Leadership Team
Ursula Barghouth DO MHA MSPH
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Barghouth is one of the founding partners of PJE and currently serves as the COO and peer supporter. Dr. Barghouth began her service with PJE as a Family Medicine resident providing expertise on GME matters and has now begun supporting others in practice as well. She is board certified in Family Medicine and is fellowship trained in Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (DABVLM) with additional certifications in radiology (RPVI) and wound care (CWSP). Additionally, Dr. Barghouth completed a Health Policy Fellowship through the AOA’s Training in Policy Studies Program and holds a Master of Science in Public Health and a Master of Health Administration. She is active in professional and community organizations and hopes to utilize her background to promote equity in the medical profession and to eliminate hostile work environments.
Melissa Blaker DO MBA
Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Blaker, DO, MBA is a dual board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon and pediatrician, and a decorated Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. She combines military precision with compassionate care in every patient interaction. She earned her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida and completed her pediatric residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Driven to broaden her impact, she pursued a second residency in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of California, Davis, gaining expertise in treating complex heart and lung conditions. Her commitment to healthcare transformation led her to obtain an MBA from The George Washington University, strengthening her leadership in clinical and administrative roles. Drawing from her own experiences, Dr. Blaker educates and empowers physicians and surgeon facing workplace inequities, advocating for systemic change to foster a culture that celebrates diversity, drives innovation, and enhances collaboration. In line with this, she extends compassionate guidance to those displaced by unjust practices within the healthcare system. At the heart of it all, Dr. Blaker is motivated and inspired daily by the steadfast love and support of her husband and their six remarkable children.
Karyn Butler MD FACS FCCM
Research IRB Liaison & Principal Investigator
Dr. Butler was born in NYC, received her B.S. from Tuskegee University and her M.D. from Morehouse School of Medicine. She completed her surgical training at Howard University Hospital and fellowship in Trauma/Critical Care at UMD-New Jersey Medical School and a NIH Trauma Research Fellowship at the University of Colorado. She is currently Medical Director of Surgical Critical Care at Abington Jefferson-Health and Professor of Surgery at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Butler has won many awards for teaching and research, has served on multiple study sections for the NIH and military, and has over 100 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts and media reports. Dr. Butler is a member of many societies, has served on numerous national committees and has mentored trainees who have pursued academic careers in Acute Care Surgery. She is a leader in the integration of teams to improve ICU quality of care.
Sharon Griswold MD MPH
Co-Director of Research & Development
Dr. Griswold is the Co-Director of Physician Just Equity Research & Development, a Professor of Emergency Medicine at Penn State Health Center, and a Principal Scientist and Medical Consult Review Physician for Merck. She spent her entire career in academic medical centers, serving as a student clerkship director, program director, and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, as well as founding a novel Master of Science in Simulation and Healthcare Program. In 2014, she became the first female full professor of the Department of Emergency Medicine, which had been in existence for nearly 40 years. Her last full-time emergency medicine role was in Philadelphia, where she worked as a Drexel employee caring for patients at the now bankrupt Hahnemann Hospital. In 2019, she volunteered as a Larry A. Green Visiting Scholar at the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care, where she sought to gain a deeper understanding of policy and advocacy. All opinions expressed are her own and not of any past or present employer.
Christine Heisler MD MS FACS
Co-Director of Research & Development
Dr. Heisler (she/her) is a fellowship trained, board certified surgeon in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery. She earned her medical doctorate at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She completed Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at a Michigan State University-affiliate in Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Heisler then completed a 3-year fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. While in fellowship, she also obtained a master’s degree in biomedical science from Mayo Graduate School. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Mayo Clinic Health System. Dr. Heisler has direct professional experiences with gender bias, as well as having served as a resource for students, residents, colleagues and organizations. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and international surgical textbook chapters on gender equity. In addition, Dr. Heisler has received invitations to present her research at regional and national conferences. Her work on gender equity policies and statements in professional surgical societies received the Association of Women Surgeons Best Diversity Paper award in 2020. Committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace, Dr. Heisler continues to identify barriers and promote solutions for gender equity in surgery.
Sarah Kavianpour MD MBA
Director of GME Affairs
Dr. Kavianpour serves as the Director of GME Affairs for Physician Just Equity (PJE), where she is a dedicated advocate for physicians navigating the complexities of their training. In addition to her leadership at PJE, she works in hospital administration in New York. Her commitment to fostering just and equitable learning environments is profoundly shaped by her firsthand experience as a former neurosurgery resident, giving her a unique and empathetic perspective on the challenges trainees face. Dr. Kavianpour graduated at the top of her class from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Further distinguishing her qualifications, she holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University. This powerful combination of clinical insight, scientific rigor, and business acumen uniquely positions her to lead systemic change in medical education. Through her work, Dr. Kavianpour is dedicated to ensuring that the next generation of physicians is supported by a system that prioritizes their well-being, safety, and professional growth, allowing them to provide the best possible patient care without fear of harassment or retaliation.
Pringl Miller MD FACS
Founder & Executive Director
Dr. Miller is a board-certified general surgeon and hospice & palliative medicine specialist with additional fellowship training in clinical medical ethics. The inequities faced and witnessed during her 25-year career, inspired and informed founding Physician Just Equity. Dr. Miller believes it is imperative that physicians and surgeons who experience harassment, discrimination, and retaliation be supported while navigating these difficult workplace injustices while working in toxic environments. A thriving diverse workforce is critical to achieving optimal population health. If countless physicians and surgeons encounter unethical and unlawful personal attacks based on who they are and what honorable principles, they stand for we will never realize excellence and equity in healthcare delivery.
Deborah Verran MbChB MHSM FRACS
Co-Director of Research & Development
Dr Verran has an ongoing focus on a range of academic activities related to peer support. This includes providing peer support to surgeons who are based in Australasia as well as providing advice to other doctors based elsewhere via digital platforms. Dr Verran previously worked as an abdominal transplant surgeon for over two decades in Australia following the completion of Fellowships both within the United States as well as Canada and is very familiar with the ongoing workplace challenges across several different healthcare systems. The nature and range of the academic collaborative activities that Dr Verran has been involved in up to now have provided a solid foundation for her ongoing involvement with PJE.