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Leadership Team

Safiya McNeese-Ruffin, M.D.

Program Director

BIO

Core Faculty

Valerie Duff, D.O.

FMC Clinic Director, PEC Chair

BIO

Faculty

Shelby Massey,  M.D.

CCC Chair

BIO

Naiomi Jamal, M.D., MPH, CMQ, Chief Health Officer

IMPACT, PCMH

BIO

Alma Navato, MD

Geriatrics

BIO

Shelby Luster, N.P.

Geriatric Specialist

BIO

Otis Latimer, M.D.

Pain medicine

BIO

Kenneth Thomas, M.D.

Pediatrics

BIO

Derek Brown, M.D.

Behavioral Health

BIO

Nnaemeka Onyeakusi, M.D.

Pediatrics

BIO

Rachel Melson, DNP, FNP-C, AAHIVS

Outreach

BIO

Claire Holland, R. T. (R) (M) (ARRT)  

Radiology 

BIO

Julian Lee, Ph.D.

IMPACT

BIO

Sonja Bachus, MJ, BBA, CHCEF

IMPACT

BIO

Bushra Hashmi, MHSA, MD

IMPACT

BIO

Community Faculty

Deja Finley, Pharm.D.

Pharmacology

BIO

Stacey Jefferson, M.D.,

Lifestyle Medicine

BIO

Sharla Smith Ph.D., MPH

IMPACT Community Health and Service, Resident Success and Development Committee Co-chair

BIO

Aleta Simmons, M.D.

Dermatology

BIO
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Dr. Safiya McNeese-Ruffin, MD, FAAFP, is a board-certified family physician, educator, and physician leader dedicated to training the next generation of compassionate, community-focused family physicians. As Program Director of the Swope Health Family Medicine Residency Program, she leads the development of an innovative, community-based training program designed to prepare physicians to deliver comprehensive, whole-person care while addressing the health needs of diverse and underserved populations. Swope Health’s residency program emphasizes community partnership, workforce development, health equity, and excellence in patient care. 

A graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Dr. McNeese-Ruffin completed her Family Medicine residency at the Southern Illinois University Center for Family Medicine, where she served as Chief Resident and developed a special interest in Women’s Health. She subsequently served as a physician in the United States Navy, providing care to service members and their families in Okinawa, Japan, before joining the faculty of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune. 

Prior to joining Swope Health, Dr. McNeese-Ruffin served as Associate Program Director and Director of Obstetrics and Women’s Health for a Family Medicine residency program in Illinois. Her clinical and educational interests include women’s health, maternal health, integrated behavioral health, population health, community engagement, and physician workforce development.

An AAFP Health Equity Fellow alumna, Dr. McNeese-Ruffin developed WOMBSS (Wellness, Outreach, Multidisciplinary Birth Support Systems), an innovative framework designed to strengthen maternal and community health through collaborative, patient-centered care. She is passionate about mentoring future physicians and fostering learning environments that promote excellence, professionalism, service, and lifelong learning.

As Chief Health Officer for Swope Health, Dr. Naiomi Jamal heads all medical service lines including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, ob/gyn, optometry and specialty services. Dr. Jamal also leads the Department of Quality and Population Health at Swope Health. She is responsible for organization wide clinical quality, performance and process improvement, along with population health initiatives geared toward improving care team and patient experience, improving population health outcomes, and resource stewardship. This includes developing and overseeing a quality plan based on the quadruple aim for the entire organization.

She also practices as a primary care physician and sees a variety of complex medical diagnoses. Dr. Jamal is Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Department of Community & Family Medicine at University of Missouri—Kansas City, where she is responsible for developing and delivering a preventive medicine and public health curriculum for family medicine residents. She is also responsible for the didactic lecture series Social and Structural Drivers of Health at the UMKC School of Medicine for Medical Students. 

In addition to teaching students, Dr. Jamal serves as the Designated Institutional Officer ( DIO) for the Swope Health Family Medicine Residency and directs graduate medical education programs at the health center in her role.

Dr. Jamal completed her medical degree from The Aga Khan University, in Pakistan. While there, she developed an interest in serving vulnerable populations. She later finished a family medicine residency from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2015. She went on to complete a General Preventive Medicine and Public Health Residency and obtained a master’s degree in Public Health from UTMB in 2017. She is also board certified in Medical Quality.

Dr. Jamal serves on several philanthropic boards and has had the honor of being named one of 20 to Know in Healthcare by the Kansas City Business Journal in 2022, and was awarded the Dr. Samuel Rodgers Achievement Award by the Missouri Primary Care Association in 2022.

Her areas of interest include preventive medicine, public health, chronic disease management, women’s health and integrative care. She is particularly interested in finding community-based, integrated care solutions to the social drivers of health, which challenge so many of her patients.

Dr. Alma Navato who has served as Medical Director for PACE KC since 2024, has more than 40 years of experience in geriatric medicine. Dr. Navato graduated from University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine in 1985 and completed a residency at Deaconess Hospital St Louis University. 

