About us

OUR PROVIDERS

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MEDICAL TEAMS


Mendocino Coast Clinics is proud to be a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), as recognized by the National Center for Quality Assurance. This is the highest level available and requires us to meet rigorous standards for addressing patient needs as well as continually improving the quality of patient care.

As a PCMH, we get to know our patients. We focus on long-term partnerships with you, rather than hurried, sporadic visits and we help you become engaged in your own healthy behaviors and health care.

At MCC, we have two medical teams: the Red Team and the Purple Team. As a patient, you are assigned to a team that includes a patient care coordinator, nurses, medical assistants, and clinicians. We provide you with personalized care and the ability to communicate directly with your care team.




MEDICAL RED TEAM


Wade Gray, MD


Wade Gray received his MD from the University of California, Davis. He joined the MCC team in 2009. Dr. Gray specializes in family medicine and is also licensed as a Suboxone provider, a medically assisted treatment for opiate use disorder.

Dr. Gray has a deep and lifelong love of music, which he shares with his wife and daughter. He plays many instruments and has a special passion for Klezmer and Balkan music, which he both plays and performs. A true believer in the importance of exercise, he enjoys riding his bicycle whenever possible.



James Thomas, PA


James specializes in family health care. He joined the MCC team in 2003. James also provides behavioral medicine services in our Behavioral Health Department. James received his Physician Assistant degree from Weill Cornell Medical School in New York.

When he’s not at work, James enjoys painting, spending time with his son, and being a DJ at a local radio station, where he showcases his extensive and eclectic knowledge of music. He is also an avid New York Rangers fan.



Nate Lane, PA


Nathaniel “Nate” Lane PA-C began his medical career as a phlebotomist, EMT and ER tech in the late 90’s and early 2000s.  In 2006, he joined the Army National Guard (ARNG) and later spent a year in Afghanistan as an Army medic.  Upon returning home, he received his undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State University in 2012. He then progressed to Master of Health Sciences at University of Oklahoma in 2015.  He and his wife enjoy hiking, camping, and  exploring new culinary adventures.



Lisa Fredrickson, NP


Lisa Fredrickson raised her children on the Mendocino coast. In 2006, she moved away to pursue a second career, earning a Master of Science in Nursing at Sonoma State University. She has worked as a Public Health Nurse with rural families throughout Mendocino and Sonoma counties, and as Director of Maternal Child Adolescent Health for the County of Mendocino. She received additional training for board certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and then joined the MCC team. She likes feeding people and laughter.





Gretchen Duran, PA


Gretchen holds a degree in Physician Assistant Studies from Stanford University. She has a Master’s in Education from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Indiana University.








MEDICAL PURPLE TEAM



Medical Director

Lawrence Goldyn, MD


Dr. Goldyn is the Medical Director at Mendocino Coast Clinics. As Medical Director, he manages MCC’s medical providers and is a member of the Executive Committee, along with the Executive Director and the Operations Director.

Dr. Goldyn received his medical degree from Tufts University and holds a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University. He is Board certified in Internal Medicine and has a specialist designation from the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Dr. Goldyn dedicated many years to the education of Physician Assistants and Resident Physicians as a Proctor at Stanford University Physician Assistant Program, an Attending Physician at California Pacific Medical Center, Outpatient Resident Clinic, and Director of the HIV Resident’s Clinic. He has served on many HIV Advisory Committees as well as Quality Assurance Committees.

Dr. Goldyn is the only physician specializing in HIV care in Mendocino County. He also leads MCC’s Suboxone program, a medically assisted treatment for opiate use disorder.



Barbara Kilian, MD


Barbara Kilian, MD, specializes in LGBTQ+ patients. Her Open Door@MCC service is available by appointment. She received her Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Texas. She joined the MCC team in 2019.



