Meet Our Care Team

You’re in good hands

Neuro Wellness Spa was founded by Dr. Martha Koo, a double-board-certified psychiatrist with decades of experience working in hospitals and private practice. At Neuro Wellness Spa, we believe complete mental wellbeing is attainable, sustainable, and should be prioritized and valued as much as physical health. When you partner with our team, you’ll experience exemplary care led by experts in the field, compassionate treatment and a thriving mental health community. 

Medical Directors

Dr. Martha Koo, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Martha B. Koo, M.D., completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, and her medical training at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where she earned membership to the AOA and Sigma Xi Society for academic excellence. Dr. Koo obtained her psychiatry residency training at the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA and her subsequent psychoanalytic training at the New Center for Psychoanalysis. She is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Board Certified in Addiction Medicine. For over twenty years Dr. Koo has enjoyed her private practice, providing outpatient psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and pharmacological treatment for individuals, couples and families. A pioneer in the development and application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), Dr. Koo opened the South Bay TMS Therapy Center in 2009. She is certified in the application of Neurostar rTMS, Brainsway Deep TMS and MagVenture rTMS Therapy. South Bay TMS has evolved into the Neuro Wellness Spa, where Dr. Koo is Medical Director and offers iv ketamine, iv nutrition and photobiomodulation along with rTMS therapy. She is on the Board of Directors of the Clinical TMS Society. Additionally, Dr. Koo is the Medical Director and Clinical Supervisor at  Clear Recovery Center. She is an active member of the American Psychiatric Association, the New Center for Psychoanalysis, the Clinical TMS Society, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American Society of Ketamine Physicians, the California Psychiatric Society and the Southern California Psychiatric Society. She is also a guest lecturer at the New Center for Psychoanalysis and the Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute.

Dr. Simon Faynboym, M.D.

Medical Director South Torrance

Dr. Simon Faynboym was born in Ukraine and immigrated to California at a very young age. Growing up in California, he had a drive to serve the underprivileged and decided to become a physician. Dr. Faynboym currently practices Psychiatry and TMS at Neuro Wellness Spa. Dr. Faynboym earned two Bachelor of Science Degrees, his first in Genetics and the second in Food Biochemistry. He graduated in the top of his class and continued thereafter to get his masters training in Biomedical Sciences at Midwestern University for a year, before heading off to Medical School.

Dr. Faynboym attended Medical School at SGU School of Medicine with clinical rotations in New York and California. Dr. Faynboym then attended Indiana University School of Medicine-Purdue University Indianapolis Hospital System for his internship and residency in Psychiatry.

Dr. Faynboym has been politically involved in Indiana State Medical Association leading to his service as a Trustee for several years along with sitting in the House of Delegates for the American Medical Association. Currently he is involved with the Los Angeles County Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and is a delegate to the California Medical Association.

Dr. Faynboym enjoys being active out doors, in his free time, he likes to go hiking, mountain biking, and doing water activities.

Dr. Josh Lichtman, D.O.

Medical Director Manhattan Beach & North Torrance

Dr. Josh Lichtman has been practicing psychiatry for almost two decades. He is dual board certified in both adult psychiatry and addiction medicine.

He is passionate about mindfulness practice and psychiatry and is constantly trying to blend the two. Although he primarily focuses on TMS and psychopharmacology, he is trained in various modalities of psychotherapy including CBT, DBT, EMDR, and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. He is a clinical instructor at UCLA, and has been selected to be on the list for Southern California Super Doctors for 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Dr. Todd Hill, D.O.

Medical Director Westlake Village

While Dr. Hill may be new to Southern California, he has been practicing psychiatry for nearly 20 years and is board certified in General Psychiatry by the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Hill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Biology from the University of New Mexico. After meeting his wife Viola, and starting a family of two daughters, Dr. Hill came back to the Midwest where he received his medical degree from the University of Health Sciences-College of Osteopathic Medicine Kansas City. He then attended and completed his residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Throughout his medical career, Dr. Hill owned his own private practice for 10 years, was on staff as a consultation psychiatrist for multiple Kansas City hospitals, and served as the Medical Director of Psychiatric Services at one of the largest hospitals in the Kansas City Metro area. Additionally, Dr. Hill served as Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Psychiatry at his alma mater, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

Dr. Hill believes in common sense psychiatry and cutting-edge treatment alternatives, which includes providing patients with as much information as possible about their illness. His own personal philosophy when approaching patient care is “with more education, there would be less medication.”

