OUR PROVIDERS

Medical School – Yerevan State Medical University
Residency – USC Keck School of Medicine / LAC + USC Medical Center
Fellowship – Cedars-Sinai / UCLA Medical Centers

Dr. Wong was born and raised in LA to immigrant parents and has recently returned to LA after a 15-year journey through the East Coast for college and medical school and the Pacific Northwest for her residency training at Swedish Cherry Hill in Seattle.

My goal as a provider is to help patients better their health through strong patient-physician relationships that lead to more fulfilling and happier lives. I try to provide knowledge, compassionate care, and healthy lifestyle interventions that fit my patients' lives and goals of care. I use a team-based approach that respects and integrates the experiences, knowledge, and understanding that my patients share with me to work towards wholeness and happiness.

In her spare time, you'll find her trying out new recipes, relaxing with friends/family, and re-exploring LA with her husband.

In primary Care Practice for 20 years. Enjoys helping the patients remain healthy and live longer and happier.

Undergraduate Education: UC San Diego, Biology, Minor in Healthcare & Social Issues
Medical School: Keck School of Medicine of USC
Rotation and Research: Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Pediatric Residency Training: UC Davis

Dr. Yen became a pediatrician because she loves working with kids and families to ensure children are in their best health to pursue their dreams and goals in life. She is proud to be part of the Saban pediatric team where she can provide high-quality, accessible healthcare to the surrounding community.

Undergraduate Education: UCLA
Medical School: David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Residency & Fellowship: Cedars Sinai Medical Center

Dr. Noble chose to work at Saban because of the dedicated staff who provide quality medical care to those who need it most while also serving as a unique site for medical education.

Undergraduate Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BS Psychology
Medical School: University of the West Indies, MBBS
Internship: The Brooklyn Hospital Center, General Surgery
Residency: The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Board Certification: American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, North American Menopause Society 

Medical School: Ross University School of Medicine
Residency: Rochester General Hospital
Fellowship:  University of Rochester (Strong-Memorial Hospital)

Dr. Leung completed his M.D at Ross University School of Medicine in 2011 and received his California medical board certification in 2015. Dr. Leung is board certified in Internal Medicine (ABIM), and Hospice and Palliative Medicine (ABIM). Interests of Dr. Leung include integrative medicine of traditional Chinese medicine and Eriksonian hypnosis (certified). Dr. Leung is committed to community health and "to give back to my local community as best as I can."

Medical School: University of Jordan
Residency: Texas Tech University University Health Sciences Center
Training: Certified by American Academy of HIV Medicine

Dr. Khoury is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a certified HIV Specialist. He received his medical degree from the University of Jordan. Prior to completing his residency, he held clinical and medical positions at The University of New Mexico, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, and UCLA CARE Center.

He is dedicated to working in community health and focusing on HIV primary care and research to further empower those living with HIV to be proactive with regard to their overall health.

Undergraduate Education: Northeastern University, B.S. in Health Sciences
Medical School: Northwestern University, M.M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies

Samantha is passionate about community health because she truly loves having the opportunity to learn about patients' stories and work towards their goals for their health. She's excited and grateful to get to spend every day serving and learning from her community. "I believe everyone, regardless of their situation or circumstance, deserves compassionate, holistic healthcare and providers who will go above and beyond for them. Working at Saban gives me the opportunity to practice medicine in creative ways, including clinic-based, mobile, and street medicine team models to better meet patients' needs."

Elena Gilman, MD has been working as a part time psychiatrist at Saban Taper since 2015. She completed her psychiatric residency at Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston. She has 14 years of experience in community psychiatry working in different clinics in Los Angeles. She is fluent in English and Russian. In her free time she enjoys skiing, skating, and biking.

Undergraduate Education: University of Economics and Finance, International Relations; Westminster College, BA in Economics and Pre-Med
Medical School: College of Osteopathic Medicine at Kansas City University
Residency: White Memorial Medical Center

Dr. Queen understands the difficulties of immigrating to a new country after leaving St. Petersburg to study at Westminster College on a full scholarship, followed by another full scholarship to complete medical school. As the Director of Pediatrics, she is dedicated to providing the best care to marginalized communities and works to ensure her team provides quality, personalized care to every pediatric patient that comes to Saban. She cares for her patients as if they were her own family in hopes of creating a more kind and safe place for her patients.

Ellen is originally from the Hawaiian Islands and attended the Alumni University of Hawaii, CSULB.

