Natividad Medical Group

Brian Aguilera, MD

Dr. Aguilera is a member of Natividad’s expert Obstetrics and Gynecology team. He earned his medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas and then completed his residency at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Dr. Aguilera speaks English, Spanish and Tagalog.

Ana Abril Arias, MD.

Dr. Arias specializes in Family Medicine and received her medical degree from Autonomous University of Baja California School of Medicine in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. After medical school she became part of the University of California, Los Angeles International Medical Graduate Program. She completed a Family Medicine Residency at University of California, San Diego, serving as Chief Resident of the program in 2012. During her residency, Dr. Arias was named Outstanding Intern in Labor and Delivery by the Obstetrics Department. She was also a member of the UCSD Perinatal Practices Committee that sets policy for patient care in the labor, delivery and post-partum departments. Dr. Arias was initially attracted to Salinas for the Obstetrical Fellowship. She completed her year in training here at Natividad and loved the community and the patients so much that she decided to stay. Her special interests include: Obstetrics, Underserved Medicine and Teaching. Dr. Arias is fluent in English and Spanish.

Eva Campos, DO

Dr. Campos grew up in Southern California where she attended CSUN for public health. She previously worked as a health educator prior to heading to Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine for her medical degree followed by her family medicine residency at Southern New Mexico Family Medicine Residency Program. She is currently completing a surgical obstetrics fellowship at Natividad Medical Center in addition to serving patients at Natividad Medical Group.  She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Peter Chandler, MD

Dr. Chandler leads Natividad’s expert Obstetrics and Gynecology team as Chief OB/GYN Surgeon. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, then completed his residency at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Dr. Chandler is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries.

Dr. Chandler was instrumental in creating Monterey County’s first Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) program at Natividad in 2009. Under his leadership, the hospital has received multiple maternal health outcomes and safety recognitions.

Soraya Esteva, MD

Dr. Esteva is a member of Natividad’s expert Obstetrics and Gynecology team. She earned her medical degree from the University of Southern California (USC) Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Esteva completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Dr. Esteva is a faculty member and program director for our Family Medicine Fellowship in Obstetrics. She speaks English and Spanish.

Jacqueline Flores, MD.

Dr. Flores was born and raised in the Bay Area. She completed her medical school training at Loma Linda University and then came to Salinas to complete her residency at the Family Medicine Residency Program at Natividad. Her desire to continue to care and passionately serve the Central Coast community kept her at Natividad after completing her residency. She practices full scope ambulatory family medicine and has special interests in women’s health and lifestyle medicine. Dr. Flores is fluent in Spanish.

Michelle Liamidi, MD

Dr. Liamidi is a member of Natividad’s expert Obstetrics and Gynecology team. She earned her medical degree at the Russian State Medical University in Moscow. Dr. Liamidi completed her OB/GYN residency at Synergy Medical Education Alliance in Michigan. She is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Dr. Liamidi speaks English and Russian.

James Lilja, MD

Dr. Lilja provides an integrated approach to the diagnosis and treatment of cancerous and noncancerous (benign) conditions of the female reproductive system, such as endometriosis, fibroids, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and pelvic masses, among others. He earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Lilja completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston and a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Michigan. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology in addition to gynecologic oncology. Dr. Lilja speaks English and Spanish.

Amber N. Paris, Nurse Practitioner

Amber Paris is board-certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing Education from Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma and a Post Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner certificate from the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

Amber grew up on the Central Coast and has served her community as a primary care provider, clinical nurse educator, and registered nurse for more than 20 years. Her special interests include improving preventative and wellness service delivery. She participated in the Staff Nurse Trainee program at Natividad in 2001 and is happy to have returned as a primary care provider in 2017.

Minerva Perez-Lopez, MD.

Dr. Perez-Lopez, a Salinas native who graduated from Alisal High School, is distinguished with honors, scholarships, and academic recognitions. She received her medical degree from Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island. She completed her residency at the Family Medicine Residency Program at Natividad, where she was named Chief Resident in 2005 and was awarded the department’s Hannon-Lauderdale Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in Residency. She then completed an Obstetrical Fellowship at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. Dr. Perez-Lopez says her educational background offered outstanding opportunities, but her goal was always to return to the community she knows and loves to be a family physician. Dr. Perez-Lopez is fluent in English and Spanish. Dr. Perez-Lopez is also the vice chair of the board of directors of the Natividad Medical Foundation, which is dedicated to philanthropically supporting Natividad in its mission to provide health care access to all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

Marc Tunzi, MD.

Dr. Tunzi was born in Salinas and grew up in Spreckels, received his medical degree from University of California, San Diego and completed his family practice residency at Valley Medical Center in Fresno, an affiliate of University of California, San Francisco. He worked in community clinics in Montana and Idaho before returning to Salinas in 1993. Dr. Tunzi has served as the Program Director of Family Medicine Residency Program at Natividad and is currently the Assistant Program Director. Dr. Tunzi’s special medical interests are medical ethics and behavioral issues, though he really sees himself as a true family physician generalist. He has worked for years with the homeless serving as the Medical Director of the Franciscan Workers of Junipero Serra Homeless Clinic in Salinas, for which he won a KSBW-TV Jefferson Award for Community Service. Dr. Tunzi is fluent in English, Italian and Spanish.

Dr. Victor Velasco

Dr. Velasco specializes in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. He earned his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and then completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California Medical Center. Dr. Velasco completed a fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at Kaiser Permanente/UCSF. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Velasco speaks English and Spanish.

Dr. Katherine Volpe

Dr. Volpe specializes in urogynecology, pelvic organic prolapse, and bladder and bowel incontinence and dysfunction in women. She earned her medical degree from Oregon Health Sciences University. Then, Dr. Volpe completed her residency at the University of New Mexico Health Science Center Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She went on to complete a fellowship in Female Pelvic medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Southern California. Dr. Volpe is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and urogynecology/reconstructive pelvic surgery.

Dr. Volpe has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications, presentations and posters. Her main research interests are health equity and painful bladder syndrome. Dr. Volpe was an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of New Mexico Health Science Center in Albuquerque. She is a skilled surgeon who provides a wide array of in-office and operative treatments. Dr. Volpe speaks English and conversational Spanish.