1 st Year Residents:
Dr. Goswami was born in the only country that begins with an "O" and moved to Houston, Texas when he was a teenager. He grew up repping the Houston Rockets and enjoying all things basketball. He is a Class of 2015 graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, GA, where he majored in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology (NBB) and Economics. During hs time at Emory, he was heavily involved in Residence Life as a Supervising Resident Advisor and led the Greek Life Conduct Board. After his undergraduate studies, he was accepted as a MD/MPH dual degree Class of 2019 candidate at University of Texas Health Long School of Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. He was very grateful to serve as the class president of his medical class for four years, embark on medical global health trips to Panama, India, and Ecuador, advocate for patients through AMA and TMA, and is actively involved in translational research. He graduated as an MD with Distinction in Research, along with his MPH, and was elated to join his Ob/Gyn family in New Orleans. His current research interests lie in the field of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility. Outside of work, Dr. Goswami enjoys going on adventures and exploring the world with his life-long best friend Sejal, hiking through nature, hitting the gym, enjoying delicious cuisines with his co-residents, listening to podcasts/audiobooks (The Ringer is awesome!), catching up on the great Netflix shows, experiencing all of the NOLA festivals, and ofcourse celebrating his Houston Rockets dominate. Residency can seem daunting, but it is alot of fun when you are surrounded by brilliant, caring, and supportive co-residents!!!
Dr. Norris was born and raised in Forth Worth, TX where she graduated from Texas Christian university with a B.S. in Biology and a Minor in Spanish for Health Professions. She developed an interest in student counseling, leadership development and sexual assault prevention and as a result remained at Texas Christian University to earn a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership with emphasis in Higher Education Student Affairs. Dr. Norris obtained her medical degree at the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center and found her passion for women's health care, gynecologic surgery, and increasing diversity in medical education. Although a native Texan, Dr. Norris is very happy to be serving the women of Louisiana and continuing her training at LSU. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking treats, running and weight training, and exploring vintage stores in New Orleans.
Dr. Omotayo was born and lived in London, England for her early childhood before moving to Tallahassee, FL at the age of 6. She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a minor in chemistry from Florida State University. Dr. Omotayo went on to receive both her Master's degree in biomedical sciences and MD degree from Florida State University College of Medicine. During her time in medical school, she was very involved in the Student National Medical Association, ultimately serving as Associate Regional Director for Region IV. Dr. Omotayo's clinical interests include gynecologic surgery, family planning and global health. Outside of medicine, she enjoys travelling the world, trying new things, watching sports, spin class, and eating good food with family and friends. Dr. Omotayo looks forward to spending the next four years amongst the Who Dat nation :)
Dr. Rao was born and raised in the DC Metro Area and spent the last ten years in Baltimore, MD before moving down to the Bayou. Dr. Rao received her Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences with a minor in Political Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar. She then went on to receive her MD and MS in clinical research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Throughout medical school Dr. Rao spent a majority of her free time volunteering in the community, mentoring young children and fell in love with health advocacy and youth education. In line with her passion for OB GYN, she is very interested in increasing access to sexual health education particularly in low-income communities. Outside of work Dr. Rao enjoys spending time with her co-residents, outdoor running to learn about her new city, and spinning, riding on the coattails of her days as an instructor! Dr. Rao feels so lucky to call NOLA her new home!
Dr. Traina was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. She received her Bachelor's of Science degree in biological sciences with a minor in secondary education. Following graduation she worked as an executive assistant for her step father's law firm. She quickly realized that although law was common interest in her family, with her mother teaching law studies; it was not the career path for her. She then returned to life of medicine by first getting her Master's Degree in Pharmacology at Tulane School of Medicine. She completed her medical degree at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and is happy to continue her OB/GYN training at her home institution. Dr. Traina's professional interest include global health and community outreach. She wishes to pursue a career as a generalist and hopes to take part in training medical students and residents at an academic institution in her future. Outside of medicine her interests include playing sand volleyball, traveling, crafting and DIY projects, and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Wells was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He received his bachelor's degree
in biological sciences from LSU. After graduation, he spent some time working in the
service industry in New Orleans, during which he met his wife, Johanna. His continued
interest in science and medicine brought him back to school, obtaining his master's
degree in cell and molecular biology from Tulane University. He also spent a year
working as a medical assistant. Dr. Wells then went on to receive his medical degree
from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. During his time in medical school, Dr.
Wells helped run the community outreach group at LSU, and he is excited to get the
opportunity to stay at home and provide care for the women of southern Louisiana.
