Residents

Chief Residents

Alex Fondaw, MD

Hometown: Wichita, KS
Undergraduate School:University of Kansas
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Career Interests: Bariatric and minimally invasive surgery (Menorah Medical Center)
Hobbies: Running, biking, karaoke, trivia
Fun Fact: I qualified for regionals in high school pole vaulting
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? Collegial atmosphere among residents and attendings

Dominic Lullo, MD

Hometown: Palatine, IL
Undergraduate School: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin University Chicago Medical School
Career Interests: Colorectal surgery, general surgery, trauma critical care
Hobbies: Rock climbing, camping, skiing
Fun Fact:  I can speak Italian
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? We get to work within a broad network of hospitals and interact with other programs and residents, but are still able to maintain close teaching relationships with our attendings at Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago

PGY-4

Thurston Kallas, DO, MS

Hometown: Shabbona, IL
Undergraduate School: Northern Illinois University
Graduate School: Northern Illinois University
Medical School: Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Career Interests: Rural/global surgery, trauma and critical care surgery
Hobbies: Connoisseur of meats and fine brews
Fun Fact: My wife is a veterinarian
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? We have a wide array of case variety for a community hospital, from Whipples and esophagectomies to gallbladders and hernias, with everything in between

Conor Kinford, MD

Hometown: Agoura Hills, CA
Undergraduate School: Cornell University
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Career Interests: Colorectal surgery, trauma critical care
Hobbies: Soccer, video games, attending sporting events
Fun Fact: I have the same middle name as my father and grandfather
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? Our program is small enough that it feels more like a family than a group of individuals

PGY-3

Nicole Gherlone, MD

Hometown: Orange, CT
Undergraduate School: University of Connecticut
Medical School: Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Career Interests: Plastic and reconstructive surgery
Hobbies: Yoga, baking, skiing
Fun Fact: I'm a twin, but we're unsure if we're identical or fraternal
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? I love the close-knit and comfortable feel of the people and program!

Jane Spann, MD

Hometown: Alpena, MI
Undergraduate School: University of Michigan
Medical School: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Career Interests: Breast surgery, general surgery
Hobbies: Playing tennis, trying new restaurants, going to movies
Fun Fact: I was born in Santa Fe, NM
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? All of our attendings are very approachable

PGY-2

William Choi

William Choi, MD

Hometown: Cohasset, MA
Undergraduate School: Rice University
Medical School: Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
Career Interests: MIS, colorectal, plastic surgery
Hobbies: Tennis, exercising, sleeping
Fun Fact: I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? I was looking for a hands-on program with a collegial atmosphere located in a major city.
Diana Tang, MD

Diana Tang, MD

Hometown: Streamwood, IL
Undergraduate School: Capital University
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine - Rockford
Career Interests: Minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery, medical education
Hobbies: Orangetheory Fitness, baking, trying new foods
Fun Fact: I'm a huge fan of the professional tennis tour
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? Our intern year is housed solely at Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago, allowing us to truly acclimate to being surgical residents while subsequent years facilitate great growth as we train in a variety of practice settings across the Chicago area. Plus, interns never work 24-hour shifts!

PGY-1

Johnathan Beldin, MD

Johnathan Beldin, MD (Categorical)

Hometown: Marengo, IL
Undergraduate School: University of Notre Dame
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine - Rockford
Career Interests: Trauma critical care, surgical oncology, general surgery
Hobbies: Alpine skiing and coaching
Fun Fact: I’m on the board of directors for a community radio station
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago provides us the best that Chicago has to offer — a community program in a great part of the city and great exposure to academic and trauma rotations at outside institutions.
Maxwell Cocco, MD

Maxwell Cocco, MD (Categorical)

Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Undergraduate School: University of Michigan
Medical School: Central Michigan University
Career Interests: General surgery, HPB, trauma critical care
Hobbies: Exercise and fitness
Fun Fact: I rode a small motorcycle over 1,000 miles across Vietnam during medical school
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? We are able to train in a good community hospital with robust outside academic rotations, all in a great location.
Omair Ali, MD

Omair Ali, MD (Preliminary)

Hometown: Hoffman Estates, IL
Undergraduate School: Benedictine University
Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine - Rockford
Career Interests: Interventional radiology (UIC)
Hobbies: Watching sports, trying new restaurants, spending time with my cat
Fun Fact: My name was legally changed when I was a kid
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? Amazing work culture and awesome location
Jackson Pearce, MD

Jackson Pearce, MD (Preliminary)

Hometown: Charleston, SC
Undergraduate School: Furman University
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
Career Interests: Radiology (Yale University); pediatric radiology, neuroradiology
Hobbies: Reading, sailing, baking
Fun Fact: I’ve never met anyone who can eat more ice cream than me
Why Ascension Saint Joseph - Chicago? I wanted a small, close-knit program with excellent procedural and operative exposure. And, of course, the program is located in a great city.

Residency Alumni

2023
  • Global Surgery — World Medical Mission; Papua New Guinea
  • Vascular Surgery Fellowship — Eastern Virginia Medical School; Norfolk, VA
2022
  • Breast Surgery Fellowship — Cleveland Clinic; Cleveland, OH
  • Endocrine Surgery Fellowship — University of Calgary; Alberta, Canada
2021
  • General Surgery — Chicago, IL
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship — Saint Luke's Health System, Kansas City, MO
2020
  • Surgical Critical Care Fellowship — Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Plastic Surgery Fellowship — University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2019
  • General Surgery — Pasadena, CA
  • General Surgery — US Navy, Great Lakes, IL
2018
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship — University of Texas, Austin, TX
  • Houston Vascular Surgery Fellowship — Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI
2017
  • Breast Surgery Fellowship — University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Rural General Surgery — Edenton, NC