PCMS Leadership
Pima County Medical Society Officers - 2026
Michael DeLong, MD
President
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Dr. Michael DeLong is a board-certified nephrologist and internist who has been practicing medicine in Tucson since 1999 and has been with Arizona Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers (AKDHC) since 2007.
Having called Tucson home for nearly three decades, Dr. DeLong is deeply invested in the health and well-being of the Southern Arizona community and is passionate about strengthening the local physician network. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for physician collaboration, mentorship, and creating meaningful opportunities for physicians to connect and support one another.
As President of the Pima County Medical Society, Dr. DeLong is focused on fostering engagement among physicians at all stages of their careers while helping shape the future of medicine in Pima County. He is committed to building a strong, connected physician community that supports both current and future generations of healthcare leaders.
Lourdes Castanon, MD
Vice President
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Dr. Lourdes Castañón, MD, FACS is the Director of the Burn Program at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. A board-certified general surgeon and surgical critical care specialist, she completed fellowships in burns, surgical critical care, acute care surgery, and trauma following her residency in general surgery.
As Vice President of the Pima County Medical Society, she is committed to strengthening physician engagement, advancing advocacy, and fostering collaboration throughout Southern Arizona's medical community.
Dr. Castañón is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Monica Hinestroza Jordan, MD
Treasurer
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Dr. Monica Hinestroza Jordan, MD, is an infectious diseases physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.
She serves as Associate Program Director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, where she is dedicated to educating and mentoring the next generation of infectious diseases specialists. Her clinical and academic interests include medical education, global health, and HIV care.
As a member of the Pima County Medical Society Board of Directors, Dr. Hinestroza supports the Society's mission of strengthening the physician community through collaboration, education, and advocacy.
Anil Prasad, MD
President Elect
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Dr. Anil Prasad, MD, FCAP, FASCP is board certified in Anatomic & Clinical Pathology as well as in Cytopathology. He completed his AP/CP residency followed by a Fellowship in Cytopathology at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit MI. Additionally, he completed a fellowship in Surgical Pathology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
Dr. Prasad has been practicing General Surgical Pathology & Cytopathology for more than 25 years. He is proficient in signing out all disease entities pertaining to all organ systems including lung, breast, brain, skin and soft tissue with special expertise in Genito-urinary, Gastrointestinal and Gynecologic pathology. He is the Medical Director of several hospital based and independent Labs. He is has special expertise in Digital Image analysis and telepathology and has been signing out cases remotely using digitally scanned images.
He is a member of the Pima County Medical Society Executive Board of Directors and serves as President Elect of PCMS. Besides teaching, Dr. Prasad’s passion is advocacy and organized medicine. He is a Board Member and Past President of the Arizona Society of Pathologists (ASP) and the Association of Indian Pathologists of North America (AIPNA). Currently, Dr. Prasad is the Owner & President of Arizona Diagnostic Pathology Associates an independent free standing pathology laboratory in Tucson, AZ. He has a joint appointment as Associate Professor of Pathology at the Univ. of Arizona Health Sciences Center and is a Consultant Pathologist to Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Care Center, Tucson, AZ.
Dr. Prasad is involved with several clinical research trials and was the PI of several federally funded clinical and basic research grants while serving as Clinical Director of Pathology Research & Development at the Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System from 2001-2009. He established the first of its kind VA Biorepository Tissue Bank by successfully acquiring a federally funded research grant to pioneer and maintain the initiative as PI at the Tucson VA hospital.
Roy Loewenstein, MD
Past President
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Dr. Roy Loewenstein, MD, FACP is an internal medicine physician with Rillito Internal Medicine and has been serving the Tucson community for more than two decades.
He joined Arizona Community Physicians in 2005 and is also a core faculty member in the Tucson Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program, where he is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of physicians.
As a member of the PCMS Board of Directors, Dr. Loewenstein is committed to advancing physician collaboration and supporting high-quality patient care throughout Pima County.
Emma Jensen
Executive Director
Emma supports the PCMS Board and membership by overseeing daily operations, communications, strategic initiatives, and partnerships. She works closely with physician leadership to advance PCMS’s mission, advocacy efforts, and member engagement.
Email:
ejensen@azmed.org
Phone:
520-795-7985
Office Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pima County Medical Society Officers - 2026
Kenneth Sandock, MD
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Dr. Ken Sandock is a diagnostic radiologist with DX Radiology and has practiced Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology in Arizona for more than 30 years.
Prior to relocating to Arizona, he served on the faculty at the University of Missouri–Columbia and as a Research Radiologist at the U.S. Army's Edgewood Arsenal. Dr. Sandock earned his medical degree from Indiana University and completed additional training at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, Georgetown University, and Tulane University.
Berna Villanueva, MD
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Dr. Berna Villanueva, MD, is an internal medicine physician at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center South. A graduate of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, she specializes in preventive care, HIV primary care, and health promotion, with a focus on improving patient health through education and compassionate care.
As a member of the Pima County Medical Society Board of Directors, Dr. Villanueva supports the Society's mission of strengthening the physician community through collaboration, education, and advocacy while fostering meaningful connections across Southern Arizona.
Billie Bixby, MD
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Dr. Billie Bixby, MD, is an interventional pulmonologist at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center South, specializing in pulmonary disease and advanced lung procedures. She is committed to providing individualized, patient-centered care while helping patients make informed decisions about their health.
As a member of the Pima County Medical Society Board of Directors, Dr. Bixby supports the Society's mission of strengthening the physician community through collaboration, education, and advocacy, while helping foster meaningful connections among physicians throughout Pima County.
Julie Jernberg, MD
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Dr. Julie Jernberg is a clinical professor of medicine at the Univ of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson and is the director for the Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship.
She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Integrative Medicine and her clinical work is in the Internal Medicine Residents’ clinics.
In addition to education, her interests include the climate impacts on health, One Health (animal-human-environment health), and Theraplay® (a play-based method to (re)build healthy attachment currently used in 40+ countries).
Aakash Taggarse, MD
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Dr. Akash S. Taggarse is a board-certified internist and geriatrician whose life's work centers on helping older adults maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life at home. Through Oro Valley Medicine LLC in Tucson, Arizona, he combines personalized geriatric care with innovative, community-based approaches to keep aging patients thriving in the settings they call home — rather than institutions.
A Fellow of the American College of Physicians and former Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Dr. Taggarse brings both clinical depth and a deep commitment to whole-person care for the communities he serves.
Lisa Soltani, MD
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Dr. Lisa Soltani, MD, MPH, FACP is a primary care physician, hospitalist, and Medical Director of Internal Medicine at El Rio Community Health Center. Since 2001, she has cared for patients in Southern Arizona through her work in primary care and as a hospitalist at Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital.
Dr. Soltani's professional interests include population health, hypertension, cardiovascular health, and clinical informatics. In addition to serving on the Pima County Medical Society Board of Directors, she serves on the Pima County Board of Health and as a Member-at-Large for the Arizona Chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP). She is committed to supporting the physicians and clinicians of Southern Arizona as they work to improve the health and well-being of the communities they serve.