Dr. Jim Atkinson has lived in Colorado for the past 25 years in the Fort Collins area, where a large part of his family also resides. Dr. Atkinson graduated summa cum laude from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, FL and went on to complete a master’s degree in biomedical sciences and medical school at Midwestern University at their campuses in Downers Grove, Illinois and Glendale, Arizona.

Upon graduation from medical school, he attended Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs. During this time, he published multiple articles and presented at College of American Pathologists meetings. After residency, he completed a Gastrointestinal Pathology Fellowship under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Petras at the AmeriPath Institute of GI Pathology and Digestive Disease in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Atkinson joined Mountain States Pathology in 2019 as the lead pathologist and Laboratory Medical Director at Centura’s Parker Adventist Hospital. Dr. Atkinson’s special interests include gastrointestinal pathology, blood bank/transfusion medicine, breast pathology, gynecologic pathology, and prostate pathology.

Mountain States Pathology has been serving Colorado for decades, and in addition to Longmont United Hospital, provides pathology services at ten other Centura hospitals. Through early adoption of a digital pathology platform, the group offers real-time access to pathologists across the region, including a range of subspecialists. Jim is excited be returning to the Longmont area with his wife and three children to serve the laboratory and pathology needs of Longmont United Hospital, its clinicians and patients.

Dr. Ryan Coates is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and has additional training in Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Pathology. Dr. Coates is an original Wyoming resident who completed his undergraduate degree in English from the University of Wyoming and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Upon graduation from medical school, he attended an Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at the University of Vermont Medical Center. During residency, he was actively involved in research and published multiple articles and presented multiple posters at the annual United States and Canadian Academy of Pathologists. In 2017, he was awarded the Rodger C. Haggitt Gastrointestinal Pathology Society Travel Award. Additionally, Dr. Coates was regularly involved in the training and education of medical students. Following residency, Dr. Coates completed fellowship training in Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.

Dr. Coates joined Mountain States Pathology in 2020 and has since become the lead pathologist at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, CO. Dr. Coates’ special interests include gastrointestinal pathology, hepatic (liver) pathology, pancreaticobiliary pathology, and cytopathology.

Dr. Haley Davis is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical pathology and subspecialty certified in Cytopathology. Dr. Davis is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah, and her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Upon graduation from medical school she completed residency at Duke University, where she was chief resident. She was involved in research relating to thyroid cytology and won awards such as the Excellence in Graduate Medical Education award and took the award for 1st place poster at the North Carolina Society of Pathologists Annual Meeting. Additionally she was involved in medical student teaching and had a role as an instructor for the Body and Disease course at Duke University School of Medicine. Following residency, Dr. Davis completed fellowship training in Cytopathology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC.

Dr. Davis joined Mountain States Pathology in 2024 and practices at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, CO where she serves as the medical director. Dr. Davis’ special interests include cytopathology, breast pathology, and genitourinary pathology.

Dr. Kelsey Mansheim is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical pathology, with a training focus in Gynecologic, Gastrointestinal, and Liver pathology, as well as transplant pathology.

Dr. Mansheim completed her undergraduate degree in biological sciences at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX. She then went on to complete her medical degree at University of North Texas, Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas, followed by AP/CP residency training at Brookwood Baptist Health in Birmingham AL, and surgical pathology fellowship training at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. She then joined on as a practicing surgical pathologist and Baylor University Medical Center, where she was heavily involved in the training and education of pathology residents and medical students.

Dr. Mansheim joined Mountain States Pathology in 2022 and is based at Penrose-St Francis Hospital system in Colorado Springs, CO. Her subspeciality interests include gynecologic, GI, liver, and transplant pathology. Dr. Mansheim is a member of the College of American Pathologists, Colorado Medical Society, and El Paso County Medical Society. She is licensed in Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and Alabama. Kelsey is happy to be part of a team-oriented innovative pathology group and enjoys exploring the outdoors and skiing.

Dr. Bruce Melin is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology. He enjoys all aspects of general pathology and is currently one of only a small number of pathologists practicing general pathology in western Kansas. With his work as one of the only pathologists performing autopsies in southwest KS, he has developed a particular interest in the study of forensic pathology.

Dr. Melin received his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology. He then went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School in 1977. He completed a 4-year pathology residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL, in 1981. After spending one year at a small hospital in northwestern Wisconsin, he began what is currently an on-going 41+-year career at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, KS in 1982. He currently is a lab director for St. Catherine Hospital, but also has responsibilities as the lab director of associated hospitals in Ulysses and Dodge City, KS as well. He also supervises labs for Mountain State Pathology in Syracuse and Tribune, KS on a periodic basis.

