Emily Staats is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she received her Masters of Education in Counseling from DePaul University in 2020. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa, majoring in Psychology. Emily worked as a school counselor for two years providing individual therapy and social emotional development in group settings. Her professional interests include child development, anxiety, depression, and equity in education. Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time reading, exploring different Chicago neighborhoods, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers.
Dr. William Ward is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). He majored in Spanish and Biology at Augustana College and completed his medical education at Wake Forest School of Medicine. He is the son of two Peace Corps volunteers who met in Senegal. From a young age, Dr. Ward's parents encouraged his curiosity in medicine and marginalized communities. During medical school, he worked to keep housing insecure individuals safely home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Ward believes all people deserve dignified and fulfilling lives. He is excited to train at PCC where it is possible to care for all people, no matter their background or social status. In his free time, Dr. Ward enjoys reading, being in nature, and spending time with his spouse, Katie, and their daughter.
Dr. Iris Marin is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). She completed her medical education at Ross University School of Medicine. As a physician, Dr. Marin strives to make a difference in people’s lives. Her goal is to become a significant part of her patients' journeys and help them live rich and fulfilling lives. Growing up in Puerto Rico and subsequently moving to the contiguous United States, Dr. Marin has witnessed firsthand healthcare disparities and the lack of access to healthcare in certain communities. She has an interest in women’s health and obstetrics, paying special attention to healthcare disparities in this field. As a Latina woman living in the U.S., she is personally invested in the subject of healthcare outcomes in African American and LatinX patients in obstetrics, such as pregnancy complications, maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as newborn morbidity and mortality. Dr. Marin's personal interests include dancing to Latin music and spending time cooking and experimenting with new flavors and recipes.
Dr. Zorica "Zoe" Ljubic is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). She completed her medical education at Ross University School of Medicine. Dr. Ljubic quickly developed a strong passion for working in underserved populations while as a medical student in Chicago. She has a strong passion for volunteerism, underserved communities, and academics. While in medical school, she founded Chicago COVIDsitters, a student volunteer organization that paired medical student volunteers with healthcare professionals to provide free childcare, pet care, and household errands during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her research in medical school focused on women’s health, including obstetrics surgical techniques and cultural differences and interventions in Puerto Rican and Mexican women in Chicagoland. Dr. Ljubic enjoys spending her free time outdoors, especially running and walking on the Chicago lakefront. One of her favorite things to do at home includes trying out new recipes and cooking traditional Croatian food. She loves to travel, especially to see her family in Croatia. Dr. Ljubic has a strong passion for global health and plans to pursue more international medical mission trips as her career progresses. One of her bucket list goals is to visit all the continents in the next ten years.
Dr. Jessie Kue Ndukwe is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). She was born to Cameroonian parents who immigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s. She was born in Detroit and raised in Okemos, MI. After completing a bachelor's degree at Evangel University in biological chemistry, she attended Wayne State University School of Medicine for medical school. During that time, she developed her passion for addressing health disparities via research by pursuing a Master of Science in Clinical Research at the University of Michigan. She is newly married to her loving, supportive husband, who is an ophthalmology resident in Chicago. When she has free time, Dr. Kue Ndukwe enjoys bike rides, visiting jazz clubs and restaurants with her husband, cooking, exercising, and hanging out with family and friends.
Dr. Natasha Thern completed her medical education at the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). Dr. Thern up in a small town (Lola) in central Wisconsin. She attended St. Norbert College as an undergraduate and studied biology there. She then attended Dominican University in River Forest for a post-bac pre-med program before continuing on at Rosalind Franklin University. Dr. Thern is currently living in River Forest with her husband and a cat and enjoys cooking in her spare time.
Dr. Maggie Spini completed medical school at the University of Maryland. She is completing residency at PCC, as part of the West Suburban Medical Center – Family Medicine Residency Program (Class of 2024). Dr. Spini grew up in a small town (Arcata) in northern California, among the redwoods. She studied English as an undergrad at Duke University and spent some time after graduation in politics in California. Dr. Spini then completed a post-bac pre-med program before attending medical school. She is now living in Wicker Park with her cat and likes to read, bake, run, and bike.
Dr. Shayna Friedman is a Pediatrician at PCC. She completed her pediatric residency at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, with primary care and community health area of focus. Prior to her residency, Dr. Friedman completed her medical degree at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and her undergraduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work she enjoys spending running, biking, gardening, reading spending time with her family and exploring Chicago.
Dr. Haynes completed medical school at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She completed the University of Alabama Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Haynes is currently serving as the medical director for PCC Austin. Her interests include traveling, horseback riding,