Dr. David Krusleski, a graduate of Rice University in 1986, received his Medical Degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston (now McGovern Medical School). He completed his Family Medicine residency at Southwest Memorial Hospital, and a Fellowship at the University of Texas Medical School. He has been in practice since 1994, and is board certified in Family Medicine. He has over 25 years of experience working in Community Health Centers. He joined Spring Branch Community Health Center in 2017. Dr. Krusleski's goal is to improve the healthcare of the community providing hope for a better future. He speaks Spanish. In his spare time, he is active in his church, scouting, and spending time with his family.
Nola Akiwowo is a Family Nurse Practitioner who specializes in infectious diseases and disaster preparedness. With a nursing background that encompasses the ER, crisis assignments, Neurosurgery ICU, COVID-ICU and Surgical ICU, Nola currently treats all ages in the Houston area.
Prior to her life in Texas, Nola worked in communications at various non-profit organizations in the Midwest. She enjoys traveling and volunteering in her free time.
Aida Alvarez is a Family Nurse Practitioner who graduated in 2015. She joined SBCHC on March, 2017. Aida believes in listening to the patients, providing individualized care, and empowering patients with appropriate information to make informed decisions regarding their care. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and being with family.
America Carrillo is a Family Nurse Practitioner who earned both her Master of Nursing and Doctorate in Nursing Practice degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She worked as a Registered Nurse for a large community health organization in Chicago for a few years before moving to California to work as a Family Nurse Practitioner in a community health setting. She recently relocated to Houston and is looking forward to providing high quality compassionate care to all patients. America was born in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish. She enjoys cooking, and spending time with her family and cats.
Luchia Langley is originally from El Paso, Texas and is fluent in Spanish and English. She attended Texas Womans University in Houston, Texas for her undergraduate degree in Nursing. As a registered nurse since 2007, Ms. Langley worked in labor and delivery, outpatient surgery, and school nursing settings.
Ms. Langley later attended Prairie View A&M University for her master's in nursing in the family nurse practitioner program. Ms. Langley has been a certified family nurse practitioner since 2014, providing care to patients of all ages (newborn to adult) in the Katy and Cypress area.
Prior to settling in the Katy/Cypress area, Ms. Langley lived in South America. Living outside the United States sparked a passion for learning about other cultures and in helping individual patients with their unique health needs. In her spare time, Ms. Langley is dedicated to her family and pets. Ms. Langley is proud to be a part of the SBCHC team and helping to build healthier families and communities through high quality, comprehensive health care.
Ngan Ly joined SBCHC in 2022 as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and completed the Didactic Program in Dietetics at the University of Houston. Among her professional interests, she is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her personal interests include health and wellness activities, volunteer work at the Houston Food Bank, and traveling.
Billy Marsh is a Family Nurse Practitioner with over 25 years' experience as a Registered Nurse. He earned his Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2012, and completed his Post Masters Certificate: Family Nurse Practitioner at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2020. He is board certified as an Advance Practice Registered Nurse, and by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Laura Otillar has been a Physician Assistant for Spring Branch Community Health Center since 2006 and has practiced as a PA since 2001 in the fields of Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Family Medicine and Pediatrics. Laura's main areas of expertise are Family Medicine and Pediatrics with a focus on treatment and prevention of disease. She is both English and Spanish speaking, and has extensive experience treating diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol as well as mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In pediatrics, Laura has broad experience with common colds, allergies, dermatology and other pediatric related issues. Laura is committed to the health and well-being of the communities she serves through medical treatment and educating her patients to build a healthy future for themselves and their families. Laura earned her Master of Science Degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Rohini Verghese obtained her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from University of Houston, Houston, Texas in 1997. Prior to that she has a Bacholer of Science in Chemistry and Education from India and was a Science teacher for Grades 7 and 8 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
Rohini joined Kroger Pharmacy as a floater pharmacist, then Assistant Pharmacy Manager within a year and after a year became a Pharmacy Manager and stayed with Kroger for 21 years. She worked at multiple locations while she was with Kroger, namely Spring, The Woodlands, Medical Center and lastly in Sugar Land. In addition to filling prescriptions, Rohini administered vaccinations, did Health screenings (glucose and lipid) and Medication Therapy Management. After leaving Kroger in 2019 she has focused on taking care of her grandson and worked as Prior Authorization and MTM pharmacist from home.
