Tania Rivera, MD
Medical Director
Dr. Tania Rivera is a biologist and physician who did her internal medicine residency at the New York Downtown Hospital (affiliated with the Weill Cornell Medical College), and performed clinical rotations at the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Additionally, Dr. Rivera has 7 years of experience in inpatient acute hospital care and intensive care management.
Her passion for technology led her to become Project Director for the Caribbean Medical Center in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, where she led the implementation of electronic health records for the facility.
Her years of practice made Dr. Rivera realize that the path to optimal health could not solely rely on medications, so she pursued functional medicine training at The Institute of Functional Medicine, and has since focused on healing chronic disease through a comprehensive approach.
She's passionate about teaching patients to make simple and small changes that can have enormous impact on their health. When not seeing patients, you can find Dr. Rivera browsing farmers markets for seasonal culinary inspiration, traveling to faraway lands and practicing sound healing.
Currently, Dr. Rivera is Medical Director and a co-founder of Pravan Health Group, whose first concierge clinic opened in August 2017, as part of a massive commercial and residential development in Santurce, Puerto Rico.
**
La Dra. Tania Rivera es bióloga, realizó su residencia en medicina interna en el New York Downtown Hospital (afiliado al Weill Cornell Medical College), y realizó rotaciones clínicas en el prestigioso Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Además, la Dra Rivera tiene 7 años de experiencia como hospitalista manejando pacientes de cuidado crítico.
Su pasión por la tecnología la llevó a ser Directora de Proyecto en el Caribbean Medical Center de Fajardo, Puerto Rico, donde ayudó a la implementación del record electrónico en toda la facilidad.
Los años de práctica ayudaron a la Dra. Rivera a percatarse que el camino obtener una salud óptima no podía solamente depender de medicamentos, por lo que se adiestró en medicina funcional en el Institute of Functional Medicine, y desde entonces se ha enfocado en sanar enfermedades crónicas a través de un acercamiento exhaustivo.
A la Dra. Rivera le apasiona enseñar a sus pacientes como realizar cambios simples y pequeños pero que tiene un enorme impacto en su salud. Cuando no está atendiendo pacientes, la Doctora visita mercados agrícolas para inspiraciones culinarias de temporada, viaja por tierras lejanas y práctica sanación con sonido.
Actualmente la Dra. Rivera es Director Médico y co-fundadora de Pravan Health Group, cuya primera clínica concierge abrió en agosto del 2017 como parte de un masivo desarrollo comercial y residencial en Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Manuel A. Colón García de la Noceda, MD, FACEP
Director of Urgent Care
Dr. Manny is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine since 2004 and earned his medical degree at the University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences campus, where he also completed his residency training on Emergency Medicine. He then completed his fellowship training on Emergency Ultrasound at Columbia University's St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York and became the first and, to this date, the only Emergency Medicine Ultrasound fellowship-trained physician on the island.
Dr. Colón has served as past president of the Puerto Rico chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians and currently has a seat at its Board of Directors. He is passionate about teaching and has lectured extensively on Emergency Medicine and Ultrasound in Puerto Rico, the US, and the Dominican Republic. Manny has been guest faculty at Yale and Harvard ultrasound courses and is currently an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Puerto Rico Emergency Medicine Residency.
His main goal is to continue improving access and the quality of emergency medical services for the residents of the Island. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two girls, woodworking, power tools and repairing old cars.
**
Dr. Manny Colón ha estado certificado en medicina de emergencia desde el 2004 y obtuvo su grado médico en el Recinto de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, donde también completó su residencia en Medicina de Emergencia. Luego completó una subespecialidad en Ultrasonido de Emergencia en el St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center de Columbia University en Nueva York y se convirtió en el primero y, hasta la fecha, el único médico con adiestramiento formal en Ultrasonido de Emergencias en Puerto Rico.
Dr. Colón ha sido presidente del capítulo de Puerto Rico del American College of Emergency Physicians y actualmente es parte de su junta de directores. Es apasionado con la enseñanza y ha ofrecido múltiples seminarios sobre medicina de emergencia y ultrasonido en Puerto Rico, EEUU y la República Dominicana. Manny ha sido profesor invitado a cursos de ultrasonido en Yale y Harvard, y actualmente es Profesor Adjunto de Medicina de Emergencia en la residencia de Emergencia de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Su meta primaria es continuar mejorando el acceso y la calidad de servicios médicos de emergencia para residentes de la isla. Manny disfruta de pasar tiempo con su esposa y dos hijas, trabajando la ebanistería, usando herramientas eléctricas y reparando carros antiguos.
