Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Dimitra Angeli is a Board certified Pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She loves to work with children and their families. She was born in Greece where she also studied medicine at the Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Then after a few years of working as a General Practitioner she moved to the United States and she completed her pediatric Internship and Residency at the Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey.
After residency she had the opportunity to work with Midland Healthcare Services Pediatric clinic at West Texas. When her family decided to move to Dallas Dr. Angeli was excited to join the team of the Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic.
Dr. Mayra Nieves-Ríos has been practicing pediatric medicine for over a decade and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico. She completed her medical degree at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico, and her Pediatric Residency and Internship programs at the University Pediatric Hospital in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Nieves-Ríos was born in New York City. She spent most of her childhood in Puerto Rico and is fluent in Spanish. She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is licensed by the Texas and Florida Medical Boards.
Dr. Phuong Ngoc Nguyen was born in Vietnam. She immigrated to United States when she was 7 years old and resided in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency in central New York at Albany Medical Center.
Dr. Nguyen is licensed by the Texas Medical Board, is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Althea Kay Jarrett has been a practicing Pediatrician for over 15 years. She attended George Washington University in Washington, DC where she received Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and completed her Medical Degree at the University of South Florida, COM in Tampa, Florida.
She completed her Pediatric Internship and Residency at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She is a board certified Pediatrician licensed in Texas and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has lived in Dallas for over 15 years with her husband and 2 daughters. She is proud to serve the families of Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic.
Dr. Margaret Payne has been practicing pediatrics for 35 years. Originally from Southern California, she graduated from the University of California, San Diego and then came to UT Southwestern Medical School here in Dallas. Dr. Payne finished her pediatric training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and then practiced pediatrics in the Houston Medical Center for over 25 years. She is a Board Certified Pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
While at UT Southwestern, Dr. Margaret Payne met and married her spouse of 40 years, Dr. Norris Payne. They had always dreamed of returning to Dallas and recently had the surprising opportunity to do so. During the course of her career, Dr. Payne has had many honors including Top Women Doctors of Texas and Best Doctors of America. But, she has found her greatest professional rewards in serving the population of clinics like LBUCC.
In her spare time, Dr. Payne enjoys spending time with her family including her two sons and grandchildren. She is also an avid needle-pointer.
Dr. Debra Valis has been practicing pediatric medicine for over thirty years. Dr. Valis earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Texas A&M University. She obtained her Medical Degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Lubbock/Amarillo) and completed her Pediatric Residency training at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, Texas, serving as Chief Resident in her third year. Dr. Valis completed one year of Pediatric Intensive Care training at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She then returned to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo as a clinical instructor in pediatrics and served as an attending physician in the pediatric intensive care unit.
After marriage, Dr. Valis returned to the DFW Metroplex, and after spending some time in private practice in Denton, Texas, made the transition to Cook Children’s Medical Center/Health Care System. There, Dr. Valis practiced medicine in the Emergency Department at Cook Children’s in Fort Worth for eight years, and in the Cook Children’s Urgent Care Centers for an additional fourteen years.
Dr. Valis joined Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic in August 2015. She enjoys practicing medicine in the pediatric clinic, caring for the patients while getting to know their families, and working to improve her Spanish language skills.
Dr. Valis is licensed by the Texas Medical Board and is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Married with two daughters, Dr. Valis enjoys relaxing with family, reading, watching sports, and spending time on Texas beaches.
Dr. Muhammad Tauseef received his degree in Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from The Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his internship at the Department of Pediatrics –Internal Medicine from West Virginia University, in Morgantown West Virginia.
Afterwards, he completed his Pediatrics Residency from Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Philadelphia. Dr. Tauseef is a published physician, fluent in English, Urdu, and Punjabi. He is a member of the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.
Dr. Farooq Habib has over 35 years of experience in taking care of patients from newborn to 21 years of age. Providing both inpatient and outpatient care, dealing with a wide range of pathology, from normal newborn patients to complex patients such as obesity and tuberculosis. Past experience includes clinical research as a fellow in Pediatric Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Habib received his degree in Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his Pediatrics Residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, in Newark New Jersey. Dr. Habib is licensed by the Texas Medical Board, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, New York Medical Reserve Core, and Let’s Move Task Force Teaneck, NJ Chapter.
Dr. Muhammad Yaqoob is a Board Certified Pediatrician with many years of experience working with Neo-born to Adolescent age groups from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. He did his initial Pediatric Internship in Pakistan and completed his Pediatric Residency in the University of Illinois Hospital Chicago.
