Meet the Staff
Dr. Spenler, Dr. Jewell, Dr. Newman, and the staff of South Bay Plastic Surgeons and the Personal Image Center® continuously strive to offer the best in patient care and expert results. This is your opportunity to meet all of the people who support our surgeons and aid them in providing their unique combination of personal care and surgical expertise.
If you would like to learn more about our Torrance plastic surgery staff, request a consultation online at South Bay Plastic Surgeons or call us at 310-784-0644 and we will schedule your appointment.
South Bay Plastic Surgeons Staff
Yvette, Front Office Receptionist
Yvette has been in the medical field for eleven years and is bilingual. She has worked as a receptionist and medical assistant in urgent care, family practice, industrial medicine and Dermatology. She joined our team in 2006.
Radka Kralik, Certified Medical Assistant
Radka has 6 years of experience in aesthetic medicine. She joined our team in 2006 and she enjoys working with plastic and reconstructive surgery patients. She is currently enrolled at El Camino College and is completing her business degree.
Radka is fluent in Czech and she understands Polish and Russian.
Claudia Izquieta, Certified Medical Assistant
Claudia has been a Certified Medical Assistant since 1996. She has worked with Plastic and Reconstructive surgeons since 2000. She has assisted doctors with minor cosmetic procedures and enjoys seeing the happiness in patients after going through a surgical procedure. Claudia joined our practice in February 2009 and we are lucky to have her join a great team of staff members and physicians.
Dawn Wilcox, Cosmetic Patient Care Coordinator
Dawn's role as Plastic Surgical Consultant is to educate clients with honesty and integrity. She serves as a liaison between South Bay Plastic Surgeons and all cosmetic clientele. Her approach is that of a concierge as she helps our cosmetic patients enjoy their entire experience from consultation through a successful surgical procedure. Dawn has six years of experience in the cosmetic industry.
Jenny Berman, Surgical Coordinator
With 10 years of experience in the medical field, Jenny's main focus is to ensure that each patient knows what to expect before, during, and after their surgical procedure and that everything is in place for the surgery to occur. She is the most important point of contact for patients and visitors and takes pride in extending great customer service as she knows surgery can be a stressful time for a patient. Jenny's goal is to make it as easy and comfortable as possible for all patient and family members alike.
Valerie Gilbert, Cosmetologist, Aesthetician & Permanent-Makeup Artist
Valerie has worked in the beauty industry for more than 18 years. She is trained and knowledgeable in many aspects of the business, including restorative cosmetic tattoo procedures that benefit cancer survivors who have undergone reconstructive breast surgery.
In addition to offering our reconstruction patients a beautifully completed process in their recovery from breast cancer, Valerie's talents extend to helping patients who want permanent eyebrows or camouflage.
Registered Nurses, Laser Specialists/Nurse Injectors
Lenka Stverakova
Lenka received her nursing degree in 1992 from a very well-known university in the Czech Republic, where she specialized in pediatric nursing. Upon arrival in the United States, her nursing credentials were accepted by the State Board of California and she quickly began to excel in her field, working at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in the Labor and Delivery Department.
While there, Lenka became interested in medical aesthetics and started to pursue an education in non-invasive, non-ablative medical procedures. She received training in all aspects of laser treatments and injectables and decided to pursue her newfound passion by accepting a highly integral position with a busy plastic surgeon.
Lenka's experience in the plastic and cosmetic surgery field grew while in this position, where she managed the successful office, assisted the surgeon in plastic and cosmetic surgeries, administered injectables, such as Restylane®, and BOTOX® Cosmetic, and performed non-ablative laser treatments including treatments for tattoo removal, hair removal, wrinkle reduction, hyperpigmentation, mole and telangiectasia removal, and Photo facials.
In the fall of 2004, Lenka decided to focus exclusively on treating patients for their non-surgical, non-invasive concerns by joining The Personal Image Center® as a specialist in injectables and laser treatments. Her goal is to treat each patient as an individual, with individual concerns, desires, and requests. It is this philosophy that makes Lenka a favorite with patients and the friends, family members, and acquaintances they refer.
Lenka continues to deepen her knowledge in this field by attending annual meetings, such as the American Society of Plastic Surgery Nurses and also by continuing her education in the newest and latest technologies offered.
She looks forward to meeting new patients and offering them the individualized care they deserve with both established treatments and the latest proven technologies. If you have any questions about the treatments and procedures, please don't hesitate to give Lenka a call. She's always willing to answer any questions for prospective patients.
Lenka is fluent in Czech and she understands Polish and Russian.
Michele Florez
Michele graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992. She began her career at University of Pittburgh Medical Center where she specialized in Orthopaedic nursing. In 1998, she moved to sunny California where she began a new journey into the medical sales arena of Dermatology and Aesthetics. She worked for Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation, the company that brings you Restylane, Perlane and Dysport. In addition to sales and marketing, her role was to train medical staff on the proper injection technique of those products. Her passion for injecting and providing optimal patient outcomes influenced her to return to her first love, providing nursing care in a clinical setting. Now she combines all of her prior knowledge to her gentle and caring nursing skills with the goal to provide the best patient/client experience possible.
Michele describes herself as an artist, perfectionist and educator. She doesn't believe in the cookie cutter approach. She sees each face as a fresh palette with different anatomy and musculature and addresses each patient's individual concerns. She starts each appointment with a full face assessment that includes explaining the aging face and which treatments are available to restore a more youthful look. She will then customize a plan to help you make your goals attainable. In addition to injectables, she also performs sclerotherapy and laser treatments for anti-aging, spider veins and laser hair removal.
Aestheticians
Barbara Reckon
Barbara has been a licensed aesthetician for nearly 20 years. Since earning her state credentials she has continually pursued advanced training and certification in all aspects of advanced skin care. Her career in skin care began in the day spa environment but it is her passion for transforming the skin that eventually led her into medical aesthetics. With extensive experience both as a practitioner and administrator she is a great addition to our practice.
Vivian Jackson
Vivian has earned a reputation in the industry for her professionalism and her commitment to detail. She adheres to the philosophy: Education, both hers and the patient's, is key in achieving the best results in skin care. As a result of her continued education, Vivian is able to discern between proven treatments and transient fads. Vivian has extensive working knowledge in Obagi® and Biomedic and is certified in the industry's most innovative procedures.
She has developed and mastered a progressive procedure for treating scars, currently being taught in other medical offices. Vivian provides her clients with protocols individually designed for optimal results and will continue to tailor treatments as progress is achieved.
