, Bartlesville Wesleyan College, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
M.A. in English, Creative Writing Emphasis, University of Oklahoma, Norman
B.A. in English and French, Summa Cum Laude, With Honors, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee

Residency: Montana Family Medicine Residency

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Joined Faculty: 2007.

Medical interests: Graduate medical education, information mastery, diabetes care, maternity care.

Family: My husband, Rory, owns Perfect Balance Yoga and Massage, where he is a yoga teacher and massage therapist. We have a French bulldog named Buddha and a miniature schnauzer named Logan. My parents, who live in Billings, are avid RVers.

Outside interests: Nature—and photographing nature—enrich me immensely. Rory and I are never happier than when we are on a mountain trail photographing wildlife and scenery. Music has been an important part of my life, and I sing first tenor with the Billings Symphony Orchestra. Like most family physicians, I appreciate stories of all kinds: literature, cinema, and my patients’ stories.

The most satisfying part of teaching: My greatest satisfaction is working with a group of people who dream big and accomplish excellence.

Megan Littlefield
M.D.
CMO

Schooling:
M.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
Undergraduate degree, Connecticut College, New London, Conn.

Residency: University of Chicago, Ill.

Board certification: American Board Internal Medicine; American Board of Pediatrics

Joined Faculty: 2011

Medical interests: Pediatrics, access to care, obesity and diabetes

Outside interests: Hiking, downhill skiing and spending time with family

Chris Baumert
M.D.

Schooling:
M.D., Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa
B.S., Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Residency: Montana Family Medicine Residency, Billings, Mont.

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Joined Faculty: 2014

Medical interests: Director, Public Health & Advocacy Track; maternity care and obstetric ultrasound; diabetes group visits; skin & gynecologic procedures; addiction medicine.

Family: My family includes my wife, Kristin, a young son, a young daughter, and our rescue dog, Kona. I grew up in Allentown, Pa., where my mother is a family doctor.

Outside interests: Biking, running, skiing, fly-fishing, yoga, and spending time with friends and family.

The most satisfying part of teaching: The people, the opportunity to care for underserved patients, and the ability to work for a forward-thinking organization with a commitment to quality health care for the entire community.

Ali Brock
M.D.

Schooling: MD: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, R.I.
Undergraduate: B.A. in music performance, Goucher College, Baltimore, Md.
Residency: University of Wisconsin-Madison. Geriatric medicine fellowship: Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Joined faculty: 2017
Medical interests: Geriatric medicine, specifically geriatric syndromes and elder abuse/neglect, mental health, adolescent medicine and the social determinants of health
Family: She and her partner, Simon, share an adorable rescue mutt named Monkey
Outside interests: Rock climbing, exploring dog-friendly parks & trails, making delicious chocolate at home
The most satisfying part of teaching: Fostering the clinical intuition of trainees and working together to maintain a positive, welcoming learning environment for all

James Denisar-Green
MD, PhD

Schooling: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MD and Ph.D. Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., bachelor’s degree in genetics and biodiversity, master’s degree in biotechnology.

Medical residency: University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine, Las Vegas and Winnemucca, Nev.

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine.

Joined staff: 2021.

Medical interests: Rural medicine, preventative medicine, maternity and obstetrical care, healthcare policy, healthcare technology.

Family: Husband, Brent Denisar-Green, and dog, Teddy.

Outside interests: Travel, reading suspense and fiction, listening to NPR, documentary consumption and computer gaming.

Most satisfying part of teaching: Watching a resident’s knowledge, skills and confidence grow over months and years.

Angel Eads
M.D.

Schooling: Medical School for International Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.

Residencies: Marshall Family Medicine Residency/University in Collaboration with Columbia University, New York. Brown Family Medicine Residency/Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island, scheduling chief.

Undergraduate: University of Hawaii-Hilo, bachelor arts in theater.

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine, 2019.

Joined staff: 2022.

Isaac Fonken
M.D.

Schooling: Colorado University School of Medicine, Aurora, Colo. Undergraduate degree: Whitworth University, Spokane, Wash., bachelor of health science.

Medical residency: Family Medicine Center, Fort Collins, Colo.

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine pending.

Joined staff: 2021.

Medical interests: Maternal and child health, addiction treatment, hepatitis C treatment and hospital medicine.

Family: Happily married. Our toddler is energetic and likes books. My cocker spaniel loves to hike, sleep and eat.

