Mitra Shafieian, MD

Dr. Mitra Shafieian is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric pulmonologist devoted to caring for children at the Martin Luther King/Clinica Campesina Health Center. She received her medical degree from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and completed a three-year pediatric residency at the same university in Shiraz/Iran. She served in deprived areas in Iran while holding her position as an assistant Professor and teaching medical students at Bushehr University of Medical Sciences.

After moving to the United States, she was able to pass all American Board of Pediatrics requirements and she was able to enter training programs at the University of Miami.

She completed a pediatric residency and a fellowship in pediatric pulmonology at Jackson Memorial Hospital – University of Miami Miller School of Medicine from 2007 to 2013. She is Board certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric pulmonology.

Before joining Community Health of South Florida, she worked for Pediatric Associates in Miami and also at Pediatric Respiratory Center in Lake Park, Florida.

Dr. Shafieian is committed to meeting the medical and emotional needs of her patients every step of the way

She is a caring mother and she thoroughly believes patient care comes first. She feels that serving the children in her pediatric practice has been a blessing and also a mission from God.

Martha R. Perez, MD

Dr. Martha R. Perez is a General Practitioner in the Family Medicine Unit at CHI’s Doris Ison Health Center.

Born in Leon, Nicaragua, she earned her medical degree from the National University of Nicaragua in 1984. From 1984-1986, Dr. Perez worked as a medical provider and director of the Francisco Buitrago Health Center in Managua, Nicaragua. In 1986, she moved to the United States and settled in Miami.

She successfully completed a comprehensive medical review course in 1990 at the University of Miami. In 1992, she received her license as a physician assistant and, in 1994, began working at Community Health of South Florida Inc. Dr. Perez was awarded her medical license in 2000.

She enjoys time with her family, participating in community events, traveling abroad, and keeping healthy and fit with exercise.

Elizabeth Philippe, MD

Dr. Elizabeth Philippe is CHI’s Chief of Family Medicine and Deputy Chief Academic Officer (CAO). She is also the Program Director of Family Medicine Residency for The Brodes H. Hartley Jr. Teaching Health Center.

Dr. Philippe got hooked on helping people in underserved communities after graduating from the State University Medical School of Haiti in 1984. She discovered this passion when she was completing a one-year requirement in a disadvantaged area in Haiti. To further her goals, she pursued her studies at Yale University where she obtained a master’s degree in public health in 1986.

After working for a short period of time at the New York State Department of Health, Dr. Philippe returned to Haiti in 1987 to work as the Medical Director in the Albert Schweitzer Hospital’s Community Health Department.

In 1990, she served as the National Coordinator for the Haitian Ministry of Public Health’s Maternal and Child Health Program. Soon after, she joined the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization and was actively involved with its national immunization program.

In 1995, Dr. Philippe returned to the United States and enrolled at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine as a fellow in a National Institute on Drug Abuse-sponsored program in epidemiology and prevention of substance abuse. Following graduation, she was accepted as a resident in the family medicine program at Jackson Memorial Hospital in 1999. A board-certified family medicine practitioner, Dr. Philippe completed her residency training in 2002 and then worked as an attending physician and preceptor at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

In 2005, she joined CHI as an attending physician and as the medical director for its school-based health program. She is fluent in English, French and Creole, with proficiency in Spanish. Dr. Philippe enjoys her work as a provider at CHI where she can work with underserved communities and different ethnic groups. She has an interest in HIV/AIDS and youth development programs.

She enjoys reading, classical guitar music, and community activities.

Jose Penas, PA

Jose Penas, a physician assistant, has been practicing family medicine at Community Health of South Florida Inc. since 2012. Originally from Cuba, he emigrated to the United States in 1980 with his family. He attended Miami Dade College and transferred to Florida International University where he received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1992.

Penas went on to pursue graduate studies in molecular biology. But in 1995, the death of a close family member made him reconsider what he wanted to do with his life. That was the turning point that helped him decide to become a physician assistant.

He attended Nova Southeastern University and graduated from its physician assistant program in 1999. Since then he has been practicing medicine in the combined fields of urgent care, occupational medicine, family medicine and outpatient internal medicine.

In his free time, Penas enjoys reading, exercising and caring for tropical fish.

Gerald Pierre, MD

Dr. Gerald Pierre, who joined CHI in 2005, is a provider in CHI’s Women’s Services.  He is also a faculty member in the OB/GYN Practice Program in the Brodes H. Hartley Jr. Teaching Health Center at CHI. Having previously taught at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine’s OB/GYN Department, where he received the 1985 Teacher of the Year award, Dr. Pierre is looking forward to returning to teaching.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bard College in upstate New York, Dr. Pierre earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. He later went on to Executive MBA Studies at the University of Central Florida.  Dr. Pierre completed an internship in obstetrics/gynecology at Hubbard Hospital before going on to his residency, also in obstetrics/gynecology, at Vanderbilt University, both in Nashville. Following his residency, he was the clinical director and director of OB/GYN at Community Health Services Inc. in Hartford, Conn. He then worked in private practice in Bloomfield, Conn.

