Genetics Northern California

Craniofacial Program

Our Mission Statement: The Kaiser Northern California Craniofacial Program is a Regional Center of Excellence that utilizes an integrated, multidisciplinary, culturally sensitive, family-centered care model to provide optimal personalized care and make lives better for our members with craniofacial conditions.

About Our Program:  The Northern California Kaiser Permanente Craniofacial Program is accredited through The American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA), which is an international non-profit medical society of health care professionals who care for people with oral cleft and craniofacial conditions. The Northern California Kaiser Permanente Craniofacial Program is certified to the highest level by the ACPA, including both the Cleft Palate team and the Craniofacial team levels. Plus, our Regional, Oakland, and Roseville Clinics are certified as Craniofacial Special Care Centers (SCC) as part of the California Children's Services (CCS) program.

Currently the Craniofacial Program provides coordinated care to approximately 1,700 babies, children, and adults.

Co-Directors of the Northern California Regional Craniofacial Program 
    Medical Director: Katherine Dawson, MD
    Surgical Director:  Robert Menard, MD, FACS

Coordinators and Craniofacial Care Managers:

Craniofacial Speech Pathologists:

The Craniofacial Program provides team evaluations at Oakland, Sacramento and Santa Clara 

OAK-MosswoodRegional Craniofacial Clinic at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center
Main Phone: (510) 752-5101     Clinic secretary: Medelene Obligacion
Location and Parking: Clinic is held at 3505 Broadway (Mosswood Building). The closest parking lot is directly across Broadway at 3510 Broadway.

This clinic is intended for individuals with more complicated medical, surgical and/or developmental concerns.
Throughout the year, there are speciality/focused clinics including clinics for 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Craniosynostosis, and Microtia/Craniofacial Microsomia.

Families and providers come from all over the Kaiser Northern California Region. Many of the providers from the Oakland Craniofacial Clinic, Sacramento Craniofacial Clinic and Santa Clara Craniofacial Clinic attend on a regular basis.

Meet the Regional Craniofacial Team:
Craniofacial Speech and Language Pathologists 
    Heather Shiozaki, MS, CCC-SLP
    Erin Poma Vaca, MS, CCC-SLP
    Alison Vander Veen, MS, CCC-SLP
    Andrea Breon, MS, CCC-SLP
Nurses 
    Jennifer Bond, RN, CPNP, CNS, MSN
    Suzanne Samuels, RN, MSN, CPNP
Plastic Surgeons 
    Robert Menard, MD, FACS
    Brian Rubinstein, MD 
    Shane Zim, MD 
Oculoplastic Surgeon
    Benjamin Erickson, MD
Pediatric Head and Neck Surgeons/ Otolaryngologists
    Megan Durr, MD
    Dong (Joseph) Lee, MD
    Benjamin Malkin, MD
    Luke Schloegel, MD
    Tianjie Shen, MD
    Shane Zim, MD 
Audiologist 
    Nicole Blanck, AuD 
Medical Geneticists 
    Katherine Dawson, MD
    Leslie Manace, MD
    Billur Moghaddam, MD
    Sushma Guptha, MD
Genetic Counselors
    Robin Imagire, MS, LCGC
    Rachel Pinger, MS LCGC
Social Workers
    Josey Baker, LCSW
    Sarah Grenham, LCSW
    Chris Camozzi, LCSW 
Developmental Pediatricians
    Jean Sakimura, MD
    Petrina Kaluzhny, MD
Maxillofacial Surgeons
    Peter Bui, DDS, MD
    Rachel Chapa, DDS
Consulting Orthodontist
    Michelle Agazzi, DDS
    James Chen, DDS, PhD 
    Raymond Rebong, DDS
Nutritionist 
    Andrea Curran, RD
  Clinic Coordinator: Jennifer Bond, RN, CPNP, CNS, MSN

Oakland Craniofacial Clinic
Main Phone: (510) 752-5101    Clinic secretary: Medelene Obligacion
Clinic is held at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, 3505 Broadway (Mosswood Building). The closest parking lot is directly across Broadway at 3510 Broadway.