Dr. Hill is passionate about removing the stigma that surrounds mental health and has often had the opportunity to spread his message through local television appearances and a recent PBS documentary about mental health in the Midwest titled The Hidden Pandemic. In his free time, Dr. Hill can be found spending time with his family as well as playing and performing music.

Dr. Alexa Hall, M.D.

Medical Director Santa Monica & Beverly Hills

Dr. Alexa Hall was born and raised in New England. She obtained her B.S. in Biology from Providence College and her M.D. from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She then completed her general psychiatry residency at Harvard South Shore in Massachusetts with clinical training throughout many affiliated hospitals of Harvard Medical School and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System.

During her residency training, Dr. Hall developed a strong interest in providing high quality, evidence-based care for her patients and spent significant time mentoring and teaching peers.

Her passion for outpatient psychiatry has led her to the West Coast and Neuro Wellness Spa.

Clinical Team

Quy Pham, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner South Torrance

Quy was born and raised in Orange County, California. His parents immigrated from Vietnam in 1984 and they taught him the importance of service and working with underserved populations. Quy has been practicing in the mental health field for over seven years. He believes in the importance of dispelling the shame and stigma that has been attached to mental health through education and advocacy. Quy’s goal as a practitioner is to help patients reach their goals and achieve a higher quality of life. In his free time, Quy enjoys traveling and trying new food. He strives to visit as many countries as he can and take advantage of what life has to offer.

Samaneh Ferdowsian, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner Santa Monica

Samaneh Ferdowsian is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, who graduated from Walden University. Samaneh has been in the mental health field for over five years has experience working with both adolescents and adults. She completed her Bachelors of Science at Chamberlain University and received her Masters of Science in Psychiatry from Walden University.

Samaneh uses a collaborative and holistic approach to address biological, psychological, and social factors that impact a client’s health. She utilizes mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy to meet the needs of every client in their own unique way. In addition, she is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.

Samaneh believes that one of the most crucial factors in becoming an effective Advanced Practice Nurse is promoting hope to individuals and families with mental illnesses, to instill self-responsibility and empowerment, and in helping individuals living with mental illness seek a meaningful role in life. With this, she hopes to help clients meet their goals and live the life they value and desire. Samaneh offers services in English and Farsi.

Paul Choi, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner Manhattan Beach

Paul is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and also holds a Board Certification for Family Practice. With over a decade of experience as a nurse practitioner and registered nurse, Paul brings a holistic approach to patients of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual identities. He firmly believes that quality mental health needs to be easily accessible. Paul emphasizes the importance of incorporating the recovery model into his day-to-day practice. He provides compassionate care that is evidence-based and personalized to each client’s needs.
Paul speaks fluent Korean and enjoys playing with his child in his free time.

Anthony Marcaida, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner Beverly Hills

Anthony is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse practitioner with a Master’s degree from Walden University. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Anthony has a professional healthcare background spanning almost 15 years of adult and geriatric nursing between various settings from emergency to critical care, and in recent years focusing on mental health.

As a Los Angeles native, he witnessed first hand how the drastic lack of attention towards mental health within the community can lead to unnecessary physical and mental disability resulting in a poor quality of life. With a passion and dedication towards the field of mental health, Anthony’s goal is to greatly improve society with each patient encounter.

In his free time, Anthony enjoys exercising, seasonal outdoor activities and being one with nature.

Juyeon Shin, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner North Torrance

Juyeon Shin has been practicing as a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner since 2015 after graduating from University of Florida. She brings over a decade of experience treating mild to severe psychiatric disorders in several settings including, outpatient, inpatient, residential programs and long-term care. Juyeon also has experience as a lecturer at nursing schools, a clinical preceptor for nurse practitioner students, and a research assistant in psychiatry. She is an active board member of California Association for Nurse Practitioners.

Juyeon strongly believes in the highest quality, patient-centered care and providing patients with collaborative and integrative treatments. She speaks English and Korean fluently.

Brittany Skinner, PMHNP

Child & Adolescent Nurse Practitioner

Brittany is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She was born and raised in a small town in Missouri before she came to California as a travel nurse. Brittany has an extensive critical care background as well as a background in psychiatry and addiction medicine, and she believes in staying up-to-date with all the newest technology and medications to find what truly works best for her patients. Having trained in large metropolitan areas as well as rural communities, it is her passion to provide affordable, quality mental health care to those in all areas. Brittany is active in the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and  American Nurses Association of California as well the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. In her free time, Brittany can be found traveling, enjoying the outdoors or with her dog at the dog park.

