Our Resident Directory

Dr. Ifeoluwa Balogun was born in Ibadan, Nigeria. He was raised on Long Island, New York. With his strong interest in medicine and the people of his community, Dr. Balogun knew at a young age that being a physician was the right path for him.

Dr. Balogun completed his undergraduate education and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. He then went on to earn his medical degree at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Along the way, Dr. Balogun discovered a strong passion for mentoring and encouraging young men and women of color in Medicine. Dr. Balogun hopes to positively impact as many young people of color as he can through his life and career.

Dr. Balogun truly feels that Family Medicine is the best way for him to combine his love for medicine and mentoring; all while serving underserved populations.

Dr. Slabine Menelas was born and raised in Haiti. She graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Microbiology, Molecular & Cell Biology and Biotechnology. Caring for others has always been her goal, so she attended nursing school before majoring in Science. She worked as a nurse throughout her undergraduate period. Dr. Menelas attended Ross University School of Medicine with successful completion of a Degree in Allopathic Medicine. She completed an internship at Metropolitano Hospital in San German, Puerto Rico. Dr Menelas then joined the Family Medicine Residency Program at Community Health of South Florida, Inc. in the Summer of 2019. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family. She also enjoys playing tennis, biking and spending time in her local church.

Dr. Arshely Fleuristal is the first born of Haitian parents who immigrated to America at a very young age. She is a graduate from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, and it is part of the inaugural class of the Gold Humanism Honor Society.

She is also an advocate for those underserved, especially those in the same shoes her and her family once were, and remained committed to serving the community through outreach programs, including Project Hope and S.T.R.I.V.E. Now as a family medicine physician, her desire is to continue to serve those underrepresented and underserved in medicine by challenging the status quo, implementing change, advocating for those whose voice have fallen on deaf ears, and being a catalyst for positive improvements in healthcare. Her dream continues to grow, but for now she is committed to walking alongside her future patients and partnering with them to help them become healthy and whole through their current life realities. While continuing to serve her beautiful and diverse community, she also hopes to both improve healthcare accessibility for all and inspire others to do the same.

At a very young age, Dr. Laura Mustieles used to accompany his father, who is an ENT, to her clinic days. Since then, she knew she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up. Dr. Mustieles earned her Medical Degree from La Universidad de Zulia, in Maracaibo, Venezuela. After graduating, Dr. Mustieles worked for a year in a rural setting, where she had the chance to work as the only attending physician in the outpatient center.

During that time, she treated patients of different ages and socioeconomic status. Dr. Mustieles had the opportunity to follow them until their recovery enriching her decision of becoming a Family Medicine Doctor. Being able to follow up throughout the life of a patient is priceless for to her. Dr. Mustieles would like to keep treating a broad spectrum of diseases that could be treated in the family medicine environment.

Dr. Katina Richardson earned her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine and her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Although she was born in Texas, she was raised in Germany, Turkey, England and Illinois. While studying at FAMU, her continued interest in seeing the world and experiencing different cultures, paired with her desire to serve. This led her to enlist into the United States Air Force, where she served for six years.

During her many travels, Dr. Richardson discovered her passion for serving the community. She followed this passion at Ross University School of Medicine while serving disadvantaged areas in Dominica. Dr. Richardson also served as a research coordinator at Washington University School of Medicine within the Division of Public Health in St. Louis, Missouri and subsequently in clinical research within Pulmonary and Critical Care. She coordinated several research projects with the primary objective of reducing healthcare disparities in Prostate Cancer patients.

Dr. Richardson chose Family Medicine as it manifested a strong sense of community. She loves that this field knows the value of building strong relationships and the importance of truly getting to know each patient. Outside of Medicine, she truly enjoy outdoor adventures, traveling and cultural immersion, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Stephanny Santana-Rivera was born and raised in the western part of Puerto Rico in a town called Mayaguez. She attended the University of Puerto Rico, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Later, Dr. Santana-Rivera went to the island of St. Kitts and Nevis, where she attended the University of Medicine and Health Sciences and graduated in 2019. At the same time, she attended Walden University online, where she obtained a Master of Healthcare Administration. Dr. Santana-Rivera is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Public Health. Ever since she was a little girl, Dr. Santana-Rivera wanted to be a physician. While doing her rotations in medical school, she realized she enjoyed the patient-physician interaction. That’s when she understood that family medicine would be the best choice for her.

Dr. Santana-Rivera was also the founder of an association to help underserved children with afterschool activities such as tutoring, sports and arts. This allowed her to work with underserved and helped steer her towards family medicine as well. As president of the American Medical Women’s Association, she organized different health fairs in St. Kitts, and provided healthcare to people who had never seen a physician before. This experienced opened her eyes to access to care and prevention of disease. All these opportunities helped her grow into the person she is today.