Meet the Oakland Craniofacial Team:
Craniofacial Speech and Language Pathologists 
    Heather Shiozaki, MS, CCC-SLP
    Erin Poma Vaca, MS, CCC-SLP
    Andrea Breon, MS, CCC-SLP
Nurses 
    Jennifer Bond, RN, CPNP, CNS, MSN
Plastic Surgeons 
    Shane Zim, MD
Pediatric Head and Neck Surgeons/ Otolaryngologists
    Luke Schloegel, MD
    Shane Zim, MD
Medical Geneticists 
    Katherine Dawson, MD
    Sushma Guptha, MD
Genetic Counselors
    Ann Bourguignon, MS, LCGC
    Sarah Whitmer, MS, LCGC
Social Workers
    Josey Baker, LCSW
    Sarah Grenham, LCSW
    Chris Camozzi, LCSW 
Maxillofacial Surgeons
    Rachel Chapa, DDS 
    Heshaam Fallah, DDS
    Bradford Williams, DDS, MD
    Erica Shook, DDS
Consulting Orthodontist
    Michelle Agazzi, DDS
    James Chen, DDS, PhD
    Raymond Rebong, DDS
Nutritionist 
    Andrea Curran, RD
  Clinic Coordinator: Jennifer Bond, RN, CPNP, CNS, MSN

Sacramento Craniofacial Clinic
Main Phone: (916) 614-4075

Main Phone: (916) 614-4075

Clinic is held at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center, 1600 Eureka Road, Medical Office Building 2C

Throughout the year, there are specialty/focused clinics including: Microtia and Hemifacial Microsomia Clinic, Neurosurgery Clinic, and 22q11.2 Deletion Clinic.

Meet the Sacramento/North Valley Craniofacial Team:
Team Coordinator: Robin Imagire MS LCGC (916) 292-1012
 
Craniofacial Speech and Language Pathologists  
    Erin Poma Vaca, MS, CCC-SLP
    Alison Vander Veen, MS, CCC-SLP
Nurse 
    Kimberly Duran, PA-C
Pediatric Otolaryngologist/Head and Neck Surgeon/ Facial Plastic Surgeon 
    Brian Rubinstein, MD
Pediatric Otolaryngologist/Head and Neck Surgeon
Otolaryngologist/Head and Neck Surgeon 
    Nima Pahlavan, MD, DDS
Craniofacial Plastic Surgeon
    Robert Menard, MD
Oculoplastic Surgery
   
Sukhjit Johl, MD
Otolaryngologist/Neurotologist 
    Ben Balough, MD
Pediatric Neurosurgeon 
    Sean McNatt, MD
Developmental Pediatrician
    Morgan White, MD
Child Psychiatrist
    Tricia Roberts, MD
Child Psychologist
    Ceri Paganelli, PhD
Occupational Therapists
    Melissa Singh MS OT
    Danielle Garhan, MS OT    
Medical Geneticists 

Genetic Counselors
    Caitlin Olmstead, MS LCGC
    Jessica Edgar MS LCGC
    Vivien Triano MS LCGC
    Liga Bivina MS LCGC
Maxillofacial Surgeons
    Lam Hoang, MD, DDS
    Jae Jun, MD, DDS
    Sean Digman, DDS
Consulting Orthodontists
    CC Chiang, DDS
    Don Rollofson, DDS 
Audiologists 
   Analisa Reed AuD, CCC-A
   Julie Adamson, AuD
   Lindsey Bernard, AuD
Social Workers
    Elle Tadina-Saiu, MSW
    Elena Marticorena, LCSW

  Clinic Coordinator: Robin Imagire, MS, LCGC 

We have additional providers scheduled for some of the specialty/focused clinics:

North Valley Specialty/Focused Clinic Providers

Infectious Disease Specialist/Immunologist 
    Tara Greenhow, MD 

Pediatric Neurosurgeon
    Sean McNatt, MD
Oculoplastic Surgeon 
     Rattehalli Sudesh, MD
Otologist/Neurotologist 
    Noriko Yoshikawa, MD
Plastic/Microsurgeon 
    Oscar Ho, MD


SCL-WelcomeSanta Clara Craniofacial Clinic
Main Phone: (510) 752-5101    Clinic secretary: Medelene Obligacion 
Clinic is held at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, 710 Lawrence Expressway, Medical Office Building, 2nd floor, Department 290

