Sarah has worked for nonprofit organizations for over 25 years, engaging in advocacy, and serving people with disabilities and other marginalized communities. She gained her grassroots advocacy experience with The Arc of Maryland, supporting both families and people with disabilities to speak up and create needed change.  Most recently she was the Executive Director of Independence Now, a resource and advocacy center that promotes independent living and equal access for people of all ages with all types of disabilities living in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. Leading Independence Now gave Sarah the opportunity to launch new programs, work on housing advocacy at the state and local level as well as continue valuable work in moving people from Nursing Facilities back to the community.  Sarah holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. 

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Sarah spends her free time raising two bold, smart, and social justice-driven teenagers as well as one extremely naughty chocolate lab. She is also very involved with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia.

Dr. Angeline Lazarus is a pulmonologist who became the Medical Director in 2022. Previous to this position, Dr. Lazarus served on the Board of MKHC, and also the Reach Board for many years.  She graduated from Madras University in Madurai, India before emmigrating to the U.S. where she completed her internship and residency, joined the United States Navy, and completed her fellowship in pulmonary and critical medicine at the National Naval Medical Center. After leaving the Navy at the rank of Captain, Dr. Lazarus continued academic practice at Walter Reed. She retired in 2019 and now practices as a volunteer physician. She is a Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) at Bethesda, MD and continues to be active in teaching. Dr. Lazarus received the  Jane F. Desforges Distinguished Teacher award from the American College of Physicians (ACP), James Leonard Teaching Excellence award from USUHS, and other teaching awards. She received her Mastership by the ACP.

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Carmen is a seasoned administrative healthcare professional with a rich background in health care outreach and partner relations. In her role as Managing Director, she not only leads the administrative staff but also serves as a crucial liaison to the medical team, fostering collaboration and communication essential for providing comprehensive care. With an MBA in Management and a strong foundation in economic theory, Carmen brings a unique blend of analytical prowess and strategic acumen to her role. She excels in identifying opportunities for improvement, developing innovative solutions, and implementing strategic initiatives to drive sustainable growth and success.

Prior to joining MKHC, Carmen honed her skills at Adventist Healthcare, where she played a pivotal role in supporting the organization's mission to care for the medically underserved. Beyond her managerial duties, Carmen's community engagement builds strong relationships with local communities, government agencies, and healthcare partners alike. Carmen's financial acumen is instrumental in managing resources efficiently and securing funding through grants and donations to sustain operations and expand services. Originally from Venezuela, Carmen is fluent in both English and Spanish. Her diverse skill set, positions her as a dynamic leader who drives a positive change within the healthcare landscape.

Leslie has cared for patients in clinics and private practice, in family medicine, rheumatology, urgent care, internal medicine, and student health. She has held university faculty and administrative positions including program director, associate dean, and dean. Leslie has a long publishing history of peer-reviewed scholarly articles and books. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and of the Association of Rehabilitation Nursing. She holds a Ph.D. in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Health Policy, and Ethics.

In November, 2018, Magda joined MKHC as a medical assistant.  Her gentle touch and fluent Spanish makes the pinch of the needle drawing blood more comfortable for our patients. Originally from Chile, Magda understands the cultural differences encountered by people who are new to the U.S. She is able to help explain what is about to happen so those differences are not as scary.

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At MKHC, Magda says “I am able to help patients who come from a background similar to mine.  Most people seeking medical care because something doesn’t feel right are anxious. When you do not have insurance or money to pay for care, and in addition you come from a community where families take care of each other, and almost everyone is family, coming to a new place is really scary.  I try to make that connection so our patients don’t feel like everyone is a stranger.”

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A native of Montgomery County, Dafne Zamora joined MKHC in 2023, first as a patient navigator and later as a medical assistant. She is currently working towards a B.A. in Nursing at Montgomery College. She enjoys working at MKHC as she gets to see the tangible difference the work makes in our patients’ lives.

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In her free time, Dafne enjoys hiking and working out, as well as spending time with her family and friends.

Nestor Leon joined MKHC in late 2023 as a patient navigator. In this role, he helps remove barriers that patients face while accessing healthcare. 

He holds a degree in Psychology from UMBC and has worked with people of all ages and backgrounds. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with people, travel, fashion, and photography.

Ana Porquin joined MKHC in 2022. As a certified Medical Assistant, she is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care. With a solid foundation in both administrative and clinical tasks, Ana excels in managing medical records, scheduling appointments, and assisting in examinations. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she also helps with translation during appointments to ensure better patient care. She enjoys working at MKHC as it is a chance to help low-income residents and make a difference in the community.

Coming soon

Coming soon

Crisanta has over 10 years’ experience in providing quality nursing care to a wide variety of patients in acute and home healthcare settings. Her background includes home health, behavioral facilities, and time in trauma medical-surgical and neurosurgery ICUs. In her role as RN, she supervises clinical staff, ensuring that clinical components of the organization run well. Her hobbies include baking and gardening.

Teresita has worked for Community Reach of Montgomery County for almost 20 years, the last 10 at MKHC. In that time, she has been involved in just about every aspect of MKHC administration: health education, patient flow, electronic medical record management, front desk, and now, eligibility coordination and grant reporting. As one of the first faces patients see, she patiently guides them through the first visit. As about 75% of MKHC patients speak Spanish as their first language, Teresita’s fluency in both Spanish and English make communication much easier and patients feel safe and cared for. 

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Talking about her work at MKHC, Teresita says “Having watched family and friends struggle with finding quality health care, I  make it my priority that patients feel cared for and listened to from the moment they walk through our doors. Guiding patients through the eligibility process allows me to connect with them in a meaningful way and show them I care about their wellbeing.”

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A volunteer herself, Andy chose to serve as our Volunteer Supervisor on the one weekday she does not work at her paid position in public health. She is one of our longest continually serving volunteers, and is considered an integral part of our staff. Anyone who wants to volunteer at MKHC, and any volunteer needs MKHC has are directed to Andy.  She talks with both staff and potential volunteers to make sure anyone who is on boarded fills an MKHC need and also is fulfilling their reason for giving their time. Andy became aware of Community Reach through her faith community and the work we do together in December Holiday Giving.  

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Why does Andy spend her day off at MKHC?  She says working here “keeps me in closer contact and provides a better understanding of who is directly affected by the work I do in public health.  Making a good connection between volunteer and Clinic need provides an immediate sense of accomplishment and a result that can be seen very quickly.”

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