Meet the Team

Dr. Alise Pham is a board-certified neurologist with a subspecialty in headache medicine. Dr. Pham completed her medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then went on to complete a neurology residency at the University at Buffalo where she served as chief resident. This was followed by a headache fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Pham is passionate about treating headache patients to work to improve their quality of life. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her two young daughters and husband, as well as hiking and traveling.

Dr. Branko Huisa is the founder and medical director of The Neuron Clinic. He has more than 16 years of clinical experience diagnosing and treating a vast array of neurological conditions.
Besides general neurology, Dr. Huisa specializes in treating Stroke, Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. He is a strong advocate of evidence-based medicines which he applies directly to his patients.
Dr. Huisa earned his medical degree from Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru in 2003. Then he continued his Neurology training at The University of New Mexico and did an additional fellowship training in stroke and cerebrovascular disease at The University of California San Diego. After completing his medical training in 2010, he joined the Neurology Department at the University of New Mexico and served as Director of the University Stroke Center. In 2016 he became Faculty in the UCSD Neurosciences Department serving as director of the Stroke Fellowship Program and Medical Safety Director at the UCSD Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), supervising multiple Alzheimer’s clinical trials for 3 years.
Dr. Huisa research interests include Cerebral Small Vessel Disease, brain Aging and Vascular Cognitive Impairment. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reviews for several medical journals in neurology and neuroscience. Many of his publications are listed in PubMed.

Dr. Brent Silver is a board-certified neurologist at TNC. He completed his undergraduate and medical school degrees at Boston University. He then completed his medical internship and neurology residency at Boston Medical Center and was given the honor of chief resident. He subsequently completed a fellowship in neuromuscular medicine at UCLA with training in electromyography/nerve conduction studies as well as caring for patients with neuromuscular diseases. He likes to take a practical, patient-centered approach to the care of his patients. In his spare time, he enjoys playing/watching sports, spending time with family, and board games.

Dr. Fariba Farhidvash is a board certified neurologist with over 10 years of clinical experience. She recently moved to San Diego from Atlanta, GA and is looking forward to serving the San Diego community.
Dr. Farhidvash obtained her medical degree at Emory University. She stayed at Emory for her internship and neurology residency. She then spent a year in a Neurophysiology fellowship at Vanderbilt University with focus on Epilepsy and EEG. Dr. Farhidvash also received a Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son. Her hobbies include travelling, hiking and trying new cuisines.

Dr. Hall completed his medical education at the University of Southern California, followed by residency and fellowship training at Stanford University. He served as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Stanford Memory Disorders Center, where he taught medical students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Hall is board-certified in neurology and behavioral neurology and has contributed to multiple research publications and clinical trials focused on Alzheimer’s and dementia. Since 2020, he has been a neurologist in the Temecula area, with extensive experience in a broad array of neurological disorders. His clinical focus is on memory disorders, with a particular emphasis on identifying and treating early Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of work, Dr. Hall enjoys soccer, mountain biking, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Kevin McGehrin, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and palliative care physician who provides expert care for patients with a wide variety of neurological conditions. As a neuropalliative care physician, he has a passion for improving the quality of life for people with life-limiting and progressive neurological conditions, such as ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. His practice emphasizes whole-person care, providing symptom management, advance care planning, and psychosocial support. He earned his medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. At UC San Diego, he completed a neurology residency, where he served as neurology chief resident, and a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine. Outside of work, he enjoys soccer, snowboarding, and LGBTQ health advocacy.

Dr. Maksym Marek is a board-certified neurologist specializing in headache and post-concussion syndromes. Having completed residency training at University of Pennsylvania and Headache Fellowship at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, Dr. Marek possesses extensive training in diagnosing and managing a wide range of neurologic disorders. He is passionate about providing comprehensive care to patients suffering from headache disorders such as migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, and cluster headaches. Dr. Marek takes a holistic approach, considering the biologic, psychologic, and social factors of each patient, ensuring that their care plan is tailored to their unique needs. By combining evidence-based therapies with an open-mindedness towards complementary and alternative approaches, Dr. Marek strives to deliver the utmost quality of care to his patients.

