Hospice & Palliative Care Faculty

Dr. Andrew Wagner, a distinguished graduate of UC Irvine Medical School, has been a Board Certified Family Physician since 1985. With a notable career in medical education and patient care, he has held esteemed positions such as Chief of Education and served on the Ethics Committee. He is recognized as a pioneer in AIDS/HIV patient care in California. In 2012, he became Board Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, marking a significant shift towards end-of-life care.

As a faculty member for the Healer's Art Course at UCSF, Dr. Wagner focuses on end-of-life and palliative care, sharing his extensive knowledge with medical students. For the past 15 years, he has been a physician facilitator for Schwartz Rounds, promoting discussions about the emotional challenges of patient care. Currently, he provides inpatient palliative care consults at Sutter Health and continues to teach residents. His work is complemented by his training in guided imagery and integrative medicine. In his spare time, Dr. Wagner, a black belt in Aikido, has trained in martial arts for thirty years.

Emily Palmer is an accomplished nurse practitioner with specialized training from the Duke-Johnson & Johnson APRN Fellowship. She is an Adult and Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC) and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN).

Emily has been recognized with the Emerging Leader Award from the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation, highlighting her dedication and impact in the field. She serves as Clinical Director of Palliative Care, where she leads and innovates in the provision of compassionate care for patients with serious illnesses. Her expertise in advance care planning is reflected in her publications and presentations, including a publication in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Outside of work, she enjoys backyard farming and spending time with her spouse, toddler, and dog.

Jeannie Zanetti is a nurse practitioner specializing in palliative care and certified as an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN). She obtained her master's degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and advanced her training at UCSF to become a certified adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner. She works in palliative care at a cancer center and collaborates closely with a multidisciplinary team to alleviate pain, fatigue, and other symptoms related to cancer and its treatments. Outside of her professional life, Jeannie has a long-standing love for yoga and canoe paddling, is an avid home cook, and is a proud cat mom.

With over 20 years of healthcare experience, Allison Beaman is dedicated to providing exceptional primary and palliative care. She obtained her graduate degree from Graceland University and serves as a nurse practitioner in Idaho, delivering primary and urgent care through house calls, primarily serving rural areas with limited resources. Allison has a passion for helping others in rural communities access care they would otherwise not have, particularly end-of-life care. Certified as a family nurse practitioner by both the ANCC and AANP, she also holds the Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN®) credential. Outside of her professional life, Allison enjoys spending time with her husband and children, exploring the outdoors, listening to music, and reading.

Ashley Williamson is a dedicated nursing professional with extensive experience in healthcare leadership, education, and compliance. She holds dual master's degrees: an MBA in Healthcare Management and an MSN. Her credentials include certifications as a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) and Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN). She also serves as a CHAP Hospice Consultant.

With a career spanning roles such as Case Manager, Nursing Clinical Instructor, Informatics and Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Coordinator of Patient Services, and Director of Education and Compliance Training, Ashley has developed a robust skill set in clinical education, compliance, and operations. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her children, baking and cooking, crafting, and staying active.

Rachel is a dynamic healthcare leader with extensive experience in strategic leadership, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. As a Director for a hospice organization, she oversees education, quality, and compliance programs, driving operational excellence. Rachel is recognized for her ability to implement innovative solutions that enhance patient care.

As a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (CHPN) since 2006 and an HPNA Approved Educator, Rachel is committed to advancing hospice and palliative care through education and mentorship. With a proven track record in developing quality programs and leading process improvements, she excels at engaging teams and mentoring future leaders. Outside of her professional endeavors, Rachel enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Elizabeth Hayward is an accomplished healthcare leader in hospice and palliative care. As Director of Medical Services at a hospice organization, she leverages extensive nursing experience in hospice to enhance care delivery and operational efficiency, ensuring patients receive compassionate, high-quality care.

With a Master's degree in Business Administration and certification as a CHPN, Elizabeth brings expertise from both bedside and leadership roles, including Associate Director of Clinical Services and Clinical Patient Care Manager. Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time by the ocean.

Mei Kameda is a palliative care social worker serving patients and loved ones across inpatient and outpatient settings. Mei finds deep meaning in understanding how each individual defines an acceptable quality of life and supporting them in aligning their care with those values. Her professional interests include normalizing experiences of grief, exploring health care bioethics, and using language in health care settings to promote patient-centered and inclusive delivery of care.

Mei serves on the Board of Directors for the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) and co-chairs its Education Committee. Outside of work, Mei enjoys exercising, baking, and spending time with her rescue dogs.

Dr. Yashvant Bodar is a physician and researcher with a passion for advancing health. As a primary care physician, he is delivering preventive health services and chronic disease management to diverse patient populations. He is also passionate about community health, having led an initiative focused on expanding access to women's health screenings. Outside of medicine, Dr. Bodar enjoys cooking vegetarian cuisine, gardening and landscape photography.

Dr. Ambica Koul is a physician and medical writer. Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Koul is an active contributor to the medical community as a researcher and writer. She has authored peer-reviewed academic publications and regularly develops evidence-based educational content, exam preparation resources, and clinical rationales for healthcare professionals. Fluent in multiple languages, Dr. Koul is deeply committed to delivering empathetic, culturally competent, and evidence-based patient care.

Dr. Dobariya is a physician with experience in clinical medicine and medical education. He has provided primary and emergency care across a broad range of acute and chronic conditions and has experience reviewing medical education content and assessment questions for clinical accuracy, evidence-based practice, and alignment with current standards. His background includes evaluating educational materials, providing structured editorial feedback, and helping ensure high-quality learning resources for medical trainees. Dr. Dobariya is committed to advancing medical education by developing accurate, evidence-based content that supports healthcare professionals in building clinical knowledge and confidence.

Dr. Chadda is a physician, clinical researcher, and medical educator with experience in clinical practice, medical research, and healthcare education. He has worked as a Medical Officer and Medical Content Developer, where he created and reviewed educational resources for medical learners. He also served as Research Project Coordinator, contributing to multicenter pediatric infectious disease research. Dr. Chadda has authored multiple publications in PubMed-indexed journals, presented research at national and international conferences, and is passionate about developing evidence-based, clinically relevant educational content that helps healthcare professionals prepare for certification and advance their practice.