meet the team
Pediatrician
Lavanya Sithanandam M.D.
Lavanya Sithanandam, M.D. completed medical school at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois followed by pediatric residency at one of the nation’s top ranked children’s hospitals, Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Sithanandam is the medical director at Park Pediatrics and the director of their Reach Out & Read Program. She is a strong advocate for her patients, fluent in Spanish and is certified by the International Society of Travel Medicine. She is happily married with two beautiful sons.
Pediatrician
Louise Wong M.D.
Louise Wong M.D. grew up in Brooklyn, New York and went to college at Georgetown University, where she majored in biology. She received her medical degree at Weill Cornell Medical College. She then completed her pediatric residency training at top ranked Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. In her spare time she enjoys cooking and cheering on her favorite basketball team, the Georgetown Hoyas. Louise is also fluent in Cantonese.
Pediatrician
Izumi Suzuki M.D.
Izumi Suzuki grew up in Northern Virginia and earned an undergraduate degree at UVA, majoring in chemistry. She completed medical school at Eastern Virginia and her pediatric residency at Rainbow Babies in Cleveland in June 2020. She then worked as an outpatient and newborn nursery hospitalist at the University Hospitals Medical Practices in Cleveland, OH before joining Park Pediatrics in 2021.
Pediatrician
Oyindamola Ajewole M.D.
Oyindamola Ajewole, M.H.S., M.D. was born in Nigeria but grew up in Baltimore, MD. She attended the University of MD College Park and earned an undergraduate degree in Neurobiology & Physiology. Dr. Oyin received her masters in health sciences and medical degree at Meharry Medical College. She completed her pediatric residency at Penn State’s Children’s Hospital and joined Park Pediatrics in 2021.
Pediatrician
Samantha Noronha M.D.
Samantha Noronha, MD was born and raised in Maryland. She graduated from UMD College Park, receiving dual degrees in biology and psychology. Samantha completed medical school at New York Medical College, and a pediatric residency at Penn State Hershey. She then completed a chief resident year at Penn State before returning home to work at Park Pediatrics. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, doing puzzles, and outdoor activities with her pets. Samantha is fluent in Spanish.
Physician Assistant
Nisha Orren, P.A.-C.
Nisha grew up in central Pennsylvania and completed her undergraduate degree in biology from Saint Joseph’s University, and a Masters of Medical Sciences degree from Salus University, both in Philadelphia. After graduation, she moved to the DMV area and worked in urgent care before joining Park Pediatrics. In her free time, she enjoys running, cooking/baking, and spending time with her family, friends, and dogs.
Physician Assistant
Mimi Cao-Pham P.A.-C.
Mimi was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD. She received a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology & Physiology at the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Shenandoah University. After graduation, Mimi moved back to her hometown to join the Park Pediatrics family. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new food spots, working out, and taking scenic hikes. She is also fluent in Vietnamese.
Physician Assistant
Solane Kumarra P.A-C.
Solane was born in Ethiopia and moved to the Maryland area with her family at a young age. She received her bachelors degree in Biology from the University of Rochester and her masters in Physician Assistant studies from George Washington University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying out new cuisines, hiking, and spending time with her nieces and nephews. She is excited to be a part of the Park Pediatrics family.
Physician Assistant
Bethel Kidane P.A.-C.
Bethel was born in Ethiopia and moved to Maryland with her family in 2012. She received a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She moved to NYC to continue her education at CUNY School of Medicine where she received her master’s in Physician Assistant studies. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring different places to eat, working out and spending time with her family and friends. Bethel is fluent in Amharic
Physician Assistant
Ruth Hernandez Montiel P.A.-C.
Ruth Hernandez Montiel was born in Toluca, Mexico, and raised on Long Island, NY, since age five. She is fluent in Spanish and English. Ruth completed a bachelors degree in Psychology from Stony Brook University and earned her Masters in Health Sciences with a Physician Assistant Concentration at the University of Maryland. Now happy to call Maryland home, Ruth is excited to serve the local community. She’s always open to book recommendations, food truck gems, and feels lucky to care for such awesome little humans every day.
Physician Assistant
Vanessa Zavala P.A.-C.
Vanessa grew up in Frederick, MD. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology & Physiology from the University of Maryland, College Park, before going on to complete her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Florida. (Go Gators!) Now back in Maryland, Vanessa is excited to care for the community she calls home. In her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors, practicing yoga, and exploring new coffee shops. She is fluent in Spanish.
Doctor of Nursing
Oluwatayo Mwamba D.N.P., C.P.N.P.-P.C.
Tayo is a Nigerian-American clinician raised in Indiana. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Physiology from the University of Iowa and completed both her BSN and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Purdue University. She gained extensive clinical experience at Riley Hospital for Children and is excited to bring her passion for pediatric care to the Park Pediatrics family.
Office Manager
Cecilia Martinez
Cecilia was born and raised in El Salvador and earned her medical degree from Universidad Autonoma de Santa Ana. After completing training in General Pediatrics and Neonatology, she practiced medicine for several years before moving to the United States to pursue new professional opportunities.
She also earned a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus. After working with Park Pediatrics as a medical assistant for several years, Cecilia became Office Manager and now oversees the daily operations of all three clinic locations. She is dedicated to finding new ways to improve services and enhance the experience of our patients and families.
Cecilia is fluent in both Spanish and English. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and birdwatching.
Registered Nurse
Mallary Reyes Castillo B.S.N., R.N.
Mallary was born in El Salvador and moved to Maryland at the age of 14. She joined Park Pediatrics in 2019 as a medical assistant and has served as the assistant manager since 2021. Mallary earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and is excited to work alongside our providers as the triage nurse at the Takoma Park office. She is passionate about providing compassionate, family-centered care and supporting patients and their families through clear communication and education. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and running, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Alexandra Villanueva, FNP
Alexandra grew up in Texas and has called the DMV home for the past 4 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Baylor University and her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has extensive nursing experience in the pediatric emergency department and is excited to bring her passion for caring for children to Park Pediatrics. Outside of work, she enjoys trying new restaurants, walking her two dogs, and spending time with family and friends.
Billing Manager
Karla Gutierrez
Karla was born and raised in El Salvador and moved to the U.S. in 2000. She has over twenty years of experience working in various healthcare settings. Karla joined Park Pediatrics in 2017 as a medical assistant and successfully managed the Gaithersburg office. In 2024, she transitioned into the role of billing manager at Park Pediatrics.
Outside of work, Karla leads a vibrant and fulfilling life. She is happily married with three children and enjoys jogging outdoors and staying active. Her passion for exploration includes traveling to new places and experimenting with new recipes—activities that bring her both joy and delicious results.
Clinical Care Coordinator Greenbelt & Gaithersburg
Arlene Ramirez
Arlene was born and raised in Maryland and currently lives in Lanham with her family. Arlene is passionate about working with children and teens is excited to work as a clinical care coordinator to help patients achieve better health outcomes. During her free time she loves to spend time with her son.
Clinical Care Coordinator Takoma Park & Gaithersburg
Edlin Rodriguez
Edlin Rodriguez has worked as a medical assistant at Park Pediatrics for the last seven years. Her patience and good communication skills has made her a great match for becoming the clinical care coordinator at Takoma Park. Edlin comes from a big family and enjoys spending time with them and her husband and two daughters. She likes to hear music and travel with her family in her free time.
Gaithersburg MD
Greenbelt MD
Takoma Park MD
