News notes: Summer 2026
Celebrating the achievements of UF College of Medicine alumni
Khyzer Bin Izhar Aziz, MD
Photo courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medicine
Khyzer Bin Izhar Aziz, MD ʼ13, was appointed chief medical information officer of The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. A neonatologist and clinical informatician, he is recognized nationally for helping deploy and rigorously evaluate artificial intelligence and data science tools to improve patient care, clinical workflows and health system performance.
Kate Barrier, MD
Photo by Tammy Czigan with GPL Studios
Kate Barrier, MD ʼ12, oversees clinical quality, patient safety and overall care at Baptist Medical Center Clay in Fleming Island, Florida, as the newly appointed vice president of medical affairs.
Alexandra Byrne, MD
Alexandra Byrne, MD ʼ19, has been appointed pediatric clerkship director for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital at Florida International University in Miami, overseeing pediatric clinical rotations for third- and fourth-year medical students.
Del Carter, MD
Del Carter, MD ʼ23, received the 2025 American Academy of Family Physicians Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education and the 2025 Florida Academy of Family Physicians Exceptional Resident Scholar Award.
Juan C. Cendan, MD
Juan C. Cendan, MD ʼ91, who completed a surgery residency at UF and serves as dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and senior vice president for health affairs at Florida International University, has been inducted into the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida.
Colleen Cowdery, MD
Colleen Cowdery, MD ʼ20, provides medical oversight to pharmacists, nurses and physicians at the Washington Poison Center in Seattle as its newly appointed chief medical officer.
Elizabeth Etkin-Kramer, MD
Elizabeth Etkin-Kramer, MD ʼ89, was named a trailblazer in cancer prevention by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce for her work in breast and ovarian cancer risk assessment, management and genetic testing.
Nathan Pennell, PhD, MD
Nathan Pennell, PhD ʼ98, MD ʼ02, was appointed the senior vice president and worldwide head of medical affairs for hematology and oncology at Bristol Myers Squibb in Princeton, New Jersey, where he will oversee the Oncology Medical Affairs program.
Samuel Ritter, MD, MHA
Samuel Ritter, MD ʼ12, MHA, has been named medical director for employee benefits at Higginbotham, an insurance brokerage firm in Dallas, where he serves as a client-facing physician resource for employers.
Khurram Bilal Tariq, MD
Khurram Bilal Tariq, MD, FACP, who completed his internal medicine residency at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, received the campus’ 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored with the country’s first Global Partnership Award by the Pakistan Blood & Marrow Transplant society, presented by the health minister of Pakistan.
