59 physicians mark more than a quarter century at Lutheran
Dozens of physicians on Lutheran’s medical staff know how to party like it’s 1999. They also know that reference.
Now that 2025 is history, nearly 60 members of our medical staff have been providing care at Lutheran and driving medical excellence for this community for more than 25 years. The youngest of this group joined us in ‘99, and the…most experienced still on the medical staff…joined us in 1974, when President Nixon left the White House, Hank Aaron broke The Babe’s bomber record and the entire world sat ringside for the Rumble in the Jungle.
“The fact that Lutheran has this type of long-term career retention is extraordinary, particularly in light of current trends with regard to ‘career mobility,’” said Allan Brants, MD, chief of staff and Lutheran Class of 2000.
“The benefits to working in a place like this cannot be adequately measured,” he continued. “At Lutheran, when we interface with other medical staff, we assume and expect collegiality, competence and professionalism, because that is our lived experience over many years. As we all know, there are many hospitals that cannot expect this kind of interaction within their medical staff, in part because few are around long enough to get to know their colleagues. So I guess the question is: ‘Is Lutheran a great place to practice medicine because of its long-term retention?’ OR ‘Does Lutheran have unusual long-term retention because it is a great place to practice?’ I think the answer is... ‘Yes.’”
Please join us in thanking the physicians below for a career of service to Lutheran, their colleagues and the medical needs of this community.
Tenure: 51 full years
Eric Hammerberg, MD, Neurology
47 years
Stuart Kassan, MD, Rheumatology
42 years
Robert Domaleski, MD, Internal Medicine
Charles Mains, MD, Surgery
James Whitaker, MD, Anesthesia
40 years
Stuart Adelman, PhD, Psychiatry
39 years
Thomas Campbell, MD, Ophthalmology
37 years
Douglas Campbell, DO, Ophthalmology
Ellice Goldberg, DO, Family Medicine
Douglas Minton, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology
36 years
Elizabeth Bassow-Scheve, MD, Family Medicine
35 years
Aubrey Dobbs, MD, Family Medicine
Brian Ridge, MD, General Surgery
William Woo, MD, Occupational Medicine
David Yamamoto, MD, Family Medicine
34 years
Jeffrey Rubinstein, MD, Cardiology
33 years
Michael Janssen, DO, Orthopaedic Surgery
Robert Kantor, MD, Hematology/Oncology
Jody Kleinman, MD, Cardiology
Peter Knott, MD, Pediatrics: “What makes Lutheran special and why I keep going is the caring, dedicated, hardworking and professional nurses on the newborn nursery/postpartum unit. Many have decades of experience and they are the best in the city.”
Kathleen Sawada, MD, Dermatology
32 years
Diana DeSantis, MD, Ophthalmology
David Leon, MD, Internal Medicine
Kelli Lewis, MD, Emergency Services
Scott London, MD, Neurology
Jeffrey Rumbyrt, MD, Allergy & Immunology
31 years
Aimee Nelson, MD, Family Medicine
William Pederson, MD, Anesthesia
30 years
Claudia Benedict, MD, Cardiology: “I have always felt welcome at Lutheran. I love working with the hospitalists there. Leadership has always been receptive and helpful.”
Gregory Dilorenzo, DO, Internal Medicine
Joseph Hsin, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery
Matthew Paden, DPM, Podiatry
Michael Solmos, MD, Anesthesia
29 years
David Goodman, MD, Allergy & Immunology
Tish Landrum, MD, Family Medicine
Richard Mouchantat, MD, Plastic Surgery: “I have remained on the Lutheran medical staff for so long because of the people. We have an excellent medical staff, nurses, surgical technicians and support staff that make caring for my patients safer and efficient. I have the privilege of working with some of the finest physicians I have ever known and the kindest, smartest and safest nursing staff as well. In particular, the operating room help is exceptional.”
Susan Schiff, MD, Internal Medicine
Harmeet Singh, MD, Nephrology
28 years
Debra Ganter, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Francine Paston, MD, Pediatrics
Michelle Wong, MD, Anesthesia: “I started my career at Lutheran right after completing residency. I was thrilled to join a practice at what was then a small community hospital. I was among the first women hired in Physician Anesthesia Services. Back then, there were still very few women in anesthesia and the surgical fields, and we all formed a strong bond with great camaraderie. Lutheran has grown and continues to grow, but it’s the enduring camaraderie among all physicians and the sense of community that keeps me here. I will always cherish the great colleagues and close friends that I’ve made within the ‘Lutheran family’ over the last nearly 30 years.”
27 years
Daniel Bredar, MD, Anesthesia: “For me it's really quite simple - it's always been the people and their personalities. They all have made me laugh at least once. How can I mention each of them? Where should I start? I began to list all the names, but it quickly became overwhelming, so I tried to list just categories of people at Lutheran. This list also was impossibly long. Suffice it to say that Lutheran has been full of great people to work with as long as I've been here. I have been so lucky in my career to be associated with so many genuinely nice, caring people.”
Jeffrey DesJardin, MD, Infectious Disease: “Our practice has been associated with Lutheran since 1982, and my only job since finishing my fellowship in 1998 has been with Western Infectious Disease Consultants. I have always felt that Lutheran has the most loyal patients and staff of all of the many hospitals with which I have been associated. It has maintained the feel of a community hospital while evolving into a medical center able to care for the most critically ill patients. There is something about Lutheran which is just different - and I mean that in the most positive way.”
Reza Esfahani, DO, Family Medicine
David Hurt, MD, Dermatology
Michael Johnson, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology
DJ May, MD, Urology: “I started my career in medicine at Lutheran and it’s been family since. I plan to finish my career with this same family.”
Kristin Moreau, MD, Family Medicine
Joanne Ruch, MD, Internal Medicine
Natalie Schafer, DDS, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Vernon Smith Jr., MD, Internal Medicine
Scott Valent, MD, Cardiology
David Van Kooten, MD, Otolaryngology: “It has been an honor to be on staff at Lutheran for over twenty-five years. Clearly, it is the people associated with the hospital that make it so special. Everyone, including maintenance, food services, volunteers, nurses, facility management, physicians, clergy, social services and all associated caregivers are the ones who make Lutheran one of the best hospitals in Colorado.”
Jeffry Weingardt, MD, Medical Imaging
26 years
David Cahn, MD, Urology
Matthew Esson, MD, Nephrology
Mark Holley, MD, Emergency Services
Michael Schindel, MD, Family Medicine
Anthony Valenti II, DPM, Podiatry: “I was born at Lutheran Hospital in 1971, grew up in Golden and love being a part of the community that I grew up in. It is amazing to see the evolution of the hospital over the last 25 years. What makes Lutheran special is the people who work here and the people who make up this community.”
“Physicians are drawn to Lutheran because they know they will be supported, not only in delivering exceptional care, but also in growing professionally and personally throughout their careers,” said Kathy Crabtree, MD, chief medical officer and Lutheran Class of 2012.
“We pride ourselves on mutual respect, teamwork and a shared mission to improve lives,” she continued. “This sense of purpose, combined with strong relationships among colleagues, creates a workplace that feels more like a community rather than just a job. What’s more is physicians appreciate the stability, trust and resources we provide, allowing them to focus on what matters most—quality care for their patients.”
We’re honored these physicians have granted us decades of trust and partnership, and we sincerely thank them and all members of our medical staff for creating a culture and delivering care that has inspired our patients to trust us with their most precious loved ones, for generations.