Meet the Staff

Medical & Surgical Weight Loss Team
 

Patricia Costales
Patricia is a Family Nurse Practitioner who joined the Bariatric Team in 2008 and was trained by Dr. Smith in Bariatric Services. Patricia’s interest is in diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension, which is why she joined the Bariatric team: to assist patients with these other diseases and conditions. Outside of the medical field, she enjoys sports and spending time with her children.

Erin Baudino-Burgarello
Erin attended UNM for her undergraduate degree in Nutrition, and is currently working on completing her Masters in Nutrition at UNM as well. Presently, Erin works as a Registered Dietician at Lovelace Westside Hospital where she practices both inpatient and outpatient care. Erin has been working in the clinical setting for the last 2 years. She has a strong interest in nutrition education for bariatric surgery and weight management in the adult population. In addition to her career, Erin is also a wife and a mother. In her down time, Erin enjoys playing in Albuquerque's playground with her family.

Laura A. Omidvaran
Laura is a native New Mexican. She got her nutrition and dietetics degree and completed her internship at the University of New Mexico. She started her career working at St. Joseph Hospital, which later become Lovelace Health System, and has been there for over 15 years. In those years, she has had the opportunity to work in many different areas of nutrition, including inpatient, intensive care, geriatric psychiatry, home health care, and skilled nursing. She has been with the bariatric program at Lovelace Westside Hospital since it started. She is happily married and has two children who keep her very busy. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, dancing and reading.

Astrida Awa Teneng
Astrida is a registered dietician with a masters in food science and nutrition. She is interested in using food and nutritional information and therapy as proactive and interventional tools to supplement medicine and improve health. Prior to joining Lovelace, she worked as a microbiologist and a laboratory technician and brings all of the that experience to the Lovelace Westside Bariatric Program. She loves dancing, college and professional spots (knowing the scores) and spending time with family and friends. At the moment, she is learning how to swim during her extra time and hopes to learn bike riding next.

Linnea Sheets
Linnea is not a native New Mexican. She was born in Elgin, Illinois and lived most of her life in Rockford, Illinois. She moved to New Mexico in 2001 after the passing of her father so that she could be close to her mother. She is a single mother of one child, Austin, who has just turned 16 years old and loves to ride long board and dirt bikes. She has been in some facet of the medical field since 1989, mainly doing administrative/clerical duties. She really enjoys working with our patients and enjoys seeing their physical and emotional transformation.

Janie Shumway
Lovelace Westside Hospital is also pleased to welcome Janie Shumway to its bariatric team. Janie is a master's level social worker who has been with Lovelace Health System for 20 years. Her history includes case management, discharge planning, assessments for new mothers and also rehabilitation patients. Janie has been with Lovelace Batriatrics since the program began, completing psycho-social assessments for those desiring surgery. She co-facilitates the support groups for the program.

Melissa Florez-Castillo

William Whiterock