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Meet our LGBTQ+ Health Initiative specialty care physicians

UCLA Health is dedicated to delivering excellent compassionate, inclusive and equitable care to support all of our patients, including our diverse LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) community. While all UCLA team members care for all patients equitably, providers who have a particular interest and expertise in various aspects of care for the LGBTQ+ community have been designated with our "Rainbow U" LGBTQ+ Champion designation. These providers have also committed to pursuing ongoing education in caring for the LGBTQ+ population.

Below is a directory of UCLA Health specialty care physicians who regularly care for LGBTQ+ patients and have knowledge in LGBTQ+ health.*

Cardiology | Endocrinology | GastroenterologyHead and Neck | Hematology/Oncology | Infectious Disease | Ophthalmology | Plastic Surgery | Pulmonary and Critical Care | Speech Pathology  | Urology | Fertility and Reproductive Health |


Cardiology

Leigh Reardon, MD

Leigh Reardon, MD

Pediatric Cardiology| Adult Congenital Cardiac Disease

Dr. Leigh Reardon is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the division of pediatric and adult cardiology. He completed a combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center followed by a fellowship in pediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease at UCLA.

Grant Turner, MD

Grant Turner, MD

Critical Care Medicine| Pulmonology

Dr. Turner has focused on LGBTQ+ care in pulmonary medicine. His research is in pulmonary issues that affect LGBTQ+ people such as the use of chest wall binders by transgender people. Dr. Turner has published a guide for pulmonary providers on common and rare pulmonary findings in patients who are LGBTQ+.  Though Dr. Turner's specialties are in Lung Transplant and Cystic Fibrosis, he has openings for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ who have general pulmonary conditions.


Endocrinology

Susan C. Ahern, DO

Susan C. Ahern, DO

Endocrinology

Dr. Susan Ahern is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at UCLA. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency training, Internal Medicine Chief Residency and Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellowship at University of California at Irvine. She has relocated from Orange County to Ventura County where she has started a general Endocrinology practice.

Aarthi Arasu, MD

Aarthi Arasu, MD

Endocrinology

Dr. Aarthi Arasu earned her medical degree and completed her Internal Medicine residency at UCLA. She went on to do her endocrinology fellowship at UCSF. During that time, she spent extensive time doing research in osteoporosis with world-renowned experts in the field

Shira M. Grock, MD

Shira M. Grock, MD

Endocrinology

Dr. Shira Grock was born and raised in Los Angeles and received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. She then earned her medical degree from University of Southern California where she was elected for Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She went on to complete her Internal Medicine training at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and returned to Los Angeles for her endocrinology fellowship at UCLA.

Stanley G. Korenman, MD

Stanley G. Korenman, MD

Endocrinology

Dr. Stanley Korenman is Distinguished Professor of Medicine – Endocrinology at UCLA. He Graduated from Princeton University and medical school at Columbia. He was trained in Internal Medicine at Bellevue and Memorial Hospitals in New York. He was accepted to the NIH as a Clinical Associate and then Senior Investigator in the Endocrinology Branch of the National Cancer Institute where he began his lifelong research into male and female reproductive endocrinology.

Gastroenterology

Nirupama N. Bonthala, MD

Nirupama N. Bonthala, MD

Gastroenterology| Inflammatory Bowel Disease Gastroenterology

Head and Neck

Gerald S. Berke, MD

Gerald S. Berke, MD

Otolaryngology| Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Gerald Berke is Professor and the founding Chair of UCLA’s Department of Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Berke came to UCLA in 1979 to complete his surgical residency after graduating from both undergraduate and medical school at the University of Southern California. In 1984 Dr. Berke was appointed to the UCLA Division of Head and Neck Surgery as Assistant Professor and, in 1992, was given an accelerated promotion to Professor and Chief of the UCLA Division of Head and Neck Surgery.

Lisa J. Bolden, SP

Lisa J. Bolden, SP

Otolaryngology

Lisa Bolden, MA, CCC-SLP, is a certified and licensed speech pathologist who specializes in voice. Lisa joined the UCLA Speech Pathology Department in 2000. She launched the UCLA Speech Pathology Voice Team that she continues to lead. The UCLA Voice Team's practice is centered on voice as important to the quality of life. Lisa is passionate about providing voice services to our transgender and gender diverse community.

Dinesh K. Chhetri, MD

Dinesh K. Chhetri, MD

Otolaryngology| Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Chhetri is Professor of Head and Neck Surgery and a Laryngologist, specializing in voice disorders, swallowing disorders, and airway disorders. He graduated magna cum laude in Biochemistry from Brown University, and his MD from UCLA School of Medicine. He remained at UCLA for his Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery residency and Fellowship in Laryngology. He has been consistently funded by the NIH for his research in the topic of neuromuscular control of the larynx and voice disorders.

