Pathologists
Specialized expertise from top training programs
Dr. Nicholas Byrne
DR. Nicholas Byrne
Dr. Byrne received his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He received his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of California at San Francisco. He went on to complete a fellowship in surgical pathology at the University of California at San Francisco. He is board certified in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology.
Dr. Byrne joined Contra Costa Pathology Associates in 2007, and is a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek campus. In addition to his work in general anatomic and clinical pathology, he provides oversight of clinical laboratory services, with a focus in microbiology.
Dr. Dennis Hwang
Dr. Dennis Hwang
Dr. Hwang received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and completed residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of California at San Francisco, where he also served as Chief Resident. He went on to complete fellowships in surgical pathology and hematopathology at the University of California at San Francisco. He then served as an attending pathologist at California Pacific Medical Center from 2000 until 2002. He is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and hematopathology.
Dr. Hwang has worked as a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek campus, since 2002. In addition to his work in general anatomic and clinical pathology, he provides diagnostic services in hematopathology and oversees the hematology section of the clinical laboratory service at the Walnut Creek campus.
Dr. Risha Ramdall
Dr. Risha Ramdall
Dr. Ramdall received her medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, where she graduated with distinction in research. She completed internship training at SUNY Stony Brook Teaching Hospitals, and completed residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Columbia University Medical Center, where she also served as Chief Resident. She went on to complete a cytopathology fellowship at New York University School of Medicine. After her training, Dr. Ramdall was an Assistant Attending in the Surgical Pathology department at Columbia University Medical Center. The following three years, she worked as an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Clinical Attending Physician at the New York University School of Medicine, Tisch and Bellevue Hospitals, with an intense focus in breast pathology. She is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and cytopathology.
Dr. Ramdall has worked as a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek campus, since 2009. In addition to her work in general anatomic and clinical pathology, she provides expert internal consultative services in cytopathology and breast pathology.
Dr. Nader Shihabi
Dr. Nader Shihabi
Dr. Shihabi received his medical degree from the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine in New Jersey, where he graduated as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society and Robert Wood Johnson Alumni Scholar. He received his residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of California at San Francisco, where he also served as Chief Resident. He went on to complete a fellowship in surgical pathology at the University of California at San Francisco. He is board certified in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology.
Dr. Shihabi has worked as a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus (formerly Mt. Diablo Medical Center), since 2003. In addition to his work in general anatomic and clinical pathology, he takes a special interest in hematopathology and gastrointestinal pathology, and oversees the hematology laboratory at the Concord campus. There, he has also served as Chair and President of the Department of Pathology. He is Medical Director of CoCoPath.
Dr. David Zlotnick
Dr. David Zlotnick
Dr. Zlotnick received his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, where he was nominated to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Washington Medical Center, and received the Warren L. Bostick Award for Excellence in Clinical Pathology. He went on to complete surgical pathology and dermatopathology fellowships at the University of Washington Medical Center. He is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and dermatopathology.
Dr. Zlotnick joined Contra Costa Pathology Associates in 2016, and is a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center.
Dr. Abha Soni
Dr. Abha Soni
Dr. Soni earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by a master’s degree in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She then completed her medical degree and returned to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, where she served as Chief Resident in her final year. Dr. Soni is board certified in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Dermatopathology.
Following her residency, Dr. Soni pursued a clinical and research fellowship in Dermatopathology at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Her research focused on cancer immunotherapy, with particular emphasis on Melanoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Merkel Cell Carcinoma.
In addition to her dedication to diagnostic medicine and patient care, Dr. Soni is deeply committed to teaching and mentoring residents and trainees. She is actively involved in the American Society of Dermatopathology and the College of American Pathologists.
Dr. Becky Spies
Dr. Becky Spies
Dr. Spies has been practicing for over 20 years since graduating from University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, where she fellowed in cytopathology and surgical pathology.
She recently served as Vice President of Alta East Bay Pathology, Inc., Medical Director of Cytopathology at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, is Board Certified in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology and Cytopathology.
Dr. Spies contributed in a number of research periodicals and publications during residency and fellowship including but not limited to such topics as; Evaluation of thyroid fine needle aspiration for the detection of neoplasms, Neoadjuvant therapy effects on ductal carcinoma in-situ, Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the central nervous system, and Pathologic and biologic response to preoperative endocrine therapy in patients with ER-positive ductal carcinoma in situ. BMC Cancer.
Notables include being a world class track athlete, a Rhodes Scholar and completing her Master’ thesis with honors at Oxford, England before returning to the Bay Area to continue her education at UCSF.
As a Bay Area native, Dr. Spies brings energy and enthusiasm to the community, and Contra Costa Pathology Associates welcomes Dr. Spies and her expertise to our laboratory team.
Dr. Spies joined Contra Costa Pathology Associates in 2022, and is a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Center.
Dr. Hejazi Nazila
Dr. Hejazi Nazila
Throughout her career, Dr. Hejazi has held significant roles in both academic and clinical settings, including serving as an Assistant Professor of Pathology at California Northstate University and working as a pathologist with Yosemite Pathology Medical Group. Her professional interests include cancer diagnostics, particularly in surgical pathology and cytopathology, and she is actively involved in research and mentorship within the field.
Dr. Hejazi joined Contra Costa Pathology Associates in 2024 and is currently affiliated with Chinese Hospital of San Francisco, where she serves as Medical Director and continues to contribute her expertise in pathology.
Dr. Kakazu Kari
Dr. Kakazu Kari
Dr. Kari Kakazu Dr. Kakazu earned her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, and completed her residency through the Hawaii Residency Program in Honolulu, Hawaii. She further specialized with fellowship training in Surgical Pathology and Hematopathology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. Dr. Kakazu is Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, as well as Hematopathology.
In 2023, Dr. Kakazu joined Contra Costa Pathology Associates and currently serves as a staff pathologist at John Muir Medical Centers in Concord and Walnut Creek. Dr. Nazila Hejazi is a board-certified pathologist with extensive expertise in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Cytopathology. She earned her medical degree from Iran University of Medical Sciences and completed her pathology residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of California, Davis. Dr. Hejazi further specialized with a fellowship in Cytopathology at UC Davis and a post-doctoral fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center.