Meet The Team

Tazin Aijaz, PharmD, BCPS, is a Nephrology Clinical & Scientific Director at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and then completed her clinical residency training at the Atlanta VA Medical Center with a focus in internal medicine and psychiatry. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Aijaz held various positions within the pharmaceutical industry in several therapeutic areas including immunology, movement disorders, and epilepsy.

Arden Arslanyan, PharmD, is a Managed Market Liasion with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). Arden has held various clinical roles within Express Scripts supporting Medicare, Commercial, and Workers’ Comp lines of business. He attended Nova Southeastern University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship program in medical information in conjunction with Rutgers and Janssen Scientific Affairs.

Anna Basoff, PharmD, is a Managed Market Liaison for Otsuka covering the US Northeast region. Dr. Basoff gained her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from Rutgers University. After graduating, she joined Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield of NJ as a clinical pharmacist where she worked on initiatives that included MTM (medication therapy management), digital health, and adherence. In the past, she has also worked as a pharmacist for Walgreens. She resides in NJ and continues to work with the Rutgers pharmacy students, as diplomat to their Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) student chapter.

Alf Carroll, MS, PA-C is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He worked clinically as a Physician Assistant in the Emergency Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and South Shore Hospital in the Boston area. Prior to joining Otsuka, Alf held a position at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals on their Market Access team focusing on large health systems in New England, covering the cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, and respiratory therapeutic areas.

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.

Marla Dallal, PharmD, RPH is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization covering Southern California. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy in Los Angeles. While in pharmacy school, Dr Dallal pursued various clinical internships within the acute care and ambulatory care settings at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Dallal held various positions within Medical Affairs at Amgen Inc covering the cardiometabolic and nephrology therapeutic areas. She also served as a preceptor at Amgen Inc, where she instructed pharmacy students on Advanced Pharmacy Practice rotations. She is currently licensed as a pharmacist in the state of California with the National Association Board of Pharmacy.

Umang Desai, PharmD, is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Desai practiced as a clinical specialist with Henry Ford Specialty – Pharmacy Advantage specializing in Auto-Immune disorders and as a Medical Device Rep – Science Liaison specializing in spine surgery.

Aaron Emmel, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, joined Otsuka in 2018 and is currently a Clinical & Scientific Director 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.

Michael Filsinger, MPA, PA-C is a Clinical and Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). Michael earned his Bachelor of Health Care Sciences as well as Master of Physician Assistant at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.  Following his graduate training, Michael went on to complete a Pediatric Surgery Residency at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC Prior to joining Otsuka, Michael spent the last 15 years working in solid organ transplant in Charlotte, NC where he developed a passion for improving the care of patients with renal disease and ESKD.

Josh Gariboldi, PharmD, BCPS joined Otsuka in January 2021 and is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison on our Nephrology East Team, covering the Carolinas and Tennessee. Dr Gariboldi earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida in 2012. He has more than eight years of experience as a clinical pharmacist in both the community and hospital settings, most recently at Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Francis Hospital in Greenville, SC. Dr Gariboldi served as a preceptor with Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy, where he instructed students on Advanced Pharmacy Practice rotations. He holds board certifications in both pharmacotherapy and medical affairs.

Sean George PA-C, MHS is a Physician Assistant who currently works as a Nephrology Clinical & Scientific Director 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.

Diego Gomes, BS, PhD, is a Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). Dr. Gomes earned his BS degree in Biology from University Nove de Julho and Doctorate degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in Metabolism at the Diabetes Institute of the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. As an academic, Dr. Gomes investigated, authored and co-authored publications in the correlations between diabetes and several metabolic complications, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetic kidney nephropathy. Prior to joining Otsuka, he worked as a Medical Science Liaison in nephrology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Gomes is a professional member of the American Diabetes Association, American Society of Nephrology, and the American Heart Association.

Gonzalo Gonzalez, DNP, APRN, NP-C, is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). Dr. Gonzalez earned his BS in Biology and Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He is specialized as a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, with doctoral research studying transition of care clinical pathways in chronic diseases. He trained in primary care and endocrinology at Ascension St John and Beaumont Hospitals in Detroit and Royal Oak, MI, respectively. Prior to joining Otsuka, he worked as a clinical nurse in inpatient care at the University of Michigan Hospital, as a clinical case manager at the Detroit Health Department, and as an infectious disease clinical leader at the CDC Foundation. Dr Gonzalez is licensed as a nurse practitioner in Michigan and is a professional member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA).

Jill A Green, PhD, is a Clinical & Scientific Director 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.

