Providers
Dr. Patricia Rodriguez is a board-certified pediatrician and active member in the American Academy of Pediatrics who graduated medical school from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, where she also completed both her internship and residency. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Texas A&M University and is a proud Aggie. Before joining NTACHC, Dr. Rodriguez served as Vice President and Chief Health Equity & Inclusion Officer for Children’s Health in Dallas, where she spearheaded system-wide strategies and initiatives in pediatric health equity and inclusive care delivery practices. Prior to relocating to Dallas, she served as the Director of Pediatrics for a Houston-area federally qualified health center for nearly seven years and brings extensive experience and expertise in community health and clinic operations.
She is a passionate healthcare advocate for vulnerable and underserved patient populations and believes the most important factors in a physician/patient relationship are respect and trust.
She enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons fishing and camping and also enjoys baking, watching movies and painting.
As a mother, I know that every child is a precious gift and a blessing. As your child’s pediatrician, I promise to treat and care for your child the way I would expect my own children to be treated. Together we will make a great team so that your child can be healthy and thrive.
Dora Bradford is a seasoned Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner with more than 27 years of experience in a fast-paced community health clinic. She specializes in working with women and has vast experience in all areas of gynecology. Her excellent communication skills with patients combined with her medical knowledge make her an asset for NTACHC.
Speaking of NTACHC, she worked here previously for seven years, and she’s back with her excellent leadership, organizational and clinical skills. Dora has a proven track record of achieving exceptional results with patient care services in various roles throughout North Texas. She received both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington.
I believe we are spiritual, emotional, and physical beings, and all of these aspects of our being should be in harmony. I strive to create that in my life and share these concepts with my patients.
When not at work, Monica volunteers as a Youth Core Member at her church every week helping teenagers learn about their faith. She also enjoys spending time with her family and watching her girls different school activities.
When a patient decides to visit me, they can expect my full attention and the certainty that together we can help find a solution to make them feel better.
Virginia Flores is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She has seven years of registered nurse experience in nursing management, process improvement and multiple acute care departments. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of California – Riverside Campus, a Master of Science in Nursing Health Systems Leadership/Administrative Nurse Leadership from Western University of Health Sciences, and a Post-Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate from Texas Woman’s University. In her free time, Flores enjoys spending time with her children and her cat, traveling, hiking, listening to live music and catching up on TV series.
Advocating for those in underserved areas and empowering patients with knowledge about their illnesses are a few of my favorite things about caring for patients.
Kristina Jacobsen is a two-time graduate of the University of Arizona, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences in 2010 and her Doctor of Pharmacy in 2014. A native Arizonan, she moved to Texas and worked as a Community Pharmacist within the JPS Health Network before opening the Pharmacy at the Northside Community Health Center as a partnership between Maxor National Pharmacy Services and NTACHC.
Her practice of pharmacy is dedicated to underserved communities and focusing on providing high-quality, accessible healthcare to all patients regardless of income level. She thinks it is important to identify barriers that prevent patients from receiving optimal medication therapy and find ways to remove those barriers.
In her free time, Kristina enjoys traveling with her husband, reading, hiking, biking, and playing board games with her friends.
We want patients to feel connected to their medication therapy and comfortable communicating with us about any medication problems they may have.
Ana Maldonado received a bachelor’s of social work from The University of Texas at Arlington because it allowed her opportunities to help people. She has worked as an HIV counselor, Medicaid specialist and eligibility specialist—all of which have contributed to her expertise as a case manager. She is passionate about helping her patients access the services and the care they need to have transformed lives. She enjoys working with patients of all ages and finds it rewarding to provide ongoing support to help them.
My passion is to work with the patients to help them access needed services and on their way to a renewed and transformed life.
Dr. Mary Kate Walters earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Development from Texas A&M University and then received her Doctor of Optometry from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. While in school, Dr. Walters served in multiple leadership roles and was recognized as Outstanding Student of the Year. Following graduation, she completed an Ocular Disease residency at the Community Eye Clinic in Fort Worth. Advocating for and helping patients of all ages achieve their visual needs is one of her favorite parts of practicing optometry.
Dr. Walters is a licensed Therapeutic Optometrist and Optometric Glaucoma Specialist. She currently holds a faculty position at the University of Houston College of Optometry, is a member of the American Optometric Association, Texas Optometric Association, Tarrant County Optometric Society, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. She currently serves as the co-leader for Health Professionals and Outcomes Workgroup on the Texas Diabetes Council. Her clinical interests include diabetic eye care, vitreoretinal disease, neuro-ophthalmic conditions, glaucoma, cataracts, keratoconus, and specialty contact lenses.
In her spare time, Dr. Walters enjoys traveling, listening to live music, being at the lake, and spending time with her husband, family, friends, and puppy.
Dr. Mary Kate Walters, Northside Eye Care Center Clinic Director, and Professor of Practice, University of Houston College of Optometry, says, “This unique center allows each patient to receive a majority of their vital healthcare in a single facility and can help increase access to care and reduce transportation barriers while also promoting continuity, consolidation, and comprehensive health care.”