Monika A. Gupta, MD is co-founder of The Neuron Clinic. She is a board-certified member of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. She earned her medical degree from University of Florida College of Medicine in 2003 and completed her Neurology Residency at University of California San Diego where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Gupta subsequently completed a neuromuscular fellowship at UCSD with training in neuromuscular diseases, electromyography/nerve conduction studies, and botulinum toxin use.
Following her training, Dr. Gupta moved to Bakersfield, CA where she started the Neurology Department at Kaiser Permanente. After practicing in Kern County for 4.5 years, she relocated to San Diego, working in private practice for a year. She joined UCSD in 2014, opening a Neurology satellite clinic in Temecula. Dr. Gupta was an integral part of starting the stroke and neurology services at Temecula Valley Hospital where she also served as the Stroke Medical Director. Understanding the need for neurological services in South Riverside County, she helped establish The Neuron Clinic which now provides care in both San Diego and Riverside Counties.

Dr Ross Mandeville is a board-certified neurologist and neurophysiologist who enjoys treating the broad spectrum of neurological disorders. He joined The Neuron Clinic with over a decade in clinical practice in general neurology with specialization in neuromuscular medicine and clinical research. Following neurology residency at the University of California, San Diego, Ross pursued fellowship at Queen Square in London before returning as faculty at UCSD for a number of years. Ross has enjoyed collaborating with surgeons to address the challenge of paralysis, initially at UCSD, and more recently in Boston at BIDMC and MGH where he worked on novel techniques to assess nerve injury and enhance nerve regeneration and repair to restore function.
Outside of the clinic, Ross enjoys losing to his three girls at chess, supporting his wife’s passion for triathlons, and avoiding sharks while windsurfing.

Dr. Maleki finished her medical school in Iran and completed her neurology residency at University of Tennessee health Science center. Later, she did one year fellowship in the movement disorder at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Currently she is a neurology faculty at Loma Linda University.

Dr. Xing is a movement disorders neurologist with over 10 years of clinical experience.  Originally from Texas, Dr. Xing fell in love with Southern California while completing her movement disorders fellowship at UC San Diego.  After completing her training, Dr. Xing spent several years as a traveling physician, providing care to underserved communities including in the Amazon rainforest, Guatemala, and Alaska.  Dr. Xing also trained with Dance for Parkinson’s Disease in New York City. Understanding the interwoven psychosocial factors at play in progressive neurologic ailments, Dr. Xing is passionate about helping her patients improve their quality of life through a muitifaceted approach with both medications and also through movement, mindset, and lifestyle optimization.  Dr.  Xing’s expertise includes Parkinsonian syndromes, tremor, dystonia, Botox treatments, and deep brain stimulation.   Outside of medicine, Dr. Xing enjoys travel, exploring nature, photography, and sushi.

Aleksandrya De La Cruz, DNP is a board-certified member of the American Academy of Nursing Practitioners. She completed her undergraduate as a double major from California State University San Marcos and went on to complete her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
She comes to us with experienced gained from working 5 years at the bedside in a Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Inland Valley Medical Center, caring for patients with neurological emergencies. As an NP, she has worked 2 years at Riverside Community hospital and Temecula Valley hospital managing neurological patient as an inpatient provider. Her experience gained from a certified comprehensive stroke center, afforded her with experience in stroke management, seizures, aneurysm and neuro-interventional radiology procedures.
Aleksandrya is bilingual in English and Spanish. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling and watching movies.

Ana Carrión-Gelabert is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from George Mason University and earned her Master of Science in Nursing at Marymount University in Virginia. She began her nursing career as a clinical nurse on the neurology floor of George Washington University. Upon finishing her MSN degree, she worked as an NP in the National Institutes of Health participating in research involving inflammatory diseases in children and adults. She continued her career as an NP caring for children with neurological diseases at Children’s National Medical Center for 9 years and Rady’s Children’s of San Diego for 8 years. Ana was born in the Philippines and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Tagalog. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with family and friends by backpacking, climbing, and cycling. Ana practices yoga regularly. In her 30 years of practice, her main goal is to deliver quality care and improve health outcomes in the community.

