Board of Governors
Board Officers
William (Bill) Rhine, MD ’84, President (2009-2011)
Bill is President of the Board of Governors. He is a Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology) at the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University, where he is the medical director of the neonatal ICU. His clinical interests include quality improvement in neonatology, brain injury and imaging as well as the treatment of respiratory failure with ECMO and inhaled nitric oxide. In 2005 he was named president of the California Association of Neonatologists. He is married with six sons.
Jane Lombard, MD ’83, President-Elect (2009-2011)
Jane is the President-Elect for the Board of Governors with her term to begin in the fall of 2011. She has been a Cardiologist with the Camino Medical Group in Sunnyvale since 2000. She was previously a Cardiologist with Kaiser Medical Center in Redwood City. She is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Heart Association. She is also member at large in El Camino Hospital’s Interdepartmental Peer Review Committee and a lecturer with Stanford University’s Physician Assistant Program.
William (Bill) Northway, BS ’54, MD ’57, Secretary/Treasurer
Bill is the Secretary/Treasurer for the Board of Governors. He is professor emeritus (active) for the Stanford University’s medical school in pediatric radiology. He currently works part time at the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. He celebrated 44 years of marriage to Linda in 2007 and has two sons and two grandsons who live nearby. He and his wife enjoy watching Stanford’s athletic events, fly fishing, volunteer work, book collecting, cooking and travel.
Norman J. Tong, BS ’63, ‘MD ‘68, Immediate-Past President, (2009-2011)
Norman is the Imediate-Past President for the Board of Governors. He has been active in the SUMCAA for nearly ten years as the representative of the Class of 1968 and member of the Board of Governors. Since arriving at Stanford in 1959, he has received a B.S. in chemistry, M.D., residency in dermatology, and fellowship in dermatopathology. His outside interest relates to building a hillside home near Stanford (90% of the construction, personally accomplished). He commutes to San Jose daily from his home on the 17-mile Drive, where he resides with his spouse, Priscilla.
Board Members
Babak N. Alizadeh, PhD ’94 (1st Term, 2007-10)
Babak is a biotech entrepreneur and executive who has been involved with some of the most exciting areas of the biotech industry including microarrays, stem cells, RNA interference and pharmacogenomics. While at Stanford he co-founded several student organizations and helped form major events for the first time including the career track symposia, the cancer biology journal club, and the Bench to Bedside Annual Symposia. As an alumnus he helped form the first symposia and events for non-medical alumni of the School of Medicine, and has volunteered for Stanford in different capacities involving the Social E-Challenge Business Plan Writing Competition, the Stanford Hospitals, and alumni affairs. He was recognized through STARS in 2002. He completed his M.S., Ph.D. and post-doctoral training in Cancer Biology and Biological Sciences at Stanford.
Myron Gananian, BA ‘51, MD ’59 (1st Term, 2007-10)
Myron retired from family practice at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation 14 years ago. Medical activities thereafter consisted of work in urgent care at the PAMF, and stints as locums at the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Northern Nevada, and with the Havasupai Tribe in the depths of the Grand Canyon, and a third tour at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Fantasy activities consisted of three winters on Guest Services at Sun Valley (for minimum wage!), and a 4,300 mile bicycle tour from Long Island to Menlo Park. Grandchildren, house, yard, and 50 years of marriage leave little free time.
Iris Gibbs, MD ’95 (1st Term, 2009-12)
Iris is a board certified radiation oncologist who is Associate Professor at Stanford University and Director of Education in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is a 1995 graduate of Stanford Medical School who completed radiation oncology residency training at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. She specializes in the radiation management of central nervous system neoplasms and robotic radiosurgery. As co-Director of the Stanford Cyberknife Radiosurgery Program, she has developed a well recognized program that explores new applications for robotic radiosurgery. Leading pioneering work in the field of spinal radiosurgery, she continues to expand the indications of this technique. Iris is active in medical education, serving on the Faculty Senate at the medical school and as the Director of Education in the Department of Radiation Oncology.
Rona Greenberg Giffard, PhD ’83, MD ’85 (2nd Term, 2007-10)
Rona is Professor of Anesthesia and Vice-chair for research at Stanford. Her research is on the interaction of brain cells in stroke with the goal of developing new strategies for treatment and recovery, while her clinical interest is in neuroanesthesia. Within the department she encourages research at all levels — undergraduate, medical students, residents, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. She has a long standing interest in supporting women in scientific careers and is a mentor in the Association for Women in Science mentoring program at Stanford. Other interests include the history of neuroscience and medical ethics in literature. Her daughter is currently studying the history of science and technology, while her son is in environmental studies.
Newton J. Harband, BS ’64, MD ’66 (2nd Term, 2009-12)
Newton has worked with the Alumni Association as Class Representative, as a member of the Board of Governors and served as President (2002-2003). He practiced internal medicine and oncology in Burlingame from 1972 through 2001. He moved to Marin County to be nearer his four grandchildren in 2004. His current activities include participating in the Bioethics Committee at Marin General Hospital and serving on the tumor panel for the Regional Cancer Foundation which offers free second opinions for cancer patients, occasionally chairing this panel. His late wife was owned a stationery store in Burlingame for 25 years. One of his sons is a physical therapist, the other a teacher.
