Meet Our Team

The Center is staffed by a range of caring individuals who understand the importance of a patient-centered approach to care.

The Center has staff with expertise and knowledge representing a variety of domains and disciplines including clinical and health psychology, psychiatry, preventive wellness, nutrition and dietary supplementation, oncology social work, mind/body approaches, art therapy, holistic healing, QiGong, individual, couples and family therapy, bereavement, spiritual care, complementary care, and the psychology of women.

Leadership Team

Dr. Shannon La Cava is director of the Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology. (Photo by Joshua Sudock/UCLA Health)

Shannon La Cava, PsyD

Center Director

As a clinician, researcher, public speaker, and thought leader, Dr. Shannon La Cava specializes in delivering and studying supportive services for children, adolescents, adults, and families experiencing a cancer diagnosis or caring for a loved one with cancer.

Valentina Ogaryan, PhD

Valentina Ogaryan, PhD

Clinical Director

As a clinical psychologist, my role includes providing patients and their families who have been impacted by cancer with different types of psychosocial support. I provide direct patient care in UCLA oncology clinics and at the Simms Mann Center.

John A. Glaspy, MD

John A. Glaspy, MD

Medical Director

John Glaspy, MD, MPH, is professor of medicine at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC). Dr. Glaspy holds the Simms Mann Family Foundation Chair in Integrative Oncology. He previously held the Estelle, Abe, and Marjorie Sanders Endowed Chair in Cancer Research.

Barb Jagels, RN, MHA, CPHQ

Barb Jagels, RN, MHA, CPHQ

Senior Director

Barb Jagels, RN, MHA, CPHQ, serves as the Senior Director of Cancer Services at UCLA Health. This role is dedicated to the integration of services across the care delivery system at UCLA Health.

Administration

Jackie Rollins

Jackie Rollins, BA

Project Coordinator

As the Project Coordinator for the Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, my goal is to provide additional administrative and project support for the Center’s current and new programming.

Avatar

William Vizcarra

Administrative Assistant

As the Administrative Assistant for the Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, my primary goal as the face of the center and first point of contact for all of our patients is to continue to foster a welcoming and safe environment.

Development & Fundraising

Maeve Sullivan, Director of Development

Maeve Sullivan

Director of Development

As the Director of Development, Cancer/Patient Support at the Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, my primary role involves strategically planning, managing, and executing the center's fundraising program.

Clinical Team

Sabeen Ahmed, LCSW

Sabeen Ahmed, LCSW

Clinical Social Worker

As a clinical social worker at Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, I provide emotional and psychosocial support to patients and families navigating the challenges and complexities of a cancer diagnosis.

Aubrey Farabee, MSW

Aubrey Farabee, MSW

Clinical Social Worker

As a clinical social worker, it is my responsibility to help address the vast range of social needs of those who are impacted by a cancer diagnosis.

Shiori Lange

Shiori Lange, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

In my role as a Clinician at the Simms Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, I am dedicated to delivering comprehensive psychosocial assistance and supportive counseling to individuals, couples and families.

Andrea Miller, LCSW

Andrea Miller, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

As a clinical social worker at the Simms Mann Center I provide psychosocial support to patients and families that have been impacted by cancer.

Denise Perez, Clinical Oncology Social Worker

Denise Perez, LCSW

Clinical Oncology Social Worker

As a clinical oncology social worker at the UCLA Simms Mann Center for Integrative Oncology, my responsibilities encompass a wide range of crucial support functions.

Avatar

Katherine Pool, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Having dedicated much of the last decade to working in oncology and palliative care, I am honored to now contribute to the whole-person care championed by the Simms Mann Center.

Linda Shaleen, LCSW

Linda Shaleen, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

As a clinical social worker at Simms Mann, I provide psychosocial support to patients and families facing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis.

Danielle Siegel, LCSW

Danielle Siegel, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare and Gender & Women’s Studies. Following my graduation, I started a fellowship called, AVODAH, the Jewish Service Corps.

Sydney Siegel, LCSW

Sydney Siegel, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

My role at Simms Mann is to provide psychosocial services to patients and families facing the many unique stressors that accompany a cancer diagnosis.

