UAFP 2022 Board of Directors Election Results
Congratulations and "welcome" to our new board members and new President-Elect, Dr. Michael Chen!
PRESIDENT-ELECT
2022-23 President-Elect for
UAFP Board of Directors
Michael Chen, MD
Michael Chen, MD is a board-certified family physician who received his medical degree from the University of Utah where he received The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award and Chase Peterson Family Medicine Leadership Award. He completed residency at the Utah Valley Family Medicine Residency where he was a Chief Resident. He also has an Executive Certificate in Leadership and Management from the University of Notre Dame, Mendoza College of Business.
Dr. Chen enjoys seeing patients of all age ranges and has an interest in mental health, sports medicine, and adolescent medicine. He likes teaching and mentoring medical students as well as serving on the University of Utah School of Medicine Admissions Committee. He is also actively involved as an Executive Board Member of the University of Utah School of Medicine Alumni Board. He advocates for the public as a member of the Utah Health Advisory Council. Dr. Chen pursued family medicine to provide access to quality, patient-centered care for all family members. He enjoys establishing relationships with each patient and looks forward to caring for them throughout their lifetime.
Dr. Chen enjoys skiing at Snowbird where he spent many years racing and coaching. He also enjoys watching Utah Utes football and listening to the Utah Symphony. He lives with his partner, Julie, daughter, Kyla, and dog, Arcanine in the Salt Lake Valley.
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED TO AN ADDITIONAL THREE-YEAR TERM
Craig Batty, DO
Michael Chen, MD
Thea Sakata, MD
Chad Spain, MD, FAAFP
Saphu Pradhan, MD
NEW BOARD MEMBERS FOR 2022-23
Matthew Johnston, MD, FAAFP
"I feel like I've seen a broad range of Family Medicine in my career, and I have loved it. If I can help make other physicians enjoy and have success in their career the way I have, then it would be worth serving on this board."
I grew up in Oklahoma, attended BYU majoring in Chemistry, then got in to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. When I went to medical school, my initial plan was to be a radiologist. Then I actually did radiology and couldn't stand the isolation. Once I did a family medicine rotation, I knew where I wanted to go with my career.
I spent medical school at Baylor in Houston, and then spent residency and the majority of my career in Oklahoma, where I grew up. Finally, the Utah girl I married found an opportunity and we moved to Utah. My career has been extremely varied. I worked initially as a small town family physician with the wide range of responsibilities - clinic, hospital, ICU, nursing home, ER coverage, hospice, baby coverage, and participating on the hospital board. I also was a clinical professor for students in a rural rotation with the University of Oklahoma. After 10 years of this, I became a physician and a clinic medical director for the Cherokee Nation, also completing a Masters Degree in Medical Management. This was rewarding but took me traveling frequently, so I settled down as a Physician for a large group in a suburb of Tulsa. With this, I participated in the Comprehensive Primary Care Program as a physician lead, and also on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Board for the hospital owned insurance plan. I had a unique experience as well becoming an Academic Detailer, working with physicians in rural Oklahoma on improving metrics for cardiac care. This was extremely rewarding, but eventually my family wanted more time with me, and we had family to help in Utah. I found a job doing Early Phase Clinical Research and that is my present position as a Research Physician. Despite leaving direct primary care, my heart is still there. I love talking to patients and family and working with them to resolve concerns. I want to make sure these joys and skills continue on to the future physicians.
Jaime Montes, DO
I am interested in improving the medical care of all Utahns by utilizing a holistic, caring, culturally sensitive approach to healthcare and enhancing good quality care for all Utahns regardless of social or economic status, race, ethnicity, background, or believes.
Dr. Montes completed his premedical studies at Baylor University. After serving in the United States Air Force, he completed post-baccalaureate medical studies at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and went on to complete medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine with Sigma Sigma Phi highest honors under mentor Kenneth Nelson, DO, a pioneer in osteopathic manipulative medicine. Prior to and throughout, medical school, Dr. Montes served in the United States Navy Medical Corps, La Raza Medical Association, Americorp National Service, and Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers. Dr. Montes did his internship and residency training in Family Medicine at Westchester General, Jackson Memorial, Mount Sinai, and Miami Children’s hospitals, with added qualification in Osteopathic Manipulation Therapy and experience in Bariatric Medicine, Urgent Care Medicine, and Occupational Medicine.
Osteopathic doctors, like Dr. Montes, focus on the unity of all body parts, recognize the body’s ability to heal itself, stress preventive medicine, proper nutrition, and physical fitness as the main focus of osteopathic medicine. Dr. Montes desires to promote, preserve, and protect the dignity of life and believes in the uniqueness of each human being and respects cultural diversity. He recognizes that his role as a Family Doctor can help patients live to their fullest in their life journey.
Heather Sojourner, MD
“I would like to work alongside my family medicine peers to ensure the practice of medicine, the patients we serve and our clinical staff are supported and safeguarded through organizational and political advocacy.”
Heather Sojourner, MD is board certified family physician with broad medical knowledge and exceptional leadership skills. She was fortunate to have great work colleagues and created a thriving, independently owned family medicine practice in South Jordan, UT that sustained her for 16 years. In her practice of medicine being thorough and organized while delivering compassionate, evidenced based care were her professional trademarks. She values educating patients while encouraging their success. She has expertise in comprehensive patient care management, staff development, communication and relationship building, digital health technology, telemedicine, medical billing and coding and navigating medical politics at a national and local level.
Dr. Sojourner has now transitioned her career into administrative roles including Medical Director for the US Division of Dignio which is an international digital health technology software company and serves as Family Medicine Medical Director for eviCore Cigna Healthcare for expert medical utilization review. By being a first-generation college student and rising out of her impoverished beginnings, Dr. Sojourner brings a unique perspective to the care and leadership she provides. She was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas where she attended the University of Arkansas both for undergraduate studies and Medical school, then moved to Virginia where she completed her residency with Virginia Commonwealth University Riverside Family Medicine Program and in 2005 settled in Utah where she started her own full spectrum family medicine medical practice. She has an amazing family with her husband Jason, two biological children, three adult step children and two crazy dogs. She is passionate about reading and writing young and new adult fiction and has written the basics of several fiction novels. For several years she was an active member of the League of Utah Writers. She also enjoys traveling, cruising, camping, snow skiing, and hiking.
Sally Tran, MD
I would like to join the UAFP board and share my unique perspective as a minority growing up in Utah. I am a committed advocate for diversity and women’s health, and want to use my own experiences to help amplify underrepresented voices in medicine.
Dr. Sally Tran is passionate about medical school education and has been precepting 3rd year medical students from the University of Utah for the past 5 years. She works to inspire students to go into Family Medicine or instills a greater understanding and respect Family medicine with students who choose other specialties. Working on the board would provide her additional opportunities to encourage students and residents pursuing family medicine.
She believes that a great physician is much more than a good clinician. As a physician she is an advocate for her patients, showing empathy and compassion, regardless of a patient’s background or situation—traits she seeks to instill in the students and residents she precepts.
Dr. Tran grew up in SLC, UT. She attended the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed her residency at St. Vincent's Family Medicine Residency in Jacksonville, Florida. She is a board-certified family physician, and has been practicing at Cottonwood Family Medicine with Intermountain HealthCare since July of 2016.
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