Our Team

Executive Team

Tatyana Bak

Chief Executive Officer

Tatyana Bak was named CEO by the Elica Health Centers Board of Directors in October 2017, having served the organization in various capacities over the course of nearly 20 years. Prior to assuming her new leadership post, Tatyana was a consultant on several special projects, Director of Business Development, and for several years Chief Operations Officer.

Tatyana emigrated with her family to the U.S. in 1976 from what was then the Soviet Union, part of a wave of Russian immigration to the U.S. in the 1970s. Her's was the first family in that wave to settle in Sacramento, which now has one of the highest concentrations of Russian immigrants in the U.S.

Guided by her experience and a desire to help others facing challenges similar to those that most immigrants face in adapting to new conditions, Tatyana chose to work in health care, specifically for organizations sensitive to the needs of immigrant and other underserved populations.

Tatyana’s deep connection and commitment to the communities served by Elica, along with her thorough knowledge of the organization’s role as an FQHC, are exactly what the Board of Directors decided were key for Elica’s continued growth and ability to adapt to the changing healthcare landscape, while staying true to the needs of its core constituents.

David E. Hughes

Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer

David is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience developing, growing, and aligning community health centers.

Coming to Elica from Wisconsin, David brings an abundance of skills and experience that will undoubtedly serve Elica well, including a successful track record obtaining federal, state, and private funds in support of health center growth and expansion. He has set up 340B pharmacy programs, school-based health centers, mobile access sites, and integrated academic programs with health centers. David’s performance record also includes success with physician recruiting, medical staff development, along with managing and training highly knowledgeable and diverse medical teams.

Prior to accepting his position with Elica, David served as an independent contractor providing support to more than one-third of the Community Health Center’s in Wisconsin, performing financial and operational assessments, participating in strategic planning, preparing budgets and cost reports, and conducting mock HRSA site visits. Also, he served for 12 years as CEO/CFO for Cabin Creek Health Systems in West Virginia.

Bryan Lee, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Originally from nearby Stockton, California, Dr. Lee received his Bachelor's of Science (BS) degree in microbiology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he served throughout as a volunteer medical assistant at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) dedicated to the underserved of Southern California. After receiving his degree, he attended medical school and received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, choosing internal medicine as his field of practice.

After completing his internal medicine residency at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Dr. Lee served as a primary care physician at Kaiser Permanente. While there, in addition to carrying a full panel of primary care patients at the health maintenance organization (HMO), he served as clerkship director (and clinical faculty) to medical students rotating through the internal medicine rotation being held at Kaiser from several medical schools. In addition, he served as the co-medical director for the medical group's Geographic Managed Care program, Sacramento's Medi-Cal payor system.

Dr. Lee has a lifelong passion and commitment to the wellbeing of the underserved of California, and values working alongside a team of like-minded individuals at Elica; also focused on improving the lives of the community of patients they serve.

Feras Al Riyabi, DDS

Chief Dental Officer

Feras Al Riyabi brings over 18 years of expertise to the dental field, with half of his career dedicated to serving communities in clinical settings. A Damascus Dental School graduate with a DDS degree, Feras has earned a Community Appreciation Award by AFISHA for his outstanding contributions. Feras also stays up-to-date with the latest industry advancement and best practices to provide cutting-edge dental care to the community. Guided by the philosophy of treating patients like family, Feras is driven by a passion for providing compassionate dental services and making a positive impact on the lives of those he serves.

Danielle Martinez

Chief Human Resources Officer

Laton Fuller

Chief Compliance Officer

Program Leaders

Jessica Cheng, MD

Associate Medical Director

Dr. Jessica Cheng is a pediatrician whose mission is to provide patient- and family-centered care with compassion and humility. She believes that all individuals deserve access to quality health care and seeks to facilitate comprehensive whole-person care via multidisciplinary collaboration.

She received a B.A. in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a secondary field in Global Health and Health Policy from Harvard College and her M.D. from the University of California, San Diego. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of California, Davis. She is passionate about early intervention services for children, reproductive health, and community health.

Carissa Caryotakis, FNP-C

Associate Medical Director

Carissa Caryotakis, a compassionate family nurse practitioner, is dedicated to providing patient-centered care to individuals from diverse backgrounds. Committed to understanding the unique needs of her patients, Carissa helps them achieve their health goals.

Carissa's academic journey began at the University of Michigan, where she earned a double major in Screen Arts and Cultures and Spanish. Her initial professional experience in Chicago as a health educator ignited her passion for healthcare and propelled her towards a career in nursing. Carissa pursued her nursing education at Vanderbilt University, where she honed her skills and knowledge to better serve the healthcare community.

Before joining Elica, Carissa contributed her expertise to the field while working at East Woodland Medical Clinic, specializing in both pediatrics and family medicine. This experience equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of patient care across different age groups and medical needs.

In her role as Associate Medical Director at Elica, Carissa is dedicated to implementing innovative projects and solutions aimed at enhancing patients' experiences and improving access to care. Her commitment to excellence and proactive approach to healthcare management make her an invaluable asset to the Elica team.

Carissa Caryotakis continues to embody the principles of patient advocacy and quality healthcare, reflecting her dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of those she serves. As a key member of our team, Carissa plays a vital role in driving positive change and contributing to the mission and vision of Elica.

Jonathan O'Brien, PA-C

Associate Medical Director of Mental Health

Jonathan O’Brien PA-C, CAQ-Psych is a dedicated mental health provider with over 6 years of experience delivering primary care to underserved populations. He is a licensed physician assistant who specializes in psychiatry and addiction medicine. Jonathan earned his Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Prior to joining Elica, Jonathan practiced addiction psychiatry in Philadelphia before moving to his hometown of Stockton, California to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).