Nicole Sunseri, MSW

Nicole Sunseri, MSW

Clinical Social Worker

I provide psychological and emotional support to patients and their loved ones that have been impacted by cancer. In this role, I collaborate with patients’ medical team and provide evidence-based psychosocial support.

Porter Tolkin, MSW

Porter Tolkin, MSW

Clinical Social Worker

In my role as an Associate, Clinical Oncology Social Worker, I aim to provide well rounded and holistic, emotional and psychological support to patients and their loved ones that have been effected by cancer.

Jenny Tran, PhD

Jenny Tran, PhD

Psychologist

I provide assessment and psychosocial care to patients and family members touched by cancer, in addition to providing multidisciplinary consultation in medical settings to other members of the healthcare team.

Aditi Wahi-Singh, MSW, MPH

Aditi Wahi-Singh, LCSW

Clinical Social Worker

As a clinical social worker at the Simms Mann Center, primarily serving patients in Orange County, in the Laguna Hills clinic, I provide comprehensive, evidence-based psychosocial services to patients and families.

Spiritual Care Specialists

Michael Eselun, BCC

Michael Eselun, BCC

Dr. John Glaspy Chaplain in Oncology Care

As a chaplain, I bring a unique dimension to complement the myriad of professional services the Center offers—spiritual care. I’ve found that many folks have misconceptions about who or what a chaplain is and what a chaplain does.

Mark Buchanan

Mark Buchanan, CPE

Ordained Clergy, Staff Chaplain

As a Chaplain, my support of cancer patients rests upon the conviction that life is a precious gift. Through this lens every life is valuable and every interaction is an opportunity to share the gift of the present moment with another.

Nutritionists

Emma Veilleux, RDN

Emma Veilleux, RDN

Registered Dietitian

As the senior dietitian for the Simms Mann Center, I provide personalized nutrition counseling and support for patients and their families as they navigate through the unique and often complex nutrition-related challenges that can accompany a cancer diagnosis.

Deborah Hong, MS, RDN

Deborah Hong, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian

As a registered dietitian at the Simms Mann Center, I provide nutrition counseling for patients and their families. 

Psychiatrists

Avatar

John Horton, MD

Psychiatrist

I have the privilege of serving as a staff psychiatrist at the Simms Mann Center. I aim to collaborate with patients, their families, and the many UCLA and Simms Mann clinicians in evaluating and treating psychological distress.

Mona Mojtahedzadeh, MD

Mona Mojtahedzadeh, MD

Psychiatrist

I am deeply grateful for the position I’ve been entrusted with at Simms-Mann/UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology which allows me to continue to perform a work of meaning within a valued population who embrace me into some of their most pivotal moments.

Group Facilitators

Paige Asawa, PhD, MFT, ATR-BC

Paige Asawa, PhD, MFT, ATR-BC

Group Therapist

Healing Through Art Group Therapy Facilitator. Experiment with a variety of art techniques such as spontaneous drawing, expressive painting, collage, and multimedia to explore topics related to health and life changes.

Stephen Lottenberg, MD, PsyD

Stephen Lottenberg, MD, PsyD

Group Facilitator

I facilitate with the intention of enhancing group members interaction with each other and giving each other support during a very trying time period in their lives.

Celeste Torrens, LCSW

Celeste Torrens, LCSW

Group Facilitator

My responsibility is to create a safe environment in which they are supported in expressing their hopes, fears and frustrations and assisted in finding fulfillment and meaning within the limitations that they are forced to accept.

Interns

Rachel Gonzalez, Intern

Rachel Gonzalez

Intern

My responsibilities as a graduate social work intern include shadowing the clinicians on staff and receiving training on the various programs of the Simms Mann Center.

Nehchal Matharu, Intern, Simms Mann Center UCLA

Nehchal Matharu

Intern

My responsibilities as a doctoral psychology intern include creating a safe space for patients as they navigate their cancer experience.

Avatar

Lauren Mead, PhD

Intern

As a 5th year Clinical Psychology Doctoral Intern at the Simms Mann Center, I provide psychosocial support to patients and their loved ones who have been impacted by cancer.