Dr. Channa Blakely was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Dr. Blakely then attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where she made history as the first student to match into an integrated vascular surgery residency. Additionally, she is recognized as the first African American and Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) to secure a position in her residency program. Dr. Blakely completed her training in integrated vascular surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, where she currently serves as an Assistant Professor.