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Faculty Profiles

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Take a moment to review our faculty’s impressive biographies and credentials that bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our residents. Our faculty members all share a belief in the educational value of experience. Your medical practice experiences at Marian Regional Medical Center will complement your education and offer depth and validity to your hard-earned credentials.


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Willard S. Chung, M.D.

Program Director


Dr. Will Chung is a native of the Tidewater region of southeastern Virginia and graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed his residency at the respected and prestigious Scripps Health system at Mercy hospitals in San Diego. He subsequently practiced near the Mexican border at Imperial Beach Health Center caring for the underserved and uninsured, while staying on as adjunct faculty with Scripps and the University of California San Diego where he taught both medical students and residents. He also served as Chair of the Family Medicine Department at Scripps Mercy Hospital and as a board member of the San Diego Academy of Family Physicians.

During his intern year in San Diego, Dr. Chung met his lovely wife who is a Central Coast native and became enamored with the area when visiting family and friends. Therefore when the opportunity arose to join the inaugural faculty for the Marian Family Medicine Residency, he quickly leapt at the chance to help create and develop a truly unique training program right on the Central Coast. Dr. Chung quickly rose through the ranks to become Associate Program Director then, after the retirement of the founding Program Director Dr. Richard McClaflin, took over the reins as PD in 2016 where he continues to serve in that capacity. 

Dr. Chung is board certified in Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. His passion for education stems from his prior career as a middle and high school teacher, tutor, and coach. He has a particular interest in hospital medicine and despite spending much of his time devising ways to improve and grow the residency program, he relishes every opportunity to work with residents and students on the adult inpatient wards. Outside of the confines of the hospital and clinic, Dr. Chung loves living on the Central Coast because it affords him the ability to pursue many of his passions. He loves the variety of uncrowded beaches and surf spots along with the beautiful golf courses and wineries. He enjoys cooking for friends and family and takes every opportunity to take his wife, two young children and their dog, Vino, camping up and down the California coast.


Dr. Christine Ragay

Christine Ragay, DO

Associate Program Director

Dr. Christine Ragay is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She joined Marian’s Family Medicine Residency Program as the Associate Program Director. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical School and completed her Family Medicine Residency program at St. Joseph’s Hospital Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. After residency Dr. Ragay served as an Air Force Physician and was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base for four years which is how she came to love the Central Coast. 

Dr. Ragay has been involved in Academic Medicine since separating from the Air Force and enjoys teaching both medical students and residents. She extends the same teaching enthusiasm toward her patients.

As a Family Medicine Physician, she likes to take care of patients of all ages and her interests include Chronic Disease Management, preventive health and wellness, and outpatient procedures. Dr. Ragay also has an interest in health care quality and is always thinking of ways to improve the practice of medicine. 

In her time away from work she is devoted to her husband, two young boys, and their  two German shepherds.


Dr. Charles Merrill

Charles R. Merrill, MD, FACEP

Chief Medical Officer | Designated Institutional Official

Dr. Merrill came to Marian over 25 years ago as one of the founding members of our Emergency Medicine group. He served 2 terms as Chief of the medical staff, and has served as the Chief Medical Officer at Marian since 2005. Dr. Merrill has been recognized as a vital asset to improving patient care in not only Emergency Services, but also in all areas of patient care, quality and safety.  He was one of the Founding Physicians of our Family Medicine and Obstetrics/Gynecology Residency Programs and continues to lead it administratively as the Designated Institutional Official.

A Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and a Diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Merrill holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Southern California and a Medical Degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Merrill completed his Internship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Pediatrics and he fulfilled his Residency in Emergency Medicine from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a Level 1 Los Angeles Trauma Center in Torrance, California. Dr. Merrill served as an Oral Board Examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine and was on the teaching faculty for UCLA School of Medicine. 

Dr. Merrill is known as a dedicated physician and active community member who remains involved in a multitude of local affiliations. Dr. Merrill served as the Team Physician for St. Joseph High School’s football teams, past Coach of St. Joseph High School’s Varsity Basketball and Tennis teams and served on the St. Joseph High School Board of Directors. He has also served as a long-time member of the Orcutt School District Council on Nutrition and Exercise and previous member of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations. In addition to his professional endeavors and community service, Dr. Merrill is also a talented musician who co-wrote the City of Santa Maria’s Annual Peace Week anthem which he continues to perform for the community at Peace Week festivities.


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John A. Campbell, MD, CMD, FAAFP

Faculty

Dr. Campbell graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in 2005. He completed his residency at Mercy Family Medicine in St. Louis followed by a geriatric fellowship at St. Louis University. Since fellowship, Dr. Campbell has served as faculty at St. Louis University while working at a PACE program (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), has served as Chief of Geriatrics and Geriatric Education at Mercy Hospital, and has taught geriatrics and family medicine to medical students, residents, and fellows both in St. Louis and in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Campbell is boarded in Family Medicine and Geriatrics, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice, and is an AMDA Certified Medical Director. He has received multiple awards including the AMDA Foundation Futures Award and Mercy Family Medicine Academic Excellence Award. Dr. Campbell draws upon his extensive experience and specialized geriatric training to help elders with issues such as polypharmacy (over-medication), dementia, delirium, end-of-life depression, sleep disorders, frailty, and falls.