Jennifer Kreger, MD


Dr. Jennifer Kreger completed her medical degree at University of California San Francisco and her Residency Program in Modesto, CA.  A Board-Certified Family Physician, she joined MCC in 2020 and sees patients in MCC’s Walk-In Clinic. She is also Public Health Consultant to Hubs & Routes, a project focused on climate repair, emergency preparation and community health on the Mendocino Coast.

Dr. Kreger also enjoys spending time with family, walking on the beach or in the woods, music, dance, and good home cooking.

Note: Dr. Kreger only sees Walk In Clinic patients. She does not provide primary care services.



Linnea Matthews, FNP


Linnea Matthews received her BS in nursing and biology from California State University at Hayward and graduated from the University of California San Francisco’s Nurse Practitioner and Preceptor program.

Linnea specializes in geriatrics and women’s health. She joined the MCC team in 2008.

Note: Linnea is no longer accepting new patients.





BEHAVIORAL HEALTH



Cayo Alba, NP


Cayo Alba is a native of Mendocino County.  A graduate of NYU, she has been a Certified Nurse Midwife for over 15 years and has delivered hundreds of babies in Mendocino County. She recently completed additional schooling to become a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and is excited to help bring additional mental health resources to our rural county. She has additional training in Perinatal Mental Health and is looking forward to joining her 2 passions of midwifery and mental health.



Glory Blanceagle, PsyD


Glory Blanceagle, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist and received her doctorate from Long Island University, C. W. Post Campus.  She did her post-doctoral work at the University of Rochester in New York.  She spent approximately 15 years on the East Coast working as a psychologist in clinics, an alternative to prison inpatient treatment program and on campus at Western Connecticut State University, the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and Cornell University before returning to California to work on campus at UC Santa Cruz.

Glory specializes in interpersonal, relational, psychoanalytical theoretical approaches with an interest in relational dynamics and family of origins.  She has worked as a clinical psychologist for over 20 years and is committed to working with under-represented populations with a wide range of diversity and with first generation students.

Glory joined the MCC team in 2024 and serves as the Behavioral Health Department Manager.

She is an avid reader and has a 600-book library in her home and enjoys a combination of walking six miles/swimming 1 ½ miles five days a week.

 



Genevieve Banegas, LCSW


Genevieve is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is bilingual in English and Spanish. She received a Masters of Social Work from San Jose State University and a BA in Psychology from San Diego State University. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders, and mindfulness-based treatments. She also has experience working with survivors of domestic violence. She joined the MCC team in 2018. Genevieve sees patients via telehealth only.

Genevieve enjoys traveling and making memories with her family and friends.



Annie Gallo, LCSW


Ann Gallo, LCSW received her Masters of Social Work degree from San Jose State University in 2009 and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2015. Before coming to the Mendocino Coast Clinics in 2018, Ann spent 10 years working throughout the Bay Area as a mental health therapist with children, youth, and families in a variety of roles and settings. Ann is trained in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based techniques with a focus on being Strengths-Based, Client-Centered, Co-occurring and Trauma-informed care. Having grown up on the Mendocino Coast, Ann is delighted to return to this amazing place with the ability to provide service to the community.


Crystal Harris, LCSW


Crystal Harris, LCSW is a California native who lived in the Colorado Mountains most of her adult life before joining MCC in 2021.  Crystal received her Master’s of Social Work from Denver University. She has spent most of her career in the medical field and is certified in Palliative and Hospice care with a specialty in grief work.

Crystal uses a combination of modalities to help others evaluate and manage their thoughts and emotions, overcome behavioral issues and work through major life transitions.   Her work provides her the opportunity to utilize mindfulness for stress reduction, cognitive behavioral therapy, supportive psychotherapy, life review and grief and trauma support.  Her assessment includes, physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Crystal and her husband enjoy all things nature, good food and quality time with pets, family and friends.



John Ramirez, LCSW


John is a values driven bilingual (English and Spanish) Licensed Clinical Social Worker who previously served as our Behavioral Health Department’s manager. He received his Masters of Social Work from Loma Linda University in 2004. John’s experience includes working in community organizing, outpatient medical settings, and inpatient medical settings in the states of California, Texas, and Illinois. John is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and most frequently uses the TEAM-CBT approach because of their focus of “tools and not schools” to therapy. John and his family moved out of state. John offers remote psychotherapy to MCC patients.



