Rosana Draper, PhD, MSN, FNP-BC is a graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston, where she obtained her MSN as well as her PhD. Rosana specializes as an experienced board certified nurse practitioner. Her clinical interests include family medicine, healthy lifestyles and diabetes care.

Dr. Vinod Kaushik is a graduate of Mahatama Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Devi Ahilya University in India. He completed his residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and his fellowship at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, with a special interest in dementia and disabilities in the elderly.

Dr. Kaushik currently serves as the Medical Director of Gulf Health Care Center in Texas City and the Geriatric Track Program Director at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He is Program Director of the UTMB Geriatric Medicine Fellowship. He is an assistant professor of Geriatric Medicine and serves as attending faculty on the ACE Unit, Geriatric Consults, and Geriatric Clinic Service.

Dr. Edemekong is proud to serve in a broad scope of Family and Preventive Medicine. He has been practicing in the urgent care, preventive and family medicine settings and enjoys being able to provide holistic care to his patients.

He has numerous publications and has provided multiple presentations in his career at both a macro level with the CDC and micro level with small workshops and lectures. Dr. Edemekong has a passion for being involved in community education and has dedicated himself to medical missions on an annual basis. Dr. Edemekong offers an ability to serve his patients with a truly integrative approach.

Dr. Edemekong offers Primary Health Care, HIV Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Occupational Medicine. With a background in Family Medicine and completed training in Preventive Medicine, Dr. Edemekong has experience working with at-risk patient populations. His passion continues in areas of Clinical Preventive Medicine, Global Healthcare, Acute Disease Epidemiology (HIV, TB, Hepatitis, STIs) and Health Disparities as well as Maternal-Fetal Healthcare.

He offers basic and routine health care needs with a sensitive and unbiased approach for preventive care, physical exams, and Infectious disease treatment. He promotes the highest level of health for all people by striving to eliminate preventable diseases and educating my patients regarding healthy behaviors across all life stages.

 Provider is LGBTQIA+ Responsive

Laura Ellender, MSN, RN, CEN, FNP-C is a graduate of University of Texas Medical Branch - Galveston, where she obtained her Master of Science in Nursing. Laura specializes as an experienced board certified family nurse practitioner as well as a certified emergency nurse. Her clinical interests include all aspects of family medicine.

 Provider is LGBTQIA+ Responsive

Born in California, Dr. Abrahim got to Texas as fast as she could and considers herself a native Texan and true Aggie, as she attended Texas A&M University for both her undergraduate degree and medical school. She completed her Family Medicine residency at UTMB Health and is excited to be on the mainland giving back to the community in which she was raised. She aims to help her patients reach their health goals by providing comprehensive, up-to-date, evidence-based care. In her free time she enjoys exercising, watching movies, learning to cook new meals and traveling with my husband and family.

Melanie Gray was born in Houston, TX and raised in the once small town of Pearland, TX. She initially received her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from UTMB in 2004, graduating with honors. After working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Texas Children's Hospital and in the Day Surgery Unit at University General Hospital, she pursued her master's degree at UTMB. With two young girls, one on the way, and the help of her husband, she received her Master's of Science in Nursing and became a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2015.

With a passion for primary care, she accepted a position at Texas Gulf Coast Medical Group in 2016. At TGCMG, she grew as a nurse practitioner and served as a preceptor. Recently, she joined the Primary and Specialty Care Clinic at UTMB.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She can usually be found hustling kids to different activities or enjoying time outdoors.

My name is Casey Buck. My clinical areas of special interest are preventative healthcare and Family Medicine. I enjoy spending quality time with friends and family. I am an avid Houston sports fan, dedicated husband, and dog Dad.

Dr. Xie joined the UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine in 2021. Dr. Xie earned her Bachelor of Science at the University of Texas at Dallas and her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Xie completed her residency training from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas and also served on the Texas Association of Family Physician's (TAFP) Resident Council. She is a board certified family physician and will be seeing patients at the Family Medicine Clinic - Island West.

Dr. Xie's clinical interests include patient mental wellbeing and also women's health. Dr. Xie is a member of Doctors for Change serving on the Mental Health Committee and the Anti-Human Trafficking Committee.

Dr. Shakira Dhamotharan was born and raised in the state of New York. She completed all of her academic and medical training at St. Georges University in Grenada, West Indies. There she received a Master's degree in Public Health as well as her MD degree. She finished her residency in Family Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital in Patterson, NJ. Dr. Dhamotharan held the positions of Assistant Program Director of Family Medicine Residency Program, and Instructor of Family and Community Medicine at New York Medical College where she practiced primary care as well as had an academic role. Additionally, in this position she assisted with research projects, trained residents as well as lectured fundamental family medicine practices to both medical students and residents.

Dr. Dhamotharan is actively involved in volunteering and serves on the Board of Directors for Team Triumphant, a children's charity organization that aspires to educate inner city youth with the necessary skills to graduate high school. Triumphant also assists them in attaining the resources needed to discover colleges and apply to them. She has traveled to Trinidad to volunteer her services with the Ministry of Health to assist with public health matters. She serves as international correspondent for the Sundar Charitable Trust whose primary goal is to bring math and reading supplies to poor villages in Tamil Nadu, India. Every two years, Dr. Dhamotharan and her husband visit this Trust and the local children to determine what steps need to be made to increase literacy rates.

Dr. Dhamotharan currently lives in Sugarland, TX with her husband and two sons. She and her husband are active members in Meenakashi Temple. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Physicians and she's been a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 2010.

Dr. Shakira Dhamotharan was born and raised in the state of New York. She completed all of her academic and medical training at St. Georges University in Grenada, West Indies. There she received a Master's degree in Public Health as well as her MD degree. She finished her residency in Family Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital in Patterson, NJ. Dr. Dhamotharan held the positions of Assistant Program Director of Family Medicine Residency Program, and Instructor of Family and Community Medicine at New York Medical College where she practiced primary care as well as had an academic role. Additionally, in this position she assisted with research projects, trained residents as well as lectured fundamental family medicine practices to both medical students and residents.

Dr. Dhamotharan is actively involved in volunteering and serves on the Board of Directors for TeamTriumphant, a children's charity organization that aspires to educate inner city youth with the necessary skills to graduate high school. Triumphant also assists them in attaining the resources needed to discover colleges and apply to them. She has traveled to Trinidad to volunteer her services with the Ministry of Health to assist with public health matters. She serves as international correspondent for the Sundar Charitable Trust whose primary goal is to bring math and reading supplies to poor villages in Tamil Nadu, India. Every two years, Dr. Dhamotharan and her husband visit this Trust and the local children to determine what steps need to be made to increase literacy rates.

Dr. Dhamotharan currently lives in Sugarland, TX with her husband and two sons. She and her husband are active members in Meenakashi Temple. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Physicians and she's been a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians since 2010.

Maria Escamilla is a certified nurse practitioner. She graduated with her Masters of Science in Nursing from UTMB and her clinical interests include occupational medicine and family practice medicine.