Please join us in welcoming these recent additions to the College of Medicine faculty.
Department of Anesthesiology
Ines Berger, M.D., Ph.D., MBA
Ines Berger, M.D., Ph.D, MBA, has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as a Professor and Division Chief for Critical Care Anesthesiology. Dr. Berger received her Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy at Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, Germany, where she also completed a fellowship in experimental surgery. Dr. Berger completed a surgery internship, residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in critical care at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. She completed clinical anesthesia training in Heidelberg, Germany, to obtain German board eligibility. She continued her training with a fellowship in pain medicine at Mayo and earned a Master’s in Business Administration at Viterbo University in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. She is board-certified in anesthesiology, critical care and pain.
Dr. Berger has held several leadership positions including Vice Chair for Critical Care at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, and most recently as Medical Director of Mobile ICU and Tele-ICU East Intensivist at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Orlando, Florida. She is an active member of the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps and has served three tours in Kuwait. Dr. Berger has also served in Fort Gordon, Georgia, Anchorage, Alaska, New York, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Robert Andrew Crone, M.D.
Robert “Andy” Crone, M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Associate Professor. Dr. Crone received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He completed an internship and general surgery residency at Methodist Hospitals in Memphis and continued his training with a fellowship in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Mid-South Cardiothoracic Surgical Consultants in Memphis.
Dr. Crone went on to complete a residency in anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. He joined Medical Anesthesia Group, PA, in Memphis as an anesthesiologist partner in 1992 and worked there for 31 years. He served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences from 2003 until his recruitment to UAMS.
Kenneth C. Kasper Jr., M.D.
Ken Kasper Jr., M.D., has joined the Department of Anesthesiology as an Associate Professor. Dr. Kasper received his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He completed his anesthesiology residency at Tulane University in New Orleans.
Dr. Kasper worked as a staff anesthesiologist for Anesthesia Specialists of Tennessee in Memphis before joining the Medical Anesthesia Group in Memphis as an anesthesiologist partner in 1999. Among several leadership positions, Dr. Kasper was Medical Director for Perioperative Services for Methodist University Hospital in Memphis in 2016-2021 and Associate Chief of Staff for Methodist University Hospital in 2018-2020.
Department of Internal Medicine
Vivek Yadala, M.D.
Vivek Yadala, M.D., has joined the Department of Internal Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology. Dr. Yadala received his medical degree from BLDE University, Sri B. M. Patil Medical College, in Bijapur, India, in 2012. He completed an internal medicine residency at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia, in 2020. Dr. Yadala continued his training there with a hematology/oncology fellowship, which he completed in 2023.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Kasa Cooper, M.D.
Kasa Cooper, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Cooper earned her medical degree at UAMS and continued her training with a fellowship in orthopaedic trauma at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Cooper provides comprehensive orthopaedic care as part of the multispecialty trauma services team at UAMS, Arkansas’ only adult Level 1 Trauma Center. She provides specialized surgical techniques including closed intramedullary fixation, combinations of internal and external fixation, and complex fracture treatment of the pelvis and extremities. Dr. Cooper sees patients in The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital’s Trauma Specialty Clinic and performs procedures at UAMS Medical Center and The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital.
Ryan Hill, M.D.
J. Ryan Hill, M.D., has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Hill earned his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where he was awarded USC’s university-wide Order of Areté honor, received a Distinction in Research, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at Washington University in St. Louis. While there, he was elected to participate in the American Orthopaedic Association’s Resident Leadership Forum and Emerging Leaders Program and served as the Administrative Chief Resident during his final year. He continued his training at Washington University with a fellowship in the Division of Shoulder and Elbow Reconstruction, one of the preeminent centers for shoulder and elbow disorders worldwide.
Dr. Hill sees patients at the UAMS Health Orthopaedic and Spine Clinic in North Little Rock and the UAMS Health Orthopaedic Clinic on Colonel Glenn Road in Little Rock. He performs surgical procedures in The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital at UAMS as well as the UAMS Medical Center. He also spends part of his clinical time at the John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital.
Sophie Hollenberg, M.D.
Sophie Hollenberg, M.D. has joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Hollenberg earned her medical degree and completed her orthopaedic surgery residency at UAMS. She continued her training with a fellowship in hand surgery at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Hollenberg specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of hand and wrist disorders and injuries. She sees patients at the UAMS Health Orthopaedic and Spine Clinic in North Little Rock and the UAMS Health Orthopaedic Clinic on Autumn Road in Little Rock. She performs surgical procedures in The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital at UAMS Health and UAMS Medical Center.
Department of Pediatrics
Sevdenur Keskin, M.D.
Sevdenur Keskin, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Allergy and Immunology Section. Dr. Keskin earned her medical degree at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in Ankara, Turkey. After graduating from medical school, she completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where her work resulted in multiple publications. Dr. Keskin went on to complete her residency in pediatrics at the University of Toledo. She continued her training with a fellowship in allergy and immunology at Albany Medical College. Dr. Keskin’s clinical interests encompass a wide range of conditions including asthma, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, urticaria and angioedema.