Undergraduate Education: Scripps College; BA Biology, Hispanic Studies
Graduate School: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine; MPH
Medical School: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; MD
Residency: Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine
Certifications: American Board of Family Medicine, National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach

Dr. Jessica Portillo received an award for Outstanding Performance in the field of Family Medicine and a Physician of Tomorrow Award of American Medical Association. In addition to providing direct care for patients, she also leads sessions for the Centering Pregnancy program.

Undergraduate Education: The State University of New York at Buffalo; BS/MS Pharmaceutical Sciences
Medical School: SUNY Downstate College of Medicine; M.D.
Residency: UCLA-Semel Psychiatry Residency

Dr. Fischman previously worked as a general pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She completed her pediatric residency at Goryeb Children’s Hospital in New Jersey and graduated cum laude from St. George’s University School of Medicine.

In her free time she enjoys traveling, writing and speaking on the latest topics in children's health, and spending time with her husband and 3 young children.

Undergraduate Education: Santa Clara University, BS, Biology
Graduate School: UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Health Policy & Management, MPH
Medical School: UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Residency: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Family Medicine Residency Program

My mission is to be a physician for all and advocate for human rights. I am privileged to be at the Saban Community Clinic, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that serves the most vulnerable and marginalized Los Angeles residents, including Medi-Cal and MyHealthLA patients. As a Family Medicine provider, I strive to address the social determinants of health so that we can achieve the best health outcomes despite a patient's socioeconomic position.

Undergraduate Education: University of Nevada, Las Vegas. BS Biotechnology/Biology, Cum Laude
Graduate School: University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. DDS
Residency: General Practice Residency Post-Doctoral Training at Yale School of Medicine, Saint Mary’s Hospital

Dr. Wong is proud to work at Saban Community Clinic because of its commitment to these principles and its key role in ensuring that the most vulnerable residents of the greater Los Angeles region have access to critical health care resources. She empowers adults and children to lead healthy lives with patient education, prevention, and maintenance of good oral health.

Undergraduate Education: University of Illinois at Chicago Movement Science
Dental School: University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Pediatric Dental Residency: UCLA Pediatric Dentistry

She is passionate about prevention and working in underserved communities. She is also a volunteer faculty member at UCLA.

Family Practice Residency in Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA., completed in 1995.
Practicing in Community Clinics with the underserved since 1999.

Undergraduate Education: University of California, Los Angeles, B.A.
Graduate School: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, D.M.D.
Residency: NYU Langone Dental Medicine, AEGD

Dr. Ebrahimi enjoys helping patients achieve a healthy smile, with access to care in a modern environment. "I can treat each patient the way I would want to be treated: with integrity, compassion, and a high standard of care."

Undergraduate Education: Vanderbilt University; BA Neuroscience & Spanish
Dental School: Columbia University; Doctor of Dental Surgery
Certification: University of California, Los Angeles; Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Nicholaou is a pediatric dentist with a passion for providing exceptional evidence-based oral health care to children of all ages, backgrounds, and medical complexities. His previous experience includes providing full-spectrum clinical care to infants and children and specializing in effectively providing care to children with disabilities.

"In many ways, I feel as though Pediatric Dentistry chose ‘me’ rather than the other way around.  I know how fortunate I was to grow up as a member of a large extended family.  My “village” helped nurture me, supported my goals, and showed me how important it is to always show compassion and try to understand others’ experiences -- from their point of view.  My training in Dentistry taught me that starting healthy oral practices, in babies even as young as 3 months, can lead to good dental, and overall health, for a lifetime. Too often I hear from my young patients how frightened they are of having to go to the Dental Clinic.  I love to see their fear decrease as I explain that advancements in dental materials, techniques, and philosophies enable today’s Pediatric Dentists to focus on providing comfortable and trauma-free dental visits.  Our Mission is to help every one of our young patients transition into cavity-free adults who aren’t afraid to see their dentists regularly for preventive care."

Undergraduate Education: Cal State Los Angeles, Bachelor of Science Nursing
Graduate School: Cal State Los Angeles, Master of Science Nursing

Jennifer Nguyen is a Family Nurse Practitioner committed to providing primary care to patients of all ages. She chose to work at Saban because she can help to provide inclusive care for underserved populations in her community. Originally from the Bay Area, she loves exploring all the food around LA and enjoys spending time with her cats.