Dr. Pierre is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is also a fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the National Health Services Corps.  Actively involved in the community, he previously served as a board member and treasurer of the Nap Ford Community Charter School. He is fluent in English, French and Creole and has a working knowledge of Spanish.

Maria A. Pierro

Maria A. Pierro, with CHI since 2008, is a dental hygienist at CHI’s Doris Ison Health Center. She earned her dental hygienist degree in Miami Dade College in 1995 as a board-certified Florida Dental Hygienist. She maintains her American Heart Association CPR certification in order to administer local anesthesia. She enjoys working with a diverse patient population.

Her hobbies include playing with her two grandchildren, gardening and traveling.

Edgard Nuñez, MD

Dr. Edgard Nuñez is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Community Health of South Florida Inc. He has been a family medicine provider at CHI since 2002. Dr. Nuñez is responsible for oversight of satellite service providers as well as provider recruitment and retention.

Born in Managua, Nicaragua, his motivations to become a physician stem from his early childhood experiences when he admired the passion for medicine from his family doctor in his hometown of Corinto, Nicaragua. Dr. Nuñez earned his doctorate of medicine and surgery degree from the Universidad Autonoma of Honduras in 1983. A few years later, Dr. Nuñez immigrated to the United States where he continued his journey as a physician. He completed his residency in family medicine at the Texas Tech University Health of Science Center. Dr. Nuñez is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Florida Academy of Family Physicians and Nicaraguan American Medical Association. Fluent in Spanish and English, he is often a CHI spokesman for international and national news coverage on community health care and the migrant and Hispanic population.

An enthusiastic fan of boxing, basketball, soccer and baseball, Dr. Nuñez also enjoys theater and cinema.

Alejandra Miranda, D.D.S.

Dr. Alejandra Miranda was born and raised in a traditional household in Leon, Nicaragua. She earned her dental degree from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua in 1981. In 1986, she moved to Florida with high ambitions of revalidating her license and was able to do so in 1992. Dr. Miranda worked as a general dentist until the fall of 1994 when she decided to open a private practice that she ran until the spring of 2014. To follow her beliefs in giving back to the community by helping as many underprivileged people as possible, Dr. Miranda was inspired to look for a job in a community health center. She joined Community Health of South Florida Inc. (CHI) because of its state-of-the-art equipment, relationship-based and focus on patient care comes first philosophy. She also firmly believes in CHI’s model of comprehensive care that is tailored to fit into the lives and budgets of her patients.

Dr. Miranda is a member of the Lindsey Hopkins Community Smiles Outreach Program, Latin American Dental Study Club and Nicaraguan American Dental Association. Committed to providing the best care possible for her patients, Dr. Miranda completes more than 40 hours of continuing education per year.

Dr. Miranda is in CHI’s Marathon office in the Keys on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. She speaks Spanish and English fluently. Her passion and hobbies include spending time with her three children and two grandchildren.

Celia Mion, LMHC

Celia Mion is CHI’s Director of Behavioral Health. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in CHI’s Behavioral Health Department at the Doris Ison Health Center. She has been with CHI for 15 years and as well as being QA/QI for the Behavioral Health Department she also managed the HealthySteps Program funded by the Children’s Trust.

Right out of graduate school, she became a registered intern providing therapy to children. After becoming licensed, she received a specialization in infant mental health and started a program formerly known as the Infant Mental Health Program at CHI.

In 2010, CHI was awarded a grant for $300,000 to start the CHI LINKS program (currently known as HealthySteps). Mion managed that program until 2013. She then applied for another grant through the Children’s Trust and CHI was awarded $975,000 to start the Service Partnership program that provides care coordination to needy families and children struggling in school. A second grant for HealthySteps was applied for and awarded in 2018.

She has received three merit awards, the CEO Award of Excellence for commitment to the Journey to Excellence movement, the Making a Difference Award, and the first runner-up for Employee of the Year in Behavioral Health.

“I have loved every minute of growing personally and professionally with CHI,” she said. “There are so many great, hardworking people that care about the community they live and work in. I am very proud of CHI and the growth we have seen and look forward to all the possibilities to come.”

Mion keeps busy with her daughter, who she said, “keeps me pretty entertained.”

Millied López de Victoria, DMD

Dr. Millied López de Victoria has been the dental supervisor for CHI’s West Perrine Health Center since 2007.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she graduated from The University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus School of Dentistry in 2001. She moved to North Carolina in 2002 and worked as the associate dental director for the Tri-County Community Health Council, Inc.

Around that time, she also worked as an adjunct assistant professor for The University of North Carolina School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill. She actively participated in collaborating with the East Coast Migrant Health Start Project and with Give Kids a Smile.

She is fluent in Spanish and English.