About Us
Providing Patient Care For Those In Need
We are a student-run organization, providing educational opportunities for professional and undergraduate volunteers. We are committed to providing quality health care to our community, free of charge. Our organization earned a 2020 Gold Rating from the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC) Quality Standards Program.
Mission
The Columbus Free Clinic is an interprofessional, student-run free clinic that provides quality medical care and social services to underserved individuals while promoting valuable educational opportunities for volunteers.
Vision
Provide high-quality medical services and equitable care to address patients’ needs, with the ultimate goal of finding patients a medical home.
Connect individuals to patient-centered resources to address barriers to care, health literacy, and social determinants of health,
Foster an interprofessional, collaborative approach between volunteer healthcare professionals and students committed to delivering, comprehensive care in an educational environment.
Promote an inclusive, culturally humble healthcare community by cultivating a volunteer team that reflects the diversity and respects the values of our patient population.
Advocate for our community and partner with other agencies to amplify our patients’ voices.
Board Members
Robert Cooper, MD, MBA, MPH
Medical Director
Faculty Advisor, Lead Physician
Emergency Medicine – OSU
Amelia Toomey, PA-C, DMSc, MMSc
Executive Director
Lead PA-C, Psychiatric Lead Provider
Hopewell – Department of Psychiatry
Zach Braunstein, MD
Associate Medical Director
Lead Physician
Hematology/ Oncology – OSU
Courtney DuBois Shihabuddin, DNP, APRN-CNP
Director of QI and Risk Management
Rainbow & Gyn Clinic Lead Nurse Practitioner
Assistant Professor – OSU College of Nursing
Catherine Hechmer, MSW/LISW-S, LICDC-CS
Director of Behavioral Health
Social Work Supervisor
College of Social Work – OSU
Kim Hooper, MD
Medical Director Emeritus
Family Medicine – OSU
Summit Shah, MD, MPH
Radiology – Nationwide Children’s
Howard Werman, MD
Lead Physician
Emergency Medicine – OSU
Susan Bowman-Burpee, APRN-CNP
Lead Nurse Practitioner
PM&R – OSU
Caitlyn Hull, MS, APRN-CNP
Gyn Clinic Lead Nurse Practitioner
Survivorship James Cancer Hospital
Julie Kennerly-Shah, PharmD
Lead Pharmacist
James Cancer Hospital – OSU
Eric James, MD
Lead Physician
OSU Department of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine
Jake Lafleur, MD
Lead Physician
OSU Department of Internal Medicine
Anne Botti, MD
Lead Physician
Physician Supervisor – Chalmers P. Wylie VA
Kandi Hughes, CNP
Lead Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Director – The Gables of Westerville
Lia Mahr, MD
Lead Physician, CFC Ultrasound Clinic Lead
Emergency Medicine – Nationwide Children’s
Jackiethia Butsch, C-CHW, C-CP, AE-C
OSU Free clinic Coordinator
Community Health & Outreach – OSU
Abigail Oberla, APRN-CNP
Lead Nurse Practitioner
Primary Care – OSU
Charles Tweel, MD
Lead Physician
Family Medicine
Thomas Mason, MD
Lead Physician
Internal Medicine- Pediatrics – OSU/Nationwide Children’s
Simran Chahlal, MD
Lead Physician
Internal Medicine- Pediatrics – OSU/Nationwide Children’s
Kyle Smith, DPT
Director of Physical and Occuaptional Therapy Services
Andre Fernandes, Pharm-D, MS
Lead Pharmacist
Medical Science Liaison – Celltrion USA
Sponsors & Supporters
Thomas McGuire
Patricia Brown
John Logan
Roy Lowenstein
Charlene Howison
Michael Louikas
Candace Cooper
Andrew Schaefer
Volunteers
Medical Student Team
Emily Buczynski
Committee Coordinator
Juli Thompson
Patient Relations and Undergraduate Volunteer Coordinator
Arshum Mirzaeifard
Referrals Coordinator
Sushruth Manchineella
Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator
Asvena Siva
Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator
Patrick Timmins
Operations Coordinator
Maya Dunson
In-House Specialty Clinics Coordinator
Pratik Thakur
Referrals Coordinator
Jeri Oranski
Lab Coordinator
Ryann Bowers
Chronic Care Coordinator
Kofi Mensah-Arhin
Volunteer Coordinator
Joshrick Sablan
In-House Specialty Clinics Coordinator
Hannah Oh
Data Analyst & EHR Coordinator
Anna Wang
Chronic Care Coordinator
Social Work Team
Justice Berry
Sophia Mustric
Evan Wanous
Caitlin Buehler
Nicole Vutha
Shiana Bookless
Dawn Millender
Anisa Osman
Pharmacy Lead
Aashtha Shah
Undergraduate Leads
Kofi Mensah-Arhin
Hafsa Asif
News
Here you’ll find our quarterly and annual reports, updates on our programming as well as posts from our clinic’s professionals.
