Surgical Weight Loss Staff

Mark M. Paya, MD, Center Medical Director
Dr. Paya received his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and returned to California where he completed a fellowship in laparoscopic surgery at UC, Irvine. Dr. Paya is Board Certified in General Surgery and is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Jamshid Nazarian, MD, Center Surgeon
Dr. Nazarian is a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery as well as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons. As an active member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and International Federation of Bariatric Surgery, Dr. Nazarian specializes in Laparoscopic (minimally-invasive) Lap Band, and Gastric Bypass procedures. Dr. Nazarian has performed over twenty-five hundred Bariatric cases.

Marcy L. Meyer, Program Coordinator
Marcy received her Bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her Master's in Public Administration from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany, New York. She has over 20 years' experience in program administration ranging from safety and health to the arts. Marcy joined the Center in 2004 to develop and oversee the surgical weight loss program. She is a Gastric Bypass patient and an Affiliate Associate Member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Rhonda Jessum, Ph.D.,Center Psychologist
Dr. Jessum is a licensed psychologist who graduated from the University of California and the California School of Professional Psychology. She offers a "solution-focused" approach to behavioral and lifestyle change. Dr. Jessum specializes in the areas of health, psychological and behavioral management and is a Qualified Medical Evaluator. She has worked with Center patients since 2004, conducting all the pre-surgical patient screening.

Lisa Klein, MA, LMFT, Center Psychotherapist
Lisa has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years. She is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and The California Family Study Center. She spent two years at The Hebrew University, on scholarship, where she studied psychiatry at the world famous Hadassah Hospital. She directed the Women's Counseling Center in Encino for six years and was instrumental in the creation/design of a surgical weight loss center in Beverly Hills. Lisa specializes in working with individuals and couples pre- and post-operatively with weight loss adjustment and relationship rekindling. Lisa has successfully lost over 90 lbs. with surgical weight loss and has great empathy for individuals dealing with this life-long commitment.

Agata Jacniacki, MPH, RD, Center Dietitian
Agata received her Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Cal State, Long Beach. In 2009, she earned a Master's Degree in Public Health and completed her dietetic internship at Loma Linda University where she contributed to the publication "WIC Medical Documentation Training Guide," and assisted the orange County Health District in developing a program to decrease childhood obesity. Agata is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the California Dietetic Association - Los Angeles District. Agata joined the Center team in 2010.

Heather MacBrair, RD, Center Dietitian
Heather received her BS in Clinical Nutrition, with a minor in Psychology, in 2006 from the University of California, Davis. In 2007, she completed her internship at Olive View/UCLA Medical Center. She has been involved in weight management programs and has lectured on a variety of topics in nutrition. She is a National Registry of Safety Professionals Certified Food Safety Manager and a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. She has been a member of the American Dietetic Association since 2005. Heather joined the Center team in 2007.

Beth Saltzberg, RD, CDE, Center Dietitian
Beth received her BS in Human Nutrition at Washington State University in 1998 and then completed her dietetic internship at Olive View/UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar, California in 2000. She has been a practicing clinical dietitian since 2000. She has worked with Center patients since 2004 and is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the California Dietetic Association.

Nancy Samuelian, MS, RD, CDE, Center Dietitian
Nancy received her BS in 2001, followed by her MS degree in 2003 in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics from California State University, Northridge. In 2006, she became a Certified Diabetes Educator. Nancy has lectured on a variety of topics in nutrition, including weight management, healthy cooking, and fad diets and has worked with the Center's patients since 2004. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the California Dietetic Association-Los Angeles District.

Saul Berger, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Berger trained in both General Surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Plastic Surgery at the prestigious USC in Los Angeles. He obtained Board Certification in both specialties and has been practicing for more than 15 years. He has maintained his affiliation with USC as Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery and has participated in residency training. He also has published in peer review journals, presented at national meetings, and chaired local Plastic Surgery symposia.

Daniel Golshani, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Golshani is a double board-certified Plastic Surgeon through the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Golshani attended the UC, Irvine School of Medicine and then did a six year residency in General Surgery at USC. He also participated in a one year Research Fellowhship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Golshani is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and of the American Medical Association. He has conducted many research projects and has presented and published many articles in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery.

Warren M. Lent, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Lent is a double board-certified Plastic Surgeon through both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Lent attended the UCLA School of Medicine and was Chief Resident during his surgical residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He received his training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine where he was, again, Chief Resident. Dr. Lent had the distinction of being elected as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and as a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons. Dr. Lent has appeared on "Dateline," "Good Day LA" and "Extra" and has published articles in multiple national and local publications.

Genevieve MacDonald, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. MacDonald graduated from the prestigious Johns Hopkins Medical School and is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with more than 25 years of experience, education and involvement in the field of plastic surgery. Dr. MacDonald is one of the first 25 women to become board certified and admitted to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She is a member of the Northridge Hospital teaching faculty and an active member in the California Society of Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Aesthetic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Suzanne Trott, MD, Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Trott received her BS in Biology from Stanford University before earning her medical degree from the University of Virginia. Her nine years of post-graduate surgical training included completion of a general surgery residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York, a plastic surgery fellowship at the University of California at San Diego, and a plastic surgery research fellowship at the University of Texas/Southwestern In Dallas, Texas. She is board certified in both general surgery and plastic surgery.