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. 

Leah Beaird MS, RD, FNKF, is a renal dietitian and Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical.  Her expertise is autosomal polycystic kidney disease, mineral bone disorders and renal nutrition.  Prior to working in industry, Ms. Beaird was a clinician for both CKD and dialysis patients.  She is active with the National Kidney Foundation and chair of the Arizona council on renal nutrition.  Leah earned her MS in nutrition from Arizona State University. 

Robert Berger, PharmD, MBA, BCPS is a 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 Director of Pharmacy and Residency Program Director at Northwell Health Huntington Hospital.  Dr. Berger earned his PharmD from the University of Arizona, in Tucson, AZ and his MBA in Healthcare Administration from Dowling College in Oakdale, NY. Dr. Berger is board certified in pharmacotherapy. He has served as president of the Long Island Society of Health-system Pharmacists and on the Board of Directors of the New York State Council of Health-system pharmacists. Dr. Berger is a licensed pharmacist in New York and California.

Dr. Chapman is the section Chief of Nephrology at the University of Chicago and the Director of the Clinical Research Center for the University of Chicago’s Institute for Translational Medicine.

Dr. Chapman attended medical school at MacMaster School of Medicine in Ontario, Canada, followed by training in Internal Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC and a fellowship in Renal Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She joined the University of Colorado faculty as an Assistant Professor and was later promoted to Associate Professor. She then joined the faculty at Emory University, where she was promoted to Professor of Medicine and later accepted the role of section chief of Nephrology at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Chapman’s research focuses on mechanisms of cyst formation in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. She has been integrally involved in the development of novel imaging biomarkers for this disease. In addition, her career has focused on other rare conditions including ARPKD, the CAKUT disorders, ciliopathies, tuberous sclerosis complex and von Hippel Lindau disease.
Her academic contributions include membership on several NIH committees as well as the Scientific Advisory Council for the Polycystic Kidney Disease Research Foundation and the Council for the American Kidney Societies. She has also served on the editorial boards for JASN, CJASN, AJKD, Kidney International, and NDT.

Kevin Charlton, Ph.D., R.Ph. is a Senior Medical Science Liaison within the nephrology group at Otsuka. Dr. Charlton earned his Ph.D. in pharmacology from Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland and completed a NIH-funded post-doctoral fellowship in cardiovascular pharmacology at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Charlton also obtained a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Houston, after which he served as the Director of Pharmaceutical Services at multiple hospitals within the Mid-America and Columbia HCA organizations.  Prior to joining Otsuka in 2014, Dr. Charlton gained extensive experience within the pharmaceutical industry with SmithKline Beecham, later GlaxoSmithKline, holding positions in Medical Affairs, New Product Planning and Business Development.

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.

Dr. Benjamin D. Cowley Jr. is currently Professor of Medicine and Section Chief, Nephrology and Hypertension at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center and at the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Medical Center. Dr. Cowley is the John Gammill Professor in Polycystic Kidney Disease. He graduated from the Baylor College of Medicine in 1981. Following that, he completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS. He is also the President of the Board of Directors, for the Oklahoma Foundation for Kidney Disease and serves on the Board of Directors of LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma. Dr. Cowley is currently the United Network for Organ Sharing designated physician for the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center Kidney Transplant Program and the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center Pancreas Transplant Program.

Dr. Neera Dahl is currently a clinician-educator and an Associate Professor at Yale University, School of Medicine, Section of Nephrology. She received her MD and PhD from Tufts University School of Medicine, and completed her residency and fellowship at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston, MA. She has been at Yale since 2007. She has been instrumental in developing the Yale Inherited Kidney Disease Clinical Program, and is the principal investigator for several ongoing clinical trials in ADPKD. She maintains an active ADPKD registry and is involved in research exploring the role of inflammation and fibrosis in the progression of ADPKD. She is also the director of the Yale Nephrology Clinical Trials Program and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

Kaitlin Dehlin, PhD, RD earned her doctorate from West Virginia University in Animal and Nutritional Sciences. Her doctoral work examined various dietary interventions to attenuate disease progression in a preclinical rat model of polycystic kidney disease. Prior to that, Dr. Dehlin earned a master’s degree and worked clinically as a Registered Dietitian.  