Dr. Enrique "Henry" Gonzales is a board-certified pediatrician and a lifelong Texan. He was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, went to college at UT Brownsville (now UTRGV), and received both his MD degree and general pediatrics residency training at UTHSC in San Antonio. He then practiced for two years in the Austin area before joining SBCHC in 2020.
He is passionate about preventative health for children and spending time providing education to his patients and their parents. His goal is for each family to leave the clinic knowing more about the patient's health than when they came in.
In his free time, he enjoys reading, drawing, and even playing video games. While he's rarely silent for very long, if you want to get him talking, bring up Star Wars or Batman!
Dr. Fatima Aly earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Science from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland in 1982, and her medical degree from the University of Manchester Medical School, United Kingdom, in 1985. She has served on faculty in Pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, and at McGovern Medical School, UTHealth, in Houston. She has broad experiences in primary and continuing medical care management, strong academic background and relevant certifications. She strongly believes in the Medical Home model of patient care.
Dr. Adaobi Ekweani earned her medical degree at the University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School, where she also stayed to earn her pediatric internship and residency training.
Dr. Ekweani treats infectious diseases, asthma, allergies, developmental and behavioral conditions, obesity, and rashes, along with completing routine health maintenance visits, sports physicals, and vaccine administration.
She values building a strong therapeutic alliance with her patients and their families as well as meeting the comprehensive medical needs of her patients and is looking to bringing her experience, energy, and expertise to her patients at Whole Life and to Spring Branch Community Health Centers.
Dr. Ashraf Elmeery earned his medical degree in Egypt at Cairo University School of Medicine, followed by a post-graduate degree and fellowship in pediatrics and pediatric GI-liver and nutrition. He completed a residency in pediatrics at Columbia University’s Harlem Hospital in New York City.
In practice since 1997, Dr. Elmeery is board certified in pediatrics and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. His primary clinical interests are prenatal counseling and education, newborn care and gastro-intestinal (GI) and liver diseases, such as fatty liver, in children.
A fluent speaker of Arabic, Dr. Elmeery treats children from birth through age 18. In his leisure time, Dr. Elmeery enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, and playing soccer and tennis.
Dr. Krishnakumari Kanesan was born in Malaysia and earned her medical degree in India. She later completed her residency in Pediatrics at Shreveport Health Science Center in Louisiana. She comes with great experience in Public Health, Research, and, of course, caring for young ones. She has been trilingual from a young age but is striving daily to learn Spanish, however slowly. Dr. Kanesan loves Pediatrics and cannot imagine another field of interest! In her free time, she loves to go for walks and to cook. She describes her cooking style as “experimental fusion,” combining different ingredients from various cultures. As she says, “It’s fun and interesting!”
Meredith Kroschel attended the University of Texas at Austin for her undergraduate education and completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, Texas. She has experience working as a diabetes educator and is passionate about healthy living. Meredith enjoys watching her patients grow and feels honored to develop relationships with them over time. Meredith was born and raised in Texas and recently moved to the Houston area with her husband and two young children. In her spare time, Meredith enjoys spending time with her family and exploring Houston.
Dr. Andrea Silva completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas-Pan American (now UTRGV) in Edinburg, Texas, and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston with her MD. She completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin/Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and joined SBCHC in July 2020. She became a Pediatrician because she loves working with children and their families to help them grow into healthy adults. She has a passion for preventative medicine, nutrition and, being a mom herself, newborn care and breastfeeding. She enjoys developing long-term relationships with her families and watching her patients grow. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, cooking, working out and traveling. She also enjoys playing with her dogs Poundcake and Zoey.
Dr. Nalia Soorty graduated from the Government College for Women in Karachi, Pakistan in 1982, and earned her medical degree in 1990 from Sind Medical College, affiliated with the University of Karachi. She is board certified in pediatric medicine and brings over 30 years of clinical experience to care for her patients. Her professional interests include Pediatric Endocrinology in which she completed a three year fellowship, learning to manage Pediatric Obesity, Diabetes, growth disorders, pubertal issues and other endocrine disorders. She speaks English, Urdu, and Hindi well, as well as Medical Spanish, of which she is learning more every day. She likes to walk, travel, explore National Parks, and watch movies and TV.
