Our Providers

Tabatha Downey, MD, CMO
Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Tabatha Downey received an MD from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She completed residency at the Cook County Loyola Provident Family Medicine Residency Program. She is American Board of Family Medicine certified. Prior to medical school she was a Registered Nurse, primarily practicing in inner city Emergency Rooms, where she developed an understanding of the importance of primary care and preventative medicine. She witnessed first- hand the challenges faced by many patients who did not have health insurance or access to a primary care doctor. Dr. Downey is committed to eliminating disparities in health care. Her practice is focused on providing high quality care to those with socioeconomic barriers to care. She is fluent in Spanish and loves to travel and read in her free time.

Claudia Gonzalez-Matos, MD
Adult Medicine

Dr. Gonzalez-Matos received her medical degree from the School of Medicine at Universidad Autonoma, Guadalajara, Mexico in 2005 and completed her internship at Hospital del Maestro, Puerto Rico from 2006 to 2007. She joined the Heart of Florida Health Center in September 2015 where she is an Adult Primary Care Physician in our Belleview location. In her off time, she can be found playing volleyball, exercising and playing with her daughter.

Ma. Teresita Ribay, MD
Pediatric Medicine

Dr. Tess Ribay received her medical degree from the University of the Philippines. She completed her Pediatric Residency Training at the University of Florida Shands Children Hospital in Gainesville, Florida in 1995. Dr. Ribay is Board Certified in Pediatrics. She provides general medical care for infants and children at our Main location. She enjoys exercising, going to the beach, and loves spending time with her family.

Millie Poole, MD
Pediatric/Internal Medicine

Dr. Millie Poole brings 17 years of experience as a working physician to Heart of Florida as a Board Certified Internist and a Board Certified Pediatrician. Dr. Poole specializes in all ages and behavioral pediatrics. After earning her medical degree at the University of Miami, Florida, Dr. Poole completed her residency at Metrohealth Medical Center/Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jadira Irizarry-Padilla, MD
Pediatric Medicine

Dr. Irizarry-Padilla completed her training at Hospital Episcopal San Lucas/Ponce School of Medicine Program, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She provides Pediatric care at our Belleview location. Dr. Irizarry-Padilla likes dogs (she has 4 dogs; all of them rescued) and loves to spend time with her husband and son.

George Gilbert, MD
Family Medicine

Dr. Gilbert attended Medical school on the Island of Montserrat in the British West Indies. Clinical training in Ireland and Residency in Ohio. Dr. Gilbert is Board Certified in Family Practice Medicine and provides general medical care for all ages at our Dunnellon location. On his time off, he loves relaxing with his wife on their patio and watching the sunset.

Jennifer Abernathy, DO

Dr. Jennifer Abernathy, DO received her medical degree from William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, MS and completed her residency training in family medicine through the UCF/HCA Family Medicine Residency Program in Ocala, FL. She is a board certified osteopathic physician who enjoys seeing patients of all ages. She loves to promote preventative medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, fostering kittens, hiking, and searching out new interesting food spots around the Central Florida area with her husband.

Caroline Northrup, PA-C
Adult Medicine

Caroline is a certified Physician Assistant, practicing in family medicine at Heart of Florida Health Center’s Main location. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of South Florida in Tampa, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Spanish. She completed her graduate training at Nova Southeastern University in Orlando, earning a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant studies. She is a National Health Service Corps Scholar, passionate about preventive and primary care.

Sarai Vargas-Vera, MMSc, PA-C
Family Medicine Physician Assistant
Quality Project Coordinator

Sarai is a Family Medicine Physician Assistant practicing at Heart of Florida Health Center. She was born and raised in Ocala where at a young age, she developed her interest in primary care traveling to South America to work with underserved patient populations. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Florida in Gainesville, earning a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a minor in Disabilities in Society. She went on to complete her Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant studies at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She is a National Health Service Corps Scholar. Her passion is enhancing her patients’ quality of life through preventative medicine and patient education. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, exercising and traveling.

Yasmin Ramasco, MSN, APRN, ANP-C
Adult Medicine
Provider Support Educator

Yasmin Ramasco became a nurse at the early age of 19 and continued on to obtain her Masters degree from South University. She is board certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She has worked in the healthcare field for over a decade and has experience in acute care, long-term care, and outpatient primary care. She has been providing adult primary care with Heart of Florida Health Center since 2015 and is currently practicing at our Main Clinic. Yasmin is passionate about preventative care and improving quality of life. She enjoys spending time with her family in her free time. She also loves traveling, exercising, gardening, coffee, and animals.

Diana Loud, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Pediatrics

Diane has been working in pediatrics for 19 years including 10 years in labor and delivery, 3 years hospital pediatrics. She is also a Lactation consultant. Diane has 8 years as ARNP Pediatrics Provider. Her training allows her to provide mother and baby couplet postpartum care as well as continued care from newborn to adult. She received her degrees from University of Michigan and Frontier Nursing University Kentucky.

Regina Dubois-Rodabaugh, MSN, APRN FNP-BC
Family Medicine

Gina Dubois-Rodabaugh received her early education at local college and USF, Orlando, Florida before pursuing MSN for Family practice at USF, Tampa Florida 6 years ago. She provides medical care to all ages at the Belleview Site. She enjoys NASCAR, camping, music, spending time with her family, and especially teaching her son to play the guitar.

Martha Halsey-Lyda, APRN, FNP-BC, CDCES
Family Medicine
Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Martha earned her nursing degree at the University of Florida and spent thirty years in clinical practice and research with pediatric endocrinology at UF. In 2006 she received her MSN from Northern Illinois University (Go Huskies!) and served as a family nurse practitioner in metropolitan Chicago, working as both a clinician and a research coordinator for NIH studies. She returned to Gainesville, Florida in 2016, and maintains her passion for serving children and families with Type I diabetes by volunteering at the Florida Diabetes Camp. She is also a trained Stephen Minister.

Libby Marks de Martino, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC
Pediatric Medicine

Libby obtained her nursing education at Vanderbilt University and the University of Florida. For over 30 years, she has provided advanced nursing practice to children from primary care to tertiary care, and is currently providing Pediatric primary care in our Dunnellon location. Family, farm life, and friends, give Libby a full life adventure.

Jessie Caudill, MSN, APRN, NP-C
Pediatric Medicine

Jessie became a nurse (LPN) in 2005 from Glen Oaks Community College Centreville Michigan. She continue her education receiving her Associates of Applied Science in Nursing (RN) in 2006 from Glen Oaks Community College. Jessie went on to complete her training at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana receiving her BSN in 2008 and her MSN FNP-C in 2013. She provides Pediatric Care in our Central location. Jessie enjoys swimming, reading, puzzles, playing video games and spending time with my family, including a yorkie named Bella.

Melanie Grizzard, APRN, MSN, FNP-C

Melanie is a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner who was born and raised in Ocala, Florida. She has worked in acute care, primary care, and specialty care serving the Ocala location since she was 17 years old. Melanie completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at University of South Florida, in Tampa. She continued to get her Master’s degree at South University in Georgia. She is Board certified by American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Melanie is passionate about treating her patient’s as a whole and welcoming them like family to her practice. In her off time, Melanie enjoys spending time with her family out in the sun or on the water.

Shaqwana McCottry, APRN, FNP-BC

Shaqwana begin her nursing career in 2009 in upstate New York. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Russell Sage College in Troy New York. After doing a travel assignment in Ocala, Shaqwana and her family decided to relocate here. She then obtained her MSN from the University of Central Florida in 2017. Shaqwana practices at our West location. She believes in giving her patients the knowledge they need to prevent disease and be the best version of themselves. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.

Dr. Ivette Colon-Reyes, MD
Medical Director of Inmate Health of Marion County Jail

Dr. Colon-Reyes graduated with honors from San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico in 2001. She completed her Rotational Internship in 2002 in Hospital Cristo Redentor in Guayama, Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, she worked in Urgent Care, Primary Care and Correctional Medicine. In 2011, she moved to Florida and has been providing excellent medical care to her patients in correctional settings and outpatient primary care. She is dedicated to her family and her patients and loves to spend time outdoors.

Chandra M. Evans, MS, PharmD, BCGP
Director of Pharmacy

Dr. Chandra M. Evans completed her undergraduate work at UNC-Greensboro in pre-medicine Biology in 1997. After a teaching stint, she completed a Master of Science in Biology from Fayetteville State University in 2002, and received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Campbell University in 2006. After a 10 year career in retail pharmacy, she obtained a Board Certification in Geriatrics in 2016 and joined the Heart of Florida in May as the Director of Pharmacy Services. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.

Phillip Saunders, Jr., PharmD, RPH

Dr. Phillip Saunders is a Registered Pharmacist from Tampa, FL. Phillip graduated in 2018 with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from FAMU College of Pharmacy. He is passionate about diabetes education and aspires to make a positive impact within his community by serving those in need. Phillip enjoys hiking, cooking, motocross sports and most importantly spending time with his family.