Since then he has worked as a Hospitalist, Pediatric Clinic and Pediatric ER and Urgent Care. Dr. Yaqoob has four kids in different stages in life. When he’s not busy with them he loves to travel, go for a walk, gardening, and meet people from different cultural backgrounds.
Dr. Nabila Zaidi attained her Medical and Surgery Degree from Khyber Medical College in Peshawar, Pakistan and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Texas Tech University. She has enjoyed more than a decade of patient care as a Board Certified Internal Medicine Doctor. In this time, she was awarded numerous accolades such as the John Peter Smith Physician Excellence Awards, Highest Patient Satisfaction Award and Maintaining Highest Score in Quality and Chronic Disease Management.
Also, while serving as an Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas, she was awarded the UNT Excellence Award for patient care in the Department of Community Medicine where she supervised residents and student physicians. She is a member of the American College of Physician and Texas Medical Association. Outside of the time she spends with her patients, Dr. Nabila Zaidi enjoys time with her family with hobbies that include gardening, baking, and arts and crafts. All in all, Dr. Nabila Zaidi always puts her patients first and gives them the utmost care she can provide.
Dr. Jill Strachan-Batson completed her undergraduate degree at Howard University in Washington DC, her medical education at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia and her residency training at Montefiore Medical Center in The Bronx, NY. She is Board Certified by the American Academy of Family Medicine.
Dr. Batson is fluent in Spanish language and has spent her 20yr. career caring for vulnerable populations including at risk youth and homeless individuals and families. She is a native New Yorker who enjoys traveling, jazz music and book clubs. Dr. Batson is married to her husband Scott. They have two children; Noble and Naima and one dog Luna.
Dr. Jhudy Mohan, a doctoral-prepared family nurse practitioner, joined Los Barrios Unidos Community clinic in February 2009. She was born in India where she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from College of nursing, Indore, India. She has been in the medical profession for over 30 years starting out as a critical care nurse. She completed the Family Nurse Practitioner program at Texas Tech University Health Science with a Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama.
She is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner and Registered nurse in the state of Texas. She is a member of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Texas Nurse Practitioners, and North Texas Nurse Practitioners. She enjoys working with Los Barrios patients with acute and chronic needs. Her job duties include diagnosing illnesses and conditions, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, conducting examinations, providing counseling, and prescribing medications. She is fluent in English, Hindi, and Malayalam, and is working to improve her Spanish language skills. Married with two daughters and a son, she enjoys spending time with family, attending church activities, reading, and traveling.
Dr. Lavanya Gopalakrishnan completed her bachelor’s degree in English language from the Stella Maris College, Madras (Chennai), India, and then her medical education from the Kilpauk Medical College in the same city. After graduation from medical school, she served as an active duty medical officer in the Indian Navy.
She underwent the Internship and residency training in Family Medicine from the Forest Park Hospital, Saint Louis, MO and was also the Chief Resident. She was the Chief Medical Officer in a FQHC in Lake City, FL between 2005 and 2013. Board Certified with the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) in 2005 and ABFM recertified in 2014. She is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Medical Association (AMA).
Dr. Alba I. Smith, DNP, RN, MSN, FNP-C received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She completed the Family Nurse Practitioner from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York. She completed her FNP internship at the Associates of Internal Medicine Clinic at the Columbia, Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
She received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. She is currently licensed as a Family Nurse Practitioner in the State of Texas and New York.
She is a member of the Sigma Theta-Tau the Nursing Honor society, Texas Nurse Practitioners and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is fluent in Spanish.
During her free time she enjoys, gardening and traveling with her husband their son and two dogs.
Dr. Janai Okorodudu received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Missouri in Columbia. She then received her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. Afterwards, she completed residency in Family Medicine at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
She enjoys all aspects of Family Medicine but her particular passions are in Pediatrics and Women’s Health. She is a member of American Academy of Family Physicians and certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She also has a working fluency in Spanish. Dr. Okorodudu resides in the Dallas area with her husband, Dale, and their two children, and two dogs.
Dr. Zareen Tasneem was born in Pakistan where she received her degree in Medicine and Surgery from Karachi Medical and Dental College-University of Karachi, Pakistan. She completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and surgery at Aga Khan University and Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, and a residency in family medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, where she was selected as Star Employee of the Year and Chief Resident.
Dr. Tasneem holds certifications in pediatric advanced life support, basic life support, advanced cardiovascular life support, and is certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Tasneem is a published physician, fluent in English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, and has a working fluency in Spanish. She is also a member of The American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association.
Julia de Leon was born and raised in Nayarit, Mexico, and has lived in the DFW area for over 20 years. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Dallas. Shortly after, she completed her Master of Science Degree at the University of South Alabama and is currently pursuing a Doctorate Degree.
