Meet Our Staff

David E. Benton

Dr. Benton studied chemistry at Brigham Young University and was accepted to start medical school before completing his undergraduate degree. Dr. Benton graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1976. He moved to Phoenix and completed a residency in family practice at Good Samaritan Medical Center. In 1979 he moved to Gilbert and started his own medical practice that later became Mesa Family Physicians.

Dr. Benton completes over 50 hours of continuing medical education each year and has maintained board certification and recertification in Family Practice every six to seven years.

Dr. Benton has actively served as a preceptor for family nurse practitioner students from Arizona State University. For several years, he has served on the Board of Directors of Desert Physicians Association. Dr. Benton is also on active staff at Banner Desert Hospital.

Dr. Benton has volunteered with the Arizona Voluntary Medical Team in El Salvador, with Hands Across the Ocean in Tonga, and with Southern Cross Humanitarian in Peru. He also speaks Spanish fluently as a result of spending two years in Guatemala and El Salvador as a Mormon missionary.

Jamison Jones, DO

Dr. Jones completed his undergraduate program at Brigham Young University with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Spanish. He then attended medical school at Midwestern University’s Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Jones went on to complete his residency in Family Medicine at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a native Arizonan, he was thrilled to return home to Mesa and join Mesa Family Physicians in 2022.

Dr. Jones served as Chief Resident during his time in Oklahoma, tasked with leading and representing his 38 fellow residents. His duties included coordinating and planning weekly continuing education sessions, developing new residency curricula, and advocating for resident needs and concerns.

Dr. Jones cares deeply about this community and is especially passionate about preventative care and primary prevention of chronic disease. He also speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys using it to work with and care for Hispanic community-members. He and his family live in Mesa. In his free time, Dr. Jones is usually gaming with family and friends, enjoying time with his dog Penelope, or out hiking.

James A. Gunn, M.D.

Dr. James Gunn is an Arizona native and long-time resident of Mesa. He attended Arizona State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Biology and a minor in Spanish. Dr. Gunn earned his medical degree from La Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. After a pre-internship program in New Rochelle, through New York Medical College, Dr. Gunn went on complete his Family Medicine residency at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. He was pleased to join Mesa Family Physicians in August of 2013.

A second-generation physician, Dr. Gunn exemplifies the qualities of a good medical practitioner. As a resident, Dr. Gunn was the two-time winner of the Bedside Manner Award, the recipient of the 2013 STFM Resident Educator of the Year Award, as well as Resident of the Year 2013. Having served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Argentina, and attended medical school in Guadalajara, Mexico, Dr. Gunn speaks Spanish at near-native fluency. Adventurous in nature, Dr. Gunn is a volunteer with the Phoenix Chapter of the Flying Samaritans and has fulfilled several medical missions as both a physician and a translator; including the Haiti earthquake relief efforts in 2010.

Dr. Gunn currently resides in Gilbert with his beautiful wife and three amazing daughters. He enjoys the outdoors, sports, traveling and spending time with his family.

Mark Porvaznik, DO

Dr. Porvaznik spent much of his upbringing traveling the country, as he was raised in a military family, but he has now set up roots in Arizona where his wife was born and raised. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, with a minor in psychology, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He then went on to obtain his Master’s degree in Biodefense from George Mason University. Afterward, he worked as a medical assistant at a cardiology office, which inspired him to explore the medical field further, and he subsequently attended AT Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine to obtain his medical degree. Dr. Porvaznik completed his residency in Family Medicine at Monroe Clinic in Monroe, Wisconsin. He was delighted to return to warmer climates in Mesa and join Mesa Family Physicians in 2023.

Dr. Porvaznik has a passion for caring for the underserved, as his grandfather and aunt were both physicians who dedicated over 25 years each to the Native American communities of the southwest. Dr. Porvaznik has interest in preventative care, managing chronic illnesses, and working together to find treatment plans that focus on the disease as well as the person as a whole.

Dr. Porvaznik lives with his wife in Chandler. In his free time he likes to attend concerts, travel with his family, and stay active. He has completed the Marine Corps Marathon, run the Ragnar relay race in Zion, hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim, and he looks forward to tackling other challenges in the near future.

Jennifer Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Jennifer is originally from Lehi, Utah and moved to Arizona in 2015. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Westminster College in Salt Lake City in 2009. She worked as a pediatric registered nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital for 6 years. She completed her graduate studies at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where she earned her Master of Science in nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2015.

Jennifer is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau International, a nursing honors society. Her clinical interests include caring for children across the lifespan, managing acute and chronic illnesses in adults, and performing minor procedures. She also enjoys teaching nurse practitioner students in the clinical setting.

Jennifer met her husband here in Arizona. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and serving in their church.

Sarah Schornack FNPC

She was born and raised in Chandler, Az. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2011. 

Sarah started her nursing career as a medical/surgical nurse at Banner Desert Medical center and has spent the last 5 years working in the emergency department at Banner Gateway.

Sarah graduated from Chamberlain University in December 2021 with a Masters of Science degree in Nursing.  She joined Mesa Family Physicians in April 2022.

Sarah currently resides in Gilbert, Az with her 2 boys. She enjoys traveling, white water rafting, country music, waterfalls, and spending time with family. 

Ashley Snyder, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Ashley is originally from Chicago, IL and moved to Arizona in 2016 with her family. Her parents wanted to retire somewhere warm. She graduated with her BSN from Western Governors University in 2020. She has been a Registered Nurse for fourteen years. During her time in Arizona, she has worked at Banner Baywood in the Outpatient Observation Unit working closely with other APP providers.
She graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing specializing in Family Practice from Purdue University Global in 2023. Ashley is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society. Fun fact- she completed the NP program with her sister who is also a nurse practitioner!
She likes to swim, watch movies, try new restaurants, go shopping, and explore Arizona with her family. She also has three dogs, which are her world. She is excited to begin her career with Mesa Family Physicians and interacting with patients.

Kendall Kokora

Kendall Kokora is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Kendall began her education with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2018. She has over five years of nursing experience with a variety of patient populations within the acute care setting. Kendall graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Kendall enjoys growing with patients and their families. She is passionate about helping patients reach their fullest wellness potential and strives to work alongside patients to achieve health goals based on individual values and lifestyles.

In her spare time, Kendall enjoys spending time with her husband and two golden retrievers. She also enjoys exercising, golfing, and water sports.