Jira Aguilar earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing from California State University San Marcos. She is nationally certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Jira’s nursing career began in the pediatric setting, where her interest in neurology sparked. As a nurse practitioner, she has cared for children with epilepsy, headache/ migraines and a wide range of other neurological disorders. Her goal is to continue to advance her clinical expertise with The Neuron Clinic to continue to provide quality care to her patients. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her family and find new food spots.

Lindsey Armston is a Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She earned her BSN at Millersville University and then went on to complete her Masters degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner focus at Azusa Pacific University. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and American Heart Association.
After graduating she began her NP career at Sharp Healthcare as a Neurology/Neurosurgical NP and Stroke Program Manager. Her sub specialties at the hospital were stroke neurology and various neurosurgical disorders of the brain, spinal cord, central and peripheral nervous system, and cerebrovascular system. As a stroke program manager at Sharp Chula Vista she led the hospital through the accreditation process obtaining the Primary Stroke Center certification and Stroke Honor Roll Elite Gold Plus Quality Award.
Originally an east coast native she has lived in San Diego almost a decade. She enjoys spending most of her time outdoors with friends and loves visiting her family back east. Her goal as a provider is to help patients improve their quality of life and get them back to doing the things they love.

Sarah Jane de Dios is an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Board-Certified with the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. She completed her undergraduate at Grand Canyon University and went on to complete her master’s degree in nursing with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, American Nurses Association, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
She joins The Neuron Clinic team after spending the last 6 years as a bedside, charge, and resource intensive care nurse at UCSD Medical Center’s specialized Neurocritical Care Unit. There she specialized in the acute care of seizure, strokes, thrombectomies, head and neck post-surgical patients, and many other various neurosurgical avenues. She gained insight into devastating neurological conditions and developed her passion in Neurology. She is committed to evolving her clinical career and elaborating on her knowledge in neurosciences with TNC.
As a native San Diegan, Sarah Jane enjoys the beaches, parks, and spending time with her family

Stephanie Stahl, FNP-C is a board-certified member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is a proud veteran of both the United States Navy and the United States Army (Reserve). Stephanie brings with her a wealth of experience and discipline to the field of medicine. She started her career as a Registered Nurse (RN) in 2009 after leaving the U.S. Navy and earned her Masters Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) in 2014.
In 2016 Stephanie joined the U.S. Army as an officer, achieving the rank of Captain during her years of service. Stephanie has spent the majority of her career in the intensive care /critical care units, with a specialization in medical trauma. Recently, she transitioned her expertise to Internal Medicine, providing comprehensive primary care to patients with a focus on holistic and evidence-based medicine.
Driven by her continued passion for service and quality care, she proudly joins the Neuron Clinic with an enthusiasm for patient care, learning and research, utilizing her diverse background of clinical expertise. Outside of work she enjoys podcasts, hiking, walking her dogs and spending time with her family.

Vanessa Nguyen is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner through the National American Association Credentialing Center. She completed her undergraduate Neuroscience degree at University of California, Riverside. She then went on to obtain her Bachelor’s of Nursing and Master’s of Nursing Education at Brookline College. She finally obtained her Master’s of Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner emphasis at United States University in San Diego, CA.
Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, she spent a majority of clinical nursing experiences in the Trauma-Neuro ICU at Banner Desert and the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. She gained inpatient experience involving acute neurologic emergencies, strokes and traumatic head injuries. She also has experience teaching advanced CPR at Midwestern University and worked as a clinical adjunct professor. As an NP, she started building on her neurologic experience in Outpatient Neurology, developing an interest and evolving experience in migraine/headache, dementia and multiple sclerosis.
During her spare time, she likes to spend time with her dogs, family and traveling.