Stephen Dalby, M.D.
Stephen Dalby, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiology Section. Dr. Dalby earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He received his medical degree from UAMS, where he also completed his residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric cardiology. Dr. Dalby completed advanced training in pediatric interventional cardiology at the University of California San Diego. Dr. Dalby has a special interest in minimally invasive cardiac procedures, particularly for premature infants and neonates, including PDA closure, PDA stenting and pulmonary vein interventions. His interests also include transcatheter valve implantation, ASD and VSD closure, and balloon and stent angioplasty.
Daniel J. Fiedorek, M.D.
Daniel Fiedorek, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiology Section. Dr. Fiedorek earned his undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. He received his medical degree at UAMS, where he also completed his residency in pediatrics and fellowship in pediatric cardiology. Dr. Fiedorek is interested in research projects exploring the impact of congenital heart disease.
Benjamin Ittleman, M.D.
Benjamin Ittleman, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Cardiology Section. Dr. Ittleman received his undergraduate degree in biology from the Colorado College in Colorado Springs before earning his medical degree at St. George’s University School of Medicine. Dr. Ittleman completed his residency at UAMS and continued his training with a pediatric cardiology fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital, followed by an advanced imaging fellowship at Seattle Children’s.
Maria Serrano, M.D.
Maria Serrano, M.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Community Medicine Section. Dr. Serrano received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from John Brown University. She earned her medical degree at UAMS, where she also completed her pediatric residency. Dr. Serrano has been active in research and QI projects during her time at Arkansas Children’s and UAMS, including projects related to childhood obesity, diagnosis and management of Lichen Sclerosis in children, vitamin B12 deficiency and restrictive cardiomyopathy.
Ashleah Courtney, M.D., MSPH
Ashleah Courtney, M.D., MSPH, has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Infectious Diseases Section. Dr. Courtney completed her undergraduate degree in biology at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, and then went on to complete a graduate degree in tropical medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans. She returned to Arkansas for medical school and residency at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Courtney returned to Tulane to complete her pediatric infectious disease fellowship training at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. Dr. Courtney serves as a member of Arkansas Children’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, with a particular focus on outpatient antimicrobial stewardship.
Joseph L. Alge, M.D., Ph.D.
Joseph Alge, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Nephrology Section. Dr. Alge is a graduate of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he earned his medical degree, Master of Science in Clinical Research, and Ph.D. degrees. He went on to complete his pediatric residency and pediatric nephrology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in the Pediatrician-Scientist Program. Dr. Alge has been actively engaged in several clinical and translational research projects focused on acute kidney injury, mechanisms of chronic kidney disease progression, and glomerular diseases.
Trenesha Hill, Ph.D.
Trenesha Hill, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Section. Dr. Hill completed her undergraduate degree in cellular and molecular biology and psychology at Tulane University in New Orleans. She worked for the East Baton Rouge Parish Head Start Program before returning to Tulane to complete her graduate training. After receiving her doctoral degree in school psychology from Tulane, Dr. Hill completed a two-year combined clinical and research fellowship in the Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Track at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Department of Psychiatry
Andrea McMahon, M.D.
Andrea McMahon, M.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. McMahon received her medical degree from UAMS in 2015. She completed her residency in psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. McMahon cares for patients in the Psychiatric Research Institute-Northwest’s outpatient clinic as well as at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the UAMS Northwest Arkansas Student Wellness clinic.
Allison Smith, Ph.D.
Allison Smith, Ph.D., has joined the Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Smith graduated from Ouachita Baptist University in 2015 and received her doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 2022. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at UAMS with a focus on infant- and early-childhood mental health, assessing and treating childhood traumatic stress and psychological assessment. Dr. Smith sees patients in the Child Study Center at Arkansas Children’s.
Department of Radiology
Malik Dawoud, M.D.
Malik Dawoud, M.D., has joined the Department of Radiology as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Radiology. Dr. Dawoud received his medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan. He completed a residency in radiology in Amman, Jordan, followed by a fellowship in interventional radiology at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Dawoud later continued his training at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s with additional fellowships in pediatric radiology, pediatric interventional radiology, pediatric body imaging and pediatric neuroradiology.
Dr. Dawoud served as an interventional and diagnostic pediatric radiologist at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville from 2020-2023. He also provided PRN (as needed) assistance for the Division of Pediatric Radiology prior to his return to UAMS as a full-time faculty member.
Department of Surgery
Nicholas Tingquist, M.D.
Nicholas Tingquist, M.D., has joined the Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Thoracic Surgery. Dr. Tingquist received his medical degree from UAMS in 2015. He completed his general surgery residency training at UAMS in 2020. Dr. Tingquist continued his training with a fellowship in thoracic and cardiothoracic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, completing the program in 2023.