AJ Kiefer, PMHNP

Nurse Practitioner Westlake Village

AJ is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a master’s degree in nursing education from Western Governor University and post master’s degree from Maryville University St. Louis. AJ is also board certified in Ambulatory Care and has been taking care of patients with mental health issues in the inpatient and outpatient setting for over sixteen years. He has a strong critical care background and spent a great part of his nurse practitioner training in addiction medicine.

Born in Brazil and raised in South Florida, AJ is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and always strives for diversity and culturally competent care. He welcomes all clients and is certified to care for persons across the lifespan. He believes in providing a judgment free space for patients to seek help and end the stigma towards mental health. His focus is to help clients improve their quality-of-life and reach optimal well-being.

In his free time, AJ enjoys going to the movies, likes comic books and miniature railroading which is a family hobby tradition. He believes in staying mentally strong and physically healthy and likes to stay active by doing OrangeTheory Fitness, Pilates, and outdoor activities. He also likes traveling the world, seeing new cultures, and enjoying new experiences during his travels.

Jana Bright, R.N.

Lead Nurse

Jana graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with distinction. She has a wide range of nursing experience, starting her career as a Nurse Specialist in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) and most recently working in pediatrics.

She recently relocated to the South Bay and feels incredibly fortunate to have joined the Neuro Wellness Spa team. Working to improve the lives of others is a core value for Jana and was a key factor for her in choosing nursing as a career.

As a part of the Neuro Wellness Spa team she has the opportunity to help bring about positive change in patients lives on a daily basis, which makes her very happy.

Kristin Robbins

Lead TMS Technician South Torrance

Kristin was born and raised in the South Bay. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science from the University of Southern California. She has over 20 years of management experience in small business and has worked in a variety of industries with customer care as her highest priority. She has mentored and supervised many people, and truly enjoys the process of helping others pursue their unique personal development.

She is passionate about teaching natural solutions that support both physical and emotional wellness. She is an essential oil educator and wellness advocate with a special interest in how essential oils assist in healing. She is a fully certified Mag Venture Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Technician, treating patients with a conscious understanding of Neuro-wellness. She is honored and excited to grow with the team at Neuro Wellness Spa.

Jennifer Barajas

Lead TMS Technician Santa Monica

Jennifer joins Neuro Wellness Spa with a passion for helping others. With over 15 years of customer service experience, six of those in the medical field, she finds joy in helping others recover with a compassionate and personal understanding of their journey.

When she is not working, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, her friends and her pug, Peggy Sue. She loves to cook, and as a Southern California native, she loves the beach, live music and theme parks, especially Disneyland.

Jennifer is excited to bring her drive and understanding to the position and grow with the Neuro Wellness Spa team.

Juan Sarmiento

Lead TMS Technician North Torrance

Juan is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, where he earned his B.A. in Public Relations with an emphasis in Marketing. Juan is passionate about helping others and loves nothing more than being able to see the positive impact of his work as both a high school football coach and a lead TMS technician. In the future, Juan hopes to continue to serve the healthcare industry through marketing and help increase access to care for those in need. In his free time, Juan enjoys talking, playing and coaching football and eating delicious foods.

John Lauder

Lead TMS Technician Beverly Hills

John was born in the Philippines and grew up in the Bay Area. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and earned his BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. His goal since graduating college has been to address the stigmas surrounding mental health within his culture and provide high-quality care to patients in need. With that goal in mind, he hopes to continue serving the mental health care industry as a TMS technician by addressing the barriers that prevent one from receiving treatment and promoting self-advocacy for a higher quality of life. 
 
During his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, trying new foods, spending time with friends, and traveling.

Tyler Perron

Lead TMS Technician Manhattan Beach

Tyler is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He is currently pursuing a Master’s to become a licensed marriage and family therapist. Compassionate care and a patient-first approach are Tyler’s highest priorities. His interests included meditation, mindfulness, fitness, and spending time with his partner and 12-year-old daughter.
Tyler is excited to share different treatment modalities for depression and loves watching the progression of patients through treatment.

Hamilton Lichtman

TMS Apprentice

Hamilton ‘Hami’ Lichtman is the North Torrance center’s therapy dog and is just as passionate about mental health and wellness as the rest of our human staff. Hami is 3.5 years old and is an Australian Shepherd. When he is not in the office helping with patient care, he loves to go swimming and watch Netflix.