David Stein, LCSW


David Stein, LCSW received a Masters of Social Work from Eastern Michigan University and has been practicing as a Licensed Social Worker for more than ten years. He joined the MCC team in 2016. David is passionate about helping people, with a special emphasis on children and families. Among other techniques, David is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and has recently started training in Hypnotherapy. When he is not at work, David is an avid surfer who also enjoys tennis, hiking, walking his dogs, going to the beach, and reading.



James Thomas, PA


James specializes in behavioral medicine services. He joined the MCC team in 2003. James also provides family medicine services. James received his Physician Assistant degree from Weill Cornell Medical School in New York.

When he’s not at work, James enjoys painting, spending time with his son, and being a DJ at a local radio station, where he showcases his extensive and eclectic knowledge of music. He is also an avid New York Rangers fan.





Rebecca Timme, DO


Rebecca received her DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree from Touro University in Vallejo, CA. She then attended a combination residency in Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry in Lexington, KY.  As a ‘Triple Boarder’, she is board certified in all three specialties, though prefers seeing children, adolescents and young adults for their mental health needs.  Rebecca will be working with the Mendocino Coast Clinics seeing young patients and consulting with their providers around issues related to child & adolescent psychiatric needs. She prefers working as part of the primary care team because she believes in addressing the full range of a child’s needs to truly help a youth.  Rebecca has worked in a variety of settings from county services to partial hospitalization programs to private practice and is comfortable with a wide variety of family and child issues.

Outside of the work, Rebecca enjoys exercising and doing anything active in the outdoors. She is married with 2 young kids, who she enjoys immensely, and has a dog, Eddie, who sometimes makes an appearance on telehealth with her. She enjoys traveling and learning new things – the most recent of which is playing violin.














DENTAL TEAM



Stefan Cho-Polizzi, DDS


Stefan Cho-Polizzi, DDS, joined MCC’s dental team in 2023. Dr. Cho-Polizzi is a Fort Bragg native, graduating from Fort Bragg High School as Salutatorian before attending Sonoma State University and receiving his DDS degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. Dr. Cho-Polizzi brings with him almost 20 years of experience as a dentist, and he is very happy to be part of the MCC dental team.



Jae Do Kim, DDS


Jae Do Kim, DDS, joined MCC’s dental team in 2018. Dr. Kim joins us from Oklahoma, where he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Oklahoma. He is enjoying getting to know his new hometown of Fort Bragg and exploring the beautiful Mendocino Coast.



Tad Ulatowski, DDS


Tadeus “Tad” Ulatowski received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of California San Francisco. He joined the MCC team in 2004.



Kimberly Celeri, RDH


Kim Celeri is a graduate of the Santa Rosa Junior College Registered Dental Hygienist program. Kim provides dental hygiene services. She joined the MCC team in 2009.

When she’s not at work, Kim enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors. Kim is an accomplished equestrian with a lifelong love of horses, starting when she first sat on a pony at the age of two months. She raises, trains, and shows reining horses.



Marcia Espinoza, RDH


Marcia Espinoza, RDH, provides dental hygiene services. She is very happy to be part of the MCC dental team.
















Sequoia Circle TEAM



Jenna Breton, RNP


Jenna received her nurse practitioner degree from the University of California, San Francisco. She specializes in women’s health, including prenatal care, well woman care, gynecology, contraception, postpartum care and breastfeeding.

When she’s not working, Jenna enjoys traveling and spending time with her children. She loves being outside: camping, backpacking, and cross country skiing.