Since the completion of her doctorate in 2014, Dr. Dehlin joined Mead Johnson Nutrition and worked on various products and clinical trials. She joined Otsuka in 2018 as a Medical Science Liaison. During her time at Otsuka, she has built relationships with key opinion leaders, assisted in resource development, and worked with several clinical trial sites.

Aaron Emmel, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, joined Otsuka in 2018 and is currently a 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.

Laura Frank is a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) working in the nephrology space for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization (OPDC).  Dr. Frank holds a PhD in exercise physiology, a MPH in epidemiology, a M.Ed in Nutrition & Dietetics, a BS in molecular biology and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). She brings a clinical background to the field through her experiences as an acute-care clinical dietitian working with patients with renal diseases and related conditions. She also has a strong academic background with over 12 years of teaching experience and over 6 years of postdoctoral research.  She has held several leadership positions such as director of clinical sites for Washington State University’s graduate program in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology and program manager for several projects and grants associated with healthcare organizations. She also has an interest in and holds a professional certificate in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), with experience in projects related to quality measures.

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.

Saba Gidey, PharmD, BCPS is a Pharmacist and Senior Nephrology Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. She received her PharmD from University of Colorado School of pharmacy in Denver, CO., and completed pharmacy practice residency in a teaching trauma hospital in Atlanta GA. She remained in Atlanta and continued to work as a clinical pharmacist for over 10 years in multiple large teaching and community hospitals covering areas of critical care, neurovascular, cardiovascular, trauma, infectious disease, renal and internal medicine.

Dr. Gidey is board certified pharmacotherapy specialist (BCPS) and member of Washington Metropolitan Society of Health-System Pharmacists as well as MD health-system pharmacists association. 

Jill A. Green, PhD, is a 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, OH chapter for over 12 years where she has been active in fundraising and advocacy efforts.

Jane Guo, PharmD, MBA is a Managed Market Liaison at Otsuka, based out of New York City.  Dr. Guo earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and her Master of Business Administration from The College of William and Mary, Mason School of Business.  Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr. Guo held various positions at Express Scripts, including Sr. Clinical Consultant, Medicare Market Strategy and Clinical Account Executive working with health plans on formulary development, management, and clinical product design.

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 dept 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).

Rick Kegler PharmD, MBA is a Managed Market Liaison at Otsuka based in St. Louis, Missouri.  Dr. Kegler earned his Bachelor’s in Pharmacy at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, PharmD at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and his MBA from St Louis University.  He has a background in Home Infusion and Hospital Pharmacy as well as having spent many years working in the pharmaceutical industry as a Sr. Clinical Specialist and Account Manager.  He has in-depth knowledge of IDN’s, commercial, Medicaid and federal payers, and population health which he utilizes to clinically educate payers and advocate for patient access to valuable clinical products.  Dr. Kegler was appointed as a board member of the Missouri DUR and previously held this position in Colorado.

Brad LaMotte, PharmD, is a pharmacist who works as a Senior Medical Science Liaison with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.  He has been in his current role for nearly 8 years, supporting Nephrology and Cardiology.  Prior to joining Otsuka, he worked for Johnson & Johnson Consumer in Regulatory Affairs. 

Dr. LaMotte earned his PharmD from Northeastern University, in Boston, MA and completed a 2-year post-doctoral fellowship at Rutgers University where he worked in Clinical Research/Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, and Marketing at Johnson & Johnson Consumer.  He is a licensed pharmacist in the state of New Jersey.

Edgar Lerma, MD, earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in Manila, Philippines. He completed Residency Training in Internal Medicine at UIC/Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where he also served as Chief Resident. He completed a Fellowship in Nephrology and Hypertension at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, and the Veterans Administration Lakeside Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Lerma is a Diplomate in the Subspecialty of Nephrology with the American Board of Internal Medicine. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and presentations; notable publications include Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Nephrology & Hypertension, Nephrology Secrets, and Henrich’s Principles and Practice of Dialysis. He has peer reviewed and served on editorial boards for numerous journals, and currently is Associate Editor for International Urology and Nephrology, Clinical Reviews in Bone and Mineral Metabolism, and Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

At present, he holds the rank of Clinical Professor of Medicine with the Section of Nephrology at University of Illinois at Chicago. He serves as the Educational Coordinator for Nephrology with UIC/Advocate Christ Medical Center.

