Saturday, February 15th, 9:00AM-3:00PM

Nicholson Tower at OUHSC 

This year’s theme, Healthcare and Immigration, brings awareness to how legislation at the local, state, and national level impacts patients and the care they receive. Through thought-provoking discussion, our conference aims to bring together healthcare students and professionals in a dynamic platform where they can explore and dissect existing policies that contribute to the current healthcare landscape. We hope to inspire healthcare workers to advocate for patients and address the unique challenges that they face at the intersection between healthcare and immigration.

The Bridges To Access Team also wanted to put our mission statement into action and advocate for the health and well-being of our community. Our Community Outreach Event will provide free health screenings to the OKC community on Friday, January 18th at NW Classen.

Letter From The Chair

The heart of Bridges to Access is to spark important conversations about healthcare issues and empower medical professionals with the knowledge to make change. Healthcare and immigration is profoundly important – as a nation of immigrants, our lives have been enriched by the diverse experiences of our neighbors. But the barriers that immigrant communities face are extensive; cultural differences, language barriers, and geographic distance are a few of the many factors that make it challenging for immigrants to access the healthcare they deserve

By understanding the barriers that immigrant communities in Oklahoma face, we, as medical professionals, can strive towards a more equitable future. One in which individuals from all walks of life are able to access quality healthcare and historically underserved communities are provided the resources they need. We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, February 15th, 2025, to learn more about Healthcare and Immigration at the Bridges to Access 2025 conference.

Sincerely,

Ish Bhanot

Doris Baccala (She/her/ella)

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Doris Baccala graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with a Master’s in Social Work under the Title IV-E Program, specializing in work with children and families. She has done extensive research in Adverse Childhood Experiences and dedicated her thesis to investigating the impacts of trauma. Doris was a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and co-founded California Dreamers, a nonprofit aimed at helping DACA recipients navigate higher education and advocating for immigration reform. The organization California Dreamers and Doris seeks to change the negative narrative portrayal of immigrants by sharing personal stories and advocating for a pathway to citizenship for the 800,000 estimated DACA beneficiaries.

As a bicultural and bilingual therapist, Doris offers compassionate, culturally responsive support to Latinx youth, young adults, and families. She specializes in trauma-informed care and strengths-based approaches, including TF-CBT, Parent Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT), Play Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). 

Her work emphasizes mental health and immigration issues, aiming to support clients facing life transitions, trauma, and stressors unique to the immigrant experience, such as fear of deportation, family separation, cultural and language barriers, discrimination, financial insecurity, and the struggle to navigate complex legal systems.

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Dr. Talal Ali Khan, MD, FACP, FASN, FRCP

Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Sciences Center

Dr. Talal Ali Khan is an accomplished nephrologist, educator, and humanitarian with experience in global health and disaster medicine. He currently serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) and a Consultant Nephrologist at the VA Oklahoma City. A graduate of Rawalpindi Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan, Dr. Khan completed specialized training in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. He is recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), the American Society of Nephrology (FASN), and the Royal College of Physicians (UK) (FRCP).

Beyond his academic and clinical expertise, Dr. Khan is deeply committed to humanitarian and global health efforts. In July and August of 2024, Dr. Khan went to Gaza on a medical mission, volunteering with the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA). On this mission, he provided critical care to Palestinians who were facing immense obstacles to healthcare access amidst the ongoing genocide. He saw firsthand the deliberate targeting of hospitals and clinics, leading to a healthcare crisis and shortage of medical services and supplies. Drawing on his extensive medical expertise and compassionate approach, Dr. Khan worked alongside a multidisciplinary team to deliver life-saving care and address urgent health disparities.

Imam Emad Enchassi (He/Him)

Senior Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City

Dr. Imad Enchassi is currently the Chairman of Islamic Studies, Chaplain and professor at the Wimberly School of Religion at Oklahoma City University. He serves as an adjunct professor of Islamic Studies at Phillips Theological Seminary and St. Paul’s School of Theology. He is also the Senior Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City. 

Dr. Enchassi grew up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. He spent his childhood surrounded by war and conflict but became a volunteer as a white helmet for the Red Cross during the war when he was a teenager. 

Dr. Enchassi has over 8 Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph. D degrees from Texas Tech University, South Plains College, Southern Nazarene University, University of Phoenix and Dawa University. He has earned degrees in Human Resources, Leadership and Islamic Studies. His courses include Introduction to World Religions, Introduction to Islam, Religious Pluralism and Interreligious Dialogue, Judeo-Christian Roots of Islam, The Muslim Experience in America, and Survey of the Major Themes in the Quran. 