Julia is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and the Dallas County Medical Reserve Corps.
She collaborated in multi-center clinical research trials for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Neonatal Research Network (NRN) at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Hospital. Because of her cultural background and fluency in Spanish, she realized she could provide better care to others as a Spanish-speaking provider and she decided to join Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic. In the role of a Family Medicine Provider, she enjoys the ability to help all patients.
Esther Nebo is a Family Nurse Practitioner. She obtained her Master of Nursing from Walden University, Maryland. She is a Certified Nurse Practitioner who has worked with children and adults in various Family clinics. She started her career at East Field College where she obtained an associate in Science, and completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. She worked as a Registered Nurse in various hospitals, rehabs, home health and nursing homes in Texas. She joined Los Barrios in 2019 and fell in love with the outstanding care we provide to our patients and the patient population.
Esther loves gardening and ministerial work. She volunteers with Homeless Ministries and Health Missions. She is originally from Nigeria where she studied Mass Communication and worked as a Journalist in her home country. She is married with two kids and uses all her life experiences to the benefit of her patients.
Dr. Yasmin Sharif received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Montclair State University in New Jersey. She then received her medical degree from the American University of Antigua in Antigua and Barbuda. Afterwards, she completed residency in Family Medicine at Hunter Medical Center in Flemington, New Jersey.
She is licensed by the Texas Medical Board and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Sharif enjoys exercising, traveling and event planning.
Dr. Christie Shanafelt completed her undergraduate degree at Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia, her medical education at Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas, and her residency training at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, New York. She is board certified by the American Board of Osteopathic Family Physicians.
Dr. Shanafelt speaks English and Spanish, and has spent her career caring for underserved populations at Community Health Centers and FQHCs. She enjoys traveling, video games (most notably World of Warcraft), and advocacy efforts for patients and physicians. Dr. Shanafelt is married to her husband Bryan. They have one child, Veronica, one dog, Harley, and a granddog, Bella.
Dr. Emmad Sheikh completed his undergraduate degree in Finance from Villanova University. He later obtained his Master of Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland. After working over 10 years in corporate America, he resumed his education, and got his Doctor in Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Dr. Emmad Sheikh has practiced dentistry throughout the Northeast, including Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. He has close to 10 years of clinical experience of working at community-based healthcare centers, as well as global dental relief experience.
Dr. Emmad Sheikh moved to Texas in 2017 for warmer weather and a better atmosphere for raising his 3 kids. He enjoys traveling, sports, spending time with his family, and venturing out to different restaurants to try new cuisines.
Melina is originally from Venezuela and has been in the dental field for over 22 years. She obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene in 2017 at Texas A&M, College of Dentistry in Dallas. Melina is passionate about dental health and loves to give back to the community through volunteer work at dental health initiatives offered throughout the year. She is member of the American Dental Hygiene Association and stays current with continuing dental education classes to be on top of current development in dentistry. She enjoys spending time with her patients, educating, and encouraging them to maintain good oral health. Patients appreciate her gentle and compassionate manner. Our staff enjoy her bubbly, and positive personality.
Melina and her husband have two daughters and are active in their church. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, crafting, baking, cooking, and traveling.
Dr. Loan Ngoc Nguyen was born in Vietnam. She immigrated to United States when she was 10 years old and resided in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She received her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine and completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency in central New York at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
Dr. Nguyen is licensed by the Texas Medical Board, is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Silvia Urueta is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and has been providing prenatal care at Los Barrios Unidos for over 16 years. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Texas in Arlington.
She is a member of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, is certified by the National Certification Corporation, and is licensed by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.
Dr. McKown is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She completed her OB-GYN residency at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
She has been certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1990, and currently also serves as clinical faculty with the Department of Medical Education obstetrics and gynecology residency program at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
Dr. Eduardo Torres was born in Puerto Rico. He graduated from Medical School and completed his OBGYN training at the University of Puerto Rico in 2001 and 2005 respectively. He moved to the United States in 2005 and worked in Virginia for 8 years and then in Tyler Texas for 6 years. Dr. Torres joined Los Barrios in Sept 2019.
He is fluent in Spanish and has a special interest in managing normal and complicated pregnancies.
Dr. Torres is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2006 and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists.
Dr. Steven Hoffman is a native of Dallas/Ft. Worth and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. He received his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Dr. Scholl’s School of Podiatry in Chicago, IL.
He completed his residency in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency with the added credential in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery (PMSR/RRA) while working at Southern Arizona VA. He is licensed to practice Podiatric medicine in Texas. Dr. Hoffman enjoys time with his family, woodworking and competing in triathlon races.