Susana Macias, Registered Dietitian


Susana Macias, RDN holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and a Minor in Biological Sciences from Sacramento State University. She also graduated from the Central Valley WIC Dietetic Internship, a 44-week, full-time program with a concentration in community nutrition in Fresno, CA. She has been registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) since 2015. Born and raised in Fort Bragg, Susana has been employed by MCC in multiple capacities since 2004, but has been in her current position since 2016. In addition to seeing patients, Susana also coordinates MCC’s employee wellness program and does community outreach. She previously worked as an inpatient dietitian at Mendocino Coast District Hospital. When not engaged in work, Susana enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends, being a mom and traveling.



Jennifer Salyer, RN


Jennifer Salyer received a BA in studio art from UC Santa Barbara. After volunteering in an orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal, she decided she needed some more practical skills, so she studied nursing at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. Jenn received her Registered Nurse license in 2000 then completed a Masters in Community Health Nursing and a Nursing Doctorate. Before joining MCC in 2007, she worked in public health, maternal/newborn nursing, and home health. As a diabetes educator at MCC for the past 10 years, Jenn appreciates the connections she makes with patients and families in our community. When not at work, she loves hanging out at the beach with her kids and traveling to see the world and learn about other cultures.



Kei Velazquez, NP


Kei Velazquez, NP graduated from the University of California, San Francisco with degrees as a Registered Nurse, Masters degree, Certified Nurse Midwife, and Nurse Practitioner of Women’s Health. Specializing in obstetrics, perinatal and lactation services, Kei has a passion for women’s health. She has been practicing for 18 years and joined the MCC team in 2009. Raised on the Mendocino Coast, Kei is proud to be raising her two daughters in the same beautiful place where she grew up.





Jim Young, Chiropractor


Jim Young graduated from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY in 1976 with a BA in Economics. He then studied at Life Chiropractic College and became a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine in 1987. Jim had a private practice for 31 years, and specializes in family practice. An avid athlete, he played four years of college basketball, and two years professional basketball in England. He has been a coach for the Mendocino School District for 16 years. Jim moved to the area to build a house for his family, farm the land, and raise his son.





Pediatrics TEAM



Faith Simon, FNP


Faith Simon, FNP, rejoined the MCC team in 2021 after a few years away. We are thrilled to welcome Faith back home to MCC!

She worked for 20 years as a registered nurse in emergency rooms, obstetrics, and public health. During that time she also practiced in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa. She has worked in the West Virginia coal country, a Navajo Community in Chinle, Arizona, as well as in Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles. In 1999 she completed her Master’s Degree from State University of New York (SUNY Downstate) and began her practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Since arriving on the coast more than 20 years ago, Faith has practiced pediatric and adult medicine in rural health centers. Faith was President of the Safe Passage Family Resource Center Board for seven years and a member of the board of for over ten. She has developed a teaching program on women’s empowerment for the alternative high school in Fort Bragg and was Clinical Director for Coastal Street Medicine for four years. Faith raised two children on the coast and lives with her husband and golden retriever, Bernie.





Family Wellness TEAM



Skyler Thomas


Skyler Thomas grew up on the Mendocino coast, and has been a practicing LaC since 2019. He holds a master’s degree from the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College, in Berkeley. Their diverse student population and the breadth and abundance of clinical externships gave Skyler the experience of working with everyone from the dying destitute of Berkeley’s streets to the university’s division one athletes. He believes that acupuncture is an extremely versatile modality that belongs in every healthcare system.



Tammy Patrick


Tammy provides specialized physical therapy services for patients with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction two days a week at MCC’s Wellness Center on Cypress Street. Pelvic floor dysfunction can appear as urinary or fecal incontinence, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, constipation, urinary frequency, and other related issues.  Tammy received her BS degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Washington, and brings with her almost four decades of experience as a physiotherapist. Tammy owned and operated Pacific Physical Therapy in Fort Bragg for nearly 40 years, and has also worked extensively and collaboratively with other entities in our local medical community.










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Copyright by Mendocino Coast Clinics. All rights reserved. This Health Center receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals. This Health Center is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 245b, and deemed a Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233 (g)-(n). Any claim filed against MCC must be done in federal court.

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