Undergraduate Education: Occidental College, B.S. Biology Minor Psychology
Graduate School: UCLA School of Dentistry, General Practice, DDS

Dr. Dastur is the Chief Dental Officer and has been practicing at Saban Community Clinic for over 19 years. She is a proud dentist at Saban Community Clinic because she can connect with patients and care for them in a beautiful and technologically advanced space while working with progressively minded individuals. "Being a dentist in a community clinic gives me immense satisfaction and joy because I can relieve pain and restore patients to health in an organization that eases their financial burden." 

Undergraduate Education: UCLA
Graduate School: Emperor's College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Masters in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Medical School: Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Osteopath
Residency: Harbor UCLA

Dr. Vuong likes to serve the community and provide the best care possible for those in need of health care. She chose to work at Saban Community Clinic because its mission aligns with her beliefs: to provide excellent comprehensive care, with staff who are dedicated and treat the person as a whole and not just their disease or condition.

Undergraduate Education: University of Washington - B.A. Social Welfare
Graduate School: Columbia University - MS in Social Work

Jennifer is the Behavioral Health Manager and is passionate about working with members of the community on their journeys towards health and wellness. She enjoys working at Saban Community Clinic because she also strongly believes everyone should be able to access quality healthcare. "I love that Saban Community Clinic values making healthcare welcoming and attainable and am thankful to work together with so many other passionate and dedicated healthcare providers.

I am from L.A. Why healthcare? Why not!!! What better way to serve your community and feel good about it.
I rarely have spare time as my children keep me busy at home; but whenever I do, I watch European Soccer League (mostly Spanish, Italian, and English Leagues).

Undergraduate Education: Providence College, BA
Graduate School: Simmons School of Social Work, MSW

Brigid support Saban's mission to provide quality care to the community regardless of their coverage. She believes that everyone should have access to excellent mental health treatment. 

Undergraduate Education: Pomona College, B.A. Biology
Graduate Education: Georgetown University M.S. Physiology and Biophysics
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine, M.D.
Residency: Kaiser Los Angeles

I chose Medicine to follow in the footsteps of my childhood hero -- my dad.  On the weekends I begged my father to bring me with him to visit his hospitalized patients.  I watched with great pride as his patients thanked him for giving them back their health after long illnesses.  I saw firsthand how skilled emergency care, given at the time it’s most needed, can literally save someone’s life!  More than anything, it was my dad’s empathy for his patients and understanding of their needs that not only drove me to become a doctor myself but also led me to specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

As a woman and a physician, I have been trained to treat conditions that may affect women differently than men…but I also know how it feels when an illness impacts a woman’s body.  As a daughter, a doctor, and a mother, I feel so lucky every day to have the experience, training, and perspective to effectively care for my patients through all the stages of their lives.

The opportunity to be part of my patients’ journeys as they nurture a baby through pregnancy to birth – is still one of the most amazing aspects of my work.  Being a mama to a toddler and a newborn gives me a very personal understanding of exactly what my patients are feeling and experiencing.  Serving as part of Saban’s OB/GYN practice team, I am proud that we approach each patient not just as a medical condition, but as the whole of the patient’s life and environment.  When we care for our Moms-to-Be, they, their families, and I become a TEAM with the goal of a healthy and happy pregnancy and baby.  The greatest reward – is having these Moms return to our practice when they’re ready to add to their families.   

Kristian Melby received his degree of Master of Science, Physician Assistant from the George Washington University School of Medicine in 2016. Prior to joining SCC in 2019, he worked at Whitman Walker Health in Washington DC that provides affirming community-based health and wellness services to all with a special expertise in LGBTQ and HIV care.

Kristian provides comprehensive medical healthcare services at our satellite location and Hollywood Health Center. He has specialized HIV training and background, especially for addressing the needs of Transgender patients.

Undergraduate Education: University of San Francisco, BA Psychology
Graduate Education: Pepperdine University, MA Clinical Psychology
Certifications: Child & Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment Certified, Trauma-Focused Cognitive & Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Certified, Triple P, Positive Parenting Program Certified

Undergraduate Education: University of California at Berkeley; BA Chicano Studies
Graduate School: Phillips Graduate Institute; MA Psychology, MFT

Undergraduate Education:  San Francisco State University, BA, History; Stony Brook University Post-Baccalaureate in Pre-Health
Dental School:  Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, Doctor of Dental Surgery
Fellowship:  UCLA General Practice Residency

"Since I was a kid, my parents instilled in me the importance of giving back to the community through volunteer work. When I was a kid and a young adult, that meant volunteering at libraries, animal shelters, etc. I am so excited that as a dentist, I can give back and help improve people's lives as a career. I choose to work at Saban because I love the idea that patients can receive comprehensive care, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and behavioral health services."