Tashia Sperry is a Board-Certified Physician Assistant with over 20 years of experience working in various hospitals and healthcare settings in New York, Florida and California. She completed her undergraduate Bachelor’s degree at The University of Miami in Florida where she focused on premedical studies. She went on to earn a second Bachelor’s degree along with her Master’s Degree from an accredited Physician Assistant program in upstate New York. She joins The Neuron Clinic with 10 years of experience working as a Neurosurgical Physician Assistant in Buffalo, NY where she specialized in the treatment of strokes, aneurysms, vascular malformations, brain and spinal cord tumors, spinal disorders, Chiari malformations, Pituitary abnormalities and Adult Hydrocephalus. Tashia has a compassionate bedside manner and strives to provide the highest quality of care to patients. Her goal is to maintain continuity of care and promote access to patient education to ensure safe and positive treatment outcomes for our patients here at The Neuron Clinic.

Riyan is a dedicated and experienced Nurse Practitioner with a background in both emergency medicine and primary care. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner from Samuel Merritt University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, San Marcos.  She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Psychology from UC San Diego.  During her undergraduate time, she participated in a clinical research project in neuropsychology—an experience that sparked a lasting interest in neurology and brain function.
The majority of Riyan’s experience as a nurse practitioner has been in primary care. Here she cared for patients across the lifespan, managing a wide range of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, stroke, dementia, anxiety, and depression. Riyan is especially passionate about patient and family education, and consistently works to ensure that individuals not only receive exceptional clinical care but also understand their conditions, treatments, and recovery paths.
Prior to her transition into outpatient care, Riyan spent over a decade in emergency medicine as an RN. She was an integral member of the trauma team and was often in the charge nurse role. She held various leadership positions within the ER, such as Advanced Clinician and Lead Clinical Nurse, where she oversaw multidisciplinary teams, mentored peers, and helped drive quality improvement initiatives.
Outside of her professional life, Riyan enjoys spending time with her fiancé, two children, and their two dogs. She enjoys watching and playing sports and spends countless hours at the softball fields cheering her daughter on.

Julia McKeehan is a board-certified Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. Originally from Russia and raised in Arizona, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University.
With over 11 years of experience in acute care nursing, Julia has developed a strong foundation in managing complex medical conditions. Her career includes work as a travel nurse across Virginia and Southern California, with her most recent role at UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center in La Jolla. There, she worked on the Progressive Care Unit, specializing in neurology, neurosurgery, and stroke care. This experience enhanced her expertise in critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient-centered treatment.
Outside of clinical practice, Julia enjoys traveling with her husband, discovering new cuisines, attending live music events, snowboarding, hiking, and spending time in nature. She also shares her home with two energetic Bengal cats who keep life interesting.
Julia is excited to be part of a team that values excellence, innovation, and compassionate care.

Stacy is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive clinical experience in primary care, internal medicine, geriatrics, and neurology. Since 2017, she has provided compassionate, evidence-based care, with a current focus in neurology, including dementia care, cognitive impairment, seizure disorders, and migraine management. She is skilled in both in-person and telemedicine visits, Botox administration for chronic migraine, and interdisciplinary collaboration. A strong patient advocate and educator, Stacy is committed to empowering individuals through preventive care, chronic disease management, and health coaching.
When not seeing patients, Stacy enjoys reading, photography, scrapbooking, and spending time with her family.

Karla Zepeda, FNP is Board-Certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is a member of the American Academy of Neurology. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at DeVry University and her Master of Science in Nursing at Purdue University Global. She began her nursing career in 2006 in the acute stroke unit at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, as a bedside and charge nurse and hospital-wide Code Stroke Responder. She also has experience as an Emergency Room nurse at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center as charge, triage, resource, and bedside nurse, caring for patients with a wide range of conditions including neurological emergencies.
As an FNP, Karla has spent most of her career in Clinical Research as a Sub-Investigator in the advancement of clinical knowledge and developing new treatments. The phase 1 through 4 clinical trials included therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease, Migraine, Cardiometabolic Disease, Acute Respiratory Disease, Infectious Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity, Liver Disease, Genitourinary Disease, Gastrointestinal Disease, and vaccines.
She is fluent in English and Spanish and joins The Neuron Clinic with a passion and commitment to provide evidence-based high-quality care and empowering patients through education and advocacy to improve their quality of life. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, hiking, yoga, cooking and traveling.