Dr. Thomas Dawes

Thomas M. Dawes, Jr., MD

Faculty

Dr. Dawes received his undergraduate degree from University of California, Riverside in 1992 and his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 1996. He established his private practice in Santa Maria in 2001. Dr. Dawes is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Dawes is dedicated to providing comprehensive primary care in a compassionate and professional environment. He has been instructing medical students and residents for the past 15 years and is committed to the medical education process. Dr. Dawes completed a Fellowship in Primary Care Psychiatry with the University of California, Irvine and Davis in 2020. Dr. Dawes currently heads up our Behavioral Health Curriculum and manages our Behavioral Health Clinic at FMC.


Dr. Robert Firestone

Robert Firestone, MD

Faculty

Dr. Firestone received his undergraduate degree from Caltech University in 1968, and received his medical degree in 1974 from University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. He completed his residency at Earl K Long Memorial Hospital. Dr. Firestone has been practicing Family Medicine for 46 years, 32 years of those years on the Central Coast. Dr. Firestone has been teaching residents at FMC since 2016. Dr. Firestone enjoys playing golf, bowling, and spending time with his puppies.


Dr. Kennard

Anne Kennard, DO

Faculty

Dr. Anne Kennard received her Bachelors Degree in Nutrition Science from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She attended AT Still University to earn her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, and completed a residency through the University of Arizona-Phoenix in Obstetrics and Gynecology. From her early training in nutrition and experience as a yoga and meditation instructor, she became interested in Integrative Medicine. She developed and piloted the first Integrative Medicine in Residency program for OBGYNs in the country, and completed a two year fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. She then trained with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog to become a clinical herbalist. She is the author of works blending conventional medicine, culinary medicine, herbal medicine, and mind body therapies, and lectures nationally on women’s Integrative Medicine topics.  She currently serves as the Director for the Integrative Medicine program and OBGYN core faculty at Marian Medical Center. She enjoys spending time with her young daughter, cooking, gardening, herbal medicine making, and kayaking with the otters on the central coast. 


Dr. Piazza

Scott Piazza, DO

Faculty

Dr. Piazza received his undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside in 2003, and his medical degree from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2016. He is a diplomate of ABFM and American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. Dr. Piazza provides individualized whole person care from birth through end of life. He strives to find optimal health, while treating a variety of acute conditions and managing chronic diseases in an outpatient setting. In addition, Dr. Piazza’s areas of interest include OMT, transitions of care, and medical informatics. 


Victor Pulido

Victor Pulido, DO

Faculty, Director of Osteopathic Education/Faculty

Dr. Pulido received his undergraduate degree from Occidental College in 1984 and his medical degree from Western University of Health Science – College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California and completed residency training at Riverside General Hospital. Dr. Pulido is a member of the American Osteopathic Association and is a diplomate of the American Academy of Family Practice. As an osteopathic physician, Dr. Pulido’s is to assist his patients in achieving optimal health. He emphasizes health promotion, preventive health and the best disease management for all of his patients.


Dr. Rawlings

Luke Rawlings, MD

Faculty

Dr. Rawlings received his medical degree from the St. George's University school of medicine in 2004. He completed his Family Medicine Residency at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, CA, and a year Fellowship Training in Emergency Medicine at University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. He practiced emergency medicine and has been involved with family medicine residency training for 10 years in Redding, CA and moved to join the faculty part-time at Marian in 2019. He still works part-time in a small rural access emergency department in King City. His combined training and work experience is brought to the residency with teaching point of care ultrasound and other procedures. He has championed the start-up street medicine program at Marian where residents work on a multidisciplinary team to bring outreach medical and social services to unsheltered homeless people living in the Santa Maria riverbed, along the train tracks, and other lesser-seen locations. He is passionate about physician and other healthcare worker health and wellbeing and is working on awareness, destigmatization, and collaboration to address burnout, mental health and encourage help-seeking behaviors for those who suffer in silence. In his own words, "I hope to provide the highest quality care to all people, especially those underserved and marginalized. I am fortunate to be working here with such dedicated faculty, residents and other co-workers. I am committed to teaching and building opportunities for residents to be active in the variety of great experiences of learning and service." 

Dr. Rawlings is married with three children and loves spending time with them, his extended family and two dogs. He likes to go to the beach, cook, and eat most things, explore natural places on the central coast and beyond, and get together with friends. 


Dr. Lisa Ryan

Lisa Ryan, MD

Faculty

Dr. Ryan received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Santa Cruz in 1992 and her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1997. Dr. Ryan is a diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine who completed her residency at Hanover Family Physicians residency program in Mechanicsville, Virginia. She brings a varied experience to the residency having worked in private practice, fast track ER, FQHC, college health and as a hospitalist. Dr. Ryan has a passion for inpatient medicine and treating medically complicated patients in both the inpatient and outpatient setting and enjoys watching residents gain confidence in caring for this population throughout their residency.

Learn More About Our Residency Program.

Please call Anabel Pereyra at (805) 739-3374 or email us at [email protected].