In 2004, Dr. Enchassi became the founder and executive director of the Mercy Education Foundation and the president and Imam of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City (ISGOC). Many philanthropic initiatives and programs have been started under Enchassi’s leadership including the Mercy Food Pantry, the Shifa Clinic and the Mercy Cemetery – Oklahoma’s first Islamic cemetery. Mercy School is an established K – 12 school in Edmond, Oklahoma and the Shifa Clinic is a free clinic across from ISGOC. 

Dr. Enchassi has served on various advisory councils and educational boards including for the Council on American Islamic Relations, Mercy School in Edmond and the Inclusion and Diversity Consortium by Schnake Turnbo Frank. He is a highly requested public speaker for academic institutions, interfaith events and statewide government functions because of his expertise in comparative religions, interfaith dialogue, human rights and Muslim principles. 

Dr. Enchassi has received much recognition from the Oklahoman community including CAIR Oklahoma’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, Oklahoma City’s Dialogue Institute ‘Dialogue Award’, the Interfaith Alliance’s ‘Community Service Award’, and the OCCJ ‘Humanitarian Award’. Dr. Enchassi has been published in multiple articles and newspapers including The Oklahoman, The Journal Record, NonDoc Media, GoodFaith Media and has been interviewed by various news channels, podcasts and journalists. He has also been featured in media outlets including CNN, MSNBC, ABC, BBC and Al-Jazeera. 

Dr. Enchassi resides in Oklahoma City with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He is a published author with his book, Cloud Miles, and is currently working on his second book, ‘Survey of the Quran’.

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Jayra Camaren, CDSVRP (She/her)

Founder of La Luz Organization

Jayra Camarena, CDSVRP,  is the founder and executive director of La Luz organization. In this capacity, she has developed the organization's trauma-informed, culturally specific faith-based services for Latino victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and provided leadership and oversight for all of the organization day to day. Jayra has over 15 years of direct victim service. A significant aspect of her work is providing expert witness testimony for court proceedings related to domestic violence, showcasing her credibility and influence in the legal aspect of the field. Jayra has been given the opportunity to participate in several international and local media opportunities, including The Mexican government's Woman Right Week campaign, the Guatemalan government's Crime Against Women campaign, the Oklahoma state partnership conferences, Church seminars, and numerous local television and radio show appearances. She is entering her second year of providing advocacy insight on the Oklahoma State University-OKC Crime Victim Survivor Services, her 2nd year on the Domestic Violence Sexual Assault  Advisory Council For The Attorney General , and was recently appointed to the Oklahoma Governor's Hispanic Council.

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Dr. Lubna Mirza

Endocrinologist and Diabetes Specialist at Norman Regional Hospital

Dr. Lubna Mirza was honored with the prestigious 2021 American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Outstanding Service Award for her dedicated advocacy and service in advancing endocrine health among underserved communities. Graduating from Chandka Medical College, Larkana, Pakistan, in 1999, she pursued her residency training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, graduating in 2008, and subsequently completed a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2010.

Since 2010, Dr. Mirza has been actively practicing as an Endocrinologist and Diabetes Specialist at Norman Regional Hospital. Additionally, she generously contributes her expertise as a volunteer faculty member for the Comanche Memorial Hospital Family Practice residency program in Lawton, Oklahoma, and serves as a volunteer Endocrinologist at Shifa Clinic in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Mirza holds the distinction of being the first Endocrinologist from Chandka Medical College. She is also recognized as the author of "Everything You Need to Know About Diabetes" in Urdu. Her scholarly contributions extend to peer-reviewed journals and national scientific meetings, where she has delivered oral presentations and presented posters. Notably, she has authored over two hundred articles in Urdu for the online magazine Humsub, championing awareness on women's health, diabetes, and other endocrine disorders.

Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Mirza remains deeply engaged in community service. She has volunteered at a free clinic in a remote village in Pakistan and has imparted knowledge of Endocrinology to international medical graduates across various countries, including Egypt, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Canada, Russia, and Ecuador.

Locally, Dr. Mirza is an active member of various organizations, hosting a weekly book club and holding the position of Vice-President at her local Unitarian Universalist congregation.

Residing in Norman, Oklahoma, with her partner Tom Taylor, Dr. Mirza is a proud parent to two university attendees, Naveed and Isha. Her family also includes a beloved dog named Stormy and a cat named Tina. Committed to lifelong learning and leveraging her expertise for the betterment of society, Dr. Mirza embodies a profound dedication to her professional and personal endeavors.

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