Administrative Team

Michael Joly

Chief Operating Officer

Michael Joly is the COO of Neuro Wellness Spa, with over 20 years of experience in mental health recovery. Mike has devoted his entire career to helping individuals and their families heal and recover from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.

His passion for recovery is unparalleled. He has built a wealth of knowledge and experience that translates across many disciplines.

Mike is actively involved in bringing community awareness to living a positive and healthy lifestyle by working as a substance abuse and prevention consultant to various educational and healthcare systems. His expertise has provided him guest appearances in major media outlets throughout the United States. Mike is also a prominent figure in the South Bay recovery community. He is heavily involved with numerous non-profits and gives back through a variety of impactful organizations. Mike’s experience and love of helping others allow him to bring his own unique brand of passion, enthusiasm and warmth to prospective clients and their families.

Scott Dohren

Director of Operations

Scott Dohren attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a focus in Business Administration. He also holds a CADC-II certification in addiction studies.

Scott has a tremendous amount of experience with both administrative and interpersonal aspects of behavioral health. His background in the field of behavioral health extends to counseling, mentorship, outreach, admissions, and business development.

Scott’s leadership and passion in the field of wellness has played a fundamental role in the expansion and development of Neuro Wellness Spa.

In his free time, Scott enjoys maintaining a healthy exercise regimen, attending concerts, spending time in nature, and traveling with his wife Karen.

Emily Pedersen, MPH, MEd

Director of Marketing and Public Relations

Emily Pedersen is the Director of Clinical Development for Neuro Wellness Spa. She holds a Master’s degree in Education and a Master of Public Health degree with a certificate in health inequities from Johns Hopkins University.

As a former educator with a strong professional background in public health research, Emily has extensive experience partnering with communities to improve health and educational outcomes. She has served as a teacher, team-lead and professional curriculum developer for Baltimore City Public Schools as well as a senior research coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Department of Epidemiology.

Emily is passionate about reducing disparities in health care. She finds nothing more rewarding than meeting with local practitioners, developing partnerships, solving problems and increasing access to services, particularly for those in need of compassionate mental health treatment.

Greg Kettelkamp

Admissions Director

Greg Kettelkamp attended Chico State University with a focus on Mechanical Engineering. He found himself drawn to helping people rather than engineering after he left college.

Greg has many years of experience in both business and customer service that make him very effective with both clients and problem-solving day to day business matters. He believes that a personal touch is necessary to make sure that all customers feel they are heard and well taken care of.

In his free time Greg enjoys going to the gym, spending time with family and loved ones, and anything that has to do with sports. The greatest joy in his life is spending time with his wife Jessica, and her daughter Skylar.

Howard Barker, B.S.

Director of Business Development

Howard Barker works to engage, educate, and support the South Bay community for Neuro Wellness Spa. He is focused on spreading education and awareness on issues surrounding mental health and substance abuse as well as helping families navigate the difficult waters of getting a loved one help. Howard has spent the past 7 years working with young adults and their families, being a support during times of crisis.

Jennifer Minton

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Jennifer Minton is the Talent Acquisition Specialist at Neuro Wellness Spa. A native of Southern California, Jen graduated from Harbor College and brings over 20 years of clinical care experience as a dental, medical and surgical assistant to her role.

Having worked in both private practice and hospital settings with diverse patient populations, Jennifer is an expert in comprehensive patient care.

As a former clinical manager and rTMS Technician she has over 10 years of experience with rTMS. She is fully trained in the application of Magventure, Neurostar TMS and Brainsway deep TMS Therapy as well as MeRT TMS therapy. Jennifer is ACLS, BLS and CPR certified.

She finds nothing more rewarding than meeting with local practitioners, developing partnerships, solving problems and increasing access to services, particularly for those in need of compassionate mental health treatment.

In her free time, she spends time with her family including her senior pit bull, Athena. She loves spending time outdoors and traveling.

Daisy Lengkong

Community Relations Manager

Daisy Lengkong has nearly two decades of extensive experience in the medical field. Her background encompasses various specialties in the healthcare arena–from Cedars-Sinai, Sollis Health, Glendale Adventist, among many others. From orthopedic spine, bone cancer surgery, bariatric surgery, gastrointestinal diseases to urgent care/ER clinics, she possesses wide-ranging knowledge of diseases and care. In addition, she has managed operations for various specialty offices. Her commitment to high-touch customer service combined with her experience in managing operations has given her a broader view of the comprehensive plan and quality of care necessary for patients from all walks of life.

