Salma Aziz, DPM

President

By gathering a community of women physicians to network on behalf of their patients to ultimately provide them with the best health care not only advances community health and well being as well as empowering women doctors to be even more successful as business owners and community leaders. I reflected a lot about my own struggles of establishing a successful caring practice as the main motivation for wanting an organization as such.  More than 22 years ago I found myself in a new state and community with little to no connections within the medical community I was entering. It was not until I met a wonderful OBGYN who informed a women physician group that she had spearheaded and it was there where I met my first fellow women physicians that became my first point of referral base.  As personal life and the practice became busier my participation in this group became less and when I did find the time to rejoin much to my dismay the organization no longer existed.  As I begin a new chapter in my professional life with the expansion of my practice with two wonderful new female associates I realized it was my time to re-establish such an organization to empower new and existing female physicians and pay that which helped me forward.

Jessica Arneson, DPM

Vice President

Throughout my medical and surgical training I have been frequently let down with the lack of volume of female surgeons and leadership in the medical community. As a new foot and ankle surgeon in Orange County I have gained such respect for the many female providers in this area. As a female athlete at University of Pennsylvania I was fortunate to grow with many teammates and friends as they also became health care providers. The small community we developed allowed me to recognize the importance of a strong network of a varying providers to exchange respected knowledge in our individual specialties to better assist patients. I look forward to what this organization can provide for our community.

Petrina Yokay, DPM

Vice President

Competing as a gymnast for many years including collegiately at Auburn University, I formed bonds and relationships with other female athletes which made achieving my goals possible through all of the rigorous challenges. Through these and other experiences, I believe that having a women’s group with other health professionals with similar interests and goals would be beneficial to becoming a better doctor.  As a new podiatrist in Orange County, I envision growing a network with other female health professionals to promote and encourage each other’s aspirations and ultimately provide compassionate and exceptional patient care.