Meet The Team

Tazin Aijaz, PharmD, BCPS, is a Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. She earned her PharmD from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr Aijaz then completed her residency training at the Atlanta VA Medical Center with a focus in internal medicine. She also received her teaching certification from Mercer University College of Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Aijaz held various positions within the pharmaceutical industry. Dr Aijaz is board certified in pharmacotherapy. 

Joe Cirrincione, PharmD, MBA is a Senior Managed Market Liaison at Otsuka, based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr Cirrincione earned his Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration from Duquesne University. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Cirrincione held a position at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield as a Pharmacy Sales Consultant, working with employer groups on their pharmacy benefits and plan design, and he has experience working for chain and independent community pharmacies.

Aaron Emmel, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, joined Otsuka in 2018 and is currently a Senior Medical Science Liaison on our Nephrology South Team. Dr Emmel earned his Doctor in Pharmacy from the University of Florida in 2007 and his Masters in Health Administration from the University of North Florida in 2015. He has 10 years of experience as a clinical pharmacist, helping to develop and implement numerous clinical programs focused on ICU care, nutrition support, and antimicrobial stewardship. Additionally, he served as an administrator for a multi-specialty Clinically Integrated Network and ACO, helping to develop a Population Health Management strategy that included a coordinated approach to managing Chronic Kidney Disease. He has served as an Associate Clinical Professor for the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, delivering lectures and precepting students on Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience rotations. Dr Emmel is Board Certified as a Pharmacotherapy Specialist by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.

Dr. Laura Frank is a Nephrology Medical Science Liaison for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization (OPDC), Inc. With a doctorate in exercise physiology, a master’s degree in public health in epidemiology, a master’s degree in nutrition & dietetics, and a bachelor of science degree in molecular biology, she has spent her career studying the importance of lifestyle management in its role in the prevention and/or attenuation of chronic diseases. Her post-doctoral research at the University of Washington focused on the improvement of metabolic dysregulation through nutrition and/or exercise interventions. As a Registered Dietitian (RD), she has worked in the inpatient and outpatient settings treating patients with renal disease, including Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), and related conditions. As a patient advocate, Dr. Frank understands the benefits of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) to drive collaborative care and to improve quality metrics. Dr. Frank has been involved in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and possesses a certificate in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR). She also has a strong academic background, with over 12 years’ experience in teaching graduate and/or undergraduate studies, 11 years’ experience as a clinical preceptor, and 8 years’ experience as director of clinical sites for the coordinated program in dietetics for the Washington State University.

Sean George PA-C, MHS is a Physician Assistant who currently works as a Medical Science Liaison for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Commercialization and Development. He has been with Otsuka in his current role for 2 years supporting the Nephrology division.  Prior to joining industry, he practiced in a private practice Nephrology clinic for 4 years managing patients with chronic kidney disease including their associated co-morbidities, anemia secondary to CKD, acute kidney injury, and end stage renal disease.  In addition to his clinical work, he served on the Executive Committee for Advanced Practitioners with the National Kidney Foundation for 3 consecutive years as member-at-large, secretary, and research chair.  Sean earned his Physician Assistant/Masters Health Science from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.  He is currently licensed in the state of Oklahoma and certified with the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Jill A Green, PhD, is a Senior Medical Science Liaison in the nephrology division at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.  Dr Green received her PhD in biomedical sciences, with a specialization in biochemical and molecular basis of disease.  She went on to hold a research scientist role at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Ohio State University, specializing in oncology pre-clinical research before taking a position as a Regulatory Compliance Officer where she managed thoracic oncology clinical trials at The James Cancer Hospital.

Dr Green has been a proud member of the PKD Foundation – Columbus, Ohio chapter for over 12 years where she has been active in fundraising and advocacy efforts.

Sachin Hajarnis, PhD is a Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Hajarnis has a B.S and M.S in Life Sciences from University of Mumbai, India. He obtained a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Colorado State University. Dr Hajarnis joined the University of Texas Southwestern Medical school in Dallas, as a post-doctoral fellow in the department of Nephrology where he performed basic research on various aspects of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). He continued his studies on the role of micro-RNAs in PKD as a Research Scientist for several years before joining his current position at Otsuka as a Medical Science Liaison. Dr Hajarnis has published a book chapter and several original articles in leading journals that include Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of American Society of Nephrology, American Journal of Physiology- Renal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, to name a few.

Dr Hajarnis is a member of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN).

