Faculty

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

The core faculty includes:

Christa Dobbs

Program Director

Christa Dobbs, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, joined the RRCC PA Program in January 2009 and became program director in July 2015. She holds a Physician Associate Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, a Physician Assistant Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska, and a Doctorate in Health Sciences from A.T. Still University. Her clinical experience includes family practice, internal medicine, occupational medicine, and military physical and behavioral health evaluations. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Lutheran Hospital Foundation and is a site visitor and commissioner for the Accreditation Review Commission for Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

Jennifer Seibert

Medical Director

Jennifer Seibert, MD, formally joined the RRCC PA program as Medical Director in 2018, after volunteering as faculty for eight years. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UC SOM), board certified in Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Seibert graduated from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1999, completing her residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver. Since becoming board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2005, Dr. Seibert’s diverse experience has included teaching medical and PA students, serving as family medicine residency faculty, and precepting PA’s, NP’s, medical students, residents, and fellows from all disciplines. Outside of teaching and patient care, Jennifer can be found reading, dancing, and spending time with her husband and three teenagers.

Dayna Jaynstein

Assistant Program Director

Dayna Jaynstein, MSPAS, PA-C, EM-CAQ, graduated from the St. Francis University PA program in Albuquerque, NM in 2009. She was the recipient of the Eugene Stead Clinical Student of the Year 2009 and Alumni of the Year in 2018. Professor Jaynstein practices clinically in emergency medicine. She joined the RRCC PA program in July 2013 and became the Assistant Director in 2017. She is involved in national PA leadership and served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs, is a PA liaison to several physician organizations, and was the PA founding member of Times Up Healthcare.  Professor Jaynstein was awarded the Colorado PA Educator of the Year award in 2020 and received the Raise the Line Faculty Award from Osmosis Elsevier in 2022. Professor Jaynstein teaches throughout the program in clinical medicine, procedure boot camp, and ultrasound.

Photo of Trish Arbuckle

 

 

Director of Clinical Training

Trish Arbuckle, MPT, PA-C, joined the Red Rocks Faculty team in May of 2019.  Professor Arbuckle completed her initial 12 year PA career at Kaiser Permanente which included clinical practice in orthopedics, internal medicine and weight management followed by a leadership role as a Clinical Practice Manager for multiple APP teams.  Academic background consists of a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from the University of Wyoming 1998, Master of Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt 2001 and PA Certificate from Red Rocks Community College 2006.  Professional passions include leadership/professional development, process improvement and functional/integrative/lifestyle medicine.  In her free time, Professor Arbuckle enjoys cycling, camping, gardening, diving, travel and spending time with her young son and dogs.

Erika Iverson, MPH

 

 

Erika Iverson, MPH, joined the RRCC PA Program in August 2012 and became a member of faculty in August 2015. She graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health at the Anshutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO. Erika serves as Project Director for the Physician Assistant programs HRSA PCTE and EPAT grants, as well as other grant funded initiatives. Erika is part of the Clinical Coordination Team that supports students during their clinical year of training. She also runs the Professional Seminar Courses alongside other faculty.

Valerie Paulson

 

 

Valerie Paulson, MSPAS, PA-C, joined the RRCC PA program in July 2016. She is a graduate of the DeSales University PA program in Center Valley, PA. She works clinically as an Internal Medicine & Geriatrics PA, and especially enjoys palliative care. Professor Paulson was recognized as the RRCC Faculty of the Year in 2019. She is involved in the clinical medicine and problem-based learning courses, and helps with the free clinic for uninsured patients. In her free time, Professor Paulson enjoys climbing, hiking, reading, and eating ice cream.

Heather Ross

 

 

Heather Ross, MD, FACEP, has been involved with the RRCC PA program since 2010 as an adjunct teacher and a clinical preceptor. She transitioned to full time faculty in August of 2018. She completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at the Mount Sinai/Beth Israel Program in New York City and has been working as a Board Certified physician in Emergency Medicine since then.  She teaches Anatomy and Clinical Medicine and is intimately involved with the teaching of procedural skills and bedside ultrasound.

Kari Schoenwald

 

 

Kari Schoenwald MMS, MT (ASCP), PA-C, received her undergraduate degree in medical technology from North Dakota State University. She is a 2002 graduate of the Red Rocks Community College Physician Assistant Program and received her Masters degree from St. Francis University. Currently, she is a practicing physician assistant in Infectious Diseases in Longmont, Colorado. In addition, she lectures nationally for CME Resources, PANCE and PANRE review courses. Professor Schoenwald received the CO PA of the Year award in 2020. As a member of the full-time faculty, Professor Schoenwald teaches in Pathophysiology, Introduction to Clinical Medicine, and Clinical Medicine Lab.  She is Director of Didactic Training and Student Assessment.  

Marion Wells

 

 

Marion Wells, MHS, PA-C, graduated from the Duke University PA Program in 1996.  She was  awarded the Richard Scheele Memorial Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement and Leadership for the class of 1996.  Since graduating, Professor Wells has practiced in Family Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Urgent Care.  Additionally, she has served as a Governor appointed board member of the Physical Therapy board for the state of Colorado for 6 years.  Professor Wells joined the Red Rocks faculty in February of 2015 and teaches History and Physical Exam, as well as Clinical Medicine. Special interests include surgical and nonsurgical treatment of back pain, organ transplantation and autoimmune disease.

 

 

Alyn Whelchel, MSPA, PA-C, joined the RRCC PA program in May 2019. She is a graduate of the University of New England PA program in Portland, ME. She brings 18 years of Family Medicine clinical experience to the program. She is active with the Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Associates, currently serving in leadership roles with both organizations. Professor Whelchel teaches History and Physical exam and helps with Professional Seminar. When not working, she enjoys hiking, skiing and spending time with her spouse and three active children.

John Witwer

 

 

John Witwer, MD, is board certified in Radiology and has practiced medicine for over 30 years. He has also served for 7 years in the Colorado State Legislature and was Director for a large state computer system. Dr. Witwer serves on the Board of the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation. Dr. Witwer joined with RRCC PA program in 2007 and teaches clinical medicine, diagnostic imaging, and clinical anatomy. Dr. Witwer has received the RRCC Faculty of the Year Award three times.

Staff:

Kathy Beamis

 

 

Admissions and Clinical Training Manager 

Kathy Beamis joined the RRCC PA Program in June 2017. Prior to joining the PA Program staff, she worked as the Health Educator in a community health center adolescent health clinic, and as a support staff in general and high-needs classrooms in the public-school system. Kathy manages the RRCC PA Program admission process and is a member of the Clinical Coordination Team, assisting the Director of Clinical Training throughout the clinical year. In her free time, Kathy enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, camping and spending time with her family.

Cindy Bergers

Administrative Assistant 

Cindy Bergers joined RRCC in July 2013 and the RRCC PA Program in May 2014. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, and various Associate’s degrees from Denver Institute of Technology, Jones RE College, and Cornell College. Cindy grew up in Arvada and is happy to be back serving in this community.