Faculty & Staff

Red Rocks is proud of its faculty team of experienced physicians, PAs, basic and behavioral medicine scientists, and other specialists in health care. More than seventy adjunct instructors from the health care community in Colorado assist the core faculty in both didactic and clinical instruction.

The core faculty includes:

Interim Program Director
Cynthia Somers, Ph.D., has been with the PA program since its inception, currently serving as the Interim Program Director. She has served twice as the Academic Coordinator and has been Chair of the Admissions Committee since 2000. She received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Washington and teaches the biochemistry course in the fall.

Medical Director
Tana Smith, MD, is a Colorado native who completed her doctorate of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in 2001. She completed her training at St. Anthony's Family Medicine Residency in Denver, CO and is board certified in family practice. Dr. Smith’s interest include: teaching, women’s health and obstetrical care in addition to community service. Dr. Smith is active in teaching, program evaluation and student tutoring.

Committee Chair Admission
Cynthia Somers, Ph.D., is a biochemist and a graduate of the University of Washington. Dr. Somers has been active in teaching physician assistant students for several years, and now serves as chair of the Admissions Committee. She also teaches Biochemistry in the fall.

Academic Coordinator
Demerick Fradl, MD, has been an internal and emergency medicine physician for more than 20 years. He has also practiced medicine all over the world as a flight surgeon for the Colorado Air National Guard.Ê He is a graduate of CU Medical School.Ê Dr. FradlÕs duties will include educating the PA students in history & physical exam I & II, clinical medicine I & II and clinical procedures.

Clinical Coordinator
Stephanie Bacon, M.S., RD, PA-C is a graduate of The University of Nebraska Medical Center, Lawrence Kansas and is a Registered Dietitian. Ms. Bacon is responsible for clinical course development. Her special academic interests are in pediatrics and nutrition.

Clinical Instructors
Carl Blesch, M.M.S, PA-C is a graduate of St Francis University Masters of Medical Science. Mr. Blesch teaches Introduction to Surgery and Evaluation of Medical Literature for the Program.. He has been with the Program since it's inception in several capacities and is invaluable to educating the students.

Heather Ross, MD is a Board Certified practicing Emergency Physician who graduated with honors from the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University. After residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, she taught as an attending physician at Stanford University prior to joining us as course director for our Emergency Medicine course.

Basic Science and Behavioral Medicine Faculty
Alvin A. Armstrong, Jr., M.D. is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. Dr. Armstrong is a retired pathologist who has worked in Australia and New Zealand in addition to the United States. Dr. Armstrong teaches Pathology for the Program.

Thomas French, Ph.D., has a degree in Pharmacology and is a registered pharmacist in the state of Colorado. He has worked in both hospital and retail settings. In addition to teaching responsibilities on behalf of the Red Rocks Physician Assistant Program. Dr. French’s primary appointment is in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. French teaches drug therapy courses during the spring and summer semesters of the didactic year.

Christine O'Toole, M.S.P.T., received her mater's degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado in 1995. Her clinical specialties include neurorehabilitation for patients with CVA, head trauma, and other neurological illnesses, vestibular rehabilitation and lymphedema rehabilitation. She teaches human physiology to PA students.

Walter Schreibman, MS, is Professor of Behavioral Science at Red Rocks and a principal instructor in behavioral medicine for the Family Practice Residency Program at St. Joseph hospital in Denver. Prof. Schreibman has more than 30 years of experience in behavioral medicine. He teaches behavioral medicine to physician assistant students during the Spring semester of the didactic year.

Program Office Management
Arlene K. Duran, Technician, has been with Red Rocks Community College for more than 10 years. She has substantial experience in student services and database management. Ms. Duran is responsible for the administrative aspects of the Physician Assistant Program.

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