Ruth González, Psy.D.
VP of Operations/Clinical Psychologist
In 2002, Dr. González completed a masters in business administration and was awarded the highest excellency honor. She then proceeded to complete a doctorate in psychology, graduating summa cum laude in Clinical Psychology from Carlos Albizu University.
Her professional career has been a fusion of her two passions, creating and directing service programs, while simultaneously being a private practice psychotherapist, in Spanish and English, for adults, couples and teens. Ruth has supervised clinical psychology interns at the University of Puerto Rico and Carlos Albizu University.
Her experiences also include the direction of children and teen programs. She was President of Hogar de Santa María de los Ángeles’ board of directors, a home for treating teen moms, for which she was its Executive Director years earlier. For three years, Dr. González directed the residential services treatment facilities for teens for Puerto Rico’s “Administración de Servicios de Salud Mental y contra la Adicción” (Mental Health and Against Addiction Administration). Before this, Ruth was the director of the Community Services Department at Caribbean University.
Ruth has presented at Puerto Rico’s Psychology Association Annual Convention and for several years has been selected to evaluate research posters presented at the convention. For several years, Dr. González was chosen by the editor of the Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología as an evaluator of articles presented by other fellow psychologists for publication.
On top of making time for singing, practicing spinning and outdoor activities, Ruth’s dedication got her a seat at Carlos Albizu University’s board of trustees since 2014, where she presides the Compliance and Audit Committee. In October 2017 she will become the second woman, in 51 years, to preside her alma mater’s board of trustees.
**
En el 2002 completó una maestría en administración de empresas, con el mayor premio de excelencia académica. Ese mismo año decidió iniciar estudios en su otra pasión, la psicología, culminando con un grado doctoral, con summa distinción, en psicología clínica de la Universidad Carlos Albizu.
Su carrera profesional ha sido una fusión de sus dos pasiones, creando y dirigiendo programas de servicio y, simultáneamente ejerciendo psicoterapia, en español e inglés, en práctica privada con adultos, parejas y adolescentes. Ruth ha sido supervisora de internos en psicología clínica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, y de la Universidad Carlos Albizu.
Sus experiencias incluyen también la dirección de programas para niños y jóvenes. Fue Presidenta de la Junta de Directores del Hogar Santa María de los Ángeles, donde años antes había sido Directora Ejecutiva de este hogar de tratamiento para madres adolescentes. Durante 3 años, dirigió el Programa de Tratamiento Residencial para Adolescentes de la Administración de Servicios de Salud Mental y contra la Adicción (ASSMCA) de Puerto Rico. Antes de esto, había desarrollado el Departamento de Servicios a la Comunidad para tratamiento psicológico y del habla y lenguaje para niños del Departamento de Educación, además de servicios clínicos psicológicos para estudiantes universitarios y apoyo a adultos padres de Caribbean University.
Ruth ha presentado en la convención anual de la Asociación de Psicología de PR y ha sido seleccionada durante varios años como evaluadora de carteles de presentadores en dicha convención. Además, durante varios años fue seleccionada por el Editor de la Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología como evaluadora de artículos presentados por pares para publicación.
Además de sacar tiempo para cantar, practicar spinning y realizar actividades al aire libre, su dedicación la llevó a ser miembro de la Junta de Síndicos de la Universidad Carlos Albizu desde el 2014, además de presidir el Comité de Auditoría y Cumplimiento. En Octubre 2017, Ruth se convertirá en la segunda mujer, en 51 años, en presidir la Junta de Síndicos de su alma mater.
Leyda Figueroa, RD, LND
Nutritionist
Ms. Figueroa has a bachelors in science and a concentration in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), Rio Piedras campus, and a Dietetic Internship from UPR's Medical Sciences campus, where she was recognized for their clinical excellency. She's licensed in Nutrition & Dietetics and a Registered Dietitian since 2014.
Leyda is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its Dietetic Practice Group: Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine.
Her passion to promote health and wellness inspired her to combine her vast experience in esthetics and massage therapy with nutrition, as she believes that the foundation of a healthy life is good nutrition, rest and exercise.