Throughout his career, Jonathan has demonstrated a deep commitment to providing compassionate, patient-centered care that reduces stigma and normalizes mental health. He has worked extensively with diverse underserved populations, helping individuals navigate complex mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and addiction. Jonathan’s background in family medicine and fellowship in primary care pain management at UC Davis/San Diego influence his approach to psychiatry to create a holistic approach to mental health treatment.

Jonathan is known for his empathetic approach and his ability to create a safe, non-judgmental space for individuals to explore their feelings and thoughts. He believes in empowering his patients with the knowledge and tools they need to take control of their mental health and achieve their personal goals with and without medication.

In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys playing guitar, reading science fiction and fantasy novels, traveling and camping with his family. He is also an avid mindfulness practitioner who believes in the power of mindfulness and meditation in promoting mental well-being.

Alex Porto, MSPAS/MPH

Associate Medical Director of Outreach Services

Alexander Porto, born and raised in Oakland, California, brings a wealth of global experience and local expertise to his role as Associate Medical Director of Outreach Services at Elica. A proud alumnus of UC Berkeley, where he earned his BA in History and Planetary Science, Alex furthered his studies at Oxford University under the WISC foreign study scholarship, focusing on History and Ethics. His early career spanned hotel and bakery management before transitioning into environmental project management, where he honed his skills in groundwater testing, remediation, and pollution abatement.

Driven by a deep desire to serve, Alex joined the Peace Corps in Bulgaria, dedicating over two years to health and community development initiatives. It was during this time that his passion for health education and medicine took root. This commitment to service saw him travel across the globe, volunteering in orphanages in Kenya, Tanzania, and India.

Upon returning to the U.S., Alex pursued his MSPAS/MPH degrees at Touro University in Vallejo, California. His medical career began in Urgent Care in Sacramento, followed by primary care work with Dr. Champlain at Med Center Medical Clinic and later at Sacramento ENT. Since joining Elica in 2020, Alex has focused on Primary Care, Street Medicine, Mobile Medicine services, and, most recently, the Enhanced Care Management team. He has mentored students in PA, DO and NP programs.

Alex is deeply committed to improving the quality of life, health, and well-being of his patients, particularly within underserved communities. His work is rooted in collaboration, and he is dedicated to expanding California's medical capacity through partnerships with community stakeholders, mobile medicine, and outreach programs.

With a commitment to service and a profound belief in the power of health education, Alex continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of those he serves, striving to create a healthier and more equitable future for all Californians.

Clinic Operations Leadership

Tamara Miroshnichenko

Senior Director of Clinical Operations

Tamara Miroshnichenko was born in Uzbekistan and emigrated to the United States in 1999.

Since joining the Elica Health Centers in 2007 as an extern, she has excelled at numerous tasks and positions. Tamara’s first position as a Front Desk Clerk led her of being promoted to the Lead, Supervisor, and later the Office Supervisor. Tamara’s hard work and commitment to Elica led her of becoming a General Manager, the Director of Medical Operations for the County of Sacramento, Director of Medical Operations overseeing two Associate Medical Operations Directors, and she now serves as Senior Director of Clinical Operations.

She has in-depth knowledge of most aspects of health care management including on-floor patient care, clinical and support staff management, and provider management. All this knowledge makes her to be successful when it comes to managing the clinical teams. Tamara desires to support managers and Associates Operational Directors in any possible way.

With more than 16 years of experience and time at Elica, Tamara truly has been able to see the growth and transformation of Elica Health Centers.

Tamara believes in straightforwardness in life and in work. If you focus on what is important, success will reveal itself. Take care of your people, focus on the customer and act on what is necessary.

Natalya Maresyeva

Director of Medical Operations

Natalya was born and raised in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, in Middle Asia. In 1996 she received her Associate of Wood Science (Wood Product Processing). In 1999 she moved to Sacramento, where she has lived and worked since. She worked at USPS of Davis, CA, for seven years until she had her fifth child.

In 2009 she attended school for medical assisting. After completing her medical assistant program, she was directed to Midtown Medical Center (now Elica Health Centers on J Street) where she had her externship and was employed immediately after graduation (December 6th, 2010). Since then, she has held multiple positions with Elica, including medical assistant, front desk employee, front desk supervisor for 2.5 years, clinic manager for almost 6 years, Associate Operations Director for Elica's Halyard Drive, Midtown, North Highlands and 15th Street clinics, and now serves as Elica's Director of Medical Operations.

Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in management. She loves working with people and serving our diverse population. She feels very fortunate and blessed to have such a fantastic team of managers, supervisors, leads, front and back office assistants, and providers.

Her philosophy is to build trust, have integrity and demonstrate competence, engage all stakeholders in setting ambitious goals, and manage her teams with empathy and accountability. She wants to position each team member to succeed and grow with the company. Her goal is to help managers, both new and old, lead their teams and provide them with a structured approach that assists managers in teaching others with respect and knowledge.

Her hobbies include hiking, swimming, and herb picking. She also loves camping with her family and friends in the ocean and forest areas.

Follow Elica on social media (SNS)!

English

Spanish

Russian

Dari

Open Payments Information

For informational purposes only, a link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments web page is provided here. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.

The Open Payments database is a federal tool used to search payments made by drug and device companies to physicians and teaching hospitals. It can be found at https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov