Emy Lopez Phillips, EdD
Director, Office of Health Career Pathways
Director, Hildebrand Medical Library
Emy has worked in educational programs for over 20 years. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor with the UCSF Fresno Regional Campus and Director of the Office of Health Career Pathways & UCSF Fresno Hildebrand Medical Library. She serves on the Faculty Development Committee and chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Outreach Sub-committee. Her research agenda is currently focused on health pathway program outcomes and instructional frameworks for pre-medical education.
Stephanie Huerta Alvarez, MPH
Manager, Office of Health Career Pathways
Stephanie Huerta Alvarez grew up in the small, rural farm town of Caruthers, CA and is an alumnus of the first DA cohort at Caruthers High School. In 2016, she joined UCSF Fresno initially as an Academic Program Coordinator and served as the Education Director in 2022 and 2023 before being promoted to Manager of the Office of Health Career Pathways in September 2023. As a first-generation student and teen parent, she graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Biology with a minor in Latin American and Latino Studies. She also became the first in her family to complete a graduate degree and has a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of California, Berkeley. Stephanie’s personal and professional work experiences has shaped her efforts to identify and bridge the gaps in the K-16 health career pathway for future health professionals, increase educational attainment in rural and urban communities in the Central San Joaquin Valley and diversify the health care workforce. Along with her husband, who is also an alumni of the Doctors Academy, she enjoys spending her free time traveling to hers kids’ sporting events, crafting and finding new local restaurants and small businesses.
Education and Training
- University of California, Santa Cruz, BS, Human Biology and minor in Latin American and Latino Studies
- University of California, Berkeley, MPH with a concentration in Community Health
Sydney Farnesi, MS
Supervisor, College Health Pathway
Sydney serves as the Supervisor of the San Joaquin Valley Hub for the California Medicine Scholars Program, regionally known as the San Joaquin Valley – MedBridge Program. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and comprehensive oversight to ensure the successful implementation of the program's initiatives. Prior to her current position, Sydney served as a program coordinator and academic advisor for the San Joaquin Valley PRIME Program (SJV PRIME), where she supported medical students through their pivotal third year and clinical rotations.
A proud Fresno native and former community college student, Sydney is deeply committed to the San Joaquin Valley, its community, and the advancement of student success pathways. Her personal and professional experiences fuel her passion for creating opportunities and bridging educational gaps in the region. Sydney firmly believes in the potential of every student to succeed and feels privileged to contribute to UCSF Fresno and the SJV-MedBridge Program. Through her work, she strives to enhance access to education and foster opportunities for community college students throughout the Central Valley. Outside of working hours, Sydney enjoys spending time with her husband and family, trying new recipes, hiking and exploring our national parks.
Education and Training
- Clovis Community College Honors Program, AA, Liberal Studies
- California State University, Fresno, BA, Liberal Studies with a concentration in Counseling and a minor in Mass Communication and Journalism
- California State University, Fresno, MS, Student Affairs and College Counseling
Amanda De Lima Croft, MA, PPS
Program Coordinator & Advising Counselor
Amanda is the Program Coordinator and Advising Counselor of the San Joaquin Valley - MedBridge Program. She supports all community college to university pathway scholars. Prior to this position, Amanda served UCSF Fresno as a Wellness Specialist and supporting the campus in its various wellbeing efforts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Business-Administration from California State University, Fresno, in addition to a Master of Arts in School Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services credential from Fresno Pacific University. As an immigrant, tri-lingual, first-generation college student, she knows first-hand the challenges students face when pursuing higher education. She hopes to support and empower students on their journey as they pursue their dreams.
Education and Training
- California State University, Fresno, BA, Psychology and minor in Business-Administration
- Fresno Pacific University, MA, School Counseling
- Fresno Pacific University Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS), Counseling
Paula Peterson, MS, PPS
Program Coordinator & Advising Counselor
Paula Peterson was born and raised in the Central Valley and having spent several years in the field of education in various roles, she understands the diverse area and population she serves. She credits her parents for encouraging her to pursue higher education, and as such, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Fresno Pacific University and a Master of Science in Educational Counseling with a PPS credential from National University.
Paula began her professional career at Fresno City College as a counselor in outreach and then transitioned into a coordinator role in Student Services and EOPS serving foster youth and homeless/unaccompanied youth as they learned to navigate college. She made the move to UCSF Fresno in November of 2018 as an Academic Program Coordinator and has served as the Coordinator of the UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy Program at Sunnyside High School in Southeast Fresno for the past five years. She is passionate about serving students and helping them grow as they work to reach their personal and educational goals.
When she is not working, Paula enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, photography, volunteering, and mission work.
Education and Training
- Fresno Pacific University, BA, Liberal Arts, Emphasis in Education
- National University, MS, Educational Counseling
- National University, Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS), Counseling
Summer Connery
CME Event Specialist
Summer is a San Joaquin Valley native and an alumna of Clovis High School. Though her education and career have taken her from San Diego to San Francisco, she returned to Central California in 2019 to help build the Continuing Medical Education program at UCSF Fresno. Summer has worked in the field of Continuing Education for the past 9 years in both Law and Medicine. She is experienced in program development, content creation, event management, and marketing. She joined the Office of Health Career Pathways to assist with outreach and events in 2023. Prior to working in education, she served individuals with developmental disabilities as a social worker. In her free time, Summer enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, and doing hot yoga.