Shelby Luster is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in healthcare and a passion for caring for adults and older adults. Her diverse clinical background includes family medicine, geriatric medicine, internal medicine, and hospital medicine, allowing her to provide comprehensive care across a variety of healthcare settings. 

Shelby believes great healthcare starts with listening. She takes the time to understand each patient’s individual needs, goals, and concerns while creating an environment where patients and their families feel heard and supported. She has a special interest in geriatric care, chronic disease management, preventive health, and helping older adults maintain their independence and quality of life. 

In addition to clinical practice, Shelby is passionate about education and professional development. She has served as a preceptor and mentor to nursing and advanced practice students and has experience teaching at a local university. She values the opportunity to support and develop the next generation of healthcare professionals. 

Shelby earned her graduate degree from Purdue University and remains committed to lifelong learning, mentorship, and providing compassionate, evidence-based care to the patients and communities she serves. 

Dr. Otis S. Latimer is an Internal Medicine physician with more than four decades of experience providing compassionate, comprehensive primary care to adults in the Kansas City community. As a physician at Swope Health, he is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of patients through preventive care, chronic disease management, and personalized treatment plans. 

Dr. Latimer earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, in 1983. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University (Sinai-Grace Hospital), where he developed a strong foundation in evidence-based, patient-centered care.

His clinical interests include the prevention and management of  chronic pain, arthritis, joint pain, sciatica, scoliosis, and other chronic medical conditions. Dr. Latimer is known for partnering with patients to help them achieve healthier lives through education, prevention, and individualized care. 

Dr. Latimer is committed to delivering culturally responsive care and improving access to high-quality healthcare for diverse patient populations. He maintains hospital affiliations with Research Medical Center and Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, ensuring continuity of care for his patients across multiple healthcare settings. 

Throughout his distinguished career spanning more than 40 years, Dr. Latimer has remained dedicated to clinical excellence, compassionate service, and advancing the health of the communities he serves.

As Executive Vice President of Children’s Services, Dr. Thomas is responsible for expanding pediatric services through existing satellite locations and through deliberate business development efforts for new sites and opportunities. Dr. Thomas is trained in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine and is a Board-Certified Pediatrician.

Prior to joining Swope Health, he served as Attending Physician in the Truman Medical Center/Lakewood Pediatric Department. Prior to that, he served as an Attending Physician in General Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Children’s Mercy Hospital, and was an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine. Having a strong interest in children with special health care needs, Dr. Thomas established and served as the Clinical Director of the Medical Coordination Program at the Children’s Mercy Pediatric Care Center.

Dr. Thomas received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He trained at Children’s Mercy Hospital in both pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine, with a focus on complex medical conditions. 

A Kansas City, Kansas native, Dr. Thomas has been caring for the children in this community for more than 30 years.

Dr. Brown has practiced psychiatry for the last 10 years at Swope Health.  He is board certified in Psychiatry.  Primarily treats adults with an emphasis on medication assisted treatment.  Completed residency at UMKC Psychiatry where he served as the chief resident.  Prior to this he graduated from Des Moines University where he received his medical degree in Osteopathic medicine.  Undergraduate degree was in Biology from the University of Kansas.  He has spent the majority of his life in the Kansas City Metro area.  

Rachel Melson is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Family Nurse Practitioner who serves as Director of the Outreach Clinic at Swope Health, where she leads the organization’s federally funded Healthcare for the Homeless Program. She provides comprehensive primary care to individuals experiencing homelessness and housing instability across Kansas City through clinic-based services, mobile medical outreach, shelters, recovery programs, and community partnerships. 

Her clinical interests include the intersection of primary care, infectious diseases, addiction medicine, behavioral health, and expanding access to evidence-based care for historically underserved populations in low barrier, community based settings. She is an HIV Specialist certified through the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVS) and serves as faculty for the Show-Me ECHO HIV and Hepatitis program. She has led numerous regional and national educational and clinical initiatives focused on Hepatitis C, HIV prevention, quality improvement, mobile medicine, and healthcare for underserved communities. 

A respected voice in viral hepatitis and HIV prevention, she authored Missouri’s primary care hepatitis C treatment guide and serves in leadership roles with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. Through national and international presentations, she brings attention to the integration of infectious disease treatment within homeless-serving health systems.

She enjoys teaching clinical learners how to deliver high-quality, person-centered care beyond the traditional clinic setting. Her teaching emphasizes whole-person care, interdisciplinary collaboration, quality improvement, and addressing the social and structural factors that influence health. Her work reflects a sustained commitment to health equity, workforce development, and systems transformation. She believes that healthcare is a human right and is committed to dismantling structural barriers to care and advancing models that restore dignity, access, and opportunity. 

Claire is a registered radiologic technologist and radiology manager with more than 10 years of healthcare leadership experience. In 2002, she began her career as a radiologic technologist, and later became mammography certified, giving her a strong appreciation for both the clinical and human sides of patient care. In her current role, she leads a multidisciplinary radiology team and works closely with providers, radiologists, and other healthcare professionals to support quality, accessible imaging services and a positive patient experience.  