Outside of medicine, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, playing
soccer, attending Saints games, and hosting crawfish boils.
2 nd Year Residents:
Dr. Akinde was born in Nigeria and relocated with her family to Colorado at the age of 12. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she majored in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology (MCDB) and Psychology-Neuroscience. She received her Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Her research has focused on developing community interventions for increasing care engagement for women living in HIV. Besides medicine, she has strong interest in health policy and management and hopes to work in resource-limited settings to help reduce healthcare disparities both locally and internationally. Her favorite hobbies include traveling, blogging, and exercising.
Dr. Arceneaux grew up in Kenner, Louisiana. She went to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where she earned a degree in biochemistry, and attended LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans for her medical degree. She enjoys the variety of ObGyn as a specialty and plans to become a generalist. She is excited to be spending the next four years further exploring the city of New Orleans.
Dr. DePaula grew up in Hammond, Louisiana. She attended both SMU and SELU and received a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology with minors in both history and chemistry. After graduation, Rose attended LSU New Orleans School of Medicine. Outside of work, Rose enjoys traveling and eating food cooked by her husband who is a chef.
Dr. Price was born and raised in Delray Beach, Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science in biological sciences with a minor in Italian from Florida State University. Following graduation she spent a summer abroad in Italy working as an Au pair, and subsequently worked as a medical assistant for the remainder of the year. She then returned to the Florida State University College of Medicine to complete her medical degree. She is very happy to be completing her OB/GYN training at LSU-New Orleans, a program that values education and a supportive learning environment for the residents. Dr. Price's professional interests include global health and family planning. Outside of medicine her interests include playing soccer, watching football, travel, learning how to play the drums, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.
Dr. Whalon was born in Dallas, TX and raised in New Orleans. She received an Associate of Science in Nursing from Southern University. She worked as a Registered Nurse in Alabama while pursuing further education earning a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Oakwood University. She attended medical school at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Whalon is thrilled to have returned home for Obstetrics & Gynecology Residency and enjoys being a part of keeping the women of New Orleans health. Her clinical interests include family planning, gynecologic surgery, and improving access for underserved women. Outside of medicine, she enjoys live jazz, good food, and family time.
Dr. Williams is from Chicago, IL. She is happy to leave her snow shovel behind and loving it here in New Orleans. She studied music and biochemistry in Chicago, spent two gap years tutoring and working in plastic surgery research, and went to medical school in Detroit, MI. She and her husband enjoy meal-prepping, spending time outdoors with their dogs, and finding new favorite local bands.
3 rd Year Residents:
Dr. Daigle is a native of New Orleans. He attended LSU and obtained an undergraduate degree in microbiology with a minor in business. While at LSU, Dr. Daigle did stem cell research in the Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research. He then attended LSU New Orleans medical school. He is currently working in the Maternal Fetal Medicine department at LSU on a project focusing on cell free DNA fraction and its relationship to placental positioning. Dr. Daigle's interests outside of work include fishing and dining at the best New Orleans restaurants.
Dr. Nair grew up in Warren, New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Science in chemical and biomedical engineering from Carnegie Melon University. After graduation, she worked in the field of orthopedics research at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, followed by obtaining a Master's Degree in Physiology at Georgetown University. Finally, she went to medical school at University of Tennessee in Memphis, where she met her husband Brandon, who is a Pediatrics resident. Dr. Nair is interested in gynecologic surgery and gynecologic oncology. Outside of work, she is an avid ice-hockey fan and her favorite thing about New Orleans is taking her dog Warren to all of the festivals.
Dr. Peneva was born feet first by the Black Sea in Bulgaria, but raised below sea level in Charleston, SC, where she dreamed of growing up to be everything from a flight attendant to a professional gift wrapper. After a charismatic bird-loving professor at boarding school got her fired up about ecology, she went off to Duke thinking she would be an ornithologist. Between basketball cheers and gothic overhangs, she realized she didn't care much for feathers. She decided to become a doctor when a bullet ant bit her while in the Costa Rican rainforest, prompting her first real experience with healthcare. The rest is straightforward. She went back to Charleston for medical school at MUSC, where she fell in love with the breadth and complexity of Ob/Gyn and her beau, Beau. She couples matched with said beau and now lives in New Orleans, once again below sea level and ever so grateful for a painful moment with a territorial ant.
