Emilse Almanza, M.D.
Hometown: Fairfield, CT
Medical School: University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Research Interest: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN? I love the specialty of OB/GYN because it combines surgical skill with long-term patient care, supports women through life-changing moments, and allows me to advocate for reproductive health.
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? I love the beach and swimming. I hope one day to learn how to scuba dive!
What are some small things that make your day great? When I get to see my co-residents from my graduating class and free food Friday!
How do you relax at the end of the day? I like to relax by drinking some tea and catching up with friends over the phone.
What languages do you speak? Spanish and English
Favorite thing about Connecticut? I love how Connecticut has four seasons and the close proximity to Boston and NYC!
Fun fact about your family? My parents are both Peruvian, and I was born in Argentina. I have two younger brothers who I am very close with!
What is something that everyone should do at least once in their life? Everyone should travel solo at least once—it challenges you and helps build confidence.
If you had to give a 20-minute talk without any preparation, what would you discuss? I’d talk about the power of choice in women’s health—how access to information, resources, and autonomy allows women to make informed decisions about their bodies, their care, and their futures. Empowering choice is key to achieving true health equity and well-being.
Lindsey Hurley, M.D.
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Medical School: Tufts School of Medicine
Research Interest: Placenta accreta spectrum
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN: This program is full of residents that inspire me every day to be a better doctor, educator, and patient advocate. We are privileged to serve a diverse patient population across three different hospitals. Each one offers unique learning opportunities resulting in a well-rounded training program. Not to mention Free Lunch Friday and Craft Night!
Favorite thing about Connecticut: Long walks at local trails, local breweries, exploring new restaurants; proximity to Boston and NYC
What are some small things that make your day great? Team Starbucks runs at Hartford Hospital.
How do you relax at the end of the day? Walk around the neighborhood with my husband and our two dogs, and the occasional Peloton class when I am feeling really motivated
What is something that everyone should do at least once in their life? Get a dog, scratch that... get two! It’s chaotic, but in a good way (not unlike OB/GYN!)
Haddijatou Jallow, M.D., Preferred Name: Haddija
Hometown: The Gambia
Medical School: New York Medical College
Research Interest: Global health, health care in low-resource areas, maternal morbidity, and mortality
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN: The diversity of the residents and faculty. I also love the fact that there is a variety of rotations, and we get to experience working with different faculty in multiple OB/GYN specialties at different sites. I also really love to have had the opportunity to learn from the ICU team during the first year about how to take care of our sickest OB/GYN patients.
Favorite thing about Connecticut: The beautiful fall foliage.
Fun fact about your family? My two daughters look very much alike. I tell them they are twins born four years apart.
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? Travelling around the world to experience different places and cultures.
What are some small things that make your day great? Eating my three meals on time, spending some time with my family at the end of the day. It is such a beautiful feeling to have my 2-year-old hug me and say “mommy” when I come home from a long day at the hospital.
What languages do you speak? Fulani (my ethnic language), Wolof (everyone speaks/ understands this language in the Gambia), French (which was the second language I learned in school), and, of course, English.
How do you relax at the end of the day? Watch a Senegalese show with my husband.
Shrisha Maskey, M.D.
Sydney Miller, M.D.
Rachel Moody, M.D.
Hometown: Richmond, RI
Medical School: Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Research Interest: Gynecologic surgery
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN?: There are so many reasons! I love that this is a large program with 40 residents and three clinical sites, which allows us to have such a wide variety of cases, patient populations, and different teams to work with. We get such a broad range of experiences and plenty of opportunities to see complex clinical cases. Plus, my co-residents and attendings are wonderful to work with and learn from!
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? I would learn how to play guitar
What are some small things that make your day great? Getting a perfectly made iced coffee, having a fresh manicure, and free lunch Friday
How do you relax at the end of the day? Going on a long walk with my fiancée, cuddling with my cat, and watching The Bachelor!
If you had to give a 20-minute talk without any preparation, what would you discuss? The best ways to fancify boxed mac and cheese
Kelly Rios, M.D.
Hometown: Stratford, CT
Medical School: University of Connecticut
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN? Not only do we serve a wide variety of patients, but we also learn from and work with attendings and staff from so many different walks of life!
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? I would learn to ski!
How do you relax at the end of the day? A workout, an episode, a chapter, and/or a sweet treat (the combination of which depends heavily on the current rotation!)
Favorite thing about Connecticut? Aside from the UConn Huskies, I love that there is something fun to do here in every season! My favorite is the fall since it’s all about enjoying the changing leaves, whether that’s through hiking, during apple picking, or while indulging in some apple cider donuts!
Fun fact about your family? I am an Auntie to two sets of twin girls, and they’re six months apart in age!
What is something that everyone should do at least once in their life? Try a food you think you would hate! Mine was oysters. Even though I still don’t get the hype, I’m glad I can at least have an opinion about them (especially as a born and bred New Englander).
If you had to give a 20-minute talk without any preparation, what would you discuss? “What to Look for in a Rental Property (and How to Bargain for the Price It’s Actually Worth)” because in true millennial fashion, I rented for over 10 years and am now passionate about the quality of windows and door locks.
Erika Rodriguez, M.D.
Hometown: Stamford, CT
Medical School: Boston University
Research Interest: improving representation in research and making fertility care more accessible
Why do you love UConn OB/GYN? My co-residents. Even though it's cheesy, they really make the long work hours pass so much more quickly. Also, so unbelievably fun getting to learn and operate with your friends!
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? I would be a professional chef or baker
What are some small things that make your day great? Coffee runs and getting treats with co-residents
How do you relax at the end of the day? Enjoying TV series, cooking, and baking
Favorite thing about Connecticut: Location, location, location. I love living in a state with so much to offer but also being close to so many amazing New England adventures. When your time off is limited, it is important to be 15 minutes away from a day of kayaking, hiking, Costco or 45 minutes away from the beach.
If you had to give a 20-minute talk without any preparation what would you discuss? I would 100% discuss beekeeping. I started keeping bees several years ago. Unfortunately, they did not make the move to Connecticut with me. I am obsessed with how honeybee colonies function and what beekeepers do to encourage or discourage their natural tendencies. My favorite book on honeybee behaviors is The Honeybee Democracy by Thomas Seeley. We have a lot to learn from the way honeybees make decisions as a hive.
What hobby would you start if time and money weren’t an issue? I want to have the most amazing garden; however, I think it would slowly evolve into a farm. I have always been a balcony gardener. When/if I have the time and money, I would love to plant my outdoor plants outdoors. Ideally, I would have a vegetable garden and a flower garden. A few chickens are also on my list. Obviously, I would also have beehives everywhere.
What are some small things that make your day great? Small things are so important in residency! Here is my list: the greeting from security at the Hartford doors, running into co-resident on other services in the elevator headed to sign out, when the nurses do a Starbucks run, finishing a book, handing the patients their new baby after a C-section, text from my grandma with updates about the stray cats she feeds, walks with my dogs.
Jeannine Whelan, M.D.