Education and Training
- Fresno City College Honors Program, AA, Liberal Arts
- California State University, San Marcos, BA, Communication
Tony Santos
Project Specialist
Tony Santos joined the UCSF Office of Health Career Pathways team as a Project Specialist in 2022. Tony's a first-generation college student who kicked off his career with a Midwest healthcare organization and eventually made the transition to continue following his passion in supporting other healthcare and student initiatives by pursuing an opportunity with UCSF. During Tony’s free time, he enjoys the outdoors, being active, playing music, and experiencing what California has to offer.
Education and Training
- Minnesota State University Moorhead, BS Health Services Administration, minor in Business Management, and an emphasis in Long-term Care Administration
Paz Delsid
Administrative Officer II
Born and raised in Fresno, Paz Delsid is the department's Administrative Officer. Her role is to assist the leadership of the UCSF Fresno Office of Health Career Pathways, support the goals of the educational team, and coordinate the efforts of the California Health Professions Consortium (chpc.ucsf.edu). She is excited to work with middle school, high school and college students, in an established program, to reach their educational goals, leading them to eventually practice medicine in the Central Valley. Having worked in education for over 12 years, she formerly worked at a charter high school and with school libraries by consulting, conducting training workshops and supporting their program goals. She loves pink and abhors squirrels. Life is sometimes too busy to cozy up with a traditional book, so she reads subtitles, articles, blogs, and picture books all the time.
Education and Training
- Fresno City College, AA, Liberal Arts
- San Diego Office of Education, Instructional Media Resource Associate Certification
- Fresno Pacific University, BA, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership
Raman Bains
Program Liaison
Raman currently serves as the Program Liaison, where she plays a vital role in coordinating alumni programming for Doctors Academy. Once a Doctors Academy student herself, her journey from student to program advocate has been incredibly fulfilling, allowing her to create meaningful community engagement. Now after returning to the Central Valley, Raman is dedicated to empowering alumni to thrive and stay connected long after their educational journey ends. Outside of work, you can find her exploring nature trails, indulging in a good book, or enjoying quality time with friends and family.
Education and Training
- University of California, Berkeley, BA in Integrative Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Aisha Shahabzada
Program Liaison
As a lifelong learner, Aisha is pursuing medicine. She joins our team, eager to learn and grow while also contributing to our collective success. She is currently a K-12 substitute teacher for Fresno Unified and has extensive experience mentoring, tutoring, and teaching. She has previously worked with UCSF Fresno, as the summer research instructor for Doctor’s Academy rising seniors at Sunnyside, Caruthers, and Selma. As an Afghan American immigrant, she is intentional with her experiences and is always looking for ways to work with those who need help. In her free time, Aisha loves spending time outdoors. Whether it’s taking a day trip to hike at Yosemite or walking to the local park, Aisha is always encouraging others to appreciate nature.
Education and Training
- California State University, Fresno, BA, Psychology
Enrique Cazares-Navarro, MS, MD
Program Development Coordinator
Enrique Cazares-Navarro is an incoming family medicine resident physician at Kaiser - Los Angeles Medical Center. He is passionate about DEI initiatives, mentoring students underrepresented in medicine, public health research, and family medicine. Enrique was the first of his fourteen siblings born in the Central Valley of California. His upbringing as a first-generation, low-income, queer student has inspired his health disparities research through the NIH-funded Research to Reduce Disparities in Disease program.
Mr. Cazares-Navarro received his medical degree at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine with a certificate in Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved. He also received a graduate degree in Community Health and Prevention Research from Stanford School of Medicine, and an undergraduate degree in Biology with honors on a full-ride scholarship from California State University, Fresno.
During his medical school career, Mr. Cazares-Navarro and his colleagues co-founded a culturally responsive medical Spanish curriculum. Through their curricular development, he and his colleagues saw the importance of collecting data to evaluate the curriculum's effectiveness, relevance, and applicability. As a result, he has presented their medical Spanish research at Harvard Medical School and the National Hispanic Medical Association.
In addition to his research, Mr. Cazares-Navarro has served as president of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) Grand Rapids chapter, co-president of the Family Medicine Group Flint and Grand Rapids chapters awarded the 2023 AAFP Program of Excellence Award for New Events, mentorship co-chair for the LMSA Midwest board, vice president of mentorship for the LMSA National board, elected board member of the school's Dean's Advisory Committee on Diversity Equity and Inclusion, curriculum development committee elected board member for the Western Michigan Health Careers Pipeline Program, and volunteer at the Flint Latinx Technology and Community Center.
Education and Training
- California State University, Fresno, BS, Biology with honors
- Stanford School of Medicine, MS, Community Health and Prevention Research
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, MD, with a certificate in Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved