Libby Wilson is the team plastic surgeon and medical director. She is also one of the founders of the program. She earned her medical degree at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and felt she could use her surgical expertise best by helping people born with craniofacial birth defects: “helping them smile!” Dr. Wilson also lends her skills to people around the world as she travels to areas without the doctors and facilities available in the U.S. Her first love, though, is the Craniofacial/Cleft Palate Program, and the many patients she cares for. | |
Anne Tittle is a California State Licensed and ASHA certified Speech Language Pathologist, and also holds a Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential and Single Subject Teaching Credential issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Anne obtained her B.A. in English Literature and Mass Communications from the University of California at Berkeley. She earned her M.S. in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University. Anne joined the Cleft Palate Program in September 2014. She enjoys working with the Cleft Palate Program patients and their families, and finds it very gratifying to have a role in the interventions that improve the quality of life for CPP patients. | |
Cydney Fox is a board certified Doctor of Audiology (AuD). She is an alumnus of Salus University and Pennsylvania College of Optometry, School of Audiology. She has been working with the Craniofacial/Cleft Palate Program since 1999 and obtained her doctorate in audiology in 2007. Of her experience at the CPP, Dr. Fox states she enjoys “working with this group of professionals because we all have the same goal: helping the children in our program to achieve their best potential in all areas.” | |
Cindy Costello, RN, CPNP joined the program as the nurse coordinator in 2002. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner with a bachelor of science in nursing from Mount St. Mary’s College and a master of science from Cal State University Long Beach. Having worked in many areas of pediatric specialty care, this is her favorite because of the overwhelming success rate of the treatment—and of the patients! | |
Jennifer Balucan, MD has been the team pediatrician since 2005 and elected to stay with the program even after joining a private practice in the South Bay area. She is a graduate of the Medical College of Pennsylvania and completed her Pediatrics Residency at the UCLA School of Medicine. | |
Shirley Korula, MD is a clinical geneticist who has been working at the CPP since 1984. She is a graduate of the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India and completed her diploma in child health in India with further pediatric training in Canada. Dr. Korula is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Clinical genetic training was done at LAC/USC Medical Center in Los Angeles and she is a founding Fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics. In addition to her position at the CPP, Dr. Korula also works as pediatrician/clinical geneticist at the Diagnostic Center, Southern California with the California Department of Education and is a Medical/Genetics Consultant with the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center. | |
Sybille Gorn, PhD is a psychologist who earned her undergraduate degree at UCLA and her doctorate at the California Graduate Institute. She has been working with the children and families at the Cleft Palate Program for almost 20 years. About working at the CPP she says: “I like being part of this team because of our Medical Director, Libby Wilson, who is so dedicated to helping our patients. Also, having a team such as ours which meets weekly, to discuss the patients and make recommendations is so very important to treating the whole person and the family.” | |
Allison Espinoza, a licensed speech pathologist, earned her Bachelor of Science in biology from California Baptist University and her Master of Arts in Communicative Disorders from San Diego State University. Her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) was obtained from the American Speech and Hearing Association. Allison began providing speech evaluations and therapy here in July 2006. She states: “ I love our program because of the care and dedication that each of the team members has to helping children with craniofacial anomalies succeed in all aspects of life. I love working with children with cleft lip and palate to improve their speech because communication is such a vital aspect of life, and every child deserves to be understood.” | |
Ana Federico has been our Clerical Assistant since Jan 2007. She helps keep the front office running smoothly and works behind the scenes to ensure all the needs of the office are met. Ana is dedicated to the patient’s needs and makes sure that they receive quality and professional care. | |
Aurora Salazar, joined the Craniofacial/Cleft Palate Program when she was asked to cover as a clerical assistant for six months. She was amazed at how well she fit the position and how much she enjoyed the job. A permanent position was offered and she has been with the program ever since, moving to her current job as Surgery Scheduler and Contracting Assistant. Her greatest joy is putting a smile on the face of the patients and their parents. | |
George Orloff, MD is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and has been a member of the CPP since completing his year of fellowship in Craniofacial Surgery at UCLA. The work he does with our cleft palate patients provides him with a rewarding experience that complements his busy plastic surgery practice. | |
Juliana Panchura, DMD is the team orthodontist and has a special interest in patients with cleft palate and other craniofacial abnormalities. Her expertise is invaluable, coordinating the orthodontic and surgical treatment to correct complex dental and jaw abnormalities. | |
Marlene Ochoa became part of CPP at the end of 2000. As surgical coordinator, she receives great satisfaction in being part of such a marvelous team. Being able to witness the end result of patients’ treatment is fulfilling. | |
Raquel Rivera began working at Orthopaedic in 1993 after volunteering for eight months. She had worked in two departments prior to working at the Cleft Palate Program in 2002. She earned her AA at ELA College. Raquel feels it is a pleasant experience working at CPP due to that gratifying feeling of making a difference in our patient’s lives. |