Dr. Uzoma Obi-Nwankwo is a Board-certified Family Physician with specialized training in Geriatric Medicine. She received her medical degree from Ebonyi State University, Nigeria. She completed her Family medicine Residency training at DeTar Healthcare system-Texas A&M university program and her Geriatric Medicine Fellowship training at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Dr. Obi as she is fondly known by her patients and staff is passionate about tailoring individualized quality and compassionate care to her patients and their family’s unique needs through timely value-based care and shared decision making. She loves that she can provide medical care for all age groups and relate and serve them in a one stop, shop all manner. She funnily describes her role as PCP as that of the postal services such that she helps her patients address and bring together all information in their various aspects of health care to clarity and perspective with the goal of a healthier and functional status.

When she is not doctoring, she loves to spend time creating good memories with family and friends. She enjoys volunteering both locally and internationally, traveling, watching wrestling or action and adventure movies, learning American football and crafts and trying out new cultures and food.

Dr. Nicanord joined The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine in 2017. Dr. Nicanord earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, and a Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica. Dr. Nicanord graduated from the UTMB Family Medicine Residency Program and continued his training by earning a fellowship in Geriatrics, also at UTMB.

Nancy Ross comes from a long line of health care professionals and is a long time nurse, first specializing in cardiac surgery, then wanting more patient contact, obtained her master's degree and becoming a Nurse Practitioner. From there Nancy worked in a private solo practice in Alvin for three years, enjoying seeing a wide variety of patient conditions, including our older patients. Upon coming to UTMB, Nancy worked with oncology patients in the Department of Surgery before working in primary care and enjoyed the professional challenges of working with the patient population.

A recurrent theme of Nancy's career is that she enjoys challenges and learning at every opportunity to provide the best outcomes for her patients. When her mother retired at 67 from nursing, her mother found new challenges to enjoy in a new career as a published poet and author. Nancy took this to heart, understanding that every phase of life is a challenge to be relished and enjoyed. Nancy also enjoys quilting, baking, travelling and reading a good book.

Dr. Karl Crudo is board certified in Family Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. He completed his residency at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital - Forbes Campus in Pittsburgh, Pa., and received his medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines.

Dr. Kalia was born and raised in Texas, is a Texas A&M University Alumni, and is here to serve her community. She likes to come up with individualized realistic health plans and medical treatments with her patients. She truly enjoys the variety of medical conditions she gets to treat as a primary care physician, as well as the bonds she creates with her patients. Currently, she is an assistant clinical professor for UTMB who enjoys teaching also.

Medicine is her hobby. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending time with her family which includes laughing at her husband's dad jokes and son's humor, cooking, audio-books, movies, volunteering, and research. Her grandmother, parents, and siblings all reside in League City.

Dr. Anna Rotkiewicz is a graduate of Medical University of Warsaw in Poland. She also completed her internships at Grochow Hospital in Poland and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, and her residencies at Grochow Hospital and University of Texas HSC at Houston. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, along with a certification in Functional Medicine.

Dr. Rotkiewicz currently serves as the Medical Director of Meridian Nursing Home in Galveston. She is an assistant professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and serves as attending faculty on the Acute Care for the Elders Unit, Geriatric Consults, and Geriatric Clinic Service.

 Provider is LGBTQIA+ Responsive

Samuel Kahiu is a graduate of Texas Woman's University in Houston, where he obtained his Master of Science in Nursing. Samuel specializes as an experienced family nurse practitioner, and enjoys all aspects of family medicine and urgent care.

Dr. Amber Hairfield joined UTMB Pediatrics as faculty in 2011. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Hairfield received her doctorate from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. She also completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX.

Dr. Hairfield has a special interest in medical education and is currently serving as the Pediatric Residency Program Director at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston.

In addition to serving in various medical education committees, Dr. Hairfield also serves in a few UTMB Quality Improvement committees for academic pediatric clinics

Dr. Rodriguez Lien is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is a clinician who cares for patients directly as well as supervising residents. Dr. Rodriguez Lien received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Texas Pan American. She attended medical school at University of Texas Medical Branch. She subsequently completed her pediatric residency training in 2015 from UTMB and served as chief resident the following year. She is currently the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program.

Dr. Rodriguez Lien is actively involved in medical student education as a clinic supervisor of students in the pediatric clinics. She is also directly involved in resident education, not only through her role of associate director, but also as a faculty mentor, rotation director, and head of the board review program.

Dr. Rodriguez Lien has a passion for preventative medicine, specifically the maternal-infant bond and health benefits from breastfeeding. She also has a specific interest in mental health in pediatric care. She heads the primary care behavioral and mental health clinic at the UTMB Pediatrics Bay Colony location.

Melissa Smith-Phillips is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics. She received her B.S. in Biology from Louisiana College, after which she completed a two-year research fellowship with the National Cancer Institute. She completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in 2011 through UTMB's Combined Degree Program and subsequently was accepted into UTMB's Pediatric Residency Program which she completed in 2014.