Kemia Sarraf, MD, MPH

Kemia Sarraf, MD, MPH, joined Southern Illinois University’s School of Medicine as Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in 2020. Her work centers on mitigating the multivariate pain points that exist at the intersection of racism and trauma, in facilitating what she refers to as “intratraumatic growth,” and in creating trauma-aware containers and culture for the work being done to advance SIU’s stated mission to become an anti-racist institution.

Dr. Sarraf is an internist, educator and physician and leadership coach whose subspecialty paradigm focuses on coaching in and beyond severe burnout, toxic stress and the trauma of these times. Her experiential-style facilitation is deliberately constructed to advance co-creation of 360° universal trauma precautions in groups, organizations, and institutions.

In addition to her work at the school of medicine, Dr. Sarraf is the Founder and CEO of Lodestar, a consulting and coaching company that works with private clients and institutions across the country and internationally. Dr. Sarraf received her Medical Degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine.

Kemia and her physician-husband (Jeff) have been married for more than two decades and live on a small, working farm in Central Illinois where they are raising four sons and too many farm critters to count.