Claire is passionate about developing people, improving healthcare processes, and creating a work environment where staff feel supported, accountable, and empowered to grow. She especially enjoys mentoring students and new healthcare professionals and sharing the practical perspective that comes from working in patient care and healthcare leadership.  

Outside of work, Claire’s time is largely centered around her family and the people she cares about most. She enjoys being creative, exploring new ideas, learning just about anything that catches her interest. She values meaningful relationships, lifelong learning, and being part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of others.  

Dr. Julian Lee, DBA, MHA, MAM is the Vice President of Operations at Swope Health Services in Kansas City, Missouri. His role includes leading Swope Health operational service lines, including practice management across 11 primary care satellite clinics, laboratory, radiology, optometry, outreach and enrollment, and women, infants, and children’s services. His role also includes supporting oversight of pharmacy, capital projects, facilities, transportation, and security services. The key responsibility in his role is to drive operational excellence and advance the Swope Health organizational mission of improving the overall health and wellness of the Kansas City community.

Dr. Lee, a Briar Cliff University alumnus, graduated with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in May 2012. He completed his Master of Arts in Management degree in May 2015. In December 2017, Julian completed his Master of Healthcare Administration degree. In June 2023, Dr. Julian Lee graduated with a Doctorate in Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration from National University. His doctoral research focused on reducing racial inequality in healthcare. He is passionate about becoming a change agent in eliminating health disparities and improving health outcomes for all.

Dr. Lee is certified and specializes in operational excellence and leadership development. Through professional certifications from Purdue University and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, as well as real-time management experience, Dr. Lee excels in teaching leaders and organizations about improvement science and performance excellence.

Since 2013, Dr. Lee has led more than 50 organizational operational improvement initiatives across various FQHC service lines, resulting in more than $1.5 million in impact through reduced costs, optimized staff labor, and enhanced operational efficiency.

Sonja Bachus BBA, MJ, CHCEF is the Chief Operations Officer. In her role,  she oversees strategy, capital projects, practice management, call center operations, optometry, lab, radiology, facilities, transportation, pharmacy, and outreach and enrollment, among other critical health center operations.  

For more than 20 years, Sonja has built a storied career in healthcare, focusing intentionally on Federally Qualified Health Centers. In previous roles, she served as Chief Executive Officer for Community Care Network of Kansas; CEO of Greater Baden Medical Services, based in Maryland; and Chief Operating Officer of HealthNet, Inc., Indiana’s largest Community Health Center in Indianapolis, Ind. 

Dr. Deja Finley is a pharmacy faculty member at Swope Health and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from SIUE and completed a postgraduate pharmacy residency with the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Walgreens.

Dr. Finley specializes in ambulatory care, with a particular passion for women’s health, maternal health, chronic disease management, and improving access to care in underserved communities. Her clinical and scholarly work includes diabetes management, prenatal and postpartum care, contraception, HIV and STI prevention, and medication education. As a certified doula and pharmacist, she brings a unique perspective to patient care that emphasizes education, collaboration, health equity, and treating the whole person.

At Swope Health, Dr. Finley works alongside patients, healthcare providers, and pharmacy learners to promote safe, effective, and accessible medication care. She is deeply committed to advancing the role of pharmacists within the healthcare team and helping every patient feel heard, respected, and empowered in their health decisions.

Dr. Jefferson is from Normal, IL.  She attended Spelman College as an undergraduate and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry.  She earned her medical degree from Southern Illinois University and completed her family medicine residency at Saint Louis University

Dr. Jefferson has practiced medicine in the St. Louis/St. Charles area for 9 years with specific interest in preventative care and lifestyle medicine.  She truly cherishes being part of her patients’ families and assisting in their overall health and wellbeing. In addition to being board- certified in family medicine, she is also certified in lifestyle medicine.  Stacy desires to make impactful changes in her community via education and greater access to quality healthcare. Her goal is to minimize chronic conditions, health disparities among all groups, and help to create a greater quality life for those she treats and can reach. She currently serves on the Board of Missouri American Family Physicians and as the health and Wellness Ministry leader at her local church.

Dr. Jefferson enjoys spending time with her husband and two stepdaughters.  She enjoys being active and loves sports, particularly football and softball. She spends much of her free time traveling, reading, and scrap booking.

Dr. Sharla Smith completed her Ph.D. in Health Systems and Services Research with a concentration in Health Economics from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2013. Sharla is a health services and systems researcher whose primary research is maternal and infant health disparities, women cancer disparities, and community engagement. She is the co-founder of Kansas Sisters and Brothers for Healthy Infants and the founder of the Kansas birth equity network. She has experience manipulating large datasets and performing descriptive, cross-sectional, and longitudinal data analysis using SAS and Stata, and conducting social network analysis. In addition, she has over four years of experience in clinical research. Dr. Smith is passionate about developing a culture of birth equity through community engagement, empowerment, and education. 

Dr. Smith has experience teaching public health law, public health policy and law, introduction to public health, developing public health interventions, introduction to health policy and politics, and epidemiology. She advises students and has served as a faculty mentor on Master’s-level and PhD research projects.