Dr. Moncenya Chatman joined SBCHC in 2020 to expand access to women’s health care services. Dr. Chatman earned her bachelor's degree from Auburn University and then earned her doctorate from the University of Alabama, School of Medicine. She completed her postdoctoral training in Tennessee and her fellowship in Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Chatman holds professional membership with the American College of Obstetricians and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. She has received multiple professional accolades and her research has been published four times. Dr. Chatman specializes in identifying high-risk pregnancies and assisting women to navigate complex treatment plans during pregnancy.
Van Nguyen-Rubio, APRN WHNP-BC, is a passionate and committed Women's Health Nurse Practitioner. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1999 from Prairie View A&M University - Houston and her Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) in 2004 from The University of Texas Health Science Center of Houston. She has spent twenty years of her career dedicating her gifts and talents to the underserved population. For the last twelve years, she has been working with the high-risk Obstetrics population. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, volunteering with church, and dog rescue missions.
Dr. Rafael deAyala joined SBCHC in 2022 as medical director of the new Memorial Clinic. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, and his M.D. from the UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas. His professional interests are in the areas of obstetrics and gynecology. Among his personal interests are landscaping, travel and family.
Candy Espinoza received her Associates Degree in Nursing in 2005 from Laramie County Community College, and her undergraduate and graduate degrees as a family nurse practitioner from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2021. She has 16 years of maternal-child nursing experience and is board certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She participates in professional organizations such as Texas Nurse Practitioners (TNP), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Her personal interests include spending time with family, admiring nature, and staying healthy by working out and outdoor cycling.
Mary Helen Tolentino has a Nursing degree from UT Pan American University and a Women’s Health Care Certificate from UT Southwestern University. She has over 30 years of experience caring for women from all walks of life. Mary Helen enjoys providing professional, compassionate, and educational care to all patients. She speak Spanish fluently and takes pleasure in fishing, gardening, volunteering at her church, and spending time with her grandkids.
Internal Medicine Physician at Spring Branch Community Health Center.
Susan received her master’s in social work from the University of Houston, with a BA in Latin American Studies from the University of Cincinnati. She is fluent in Spanish and a trained spiritual director. Susan has been in clinical practice for more than fifteen years and brings a multicultural perspective and diverse experience to the Spring Branch Community Health Center. She has worked in crisis intervention, hospital based healthcare, forensics, and community and faith-based institutions. Susan’s goal is to improve access to quality healthcare for all, utilizing a strength-based treatment approach with a focus on the whole person, especially medical and behavioral integration. Her professional interests include chronic disease management, support for families with dependents with complex neurodevelopmental conditions, and the psychosocial needs of immigrants and refugees.
Susan is an artist and loves to paint in her spare time. She enjoys traveling, exploring new cuisines, and spending time with her family.
Kathryn Matteson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and behavioral therapist. She earned her MA in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University in 2011. Her professional interests include ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults; and nutritional and integrative medicine for mental health; among many others. Her personal interests extend to six horses, two dogs, two cats (and the feeding of six others) and one Mini Rex rabbit. She enjoys eating out, exercising - particularly hiking in Texas State Parks - and kayaking.
Dr. Nguyen joined SBCHC in July 2019. She practices general dentistry with a focus on providing comprehensive dental care, emphasizing preventative dentistry in the pediatric and adult population. Dr. Nguyen received her Bachelors of Science from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston and has been practicing dentistry since 2012. She enjoys volunteering, cooking, and traveling in her free time.
Rachel joined SBCHC in November 2019. She graduated from the University of Houston-Main Campus in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science, and then continued her education at the University of Texas Health Science Center-School of Dentistry in 2011 to earn her Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene in 2013. Professionally, she is working to advance in Spanish to close the language gap. As her patient, you can expect a high quality and comfortable experience under her care. Besides dentistry, Rachel enjoys binge-watching Dick Wolf’s TV series with her husband, trying out new restaurants, and traveling. Most importantly, she enjoys spending time and caring for her three precious children.
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