Maxwell Cardenas, DDS

Dr. Maxwell Cardenas, DDS, is a dentist at Community Health of South Florida’s, Inc. (CHI) Doris Ison Health Center. He received his dental degree as a dental surgeon in 2011. After completing his initial education, Dr. Cardenas pursued further training and completed a residency at the Florida Institute for Advance Dental Education in 2021.

Born in Nicaragua, Dr. Cardenas moved to the U.S. with his father and brother when he was six years old. He was raised in Miami and attended college at Florida International University where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology. His love for dentistry was inspired by his father who was also a dentist. After college, Dr. Cardenas returned to Nicaragua for five years to attend dental school. He has a passion for helping others pursue their dreams of a dental career.

Dr. Cardenas hobbies and special interests include basketball, relaxing at the beach and working out.

Edwin Herrera, MD

Dr. Edwin Herrera is a Board-Certified Family Medicine physician at the Doris Ison Health Center. He joined the CHI team in the Spring of 2023.

As a young boy in Bonanza, Nicaragua, Dr. Herrera developed a strong interest in Science. He attended medical school at the University of San Carlos Borromeo in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where he graduated with a Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery. Thereafter, he relocated to the United States and completed a residency in Family Medicine at the University of Illinois in Rockford, Illinois.

In January 1995, he participated in an Obstetrics and Gynecology fellowship at Central Texas Medical Foundation in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Herrera worked in private practice for ten years in Sylvester, Georgia. During his time there, he was highly involved with the Georgia Baptist Hospital board and community health centers.

In 1999, he completed an MBA for physician executives at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, while remaining in private practice during the program.

Towards the end of 2005, Dr. Herrera relocated to Miami to be closer to family and friends. He opened his own private practice and worked at urgent care centers in the metropolitan Miami area.

In 2019, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, he closed his practice and worked locum tenens for approximately two years. Most of the locum tenens contracts were Family Medicine and Urgent Care facilities.

He is a board-certified physician by The American Board of Family Medicine since 2000. Additionally, he is an active member of the American Academy of Family Physicians Florida, the Academy of Family Physicians, and the Nicaraguan American Medical Association (NAMA). He served as the Board President for NAMA in 2010. These board relations span across 20 years.

Dr. Herrera enjoys meeting diverse patients from different cultural and social economic backgrounds. He learns a lot from his patients and is fortunate to have such experiences. As a physician, no matter which setting he practices in, he strives to provide the best care possible in a respectful and friendly atmosphere. He believes patients always come first and places importance on exceptional bedside manner.

In his spare time, he practices the advice he gives to his patients, self-care. Dr. Hererra places importance on good nutrition and physical activity. He loves tennis, jogging, spending time with loved ones and traveling.

Marcello De Carvalho, APRN

Marcello De Carvalho APRN is a highly skilled psychiatric nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience in the field.  He prides himself in providing exceptional, empathetic, and clinical care to his patients. In 2020, he earned a Master’s degree in Nursing, specializing in Psychiatry/Mental Health from Jacksonville University. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing from Chamberlain University in 2018.

With a passion for helping those in need, De Carvalho spent three years as a missionary across South America and Brazil, where he participated in outreach programs and aided the less fortunate. This experience inspired him to pursue a career in mental health. Since then, he has gained extensive experience in managing acute and chronic mental health issues in various settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and residential facilities.

De Carvalho’s patient-centered approach is highly effective in helping his clients understand and manage their mental health needs. He possesses a wealth of knowledge on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies and is dedicated to ensuring that each patient achieves optimal mental health.

During his free time, he plays the guitar and drums. He also takes pride in leading a healthy lifestyle and goes to the gym often.

Shaquan Chambliss-Huggins, Ph.D, APRN

Shaquan Chambliss-Huggins, Ph.D, APRN is the Associate Director & Assistant Vice President for Population Health. Joined in 2016, she also serves as Vice President of the Health Professional Staff and as a family medicine and behavioral health practitioner who services all CHI health centers within Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.

Chambliss-Huggins attended Florida Memorial University for undergraduate studies. She also holds a PhD in Health and Human Services, Doctor of Clinical Practice with an emphasis in Business Administration and Management.  She obtained an Advance Practitioner degree from Purdue University.

Chambliss-Huggins’s bedside manner is second to none. Her patients truly appreciate that she is focused on them and that she utilizes a holistic approach. She strives to provide comprehensive, competent, and caring healthcare services to her patients.

She has accepted many awards and recognitions within the community. She was named March of Dimes Student Provider of the Year, South Florida’s Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential People, as well as South Florida’s Top Black Healthcare Professional. However, she considers her most important award to be the privilege of being a mom and wife.

Since childhood, Chambliss-Huggins was committed to entering the medical field. With a passion for helping the less fortunate, she fosters a deep commitment to educate and treat individuals for both their mental health needs as well as their physical health.

Born and raised in St. Petersburg, FL, Chambliss-Huggins remains committed to the community she grew up in. She loves spending time with her family and friends in her hometown. Chambliss-Huggins regularly volunteers her time as a Member of Jack and Jill of America, NAACP, Delta Sigma Theta Inc., and Order of Eastern Stars.

Sybil Woolley, APRN

Sybil Woolley, ARNP, is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Doris Ison Health Center.

Sybil has over a decade of hospital and healthcare experience. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011.  In 2017, she completed her graduate studies at Chamberlain University where she obtained her Master of Science in Nursing.

She has worked within multiple specialties as a Registered Nurse with her favorite being Physical Medicine and Rehab.

Dr. Sybil obtained her certification as Rehabilitation Registered Nurse as she is passionate about helping those affected by stroke.

Her objective is to continue assisting the South Florida community and to ensure her patients progress toward their goals of living quality lives.

Neybis Garcia-Leal, APRN

Neybis Garcia-Leal, APRN, is a highly skilled Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with over 25 years of experience in the medical field. In 1996, she obtained a General Medicine degree at the Villa Clara Institute of Medical Sciences in Cuba.

In 1998, she moved to Costa Rica where she worked as a General Practitioner and later completed a postgraduate degree in Family and Community Medicine at the University of Costa Rica. She worked for 12 years as a physician in the Costa Rican Social Security.

In 2018, Garcia-Leal moved to the United States but her passion for healthcare did not change. She pursued a Nursing degree and shortly after was certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She was able to apply the previous knowledge she gained abroad to continue helping patients in need here in America.

Born and raised in Cuba, Garcia-Leal’s childhood dream was to become a doctor. She is married with two children and spends her free time with family and friends. Her hobbies include cooking and visiting the beach.

Luis Gerardo Martinez MD

Title: Doctor/MD

Dr. Luis Martinez is a Family Medicine physician at Community Health of South Florida’s Tavernier Health Center. He earned his medical degree at the University of Costa Rica and went on to study Obstetrics and Gynecology at State University of New York at Brooklyn Health Center.

After completing his education, he established and held a private practice for several years in Indiana where he also practiced as a successful cosmetic surgeon.

Originally born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Dr. Martinez returned to Florida in 2018 to continue his medical practice as a doctor at CHI.  He has a passion for providing quality care to individuals that are underserved in the community. ‘

“I believe in what Community Health of South Florida, Inc. represents and hope that my broad knowledge can assist those in need,” he said.

When he is not practicing medicine, Dr. Martinez enjoys spending time with his family.

Sandy Santiago, MD

Dr. Sandy Santiago is the Associate Medical Director for CHI’s centers in the Florida Keys. Dr. Santiago was born and raised in Key West, Florida. Prior to medical school, Dr. Santiago attended Key West High School, during which time, he helped establish the Conchs Care Fundraiser for cancer patients in the Florida Keys. Dr. Santiago has always had the aspiration of returning home to continue serving his hometown community. Specializing in Family Medicine, Dr. Santiago’s goal is to offer high-quality, preventive, medical care with the goal of treating each of his patients like family. He is a member of the American Board of Family Medicine and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Outside of medicine, he enjoys Gator and Conch sports, spending time with his family on the water, cooking Cuban food and participating in anything hands-on including drawing, carving and sculpting.

Toni Lalla Torres, PA

Toni Lalla Torres is an established and highly skilled Physician Assistant treating adult patients at CHI’s Doris Ison Health Center.

She enjoys working with a diverse and underserved population. While she loves providing care to adult patients in family medicine, she is especially passionate about her work with HIV/AIDS patients.

Since 2005, Lalla Torres has been involved in human trafficking initiatives. She has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as well as lobbying on Capitol Hill for human rights issues. In 2010, she decided to pursue a career in medicine after having worked with child soldiers in Africa and human trafficking victims in India. Since then, she has been deployed to medical camps in support of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide medical care to children who have crossed Southwest Border. Today her passion to serve her community continues as she sits on the board of the Anti-Predator Project, a non-profit dedicated to the fight against human trafficking.

Christopher Edouard, APRN

Christopher Edouard is a highly skilled Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with more than 10 years of experience in the nursing field. He obtained his master’s degree from Chamberlin College in 2016 as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Prior to that, he graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011.

Edouard previously practiced as an ARNP in Cardiology and Family Medicine. As a registered nurse since 2011, his primary focus has been in the field of cardiology, intermediary care and orthopedics. Eduoard has worked for Baptist Health, Kendall Regional Medical Center and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Actively involved in the community, Eduoard is committed to continuing to give compassionate care to all patients.

In his free time, he likes to read, exercise and spend time with his family.