Dr. Polite is a native of New Iberia, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry from Howard University. Dr. Polite obtained a master's degree in Public Health from Tulane University. While in graduate school, she worked for the Louisiana Office of Public Health with a focus in family planning initiatives. She went on to work as an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia where she focused on public health work force surveillance. Dr. Polite then moved back home, and attended LSU New Orleans for medical school. She is interested in medical student education and quality improvement initiatives for residents. Her favorite thing about residency is the thoughtfulness of her classmates!
Dr. Shustarovich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia and was raised in Brooklyn, NY. After graduating from Stony Brook University, she obtained her Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology while working at a dermatology office. It was during this time that she made her decision to pursue medicine. After obtaining her Master's Degree in Physiology at Georgetown University, she earned her MD from GW and moved down to New Orleans for residency and to find the best king cake in the US. Her clinical interests include family planning and pelvic pain. Outside of work, she loves travel and is currently working on building up her running stamina in the NOLA heat.
Dr. Whitfield grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended The Ohio State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and met her husband, Dwayne, who is a Family Medicine resident. She then attended the University of Cincinnati where she earned her Masters in Physiology. For medical school, she attended the University of Kentucky where her interest in pediatric/adolescent gynecology and general OBGYN was cultivated. Outside of work, Dr. Whitfield enjoys traveling, cooking, spending time with her family, and exploring the restaurants, parks, museums, and festivals of New Orleans.
4 th Year Residents:
Dr. Jadauji was born in the United Kingdom, but grew up in Calgary, Canada. He completed his undergraduate and master's degree in neurosciences at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His research there involved the stimulation of primary visual cortex with transcranial magnetic stimulation to evaluate the effects of olfaction. He then attended the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for medical school. His current research interests include the medical management of endometrial hyperplasia and malignancy in patients who are poor surgical candidates. Dr. Jadauji is also a big hockey fan and supports his hometown team. Go Flames!
Dr. Kenner grew up in Laplace, LA. He attended Xavier University of Louisiana. He was a 2 time captain of the Men's Basketball team and is top 15 in 3 point field goals made in school history. Following college, he proceeded to medical school at LSU New Orleans. His clinical interests include minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and improving health disparities. Outside of work, Dr. Kenner enjoys all things New Orleans and is a fan of both the New Orleans Pelicans and Saints.
Dr. Kuan-Celarier was raised in the DC metropolitan area. She received her Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in International Development Studies with a minor in Russian Language and Literature. She worked as a research assistant in a cancer research laboratory before obtaining her Master of Science in Physiology at Georgetown University. She attended medical school at Florida International University where she met her husband, Corey, who is an Internal Medicine resident at LSU. Her academic interests include anything in the field of gynecologic oncology. “Kuan” is known for her adventurous palate and in her free time likes to cook, eat, study foreign languages, and run in City Park.
Dr. Neuhoff grew up in Pensacola, Florida, playing in the Gulf of Mexico and doing a lot of Science Fair. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University with a double major in French and “Medicine, Health and Society,” and aminor in Theatre. During that time, she also worked in a research lab studying Human Metapneumovirus in the division of Pediatric Infectious Disease. After graduation, she worked in the department of Development and Alumni Relations at Vanderbilt, and finally got around to applying to medical school. During that time in a “real job” she also met her husband, Hank, a native Nashvillian, who works in Healthcare Data Analytics and has no interest in blood and guts. She went to medical school at University of Tennessee in Memphis. Dr. Neuhoff is interested in Infectious Diseases and Maternal Fetal Medicine. Outside of work, she likes to explore New Orleans, renovate her old shotgun house, and try to talk her friends into watching black and white movies.
Dr. Prats is a true New Orleanian. She was born and raised in New Orleans. She attended The Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where she obtained a Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Sociology. She then followed her way back home to attend Tulane University's Masters program, where she obtained a Masters Degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. Following her time spent at Tulane, Dr. Prats spent the remainder of her postgraduate years at LSU School of Medicine here in New Orleans. She knew she wanted to continue her training in New Orleans because of the very interesting and highly acute patient population. Aside from work, Dr. Prats is a certified scuba diver who has enjoyed diving in various parts of the world including Hawaii, Key West, and St. Lucia. Additional personal interests include spinning at her favorite local spin studio and attending LSU football games. Geaux Tigers!
Dr. Valero grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She went to the University of Miami where she earned her Bachelor of Science. She became an 8 th grade Science Teacher in her hometown and then continued pursuing her dream in Philadelphia, PA where she earned her medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine. She is also a certified Zumba instructor and is a huge Miami Hurricanes football fan; It's All About the U!