Meet the team behind
Gastro Centers of America

Zachary Jones is CEO of Gastro Centers of America, a multi-state gastroenterology platform with locations across Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Before building GCA, Zachary was a healthcare entrepreneur and held leadership roles at Amazon and Copal Partners. He began his career in equity research at Sanford C. Bernstein.

Zachary currently serves on the boards of EndoscopyMD, Odyssey Autism, and Avenue Dermatology. He holds a BA, magna cum laude, from Columbia University.

Dr. Rudy Rai is a Board-Certified Gastroenterologist with 30 years of clinical experience, who currently serves as Co-Founder & Clinical Director of Gastro Centers of America, responsible for the clinical direction of the group. He is also the Founder & Clinical Director of Gastro Center of Maryland.

He completed his Gastroenterology & Hepatology Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University and completed an additional year of Advanced Fellowship in Transplant Hepatology. He was on the Medical Faculty at Johns Hopkins University in the Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology from 1997 to 2005, serving as Medical Director of Adult Liver Transplantation and Director of Clinical Effectiveness. He completed an MBA from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business in 2005.

Dr. Rai is considered a national thought leader and expert in Gastroenterology and Liver disease. He has received numerous awards including the Excellence in Clinical Research Award from the American College of Gastroenterology (2011), the Passano Clinician Scientist Award from Johns Hopkins University, and the Industry Research Scholar Award & Astra-Merck Award from the American Digestive Health Foundation. He has published dozens of scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals, written chapters for medical textbooks, and pioneered innovative medical techniques. He has also been an innovator in medical technology and Digital Health through Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures.

Dr. Rushi Talati is a board-certified gastroenterologist and Director of Strategy for Gastro Centers of America. In this role, he drives the group's growth strategy — including expanding into new states, launching ancillary and advanced-diagnostic service lines, and building AI-enabled infrastructure.

He brings cross-sector expertise spanning clinical medicine, health policy, and entrepreneurship. His path to healthcare strategy includes a role at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, where his work on value-based care earned him a place on the Forbes '30 Under 30' list. Prior to that, he co-founded a medical device startup, inventing its core technology and securing early-stage funding.

Dr. Talati holds a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford. He earned his MD/MBA from Northwestern, and completed his residency, chief residency, and fellowship at NYU.

Deena Thomas brings more than 27 years of hands-on experience in healthcare operations and ambulatory surgery center leadership. Beginning her career on the ground floor, Deena steadily advanced through the industry by mastering every facet of the business, earning a reputation for efficiency and deep process-oriented insight.

Her career reflects a rare combination of day-to-day workflow understanding and executive-level strategy, allowing her to build strong teams, streamline operations, and drive exceptional patient and physician experiences throughout the region.

Anna Pomyatinskaya serves as General Manager of Expansion at Gastro Centers of America, where she leads the development and launch of de novo ASCs across multiple states, overseeing site activation from planning through go-live.

Anna holds an MBA from Marshall University. A former Division I tennis player and graduate of IMG Tennis Academy, she brings to leadership the same discipline and competitive mindset that defined her athletic career.

Stephanie Ochs serves as Director of Business Development and Marketing at Gastro Centers of America. She leads physician relations, referral growth initiatives, marketing strategy, and business development efforts across the organization.

Prior to joining GCA, Stephanie built a strong foundation in pharmaceutical sales, where she consistently drove provider engagement, territory growth, and product adoption across assigned markets. She was responsible for managing high-volume physician relationships, executing strategic sales initiatives, and meeting or exceeding performance targets in competitive healthcare environments.

Stephanie brings a results-driven approach to healthcare business development, combining her pharmaceutical sales background with her experience in physician relations and healthcare marketing to support organizational growth and expansion.

Megan Butler, RN is a healthcare leader with over 15 years of nursing and clinical management experience in ambulatory surgery centers across multiple specialties. She has extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and process improvement, with a passion for building systems and workflows that support exceptional patient care and high-performing teams.

Known for her problem-solving mindset and ability to develop practical solutions, Megan enjoys creating scalable processes that drive operational success. Most recently, she has focused on applying her regulatory and operational expertise to the development of new ambulatory surgery centers across multiple states, helping build compliant and efficient ASC operations from the ground up.

Dr. Farzin Rashti is board certified in Gastroenterology & Hepatology and Internal Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency and Gastroenterology & Hepatology Fellowship at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC.

Dr. Rashti believes in developing a partnership with his patients to create individualized treatment plans through meaningful connections. He has authored numerous scholarly articles and book chapters, presenting research at national gastroenterology conferences. Notably, he helped design protocols for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for the treatment of recurrent Clostridium Difficile infections.

He serves as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and maintains membership in the American Medical Association, American Gastroenterological Association, and American College of Gastroenterology. Dr. Rashti specializes in inflammatory bowel disease, acid reflux, IBS, liver disease, celiac disease, ERCP, Single Balloon Enteroscopy, and endoscopic suturing techniques.

Dr. Johann Hasbun is a board-certified, fellowship-trained gastroenterologist dedicated to providing compassionate, patient-centered care. He considers it a privilege to walk alongside his patients through their health journeys and is committed to creating a welcoming environment where they feel heard, understood, and supported.

Dr. Hasbun cares for patients with the full spectrum of gastrointestinal conditions. He believes that excellent care begins with clear communication and strong relationships, and he prioritizes patient education so individuals can make informed decisions about their health with confidence. With more than a decade of experience, he brings a thoughtful, whole-person approach to every visit — focusing not only on treating symptoms, but also on improving overall well-being and quality of life.

He completed his gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine, following his internal medicine residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He earned his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

Dr. Kirsti Campbell is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Originally from Winchester, Virginia, Dr. Campbell earned a BSc in Biology with highest distinction from the University of Virginia. She studied medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. After graduating, she stayed in Boston for internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, respectively.

During her time in medical training, Dr. Campbell collaborated on several published manuscripts and a book chapter. She has also served on committees and in leadership positions advocating for LGBTQ patients and providers.

Now at Gastro Virginia, Dr. Campbell has an interest in maximizing the quality of screening colonoscopies and treats a wide variety of conditions, including GERD, dyspepsia, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac, liver diseases and irritable bowel syndrome. She is committed to providing an approachable atmosphere in which patients can collaborate in improving their gastrointestinal and overall wellbeing.