Provider Biographies
Louis Appel, M.D., MPH
Medical Director, Director of Pediatrics
Louis Appel, M.D., MPH, serves as Medical Director and Director of Pediatrics
at People’s Community Clinic. Dr. Appel provides primary pediatric care
at the Clinic in addition to overseeing the clinical programs. He is co-facilitator
of the Community Access to Child Health Program for the Texas chapter of
the American Academy of Pediatrics and co-chairs the Texas Pediatric Society’s
Community Access to Child Health Committee. In the past he has served on
the Texas Pediatric Society’s Task Force on Childhood Obesity as well as
on the Travis County Early Impact Team, advising on the coordination of
Early Childhood Intervention services in the county. He has also served
on the Austin Multi-Institutional Review Board. Dr. Appel graduated from
Harvard Medical School and obtained his MPH at the Harvard School of Public
Health, with a concentration in public management and community health.
He completed his pediatric residency at the University of Washington in
Seattle.
Naomi Hanser, M.D.
Naomi Hanser, M.D., is a graduate of Columbia University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She received specialized training in primary care internal medicine and was chief resident of ambulatory care internal medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. She provided healthcare through the Navaho Nation Health Foundation in Arizona. In New York, she worked with Doctors of the World‘s Human Rights Clinic to provide medical evaluations and affidavits for international survivors of torture and persecution. She has continued this service independently upon request here in Austin. She is currently a member of the Austin chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine and the Travis County Medical Society. She is proficient in Spanish.
Celia Neavel, M.D.
Director of Adolescent Health
Celia Neavel, M.D., FSAM, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family
Practice and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Neavel helped
start the Center for
Adolescent Health at the Clinic more than 13 years ago and remains its
director. She also initiated and directs the
Goals Program, a developmental / behavioral / primary care program at
PCC. Dr. Neavel is fellowship-trained in adolescent medicine and developmental
disorders and has a certificate of added qualification in adolescent medicine.
She is Clinical Assistant Professor, UTMB Pediatrics-Austin, supervising
residents and giving monthly lectures. Her main focus is holistic, interdisciplinary
primary and specialty care for youth who are "at risk" for economic or developmental
reasons. Listed Texas Super Doctor in 2004.
Richard Peavey, M.D.
Director of Adult Medicine, Internal Medicine
Richard Peavey, M.D. has twenty-six years of professional experience encompassing general practice, urgent care, occupational and rehabilitation medicine, and coordination of medical staff. He has served as a general medicine physician at the Clinic since 1999. Dr. Peavey received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas and completed his obstetrics-gynecology residency at the University of Oklahoma, Tulsa Medical College.
Robert Sorin, M.D.
Director of Reproductive Health
Robert Sorin, M.D. is Director of Reproductive Health. He received his medical degree from the University de Monterrey Escuela de Medicina in Monterrey, Mexico and completed his residency at the Robert Woods Johnson Medical School. In addition to his work at the Clinic, Dr. Sorin is Medical Director at Planned Parenthood Texas Capitol Region and operates a private practice in obstetrics-gynecology.
Georgia Armstrong, R.N.
Immunizations Supervisor
Georgia Armstrong, BSN, RN has been supervising and administering the Immunization
Program at People's Community Clinic since October 1993. She received her BSN from the University of Texas at
Austin School of Nursing in 1977. Georgia worked with migrant workers and their children in Colorado where she
obtained her School Nurse Practitioner Certification from the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver.
In her capacity as Immunization Supervisor, Georgia works closely with other Immunization programs and clinics at the
state, county and city level.
Anna Blomquist, LMSW
Lead Social Worker, GOALS Program
Anna Blomquist is a Licensed Master Social Worker and the Lead Social Worker
for the GOALS Program, a developmental/behavioral/primary care program that serves
at-risk youth in Central Texas. She also provides counseling services to our Pediatric and Adolescent population.
Anna received her Master in Social Work from Florida State University in 2003. She has previous experience working
with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children). Anna has been at PCC since August 2007.
Brenda Fierro, LCSW
Program Coordinator, Integrated Behavioral Health
Brenda Fierro is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and graduate of the University
of Texas at Austin where she received her BS in Social Work (2001) and
Masters in Social Work (2002). She completed her clinical internship at
Phoenix Academy, a residential substance abuse treatment center for adolescents,
here in Austin. Brenda has been practicing in the field of counseling and mental
health since 2001 in various settings. She has experience working with
individuals, couples, and families as well as with providing group therapy
in both English and Spanish. More recently, she has been providing professional
trainings in culturally competent practice with Hispanic clients, drawing
upon her years of experience with working with the spanish speaking population
of Austin.
Bianca Flores, R.N., M.S.N.
Chronic Disease Program Manager
Bianca Flores, R.N., M.S.N. rejoined People’s Community Clinic in 2008 as
the Chronic Disease Program Manager, coordinating clinic services for patients
with diabetes by providing patient education and nurse case management, while
organizing a multi-disciplinary team of health professionals aimed at improving
health outcomes of patients with chronic conditions. Bianca received a BA
in Mexican American Studies and Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin,
and worked as a Health Educator at the clinic since 2001 before returning
to the University of Texas at Austin in 2005 to become a Registered Nurse,
and receive her Master’s of Science in Public Health Nursing.
Juli Furgeson, Ph.D.
Health Psychologist, Nutrition Education and Health Psychology
Juli
Furgeson, Ph.D. serves as Health Psychologist to People's Community Clinic,
Nutrition Education and Health Psychology working with patients as they
develop the confidence to make changes that will improve their health.
Dr. Furgeson received her Ph.D. from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces,
in Counseling Psychology and completed her internship at the Sun Valley
Regional Hospital and at the Family Therapy Institute, both in El Paso, Texas.
She has also completed Clinical Training in Mind/Body Medicine at Harvard
Medical School.
Rachel Head, RDE
Nutritionist, Nutrition Education and Health Psychology
Rachel Head, RDE serves as the nutritionist at People’s Community Clinic, teaching practical applications of food,
nutrition, and cooking for low-income individuals suffering from chronic disease. Using an evidenced-based facilitated
dialogue method of consultation, she approaches crucial, long-term behavioral change by promoting highly individualized
self-motivation. She is also developing a nutrition-based cooking class to empower participants through their food
choices at home. Ms. Head received her B.S. in Coordinated Dietetics from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX.
Robin Rosell, LCSW, LMFT
Director of Social Services and Tandem Coordinator
Robin Rosell, MSW, serves as the Director of Social Services at People's Community Clinic, providing supervision and provision of social work services to Clinic clients; and assistance in coordination and implementation of specialized adolescent health program, as well as coordinating the interagency Tandem Teen Prenatal and Parenting Program. Ms. Rosell received her MSW from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