Dr. Melin is a member of the College of American Pathologists and House of Delegates. He is a past president of the KS Society of Pathologists. He presently serves on the Pathology Liaison Committee to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

Dr. Melin and his wife have been married for 45 years. They have four children and three granddaughters. He enjoys, reading, road cycling, and traveling.

A native of Nebraska, Dr. Erin Merboth graduated with honors from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD before attending medical school at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. She completed residency training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs followed by fellowship in Hematopathology at Oregon Health Science University. Dr. Merboth joined Mountain States Pathology in 2013 and practices general pathology and hematopathology. She has served on numerous hospital committees and teams, and is the current Laboratory Medical Director for Penrose-St. Francis Hospital. She also serves as Treasurer for Mountain States Pathology. In additional to hematopathology, Dr. Merboth’s special interests include breast pathology, gynecologic pathology, flow cytometry and cytogenetics. Erin is happy to be part of a team-oriented innovative pathology group and enjoys life on the front range with her husband and family.

Dr. David Newton joined Mountain States Pathology in July 2005. He attended medical school in his home state of California at Loma Linda Medical Center and completed training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as a fellowship in Hematopathology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Over the years he has served in various capacities including Medical Director of the Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine and Medical Director of Anatomic Pathology. He currently serves as President of Mountain States Pathology. Dr. Newton’s interests include all aspects of his board certified specialty of Hematopathology including performing bone marrows as well as signing out bone marrow, lymph node, and peripheral blood cases. He is also a general surgical pathologist and participates in fine needle aspirations and cytology cases. Dr. Newton enjoys the Colorado Springs outdoors with his wife and three children and looks forward every weekend to bumping into friends and hopefully avoiding injury on the ski slopes and mountain biking trails.

Dr. Ryan Okal is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical pathology with fellowship board certification in Hematopathology. He is originally from West Virginia, where he obtained Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Psychology at West Virginia University in 2008 and his Doctor of Medicine from Marshall University School of Medicine in 2012. After obtaining his medical degree, Dr. Okal returned to West Virginia University for residency training in Anatomic and Clinical pathology and fellowship training in Hematopathology. Dr. Okal joined Mountain States Pathology in 2017 and has been a member on Centura Health Best Practice Teams for Hematology/Coagulation and Histology. He is currently the secretary for Mountain States Pathology and assistant residency director for the Penrose-St. Francis pathology residency program.

Dr. Sammie Roberts is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and dermatopathology. Dr. Roberts grew up in Colorado and attended medical school at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. As a medical student, she was nominated by her peers to membership in the Gold Humanism Honor Society, which recognizes excellence in leadership, compassion, and dedication to service. Dr. Roberts' training at the University of Colorado continued for the duration of her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology. During this time, she was first author on several peer-reviewed journal publications and presented original work at national meetings for professional pathology associations. She then completed a dermatopathology fellowship at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, under the mentorship of Dr. M. Yadira Hurley. At the end of the year, Dr. Roberts was recognized by residents in the dermatology department for her excellence in and dedication to dermatopathology education. After a year in academic practice in Colorado, she joined Mountain States Pathology, where she maintains a focus in dermatopathology as well as general surgical pathology.

Dr. Roberts' professional interests include dermatopathology, soft tissue pathology, and clinical-pathologic correlation. She is passionate about collaborating with her pathologist colleagues and with clinical teams to provide the best interpretation for each patient she cares for through examination of their pathology specimen. Dr. Roberts enjoys spending time outside with her husband and three children, playing piano, and reading fiction, memoirs, and textbooks.

A Chicago native, Dr. Saliba moved to Colorado in 2006 and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She received her medical degree from Rocky Vista University in Parker, Colorado, graduating with honors. Upon graduation from medical school, she completed Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs, serving as chief resident during her fourth year. She then completed a fellowship in Hematopathology at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. As a fellow, she received extensive training in all aspects of neoplastic and non-neoplastic bone marrow and lymph node disorders, molecular diagnostics, and flow cytometry.

Dr. Saliba joined Mountain States Pathology in 2019. She is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as Hematopathology. She is the director of clinical chemistry and hematology at Penrose Hospital and serves as Laboratory Medical Director at St. Mary-Corwin and St. Thomas More Hospitals. She is actively involved in the Breast Care Center Leadership Team at Penrose Hospital. She is a member of the Colorado Medical Society and El Paso County Medical Society.

Dr. Saliba’s primary work sites include Penrose, St. Francis, and Parker Adventist Hospitals. Through the adoption of digital pathology, Dr. Saliba can consult on various cases in real-time from ten surrounding hospitals in Colorado and Kansas. The digital platform allows for rapid collaboration between pathologists of different specialties and improves turnaround time and patient care. Her special interests in hematopathology include acute leukemias, myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative neoplasms, and flow cytometric analysis. In her free time outside of medicine, you’ll find her practicing ballet or exploring the Rocky Mountains with her husband and border collie.