She shares the same beliefs of Jay Shetty in which he says, “Your passion becomes a purpose when you use it to serve others.”

Daisy loves to travel and spend time with her family and friends. Anywhere with a warm climate-like the Caribbean-are her favorite places to visit. She also enjoys trying new restaurants, hiking Runyon Canyon, and touring museums and galleries whenever she can.

Vanessa Medrano

Community Relations Manager

Vanessa Medrano is a certified Chemical Dependency Counselor that has worked in the field of human services for over 7 years. Her clinical interests include treating individuals who struggle with co-occuring conditions that impair their ability to live a life that aligns with their goals and values.

Vanessa received her BA in psychology with a focus in addiction from Cal State Northridge. She is continuing her education at CSUN to obtain her Masters in Social Work. Her academic background, coupled with her range of experiences such as counseling individuals, psychoeducational group therapy and program management, gives her the unique ability to relate to people from all walks of life.

Vanessa’s primary interest is making mental health resources accessible to everyone, especially in times of crisis.  She is interested in supporting the community in developing resiliency skills to support self-efficacy and advocacy.

Outside of work, Vanessa spends time with her husband and their two adorable dogs, Willow and Obi. She also enjoys making digital art prints, practicing yoga and watching informative documentaries.

Pamlea Corey

Community Relations Manager

Pamela Corey earned her degree in Communications from USC, after which she took four years to travel and work around the world with a total of over 40 countries visited to date. She has a rich and diverse background in business spanning from domestic and international marketing at 20th Century Fox to owning her own photography business for 14 years.

Pamela is new to the clinical world, and finds great satisfaction working with the South Bay community. She brings to the position her passion, attention to detail, and belief in providing outstanding service no matter what the circumstances are. She thrives on helping people on their journey in life, and has referred to herself as a “serendipity facilitator” for many years.

In her spare time Pamela volunteers with multiple animal rescue organizations, goes to see live music in intimate venues, and continues to love adding stamps to her passport.

Jasmine McPherson

Regional Office Manager

Jasmine McPherson is the Regional Office Manager at Neuro Wellness Spa. Jasmine attended the University of California, Los Angeles with a focus in Neuroscience. She is currently studying at California State University, Long Beach for her Master’s in Healthcare Administration. Jasmine is also EMT-B certified.

Jasmine pursued a career in healthcare to develop and implement strategies to advance overall health and wellbeing for all. Through several professional leadership roles and volunteer experiences, she has developed critical thinking skills and quality assurance methods necessary for operations management. Jasmine’s leadership strategies reflect her values of community and altruism.

In her free time, Jasmine enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and sampling local cuisines.

• • Testimonials • •

What Our Patients Are Saying

  • My Life Started To Turn Around

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    Within just a couple of weeks of TMS treatment, my life started to turn around. I felt in more control of my emotions and that led to better life decisions & a healthier lifestyle.

    John
  • Incredible Progress In A Short Amount Of Time

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    My life has completely changed with ketamine therapy. My therapist even said she had never seen such incredible progress in such a short amount of time.

    Shannon
  • We Got Our Son Back

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    After eight weeks of MeRT treatments, our son is now more verbal and much happier. He started communicating with us and making jokes.

    MeRT Patient
  • A Game Changer

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    IV nutrition has been a game changer and a great way to start my week. I love how I instantly have more focus, energy and I feel like I can tackle anything.

    Amber
  • Got The RIGHT Meds

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    Spent decades on meds that weren’t right for me. Took the genetic test, learned about what would work for me and got the RIGHT meds. Has made such a difference for me.

    Jean
  • TMS Changed Everything

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    I was so low on energy and TMS changed everything. Now, I look forward to starting my days. My focus has improved. I appreciate things I couldn’t even notice before.

    Rob
  • Relieved My Symptoms After A Lifetime of Struggle

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    I was amazed that Spravato relieved my symptoms after a lifetime of struggle. Today, I’m leading a class in mental health, working in my greenhouse & spending time at the beach with my dog, Oshi.

    Robin
  • It Gave Me A Bigger Picture

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    It was interesting to see that according to the genetic test, I’m a fast metabolizer of that particular pain medication. It gave me a bigger picture of how my genes work.

    Rachel
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• • Get in touch • •

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