Title: 1) Owner 2) Surgical Resident
Company: 1) Gigi’s Alpaca Farm, LLC 2) The University of Arizona
Location: Kansas City, KS
Education: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City University (2024); MS in Biomedical Sciences, Kansas City University (2019); Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, The University of Kansas (2017)
Career History: Surgical Resident, The University of Arizona (2025-Present)
Dr. Glynis L. Castaneda, DO, MS, Surgical Resident at the University of Arizona, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of healthcare.
Inspired by her Native American and Mexican heritage at a young age, Dr. Castaneda knew firsthand the need for greater representation and health care access in these communities in her hometown of Kansas City, Kansas. This served as a motivator for her to pursue a career in surgery, a field with a low percentage of Native American women. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Kansas in 2017 and subsequently continued her education at Kansas City University, where she attained a master’s degree in biomedical sciences and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
Since 2025, Dr. Castaneda has been active as a surgical resident at the University of Arizona, where she performs surgical multiple specialties, conducts and publishes trauma and surgery research, and currently ranks within the top 10 percent nationally among first-year surgical interns for operative volume. She also takes pride in mentoring students, from high school through medical school, and advocates for Native American and underserved communities, working with the chief of the Cherokee Nation to improve tribal health care and volunteering at free clinics for those without access. As a further testament to her dedication, she is a member of the American College of Surgeons and American Osteopathic Association.
Concurrently, in addition to her primary endeavors, Dr. Castaneda has been active since 2020 as the owner of GG’s Alpaca Farm, LLC, a sustainable farm and provider of high-quality clothing and accessories made from alpaca wool, sold through her website, GGsFleece.com. She has also run Lucky 13 Rock Company, since 2024, which utilizes natural river gravel, sand, and stone for construction services, both residential and commercial projects, and Glynis Leigh LLC, established in 2023, where she oversees her handmade jewelry business and content creation across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Castaneda intends to complete her surgical residency, engage in research to advance the field of medicine for all, continue expand her diverse portfolio of companies, and focus on finding and solving problems where her skills and expertise can benefit communities. An active participant with Make-A-Wish Foundation activities throughout Kansas and Missouri, she also aims to increase her philanthropic and volunteer work, continually seeking new opportunities to assist those in need.