Undergraduate Education: UCLA
Graduate School: UCLA - MS in Nursing, Nurse Practioner certificate

Stacey was born and raised in Los Angeles. She is married and has two children and two dogs. She has been an NP for over 25 years and feels blessed and humbled to still love what she does all these years later. She feels very lucky to be a part of the Saban Clinical Team because of the opportunity to impact the health of our diverse patient population.

Undergraduate Education: UCLA, BA, Comparative Literature
Graduate School: CSU Los Angeles - MS in Counseling
Internship & Training: Partnerships to Uplift Communities & AIDS Project Los Angeles

Undergraduate Education: Pacific Union College, B.S.W.
Graduate School: University of Southern California, M.S.W.

Vreny stands by Saban's mission: access to quality medical and mental health services is a right. Through her efforts and work, she wants to provide quality services to the community.

Undergraduate Education: University of California, Los Angeles; BA Economics,
Graduate School: Pepperdine University, MBA
California Institute of Integral Studies; MA, Psychology, Community Mental Health Program

Dr. Domb received her M.D. from the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine and completed her residency training in psychiatry at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She pursued sub-specialty fellowship training in addiction psychiatry at Cedars Sinai Medical Center (CSMC). Dr. Domb is double board-certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry.

Julissa Miro-Quesada, Director of Behavioral Health, began her clinical experience in 2012 working with adults, adolescents, and children in English and Spanish.  She specializes in mindfulness meditation and believes in an approach that emphasizes an integrative, dynamic, and holistic methodology to mental health.

Julissa holds a Masters in Psychology from Antioch University.  She is a native of Peru and enjoys fostering cultural sensitivity in both her personal and professional settings.

When I started undergraduate school at UCI under the Biological Sciences department, I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, especially treating the impoverished and most sick and vulnerable populations. When I discovered PA school, I knew that was the perfect career for me as it was a balance of everything I dreamed of.

Graduating PA school in 2006. My first international medical mission July of 2016 in a village in northern Vietnam. Starting Homeless/Street medicine and outreach March 2018.

Dr. Khalil grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. She attended the California School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles where she received a doctor of psychology (PsyD) degree. Dr. Khalil's clinical interests include treating trauma and somatization. During her free time, Dr. Khalil enjoys hiking and attending live concerts.

Undergraduate Education: Our Lady of the Lake Univesity, BA Social Work

Violetta is a community health professional because representation in communities with BIPOC and Queer residents is important. Her approach is collaborative, affirming, and culturally informed. She offers tools for patients to create a closer and connected relationship within themselves. "I am a Bisexual, Mexican American, and bilingual therapist, that is passionate about supporting folxs who do not have access to affordable therapy and resources. I aim to work with Brown, Black, and Queer individuals in navigating their journeys with trauma recovery and healing."

Undergraduate Education: University of Phoenix, BA, Human Services

Melina is a proud community health professional because she believes everyone deserves good health and quality of care, aligning with the Clinic's values to provide access to all individuals.

Undergraduate Education: California State University, Northridge; BA in Psychology
Pharmacy School: Western University of Health Sciences; Doctorate of Pharmacy

Dr. Mirkhani is a proud community health provider because she loves playing a vital role in helping underserved communities achieve their health goals and live happier lives. At Saban Community Clinic, healthcare is always a right, not a privilege, and a core value that she also shares. Her care approach is to"build strong patient-provider relationships based on trust and delivering medical care using a holistic approach..."

Undergraduate Education: German University in Cairo, Bachelor of Pharmacy and Biotechnology
Pharmacy School: Shenandoah University Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Pharm.D

As the Director of Pharmacy Services, Dr. Ahmed continuously works to provide the community with options to make medications affordable and flexible options to meet with pharmacists for care visits.  "It feels great and extremely rewarding to be able to help the population we serve and that is why I went to pharmacy school."

Undergraduate Education: California State University, Sonoma
Pharmacy School: Touro University - California (PharmD MPH)
Residency: Western University of Health Sciences
Clinical Health Science Faculty at UC Irvine

"I believe access to high-quality medical care is a human right. Each of us is healthier when our neighbors are healthy too. Community clinics, such as Saban Community Clinic, serve to improve health equity through a focus on the whole person, preventive medicine, primary care, and specialty services."

Dr. Pearl graduated from Southern California College of Optometry with a Doctorate of Optometry in 1983. He then practiced 12 years at the South Bay Eye Institute in Redondo Beach. Dr. Pearl has been volunteering his time at Saban Community Clinic for more then 20 years.