Dr. Rim Hadgu is a Nephrology Clinical and Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. She obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy. She completed an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)-Accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy and University Medical Center New Orleans. She also completed an ASHP-Accredited PGY2 Nephrology Pharmacy Residency at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Prior to joining Otsuka in October 2021, she was an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, Glendale Campus where she delivered lectures, precepted Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience students as well as PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents. She also practiced as a nephrology clinical pharmacist for two years. Dr. Hadgu is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.

Sachin Hajarnis, PhD is a Senior Clinical and Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceuticals. Dr Hajarnis has a Bachelors and Masters 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.

Max Hyams, PharmD, RPh, is a Nephrology Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization (OPDC) covering New Jersey. He earned his Doctorate of Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Albany, New York. Prior to joining Otsuka, he was a Global Pharmacovigilance Case Processor in Specialty Medicine at Bayer, working closely with colleagues in Brazil and Germany. Prior to that, he was a Pharmacy Manager for CVS, working in the highest volume, 24-hour stores in Northern New Jersey, and has experience working for an independent pharmacy specializing in fertility medications. He is currently licensed as a pharmacist in New Jersey and resides in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Dr Molly Jansen is a Nephrology Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. covering South Texas and New Mexico. Molly earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biomedical Science from Wake Forest School of Medicine located in Winston-Salem, NC. While in graduate school, Molly worked as a Business Development Intern at Wake Forest Innovations, fostering the collaborative innovation between industry and the faculty and staff of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. After graduate school, Molly did a brief Medical Writing Fellowship with Impact Pharmaceutical Services. Prior to joining Otsuka, Molly worked at Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where she helped to oversee the conduct of clinical trials across a variety of therapeutic areas including nephrology, neurology, and pulmonary, which is where she developed her passion for rare disease.

Jessica Kanai PharmD, is a Nephrology Clinical and Scientific Liaison at Otsuka. Dr Kanai obtained her PharmD from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She completed her PGY-1 residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia where she stayed on and worked in both emergency medicine and internal medicine. She was responsible for a diverse patient population including those with end stage renal disease. Dr Kanai then went on to obtain her Australian pharmacy license and worked with numerous specialty services at the Royal Hobart Hospital such as neurosurgery, cardiology and pulmonology. Upon returning to the states, she became the nephrology pharmacist at WVU Medicine and was also involved in initiating pharmacy rounding services with WVU Medicine’s cardiology specialty. Dr Kanai is currently a licensed pharmacist in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Hannah N. Lambert is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy and completed her clinical residency training at Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy in New Orleans, LA. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Lambert was a clinical pharmacist at Ochsner Health in Digital Medicine.

Geoffrey Lockwood, PharmD, BCPS, MBA is a clinical pharmacist who works as a Senior Clinical & Scientific 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.

Andrea Mohindra, PharmD, is a Nephrology Clinical & Scientific Liaison covering New York City & Long Island. She earned her PharmD at the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, RI. Prior to joining Otsuka in 2021, Dr Mohindra held various leadership roles in retail pharmacy for 15 years in the NJ and NYC regions. Most recently, she held the role of Doctor Partnership Manager for a retail pharmacy startup company and worked closely with Psychiatrists and Migraine Specialists. She is currently licensed in New Jersey and New York state.

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. 

Jaimini Patel, PharmD, BCCCP, is a Nephrology Clinical and Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC). Dr Patel earned her Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and completed two years of post-doctoral residency at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak and Loyola University Medical Center, respectively, specializing in critical care pharmacy practice. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr Patel practiced as a critical care pharmacist at the Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center for 3.5 years and has cared for patients in the medical, surgical/trauma, cardiothoracic and neuroscience ICUs, and was significantly involved in the care of patients with COVID-19. Dr Patel holds board certification in critical care pharmacotherapy and is a licensed pharmacist in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. She is also an active member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine through which she is engaged in research and leadership.

Kelly Reed, PhD, joined Otsuka in 2012 and is currently a Senior Clinical & Scientific 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.

Sushma Shiravanthe, PharmD, BCPS, is a Clinical & Scientific Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) covering Northern California. Dr. Shiravanthe earned her BS in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Science and Doctorate of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. She completed residency training at Ascension St. Vincent Anderson in Anderson, IN during which time she also earned a teaching certificate from Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Shiravanthe is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) and is a licensed pharmacist in Indiana and California. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr. Shiravanthe worked as a clinical pharmacist at Ascension St. Vincent Anderson for 2.5 years, and as a clinical pharmacy specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System for 3 years. During this time, she also served as a preceptor for the pharmacy residency program clinical teaching skills, grand rounds, and clinical research rotations. Her clinical practice experience includes internal medicine, cardio-renal diseases, infectious diseases, and geriatrics.

Lisa Voigt, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP is a PharmD who works as a Clinical & Scientific 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.