Family Medicine - Faculty

All members of the Department of hold appointments through the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. The Department has more than 60 community volunteer physicians that work with resident physicians and students. These community volunteer physicians hold clinical faculty appointments from MSU-CHM.

Edward Jackson, M.D., is the Chair of Family Medicine and the Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department. Dr. Jackson is currently a Professor of Family Medicine for the Michigan State University medical students. He holds  certificates of added qualifications in Geriatrics and Hospice and Palliative Care. In 1999 Dr. Jackson received the Outstanding Community Faculty Award from MSU. In 2003 he received the Outstanding Clinician Award from MSU/CHM.  He was recognized as  one of the top Family Physicians for the state of Michigan in 2008.  Most recently his efforts in teaching residents, medical students and fellow Family Physicians was rewarded with the Family Physician Educator of the Year Award for 2009, given by the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians.  Dr. Jackson is a past (2000-2001) President of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians and currently serves as the on multiple volunteer committees for the MAFP, as a member of the committees on Legislative Affairs, Practice Environments and Economics, Residency directors and also the committee on professional education.
Stuart Rupke, M.D., is an Assistant Program Director. Dr. Rupke joined our faculty after years of private practice in the mountains of western Virginia. He serves as Director of Grand Round Presentations, and completed a fellowship in faculty development through Michigan State University.
William Morrone, D.O., Assistant Program Director William R. Morrone, DO, is married with two children, has been Assistant Adjunct Faculty of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), Des Moines University and is now Asst Director of Family Medicine at Synergy Medical Education Alliance (MSUCHM).  Dr. Morrone has also been the Director of Pathology at American Medical Missionary Care, Saginaw County, Michigan and is a current Medical  Director at Hospice of Michigan CT101 on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan and Saginaw. Dr. Morrone is a graduate of Michigan State University (MSUCOM), served his internship in internal medicine in Lansing at Ingham Regional Medical Center and his residency in family medicine at the Michigan State University statewide campus site  at Bay Regional Medical Center.  He is double board certified by the American College of Osteopathic Family Practitioners and the American Academy of Pain Management.  Owosso Memorial Hospital has granted Dr. Morrone consulting privileges to work in a hospital setting.  Dr. Morrone holds a DEA license for treatment of opioid dependence with buprenophine. Dr. Morrone is an active addiction  educator and social advocate in pain management and has contributed numerous didactic pieces to the state medical societies in this area.  He also holds a graduate degree in toxicology and pharmacology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, graduate school of pharmacy.  Most notable to pop culture cable TV news viewers is that he has been on Nancy Grace-CNN Headline News, Court TV, CNN, FOXNews Channel and MSNBC giving medical opinions on everything from child care to lead paint or death and the 6 stages of decomposition.  Public Service is no stranger to Dr. Morrone as he is a Medical Examiner and has been a volunteer firefighter.
Sreeram Gonnalagadda, M.D., Assistant Program Director Dr G as he is known graduated in 2008 after serving as a chief resident.  He is currently the undergraduate student coordinator for all student clerkship activities.  He is responsible for 7 clerkships a year and is well liked and well received in his lectures and small group workshops with the students.
Maria Klahre, M.D., Assistant Program Director, comes to our program after three years of work at a federally qualified health center in White Cloud, Michigan.  Prior to that she was in private practice in South Bend,  Indiana.  She graduated from residency in family medicine at Memorial Hospital of South Bend in 1996.  Before acquiring her M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond she had a short but rewarding career as an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren.   She applies her Master of Divinity degree to her practice in medicine as a way of treating the whole person, the ultimate goal of family health care.
Deb Bonitz, Ph.D., Director of Behavioral Medicine, Dr. Bonitz earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. She completed a two-year APA-accredited postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology with the MSU/FAME Professional Psychology Consortium in Flint, Michigan in September 2005.  Dr. Bonitz develop s the psychological knowledge,  doctor -patient relationship skills, and communication skills of the Family Medicine residents.  She accomplishes these through didactics and feedback from shadowing or live observation of the residents at Generations Family Care Clinic. In addition, Dr. Bonitz accepts referrals from the Family Medicine residents and faculty as psychotherapy patients.
Elaine Gunn, M.D.,  Pediatric Director and adjunct instructor. Dr. Gunn assists in the medical education of residents and medical students. Dr. Gunn completed her residency training at Detroit Medical Center-Wayne State University.
Osama Elsabagh, M.D.,  Pediatric Physician and adjunct instructor.
Robert Vitu, M.D., serves as a volunteer faculty member in the Family Medicine Center each week. Dr. Vitu had a successful private practice in Saginaw for many years, and is a past-president of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians.
Lawrence LaLonde, M.D., serves as a part-time Assistant Director. Dr. LaLonde has a busy private practice, and his clinical experience is of great value when he precepts in the Family Medicine Center twice a month.
Arup Sakar, M.D.,  Dr Sarkar serves a role as a community faculty who works with the residents on a weekly basis as a staffing preceptor.  He brings a “real world” prospective to the residents.  He has a very busy and successful practice in a rural part of Saginaw county.  He graduated in 2005 and started in private practice.  Within 9 months of opening his practice sponsored by one the local hospitals,  he was able to generate and exceed his business projections for income, and patient care, evidence of his success in practice.