Dr. Madhavi Gavirneni is a board-certified pediatrician who graduated medical school from Rangaraya Medical College in South India. She pursued her residency training at East Tennessee State University and worked as an outpatient pediatrician in Johnson City before moving to Dallas. She worked in urgent care briefly but transitioned to outpatient care to give her the opportunity to treat patients on an ongoing basis. She is a member of the American Association of Pediatrics.
Her passion is caring for kids and developing a trust with the family to become a part of their lives so she can further help them with their physical, mental and emotional wellness.
She enjoys traveling with her family, cooking, listening to music, cycling, and exploring new places.
My passion is caring for kids and developing a trust with the family to become a part of their lives so I can further help them with their physical, mental and emotional wellness.
Kandra Shorter is a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist. Born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, she moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area 10 years ago to pursue a higher education. She has experience in couple and family therapy, medical family therapy, private practice, infant/child mental health and public health. Shorter has a recurring appearance on a local podcast where she helps to bridge the gap between physical health and mental health in the African American community. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and minor in African American Studies from The University of Texas at Arlington. She obtained her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Texas Woman’s University. In her personal time, Shorter enjoys spending time with her fiancé, family and friends. She also loves to sing, write poetry and travel.
I aim to be a familiar face in the behavioral health field to help change the narrative around minorities seeking out mental health services. It’s my goal to make a positive impact in as many lives as I can.
Taanadeeba Mitee, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with broad nursing experience, has worked in both in-patient and out-patient settings. She has served as an RN health coach for a chronic disease management community clinic that helped underserved and uninsured populations. Mitee also has a strong background in diabetes management and care support. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington. Outside of work, Mitee enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking Nigerian dishes, listening and dancing to African music.
I strive to provide high-quality care to my patients and their families.
Dr. Thomas J. Rubeo, Jr. is board certified specialist in obstetrics and gynecology with more than 30 years of experience. He graduated from Fordham University and received his M.D. degree from The Chicago Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in OB/GYN at Columbia University Medical Center Presbyterian Hospital. He was in private practice in Bronxville associated with New York Presbyterian Hospital/Lawrence Hospital for 37 years. He also served as the director of OB/GYN at Lawrence Hospital for two years. After moving to Texas, he was a physician for Allara Health, a telehealth provider specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
My 30 years of working in the field of OB/GYN has given me an exceptional appreciation for the joy of childbirth and insight into the reproductive and menopausal concerns of women.
Feven Bucklew is a Family Nurse Practitioner. In addition to her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Madda Walabu University in Ethiopia, she also holds a Master of Science in nursing from the University of Texas in Arlington. As a nurse practitioner, she completed a unique residency program in primary care medicine in an underserved community in New Mexico, sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration. With more than 10 years of nursing, she has experience as a pediatric nurse and nursing educator. She served as an assistant lecturer at Mekelle University in Northern Ethiopia.
An internationally educated nurse, she understands the challenge of navigating a new and unique health care system and works with her patients to increase their health care access and needs are met. She is actively involved in local nurse practitioners’ group, a member of Texas Nurse Practitioners and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Bilingual in Amharic, she enjoys participating in medical mission work locally and abroad and spending time with her family, friends and church community.
I strive to treat my patients and their families as I would like to be treated myself and build a relationship to empower them to make informed health care decisions.
With more than 15 years of experience in pediatrics and newborn care, Dr. Dinesh Gowda is a board-certified pediatrician who graduated from J.J.M. Medical College in India. He completed three years of additional training in pediatrics from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in India before relocating to the U.S. He completed his internship and residency at Harlem Hospital Center, New York, which is affiliated with Columbia University.
Before joining NTACHC, Dr. Gowda worked as an associate professor of pediatrics and chair of pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Odessa, Texas. He is a fellow and active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and has a special interest in pediatric asthma and newborn care. His awards include the Dean’s Educational Innovation Award (2018), Top Pediatrician Award from Patient Reviews (2017), and the Outstanding Teaching Faculty Award (2017). He is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a member of the Texas Medical Association and West Texas Physicians Association.
My goal is to provide the best, most comprehensive, and compassionate care for children from birth to 18 years. By focusing on preventative medicine, I teach children healthy habits that they can use as they grow.
Allison Haug is a bilingual, patient-focused Family Nurse Practitioner with a wealth of clinical experience. In her prior roles, she has experience engaging with diverse populations at Federally Qualified Health Centers similar to NTACHC. She is well-trained in providing acute care, mental health care, wellness exams and chronic disease management. She attended Texas A&M where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Health with a minor in Spanish. She pursued her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, she holds several health-related licenses and certifications, and has also been featured in two publications.
I am passionate about teaming up with patients and their families to help them become their healthiest selves. I believe that the relationship between provider and patient should be a partnership, and I look forward to helping my patients reach their goals.
Herman Vargas is a qualified mental health professional with more than 20 years of experience assisting families and individuals. He is passionate in his role for caring and helping people. He is committed to serving his community and feels tremendously privileged in the roles he’s held. He enjoys learning and growing from every family that he assists and being a member of amazing organizations that focus on human and social services. He graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in sociology.
I bring my passion and commitment for serving families and individuals to my job and look forward to helping our community.