Dr. Rose-Ternie Andris earned her medical degree at Université d’Etat d’Haiti. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she moved to the United States to pursue her medical career.

She is passionate about treating patients of all ages and building long-lasting relationships with them.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with his family, playing the piano, swimming, and learning about interior design.

Dr. Yeily Hernandez Mato is a first-generation immigrant from Cuba and has enjoyed calling Miami her home for many years now. The difficulties she overcame during her childhood drove her to pursue a career in medicine and to work with at-risk communities.

She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Florida International University. She attended St. George’s Medical School and was awarded the distinction of joining the Gold Humanism Honor Society for the impact she made in the local community.

Dr. Hernandez values the relationships she creates with patients. This led her to pursue a Family Medicine Residency. She is excited to join the CHI family and continue serving her home community. In the future, she is interested in pursuing a fellowship in wound care/hyperbaric medicine and geriatric medicine.

Dr. Hernandez’s pursuit of giving back to underserved communities has led her humanitarian efforts around the world. She has spent time learning and giving back to diverse communities, including in Grenada, Ghana and India. During medical school in Grenada she grew her passion for hyperbaric oxygen therapy and its impact on wound care. In Thailand, she learned alternative medicine techniques used to alleviate muscular and skeletal conditions and gained a new appreciation for cultural inclusion medicine. Her diverse experiences abroad and at home are incorporated into her medical practice to provide patients with compassionate, personalized care.

Aside from her passion for medicine, she is a lover of salsa dancing with her father, traveling and history. Dr. Hernandez believes in being accessible to people, and enjoys experiencing new cultures, foods and customs. Just as she believes in making the most of every day, she looks forward to providing patients with a positive and individualized experience of medicine that will help her patients live a healthier life.

Dr. Niurka Nunez earned her medical degree at American University of the Caribbean and her Bachelor’s in Biology at Florida International University.

She is passionate about being able to care for patients and making an impact in their lives. Her interest in the medical field came from her father, a physician himself. Dr. Nunez said her appreciation and passion for her profession grows every day.

In her spare time, she enjoys learning new languages, traveling, dancing and playing with her dogs, Noah and Olivia.

Dr. Stainley Williams was born in Ghana. He attended the University of Chicago, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with specialization in Epistemology and Political Philosophy.

After working as a medical paralegal, Dr. Williams went to Ross University School of Medicine where he graduated with a Doctorate in Medicine. His choice to become a family medicine physician came after two realizations. The first is that he takes joy in interacting with patients and working to meet them at the point of their need. The second is his desire to master knowledge that will make him effective in treating a broad spectrum of diseases across multiple systems.

His hobbies include soccer, watching documentaries and reading.

Dr. Giselle Rodriguez Alvarez completed medical school in Cuba. She then traveled to Venezuela to serve as a community doctor in underserved rural areas neglected by the country’s dysfunctional health system.

She immigrated to the United States in 2009. Shortly after she left Cuba, she decided to study medicine again to continue working toward her goals. She studied at USAT Monserrat and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2018. After many years of perseverance, learning a new language, and working and attending school simultaneously, she realized that the obstacles in her path allowed her to become a better doctor. She aims to emphasize her resilience, grit, and skills as a Family Medicine resident where she can support people during their healing process.

Dr. Tony Abraham describes himself as a lifelong student of human behavior. Born in Queens, New York, he showed an early interest in learning the science of the mind.

His prior medical background was primarily in mental health care and advocacy. He attended medical school in India where he grew accustomed to serving patients in impoverished areas where there was an immense need for both medical and mental health care. He developed a passion for promoting mental health in regions where mental health issues were largely discounted and underestimated. He hopes to continue his mission of serving the underserved while at CHI.

On earning his medical degree, he returned to the United States where he continued to accrue experience in the field of psychiatric medicine. Prior to beginning his residency at CHI, he worked as a substance abuse counselor in an area of New York that had been specifically impacted by the opioid crisis. Some of his major areas of interest include tackling the alcohol & substance use epidemic, reforming mental healthcare in correctional facilities and the forensic population and focusing on strategies for the prevention of common mental

Dr. Janny Mesa was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Miami, FL. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from Johns Hopkins University in 2012. During her undergraduate career, Dr. Mesa worked at Mayo Clinic Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics through an internship studying therapeutic approaches in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. This experience spiked an immense interest in diseases that affect the human brain. Dr. Mesa later obtained her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in 2018.

Her passion for Psychiatry began in her early studies as an undergraduate student while volunteering at Johns Hopkins Bayview campus Psychiatry Department. Dr. Mesa discovered the complex psychopathology of different psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, substance addiction and dementia.  Her passion for a medical career was also strongly driven by both of her parents who were practicing physicians in Cuba.

In her spare time, Dr. Mesa enjoys spending time with family, friends and salsa dancing.

Dr. Morgan Biggs is a first-generation Jamaican American who spent her childhood being raised by her grandmother in West Palm Beach.

Growing up watching her grandmother struggle to find affordable care and culturally competent physicians sparked a passion in Dr. Biggs. She started attending many international Medical Missions and fell in love with the act of service.

During her medical mission to Haiti, shortly after the devastating earthquake, Dr. Biggs understood her calling.

She went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Georgia State University while also serving as a S.T.E.M Teacher for the AmeriCorps. After graduating college, Dr. Biggs worked as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department. She saw her grandmother in every patient who felt alienated, alone, misunderstood-and vowed to become the Physician they need. She then earned her Doctor of Medicine Degree from the Black Morehouse School of Medicine in 2020.

Dr. Biggs has returned to Florida to become the doctor she left as a child to be- to serve the underserved and put patient care first.

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Dr. Edington is a medical resident in the Psychiatry Residency Program in the Brodes H. Hartley Jr. Teaching Health Center at CHI. Dr. Edington has always had a passion for mental health. Having witnessed persons close to her struggle with mental illness, it became a mission of hers to help others with mental illnesses to better understand their condition and receive the support that they need.  She believes that extending compassion to ourselves and others is a crucial step towards healing our communities.

Dr. Edington received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Florida and her medical degree from Florida State University College of Medicine. While in medical school, Dr. Edington had the opportunity to work with patients from a variety of backgrounds and it was during this time that she developed a love for serving underserved populations.

Raised in Florida, Dr. Edington is excited to continue her training in the Sunshine State and is eager to serve the Miami-Dade community.  She is also thrilled to be pursuing her dream of becoming a psychiatrist as she greatly enjoys encouraging and empowering her patients to never lose hope.  In her free time, Dr. Edington enjoys playing guitar and watching soccer.

Dr. Jenny Parra was born and raised in Cuba. She completed her medical studies at the University of Havana. Upon graduating from medical school, she completed her residency in family medicine. As a primary care physician, she worked for underserved communities as part of the Cuban Community Medicine Program in Cuba and Venezuela.

Her decision to pursue Psychiatry arose from her affinity for listening to patients’ stories, as well as learning about their cultural backgrounds. She found it inspiring to witness the improvement of patients deeply affected by mental illness, who recovered their normal functioning after receiving the appropriate therapy.

In her spare time, she likes to read and travel. Recently, Dr. Parra discovered an unknown passion for growing orchids and loves to spend her time learning about these plants.

Dr. Russell Spotnitz graduated from Emory University and proceeded to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine in his hometown of Gainesville, FL. While in medical school, Dr. Spotnitz participated in the Equal Access Clinic to provide free medical care to underserved populations in the Gainesville area. As a medical student, Dr. Spotnitz observed how mental health issues and medical disease frequently intermingle to complicate treatment.

Dr. Spotnitz was acquainted with the world of medicine from an early age. His interest in the field blossomed during his time in college. While attending Emory University, Dr. Spotnitz was a member of the school’s Global Medical Brigades chapter.

The opportunity to train at CHI in the Psychiatry Residency felt like the perfect fit for Dr. Spotnitz. He is excited to be a part of the CHI family and work with his patients to help them achieve their full mental health potential.

Dr. Ralinson Alcius was born in Haití. He graduated from the Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie de l’Universite d’Etat D’Haiti.

His clinical interests include Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. His hobbies include soccer, listening to music, traveling and spending time with his family.

Dr. Somto Valentine Enemuo is a first-generation doctor in his family. Born and raised in Nigeria, he completed his medical degree in his native country.

He then practiced primary care for a few years and gradually transitioned into the healthcare system in the United States by obtaining a Master’s in Public Health.

His interest includes research on the utilization of digital tools to mitigate the barriers in healthcare from a “Social Determinant of Health” perspective.

In his spare time, he enjoys listening to progressive philosophers, playing soccer and working out.

Dr. Mary L. Kerwin is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Born in Chicago, she moved to Florida to pursue her medical degree.

Prior to medical school, she was a teacher at an underserved school where she inspired students to cultivate their talents and pursue their dreams.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and walking with her dog.

Dr. Jose M. Morales is a graduate of San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Before joining CHI as a psychiatry resident, he worked alongside a cardiac electrophysiologist.

As one of his passions is to educate others, Dr, Morales was involved in teaching basic sciences at a medical school and moderating case discussions with medical students. By doing so, he cemented his passion for psychiatry because he saw how vital mental wellness is and how it can positively improve each person’s quality of life.

Dr. Morales was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He joined CHI to expand his horizons as he enjoys working with diverse populations.

In his spare time, he enjoys sports, music, outdoors and learning about history.