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Clinical and health psychologist Elena Bagourdi, PhD, is the co-founder and program/clinical director of EXIS Youth. Located in West Los Angeles, California, Dr. Elena or Dr. B., as her clients call her, has expertise in the treatment of addictive behaviors, trauma, depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.

Since 1998, Dr. Elena has been working as a psychotherapist with individuals and their families. As the program/clinical director at EXIS Youth, Dr. Elena is highly invested in constantly expanding the therapeutic modalities used. She stays up-to-date and seeks out the most cutting-edge therapeutic approaches to incorporate into their existing program. This way, she can sustain the effectiveness of their program and further enrich its breadth.

Dr. Elena holds a PhD in clinical/health psychology, as well as a master’s in clinical psychology and organizational and economic psychology. She has a deep interest in her community, and she is on the board of local nonprofit organizations. Dr. Elena has also collaborated extensively with nonprofit organizations overseas. For instance, she co-led the World Health Organization (WHO)'s "mhGAP" pilot project in Greece on behalf of EPAPSY, a local nonprofit organization.  

In addition to EXIS Youth, Dr. Elena has a successful private practice as a psychotherapist.

I like to think of myself as a clinician and patient advocate, striving for quality patient care in a manner that will maintain the wellbeing of patients in the short as well as long term. In an ever-so-busy and changing medical field, I find the most important part of being a physician is being able to listen to the patient in order to address his/her needs. Whether it is acute or chronic medical concerns, being able to simply listen to the patient will allow for correct diagnosis and medical management. I pride myself in doing just that. Aside from being a physician, I am a family oriented individual and enjoy spending time with my lovely fiancé and big family.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Dina Albaree to MIMPC.

Dr. Albaree is board-certified in Internal Medicine and has completed her training at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California. She comes to us from Kaiser Permanente with experience and knowledge in conducting telehealth assessments and treatments and will be a great asset to the MIMPC community.

Dr. Albaree will be available to see patients by TELEHEALTH CONFERENCE ONLY beginning September 9/6 and will be able to assist with both chronic and urgent care matters by phone or video.

At Commons Clinic, Dr. Ortega offers personalized cardiology care to adults in Santa Monica, California. Our mission is to prevent, diagnose, and manage heart disease through tailored treatment plans that prioritize your health and well-being.

Led by Dr. Ortega, a board-certified cardiologist specializing in preventive cardiology, our practice combines advanced technology with a patient-centered approach to deliver exceptional care.

Dr. Ortega earned a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of California, Davis. She went on to pursue her Doctor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, California, and completed her internship and residency. She served as chief resident at USC during her internal medicine residency and as chief cardiology fellow at Harbor-UCLA. 

She is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, with additional certifications in adult echocardiography and cardiovascular computed tomography. Dr. Ortega is an active member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and a recipient of multiple honors, including Physician of the Year at Harbor-UCLA and the Excellence in Primary Care Award from LAC+USC.

The practice of Jenica L. Ortega, MD, offers a full range of diagnostic and preventive services, including ECG/EKG, echocardiography, Holter monitoring, cardiac stress testing, and nuclear stress testing, as well as advanced imaging with CT angiography and calcium scoring. Our specialized programs in atrial fibrillation management, hypertension, lipid disorders, and heart attack prevention help you work proactively toward lasting heart health.

Recognizing the underserved cardiovascular needs of women, we also provide dedicated women’s heart health targeting changes throughout a woman's life, with targeted cardiovascular care around pregnancy, post-partum, the menopause transition, and beyond. Additionally, our preoperative risk assessments and comprehensive wellness evaluations ensure you receive tailored guidance for your anticipated outcomes.

To schedule your next appointment with Dr. Ortega, please use our online scheduler or contact our friendly staff today.

Christopher James Brana was born and raised in the Inland Empire of Southern California. During high school and college years he worked in his family’s Biomedical Engineering Company specializing in servicing renal replacement technology/equipment.

He went on to complete his bachelors in science and medical training at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. Thereafter, he began residency at St. Barnabas Hospital. As a PGY1, he received a Peer to Peer Award for Best Physician. 

While conducting research, he assisted in publishing a study analyzing inner city patients undergoing hepatitis C therapy. As a PGY2, he began to design and execute retrospective studies co-authoring in 8 posters, which were presented at the 2018 ACG meeting. During the 2018 SBH Resident Research Day, he presented 5 posters, of those presented one was awarded, “Best Clinical Research Award”.

During the last year as a PGY-3, he received the Ronald Ciubotaru Award for being an exceptional clinician, dedicated mentor and valued colleague, characterized by integrity and humility and deeply committed to teaching and the delivery of compassionate care. 

Looking to the future, Christopher remains dedicated to his patient centered care and desires to remain a healer and advocate for his patients at Link Integrated Healthcare.

Tessa Shuler, FNP-C, is a Family Nurse Practitioner and former Registered Nurse; she worked in the Intensive Care Unit for 7 years. She received her BSN from the University of Hawaii, Manoa and her MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner from California State University, Channel Islands.  Her experience as an RN in the high intensity environment of critical care gave her the ability to assess and prioritize patient needs, as well as to care for the whole patient and their families.  Caring for critically ill patients gave her the understanding of the importance of overall health maintenance and preventative care. She strives to deeply educate patients and families about their health, diagnoses, and medications in order to optimize their health.  She values patients’ ideas and knowledge of their own health, and works to empower them to live as healthfully as possible. 

When not working, she strives to be outside as often as possible: hiking, biking, and chasing after her two young sons among all the nature we have available in our county.