Geoffrey Lockwood, PharmD, BCPS, MBA is a clinical pharmacist who works as a Medical Science Liaison with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. He has been in his current role for 2 years, supporting Nephrology. Prior to joining Otsuka, he worked as an Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Clinical Pharmacist at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr Lockwood earned his Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. Dr Lockwood completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency with Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, Texas. Upon completion of residency, Dr. Lockwood worked as a Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. He then moved to South Bend, Indiana where he took on the role of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Residency Program Coordinator at Memorial Hospital of South Bend. Dr Lockwood then moved to Elkhart General Hospital where he started the Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Program and served as an Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. Dr Lockwood is currently working to complete his MBA with a Value-Driven Organization emphasis through Central Michigan University. Dr Lockwood is board certified in pharmacotherapy and is a licensed pharmacist in the states of Michigan and Indiana.

Tara McKinley, PharmD, is a Managed Market Liaison at Otsuka, based out of Austin, Texas. Dr McKinley earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Texas College of Pharmacy. Prior to joining Otsuka she held positions with the Texas Health and Human Services managing the Medicaid pharmacy and medical benefits, and has worked as a pharmacist and manager in areas various of pharmacy including hospital, community, and independent pharmacy.

Hiten Patadia, PharmD is a Managed Markets Liaison at Otsuka, based out of San Diego, California.  Dr Patadia earned his PharmD from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Albany, New York.  Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Patadia worked for a large Pharmacy Benefit Manager where he managed prescription benefits for employer groups.  He is an expert in the commercial insurance market.  Dr Patadia is responsible for providing clinical and economic information to payers located in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon. 

Cibele Pinto, PhD received her bachelor’s in pharmacy from the Federal University on Ceara, Brazil in 2001.  Dr Pinto concluded her master and doctorate program in pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Kansas (2005 and 2007). Dr Pinto joined the University of Kansas Medical Center Kidney Institute in 2007 as a postdoctoral fellow, where she completed her fellowship in nephrology with emphasis in polycystic kidney disease translational research . Cibele Pinto has published in relevant peer reviewed journals in the areas of neuro and renal pharmacology such as Journal of Neurochemistry, American Journal of Renal Physiology and Kidney International.

Dr Cibele Pinto is currently a Senior Medical Science Liaison for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.

Kelly Reed, PhD, joined Otsuka in 2012 and is currently a Senior Medical Science Liaison on our Nephrology East Team. Dr Reed has collaborated with several national professional organizations and healthcare systems providing educational presentations on hyponatremia and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). She has been a leader in resource development for the MSL team, co-led the nephrology MSL new hire training program during expansion and served as a mentor to several MSL new hires. Dr Reed earned her doctorate from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and completed her clinical internship at the Mailman Center for Child Development in Miami, Florida, followed by a two year fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Sahar Salehi, PhD, is a Medical Science Liaison for Otsuka covering the Southern California and Hawaii regions.  She has three and a half years of experience as a medical science liaison in multiple therapeutic areas including Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, and Nephrology. Sahar earned her PhD in transplant immunology from University of California Los Angeles, where her research focused on antibody-mediated rejection in cardiac and renal transplantation. Following completion of her PhD, she spent 6 months conducting clinical research at UCLA before moving into Medical Affairs within the biopharmaceutical industry.

Shirin Sundar, PhD is a Senior Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka, based out of the San Francisco bay area. Dr Sundar earned her Master’s and PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India and the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland. She did her post-doctoral training at the Kidney Institute, University of Kansas on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and preclinical drug development for PKD. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Sundar held an Assoc. Specialist Scientist position at the University of California San Francisco.

Dr Sundar has presented several abstracts and published peer-reviewed manuscripts in the areas of cellular oxidative stress, innate immune pathways, polycystic kidney disease, and hyponatremia outcomes research.

Jason Swartz, RPh, MBA is a Managed Markets Liaison at Otsuka. He is based outside of Raleigh, North Carolina and covers the Southeastern United States. Mr Swartz earned his Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and his Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy form The Ohio State University. Mr Swartz has extensive pharmacy experience having worked in retail pharmacy, hospital in-patient pharmacy, hospital out-patient pharmacy, PBM/mail order pharmacy, and most recently was the operations manager for the pharmacy program at North Carolina Medicaid. As an MML, Mr Swartz presents clinical and health economic data to payers in his region as well as monitors the Medicaid Program nationally.

Lisa Voigt, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP is a PharmD who works as a Medical Science Liaison in Nephrology with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.  Prior to joining Otsuka in 2019, Dr Voigt practiced as a Medical Intensive Care Unit and Surgical Intensive Care Unit Pharmacist for 15 years at a tertiary medical center in Buffalo, NY.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmaceutics and PharmD from the SUNY Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.  She completed a Post-Graduate year 1 Pharmacy Residency and Post-Graduate year 2 Critical Care/Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, NY. Dr Voigt is a Past-President of the New York State Council of Health-system Pharmacists and has served on the Board of Directors for the past 10 years. She is also Past-President of the Western New York Society of Health-system Pharmacists.  She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at SUNY Buffalo, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.  Dr Voigt holds board certifications in pharmacotherapy as well as critical care pharmacotherapy.