Natalie E. Kadin, MD

Natalie E. Kadin, MD

Otolaryngology

Dr. Kadin is an Assistant Professor of the Head and Neck Surgery Department of the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Kadin graduated from medical school at Mount Sinai in New York and completed surgical residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Kadin completed fellowship training in voice surgery at UCLA. She strives to create a supportive environment for patients and provide comprehensive care of the ear, nose, throat, and voice for the transgender and gender-diverse community.


Hematology/Oncology

Amy L. Cummings, MD, PhD

Amy L. Cummings, MD, PhD

Thoracic Medical Oncology| Medical Oncology| Benign Hematology

Dr. Amy L. Cummings is a hematologist and medical oncologist who practices in Westwood and Torrance. She attended the Keck School of Medicine at USC where she graduated with honors and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed an Internal Medicine residency at UCLA and was selected for the Olga Levin Inspiration Award in 2016. Her research interests include biomarker development, patient-reported outcomes, and big data management in lung cancer.


Infectious Disease

Paul C. Adamson, MD, MPH

Paul C. Adamson, MD, MPH

Infectious Diseases

Paul Adamson is a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He previously worked at the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the San Francisco City Clinic, a municipal STD clinic providing a variety of sexual health services to LGBTQ+ communities in San Francisco. He attended medical school at UC San Francisco and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Jesse L. Clark, MD

Jesse L. Clark, MD

Infectious Diseases

Dr. Jesse Clark is Associate Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and Department of Family Medicine in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. His research addresses the integration of new prevention technologies within the social and sexual networks of Latin American and Latino MSM. He is Director of the UCLA South American Program in HIV Prevention Research (SAPHIR) training program in Lima, Peru and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Raphael J. Landovitz, MD

Raphael J. Landovitz, MD

Infectious Diseases

Dr. Raphael J. Landovitz is Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Associate Director of the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research & Education, as well as Co-Director of the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services. 

Tara Vijayan, MD

Tara Vijayan, MD

Travel Medicine| Infectious Diseases

Dr. Vijayan is am committed to lifelong learning and providing equitable care and have built a career as an infectious disease (ID) specialist.  Her career path has included the following: completing a Doris Duke Research Fellowship where she focused on transitioning children with HIV to adult medicine; and an ID fellowship at UCSF. She served as a primary care doctor for PWH in Oakland before joining UCLA Health.  Her passions include writing and advocacy.

Ophthalmology

Peter A. Quiros, MD

Peter A. Quiros, MD

Neuro-Ophthalmology

Plastic Surgery

Andrew L. Da Lio, MD

Andrew L. Da Lio, MD

Plastic Surgery

Dr. Andrew L. Da Lio is Clinical Professor and Chief in the UCLA Division of Plastic Surgery. He earned his bachelor's and medical degrees from the University of Michigan. He completed his residency in general surgery at the prestigious Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and matched into the plastic surgery residency program at the USC Keck School of Medicine. 

Michael R. DeLong, MD

Michael R. DeLong, MD

Plastic Surgery

Dr. DeLong is an Assistant Professor-in-Residence in the UCLA Division of Plastic Surgery.  He completed medical school at Duke University, followed by a six-year integrated residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery and a microsurgery fellowship to develop expertise in complex reconstruction at UCLA. His clinical interests and expertise include breast reconstruction, head and neck reconstruction, orthopedic reconstruction, gender affirmation, and face, breast, and body cosmetics.

Justine C. Lee, MD, PhD

Justine C. Lee, MD, PhD

Plastic Surgery

Dr. Justine C. Lee is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the UCLA Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Bernard G. Sarnat Endowed Chair in Craniofacial Biology. She graduated from the University of Chicago with both an MD and a PhD. She subsequently completed her Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the University of Chicago followed by a Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship at UCLA.

Wayne Ozaki, MD, DDS

Wayne Ozaki, MD, DDS

Plastic Surgery

Dr. Wayne H. Ozaki Dr. Wayne Ozaki is a board certified plastic surgeon, who specializes in pediatric, craniofacial and cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body. Dr. Ozaki was born and raised in Anaheim, California. He received his undergraduate and dental school education at the University of Southern California. He graduated as valedictorian of his Dental School class in 1988. 

Jason Roostaeian, MD

Jason Roostaeian, MD

Plastic Surgery

Dr. Jason Roostaeian is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Roostaeian, a Los Angeles native, obtained his undergraduate degree at UCLA with summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. He then continued at UCLA for medical school where he earned the prestigious UC Regents Scholarship, "the UC's highest recognition of academic excellence." 

George H. Rudkin, MD

George H. Rudkin, MD

Plastic Surgery

Dr. George H. Rudkin is a Clinical Professor and training program director of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, and the Chief of the Plastic Surgery service at the West Los Angeles Veteran Hospital. Dr Rudkin completed his training in both General and Plastic Surgery at UCLA, and has been on staff since 1998. Dr Rudkin's clinical interests include performing transgender top surgery.