Meet the Santa Clara Craniofacial Team:
Craniofacial Speech and Language Pathologists  
    Heather Shiozaki, MS, CCC-SLP
    Erin Poma Vaca, MS, CCC-SLP 
    Andrea Breon, CCC-SLP
Craniofacial Plastic Surgeon 
    Robert Menard, MD, FACS 
Pediatric Head and Neck Surgeon/ Otolaryngologists 
    Dong (Joseph) Lee, MD  
Nurses
    Suzanne Samuels, RN, MSN, CPNP
Medical Geneticists
     Sushma Guptha, MD
Genetic Counselors 
    Rachel Pinger, MS, LCGC
Social Workers 
    Chris Camozzi, LCSW 
Psychologist  
    Julie Rashkis, PsyD
Maxillofacial Surgeons 
    Peter Bui, DDS, MD 
    Nikhil Desai, DMD, MD
Consulting Orthodontist 
    Kenneth Shimizu, DDS, MSD
    Dennis Widman, DDS
Consulting Pediatric Dentist
    Charles Kao, DDS
Clinic Coordinator: Suzanne Samuels, RN, MSN, CPNP

Regional Craniofacial Program Follow-Up Clinics
The Regional Craniofacial Program offers several types of Specialty Follow-Up Clinics:

Infant Cleft Palate Clinic (For unrepaired cleft palate)
This clinic focuses on the medical needs of infants with a cleft palate before palate surgery is done. In Oakland, it is scheduled as a group visit. In Sacramento, it is scheduled as an individual visit.
ICP clinic is held 4 times per year at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. The format of this clinic is a group/class for parents and infants 6-9 months of age with a cleft palate or submucous cleft palate (with or without a cleft lip). The families meet with the Social Worker, Registered Dietician, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and Speech Pathologist in a group setting. This is a 2-hour clinic. Recommendations are provided for speech development, hearing, weight gain, feeding, surgical planning, long-term planning and follow-up.

Craniofacial Program-Speech-Audio-Nursing Clinic (Ages 1 year to 4 years)
Speech clinic is for follow-up and/or post-op speech evaluations. These speech evaluations can be scheduled at any of our satellite clinics (Kaiser Oakland, San Jose, or Sacramento). Speech recommendations and speech therapy plans are given to the family and other specialists/providers involved in the child’s care. Follow-up appointments are scheduled, as needed (typically every 6 months to 2 years).

Craniofacial Speech Clinic
Speech clinic is for follow-up and/or post-op speech evaluations. These speech evaluations can be scheduled at any of our satellite clinics (Kaiser Oakland, San Jose, San Rafael or Sacramento). Speech recommendations and speech therapy plans are given to the family and other specialists/providers involved in the child’s care. Follow-up appointments are scheduled, as needed (typically every 6 months to 2 years).

Craniofacial Nasoendoscopy Clinic (Ages 4 years and older)
Nasoendoscopy Clinics take place at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center. Patients are referred for Nasoendoscopy when they have been evaluated by their Craniofacial Speech Pathologist and exhibit “hypernasal resonance” or “palate dysfunction” (i.e., air leaking through the nose when talking). Patients must be at least 4 years of age to be scheduled for Nasoendoscopy. This is an imaging procedure in which a small endoscope is inserted into one side of the patient’s nose to view the velopharyngeal mechanism from above, showing movement of the soft palate (velum) and the posterior and lateral pharyngeal walls as the patient is talking. The endoscope is attached to video and audio recording equipment. The video is reviewed with the team of surgeons and surgical recommendations are made.

RESOURCES
General
American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) http://www.cleftline.org/

Feeding your baby
Booklets, videos, and bottle resources from ACPA: https://cleftline.org/family-resources/feeding-your-baby/

Microtia
Ear Community http://earcommunity.org/microtiaatresia/

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
22q and You Center http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/22q-and-you-center
The International 22q11.2 Foundation Inc. http://www.22q.org
The 22q Family Foundation http://22qfamilyfoundation.org/
MIND Institute http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mindinstitute/research/cabil/22q_video.html

Supporting Facial Differences
ACPA Family Services - Preparing Your Child for Social Situations
http://www.cleftline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Social-Situations-20173.pdf

Positive Exposure https://positiveexposure.org/
Children’s Craniofacial Association https://ccakids.org/
Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation of Smiles http://www.cleftsmile.org/
AboutFace http://www.aboutface.ca/
https://www.stopbullying.gov/

Last updated: November 2022
Reviewed by:
Jennifer Bond, RN, CPNP, CNS, MSN
Kimberly Barr, MS, LCGC