Ms. Figueroa has worked in various areas of nutrition and esthetics, within the hospitality industry and health providers, both in Puerto Rico and in the United States, giving her the opportunity to deal with a variety of cultures and international clients, which has developed her character and personality.
She enjoys connecting with nature, where she finds balance and energy.
**
La Sra. Figueroa cursó su bachillerato en Ciencias con concentración en Nutrición y Dietética en la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras y su Internado en Dietética en el Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, donde obtuvo el reconocimiento de Excelencia Clínica. Es licenciada en Nutrición y Dietética y Dietista Registrada desde 2014.
Es miembro de Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics y de su Dietetic Practice Group: Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine.
Su pasión por promover la salud y el bienestar la llevó a combinar su vasta experiencia en estética y terapia de masajes con la nutrición, ya que entiende que los pilares para una vida saludable son la buena alimentación, el buen descanso y el ejercicio físico.
Ha trabajado en diferentes campos de la nutrición y la estética, en la industria hotelera y en servicios de salud, tanto en Puerto Rico como en Estados Unidos, teniendo la oportunidad de relacionarse con diferentes culturas y público internacional, lo cual ha desarrollado su carácter y personalidad.
Disfruta de conectarse con la Naturaleza donde encuentra balance y energía.
Bárbara Torres, RN, BSN
Registered Nurse
Barbara has a bachelors of science in nursing from the Universidad Metropolitana of Puerto Rico, which is accredited by the American Nurses Association. She has worked as a case manager for Varmed Management Group, and as a nurse for a wellness center, a skilled nursing facility and nursing home clinics. Ms. Torres is currently working on completing a nurse practitioner's program as part of her master's degree.
As a Registered Nurse, she firmly believes in functional medicine as she's seen first hand how lifestyle changes can benefit patients. Barbara hopes functional medicine will take a bigger role in the future of healthcare.
**
Barbara tiene un bachillerato en ciencias concentrado en enfermería de la Universidad Metropolitana of Puerto Rico, institución acreditada por la American Nurses Association. Ha fungido como trabajadora social para Varmed Management Group y como enfermera en un wellness center, en un centro de enfermería especializada y en clínicas en hogares de envejecientes. Actualmente la Sra. Torres está completando un programa de enfermería práctica como parte de su grado de maestría.
Como Enfermera Registrada, ella cree firmemente en la medicina funcional luego de presenciar los beneficios que obtiene un paciente al hacer cambios en su estilo de vida. Bárbara espera que la medicina funcional pueda tomar un rol de mayor importancia en el futuro del cuidado de la salud.
Camille Garcia, RN, BSN
Registered Nurse
Camille has a Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, which is accredited by the American Nurses Association. In addition, she has Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications from the American Heart Association. Camille is a skilled Emergency Nurse and worked for two years in the Emergency Room of Dr. Federico Trilla Hospital, part of the University of Puerto Rico hospital system. Mrs. García has experience treating pediatrics and adults whom are critically ill and/or in cardiac or respiratory arrest. Currently, Camille is proud to make patients feel safe under her care due to her fast decision-making and confidence with clinical skills. Her long-term plans for the future include working with kids and specializing in Pediatric Intensive Care.
Nicolette Johnson, ISyE
Director of Service Experience
Nicolette has a Bachelors of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She focused on Health Systems Engineering and became passionate about improving the broken healthcare system to provide more value for patients, solve root causes of their health problems and open doors for preventative care. She has worked in operations and process improvement in the pharmaceutical industry in Barceloneta and was previously the Living Kidney Donor Program Manager at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin. Puerto Rico inspired diet and lifestyle changes that ended Nicolette’s battle with lifelong chronic disease. As a systems engineer, she aims to integrate technology, people and processes at Pravan Health to support a healthcare system that empowers patients to make long-term improvements in their health and happiness. She sees the island and its natural abundance as the perfect environment for healing. In her free time, Nicolette enjoys spending time exploring in nature and taking part in active adventures, practicing yoga, writing, learning about plants and agriculture and enjoying the slow and simple lifestyle that Puerto Rico offers.
Elizabeth Sands, MS, CNS
Nutritionist and Wellness Coach
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Sands completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition with an Emphasis on Wellness, as well as her Master of Science in Nutrition, at Texas Woman’s University. An interest in functional medicine led her to become a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), the gold standard credential for advanced nutrition professionals. Her supervised practice for this certification was conducted at The Wellness Institute of Dallas.