Pulmonary and Critical Care

Russell G. Buhr, MD, PhD

Russell G. Buhr, MD, PhD

Pulmonology| Critical Care Medicine| Pulmonary Critical Care

Dr. Russell Buhr is a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine. He grew up in rural Oregon and went on to medical school at USC, residency at Georgetown, fellowship at UCLA, and stayed on as faculty starting in 2017. A member of the LGBTQ+ community, he has been involved in improving medical education around LGBTQ+ health issues since medical school, and continues to advocate for inclusive curriculum for healthcare trainees.

Grant Turner, MD

Grant Turner, MD

Critical Care Medicine| Pulmonology

Dr. Turner has focused on LGBTQ+ care in pulmonary medicine. His research is in pulmonary issues that affect LGBTQ+ people such as the use of chest wall binders by transgender people. Dr. Turner has published a guide for pulmonary providers on common and rare pulmonary findings in patients who are LGBTQ+. Though Dr. Turner's specialties are in Lung Transplant and Cystic Fibrosis, he has openings for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ who have general pulmonary conditions.
 


Speech Pathology

Lisa J. Bolden, SP

Lisa J. Bolden, SP

Otolaryngology
Ali Heitzman

Ali Heitzman, MS, CCC-SLP (they/them)

Speech-Language Pathology

Ali Heitzman, CCC-SLP, is a queer, genderqueer speech language pathologist who is passionate about gender-affirming voice care. Outside of their clinical work, they are actively engaged in research, advocacy, and writing in this area. They also work with those who have experienced acute or chronic cognitive, speech, and/or language changes primarily due to brain injury or neurodegenerative diseases. They currently work at the Westwood and Santa Monica outpatient speech pathology clinics.


Urology

Mark S. Litwin, MD

Mark S. Litwin, MD

Urology| Urologic Oncology

Dr. Mark S. Litwin is Professor of Urology, Public Health, and Nursing. He is also Chair of UCLA Urology. Dr. Litwin did his surgical training at Harvard and specializes in testicular, bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer. Dr. Litwin's research focuses on improving quality of care and quality of life in urologic oncology. 

Jesse N. Mills, MD

Jesse N. Mills, MD

Andrology| Urology

Dr. Jesse N. Mills is Associate Clinical Professor of Urology. Dr. Mills received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed his urology residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a fellowship in microsurgery and male reproductive medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He is a national proctor for penile prosthetic surgery and a national expert in Peyronie's Disease.

Gladys Y. Ng, MD, MPH

Gladys Y. Ng, MD, MPH

Trauma and Reconstructive Urology| Urology

Dr. Gladys Y. Ng is Assistant Professor of Urology. She did her surgical training at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and fellowship training in genitourinary reconstruction at Emory University. Dr. Ng specializes in general adult urology, minimally invasive surgery, and pelvic medicine reconstruction with a focus on male genitourinary reconstruction.


UCLA Fertility and Reproductive Health Center

UCLA Fertility and Reproductive Health Center is actively involved in providing care to the LGBTQ+ community. We specialize in helping these individuals in their pursuit of creating their own families, including utilizing 3rd party reproduction with donor egg, donor sperm, and/or gestational carriers.

Zain A. Al-Safi, MD

Zain A. Al-Safi, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility

Dr. Zain A. Al-Safi is Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He completed his residency training at Wayne State University, Michigan, where he received many awards. He also served as the Administrative Chief Resident. Dr. Al-Safi completed fellowship subspecialty training in Reproductive Endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado. 

Kathleen M. Brennan, MD

Kathleen M. Brennan, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Daniel A. Dumesic, MD

Daniel A. Dumesic, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Tamara Grisales, MD

Tamara Grisales, MD

Urogynecology| Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery| Gynecology

Dr. Tamara Grisales, Assistant Clinical Professor of OBGYN. Dr. Grisales completed residency in OBGYN and a fellowship with Urogynecology Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at UCLA. Since starting her practice at UCLA in 2014, she has had an interest in providing care to the LGBTQ+ community. 

Lindsay L. Kroener, MD

Lindsay L. Kroener, MD

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility
Valentina M. Rodriguez, MD

Valentina M. Rodriguez, MD

Obstetrics and Gynecology| Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery

Dr. Valentina M. Rodriguez-Triana is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA. Dr. Rodriguez- Triana attended college at the Johns Hopkins University, and completed medical school at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. She did her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA, where she later stayed as faculty.


The Iris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Center

The Iris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Center provides comprehensive care to diverse women. We have provided care to those who identify as lesbian, bisexual, and transgender for over 20 years. We provide primary care for transgender women in partnership with UCLA experts in transgender care, and preventive health services for gender-nonconforming people. Our Center is part of the Los Angeles County Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Health Collaborative. For information on our faculty: uclahealth.org/womenshealth/our-doctors.