In recognition of his clinical work and expertise, Dr. Lerma has been elected to Fellowship of the American College of Physicians, Fellowship of the American Society of Nephrology, Fellowship of the American Heart Association/ Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, Fellowship of the American Society of Hypertension, Fellowship of the National Lipid Association, Fellowship of the National Kidney Foundation, and Fellowship of the American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology. He has also been recognized for teaching and has been the recipient of “Subspecialty Teaching Attending Physician of the Year” in 2006 and “Physician Recognition Award for Excellence in Academics” in 2011 from UIC/Advocate Christ Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Training Program.

Dr. Lerma’s research interests include CKD, hypertension, bone and mineral disorders, and dyslipidemias in CKD.

Geoffrey Lockwood, PharmD, BCPS 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, MI. Dr. Lockwood completed a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency with Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, TX. Upon completion of residency, Dr. Lockwood worked as a Critical Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in Corpus Christi, TX. He then moved to South Bend, IN 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.

Katherine Maringer, PhD is a molecular biologist who works for Otsuka as a Medical Science Liaison. Her areas of expertise include nephrology, chronic kidney disease, kidney development, histology, cell signaling, and molecular biology. Before becoming a Medical Science Liaison, Dr. Maringer was an NIDDK funded postdoctoral fellow at both University of Pittsburgh-Renal Electrolyte Division, and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh-Nephrology, specializing in molecular and cellular signaling during kidney injury and disease. Dr. Maringer’s alma mater is the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

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.

Ms. Nason obtained her degree in Nutrition and Food Science at Washington State University in 1998 and is board certified in renal nutrition. She has over 21 years of clinical nutrition experience and has worked with people who have chronic kidney disease for over 18 years, both early stage CKD and requiring dialysis treatment. Ms. Nason has been a speaker on chronic kidney disease for local, state, and regional conferences. She also has a passion for providing nutrition counseling for diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, plant-based eating, and sports nutrition. Ms. Nason is currently providing nutrition therapy in an in-center dialysis clinic with the addition of home dialysis modalities. She founded her own practice, Viva Nutrition Counseling LLC, with an emphasis on providing CKD Medical Nutrition Therapy to aid in facilitating slowing progression of CKD and bone mineral abnormalities, prevention and to promote overall health.

Dr. Frederic Rahbari is the director of Cystic Kidney Diseases Clinic at Emory University and has been a nephrologist practicing at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA since 2006. Dr. Rahbari attended medical school at Université de Bordeaux in France and completed a residency program at the same institution. After moving to the US, Dr. Rahbari did clinical and translational research on oxidative stress at New York Medical College and subsequently redid three years of residency training in internal medicine at St. Vincent Hospital -Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has also completed a fellowship in nephrology at Emory University. Dr. Rahbari has been a principal investigator in several PKD trials and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

Hiten Patadia, PharmD is a Managed Markets Liaison at Otsuka, based out of San Diego, CA.  Dr. Patadia earned his PharmD from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Albany, NY.  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 AK, CA, HI, NV, OR, HI. 

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 Univeristy 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, VA and completed her clinical internship at the Mailman Center for Child Development in Miami, FL, followed by a two year fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Patricia (Patti) Rohman, PharmD, MBA is a Senior Managed Market Liaison at Otsuka, based out of the Washington DC metro area.  Patti earned her BS in Pharmacy at West Virginia University, PharmD at University of Maryland and MBA at Johns Hopkins.  Prior to joining Otsuka she had several positions in pharmaceutical industry focusing on the Federal market. 

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.

Dr. Jacob Taylor, PhD, RD, is a Medical Science Liaison in the Nephrology department for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization.  He did his undergraduate training at the University of Tennessee and his graduate training at the University of Memphis in clinical nutrition.  He completed his PhD in Medical Nutrition Science at the University of Kansas with a focus in understanding the effects of diet on polycystic kidney disease progression and completed an international research fellowship at the Polycystic Kidney Disease Expertise Center in the Netherlands.  Jacob also completed a research fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center with a focus on nephrology and epidemiology.  In addition to his research background, Jacob also practiced as a pediatric nephrology dietitian treating children with chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and with kidney transplants.

Lisa Voigt, Pharm.D, BCPS, BCCCP is a pharmacist who works as a Medical Science Liaison in Nephrology with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc.  She has been in this role for 3 months.  Prior to joining Otsuka, 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 Pharm.D 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 the 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.