Outside interests: Climbing, good food (making it and eating it), summer and winter sports.

Most satisfying part of teaching: Residency is an incredibly dynamic time, whether it’s the epiphany learners get when they make connections about something for the first time or when they ask you for a letter of recommendation as they start their job search as newly minted physicians. It’s all great. I especially like teaching procedures.

Paolo Gerbasi
M.D.

Schooling: M.D.: University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle WA.

Undergraduate degree: Montana State University, Bozeman MT.

Residency: Montana Family Medicine Residency, Billings MT.

Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Year joined faculty: 2014, full time 2021

Medical interests: Pediatrics and obstetrics; sports medicine; preventive medicine.

Outside interests: Spending time with my wife of 32 years, Nancy, and visiting our kids, all five of them, and grandkids, two of them, in five different states. Train year round to compete in triathlons; fly fish year round; backpacking trips and camping; brewing beer at home and commercially.

Julie Kelso
M.D.

Schooling: M.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Neb., 2001. Bachelor of science in biology and Spanish, Rocky Mountain College, 1997.

Residencies: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver; pediatric intern, psychiatric resident, psychiatric chief resident.

Columbia University, New York, N.Y., public psychiatry fellow.

Board certification: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2006.

Joined staff: 2021

Medical interests: Collaborative care, deprescribing, depression, bipolar disorder, domestic violence, transaffirmative care.

Outside interests: Spending time with spouse of 21 years, son and daughter and family’s miniature schnauzers. Skiing, hiking, biking, reading and travel.

Staci Lee
M.D.

Schooling: M.D.: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

Undergraduate: Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

Graduate:  Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, master of education in Health Professions.

Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Internal Medicine Residency, Infectious Diseases Fellowship

Medical interests: Care of people living with HIV and/or identifying as LGBTQ+, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, developing and providing interprofessional medical education for patients, medical providers and the public

Outside interests: Seeking out people, books, music, shows, and outdoor activities that allow me to see or experience life from a different perspective.

Chris Miller
M.D.

Schooling: M.D. Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey.   B.S. Washington State University, Pullman

Joined staff:  2019

Medical interests:  End-of-life discussions and care; management of complex health situations;
wilderness medicine

Outside interests: Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing, light water activities, hockey, baseball/softball, woodworking

Sharon Mulvehill
M.D.

Schooling: M.D. University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas.
Undergraduate degree: B.S. Nursing, Texas Women’s University, Benton.
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas
Board certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Joined Faculty: 2005
Medical interests: Ultrasound, maternity care, diabetes
Family: Four sons
Outside interests: Horses, music
The most satisfying part of teaching at MFMR: Outstanding residents who continue to challenge the faculty

Amy Solomon
M.D.

Schooling:  M.D  St. Louis University School of Medicine, Mo.
Undergraduate: B.A. Psychology from University of California , La Jolla
Residency:  UCLA Family Practice Residency/Santa Monica
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine, American Board of Addiction Medicine
Joined faculty: 2018
Medical interests: Belief in care of the whole person, with a great deal of experience in integrative healthcare as well as substance use disorders, and transgender healthcare. Doing research to learn about special needs presented by individual patients.
Family: Married for more than two decades to Richie Solomon. Two college-age children studying in Colorado, plus two cats, two dogs, lots of friends and extended family.
Outside interests:  Spending time with family, going to live music and symphony performances, yoga, especially kundalini yoga, and trying new things like fishing and ukulele.
The most satisfying part of teaching: Watching students learn something new and then apply that knowledge.

W. John Wessell
D. Min., LCPC, LMFT, CRC

Schooling: D. Min Counseling and M. Min. Christian/Pastoral Counseling, Andersonville Theological Seminary, Camilla, Ga.
Advanced Graduate Study, Counselor Education and Educational Psychology Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss.
M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, Montana State University-Billings
Undergraduate degree: B.S. in Psychology/Sociology, Montana State University-Billings

Board certification: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
Joined Faculty: 2014
Professional interests: Theophostic/Nouthetic Counseling, homelessness, life stories and transitions.
Family: I’m married to Anna, have three children, and two dogs
Outside interests: Road trips, exercise, hiking, sports, reading, writing, music, classic stuff
The most satisfying part of teaching at MFMR: Energetic residents, gifted staff, and opportunities to grow professionally.