Robert (Bob) Loitz, BS ’75, MD ’79 (1st Term, 2009-12)
Bob is a Pediatric Cardiologist with the Pacific Pediatric Cardiology Medical Group and an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics & Medicine at the Keck School of Medcine. He provides clinical instruction to medical students and residents at the University of Southern Califonia and the Childrens Hopital Los Angeles. He has received special recognition for his volunteer work at the Venice Family Clinic serving uninsured children, as well as special recognition as one of Pasadena Magazine’s “Top Docs” in the Los Angeles Area.
Nancy Mason, MD ’77 (2nd Term, 2009-12)
Nancy Mason is in solo practice in Palo Alto in obstetrics and gynecology. She completed her residency at Stanford following a surgical internship at UCLA. Active on the adjunct clinical faculty at the Stanford Medical School, she has a special interest in mentoring preclinical students and teaching residents in the ob/gyn program. She is married with two daughters and is an avid rose gardener, gourmet cook, and fitness enthusiast. At every five year reunion she hosts a get-together at her home for her returning classmates.
Fernando Mendoza, MD ‘75 (2nd Term, 2007-10)
Fernando is Professor and Chief of the Division of General Pediatrics at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. He is also Associate Dean for Minority Advising and Program (1983 to present), and continues to be active with the School's expanding agendas in diversity. His research has been in Latino child health and childhood obesity, and more recently has focus on the health issues of immigrant children and binational health policy. He serves on the board of the Hispanic Serving Health Professions School, Inc. and the Pan America Health and Education Foundation. His wife of thirty years, Alicia, is a psychotherapist, and his children are finishing college and law school.
Ellen FitzSimmons Porzig, PhD ’77 (1st Term, 2007-10)
Ellen is Professor of Developmental Biology in the Stanford School of Medicine. With her colleagues, Ellen teaches courses on development and disease mechanisms, the evolution and development of the human hand, and assisted reproductive technologies. Ellen won Stanford's Gores Award and a School of Medicine Kaiser Award for excellence in teaching. With her husband, Klaus Porzig, MD ’73, she has three children who are currently in medicine, in graduate school and in college. Klaus and Ellen enjoy traveling, hiking and skiing with their family.
Krista Rappahahn , BS ’06, MD Candidate ’12, SMSA Student Rep.
As an undergrad, Krista was on the Stanford Women’s Basketball team, and you can see her 9 minute interview on YouTube as she discusses her decision to play at Stanford and to pursue medicine <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnUOx-MgnfI&feature=PlayList&p=514F296A6D48A567&index=0&playnext=1 >. She is the SMSA Mentorship Coordinator and the liaison to the SUMCAA Board of Governors.
Wendy Roberts, MD ’84 (2nd Term, 2007-10)
Wendy is board-certified in dermatology and dermatopathology, specializing in Geriatric Dermatology, Ethnic Skin of Color and Cosmetic Dermatology. She is the Founding Director of Dermatopathology of Loma Linda Division of Dermatology, and recently named the president of the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS), now the nation’s third-largest dermatology organization. In addition to holding many leadership positions within WDS, Wendy has served on numerous committees of the AAD and is Past President of the California Dermatologic Society (CalDerm®).
Tina Seelig, PhD ’85 (2nd Term, 2008-11)
Tina is the Executive Director of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) where she is responsible for strategic planning, operations, and outreach efforts of the center. In addition, Tina is the Director of the cross-campus Stanford Entrepreneurship Network and is the co-Director of the Mayfield Fellows Program. Tina teaches a course in the Department of Management Science & Engineering on Creativity and Innovation and received the School of Engineering Honor Society teaching award in 2005. She received a PhD in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine and has experience as a management consultant at Booz Allen and Hamilton, as a multimedia producer at Compaq, and as an entrepreneur. She has also written over a dozen science books and games.
Laurie J. Weisberg, MD ’79 (1st Term, 2007-10)
Laurie is a hematologist/oncologist at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in South San Francisco. She has special interests in bleeding and clotting disorders, as well as breast cancer treatment and research. She is a member of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Breast Cancer Task Force, and participates in clinical research as a member of NSABP (National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Program) and SWOG (Southwest Oncology Group). Laurie is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF, and has been recognized for her teaching of medical students, residents, and fellows with several teaching awards and nominations. She enjoys theater, music, Pilates, hiking and cycling. Her husband is an endocrinologist and they have two sons, a Stanford Law School student and a Pomona College undergrad.
Scott Woody, PhD Candidate, BioMASS Student Rep.
Scott is the BioMedically Affiliated Stanford Students (BioMASS) liason working to connect BioMASS with alumni.
Chen Yu, MD ’03, MBA '04 (1st Term, 2009-11)
Chen is a MD, MBA graduate of Stanford University. He has extensive operating experience in a broad array of industries with stints at aQuantive, Eli Lilly, and Bain & Co. In particular, his experience as an early employee at aQuantive, acquired by Microsoft for $6B in a transaction that represents the largest acquisition in Microsoft history, has provided him with special expertise in building new companies. During his tenure there as a Group Product Manager, he led the team that designed, developed, and launched the company's first suite of ad targeting software. He is the owner of multiple patents pending in technology and the life sciences. He has also published several research articles in the fields of infectious disease and immunology in journals such as the Journal of Experimental Medicine. He currently serves on the boards of several private life science companies. Chen graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Biology from Harvard University.
