Program Leadership

Faculty

Christine Criscuolo-Higgins, MD 

Christine Criscuolo-Higgins, MD
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Program Director

Bachelor Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video Production, University of Notre Dame, 1997

Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 1998-2002

Residency: CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Practice Residency Program, 2002-2005

Fellowships: Waco Faculty Development Fellowship, 2005-2006

Academic Medicine and Leadership Fellowship, Keck School of Medicine, 2011-2012

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Academic Medicine, Obstetrics and Women's Healthcare, Preventive Health Care, Hospital Medicine

Additional Information: Dr. Higgins is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Texas Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society of Teachers and Family Medicine. She enjoys all her time balancing being a doctor, wife, mom, daughter, and friend. When alone, she enjoys listening to psychological thriller audiobooks and all types of podcasts, as well as all kinds of exercise and anything to attempt to stay healthy and sane.

Location(s): CHRISTUS Santa Rosa - Westover Hills

Jose Hinojosa, MD 

Jose Hinojosa, MD, MSHCT, FAAFP
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Physician Lead
Associate Program Director

Bachelor Degree: BS in Biology from University of Texas Pan American - Edinburg, TX

Medical School: University of Iowa College of Medicine - Iowa City, IA

Residency: Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program - Fort Collins, CO

Masters: Health Care Transformation - University of Texas at Austin, TX

Fellowship: Faculty Development Fellowship at Michigan State University- East Lansing, MI; National Institute for Program Director Development - AFMRD

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Improving patient experience and outcomes, Value-Based Healthcare, promoting excellence in residency education

Additional Information: I am from the Rio Grande Valley and was raised with an appreciation of family, faith, and community. My parents were both educators and believe that medicine and teaching are high callings. I practiced full spectrum family medicine in rural Northeast Colorado before returning to my residency program to teach. I have been in residency education ever since. I enjoy partnering with patients and their families to optimize health. I also strive to be a professional role model to the young resident physicians I help train. I am a father of four beautiful and talented daughters. My wife is a family physician, educator, and leader. I enjoy inshore fishing and exercising.

Philosophy: To utilize an equity lens for each encounter with a patient or resident to understand their story and motivations.

Location(s): CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Health Center Westover Hills

Christine Huang, DO 

Christine Huang, DO
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Associate Program Director

Medical School: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Osteopathic Medicine - Stratford, New Jersey 2013

Residency: Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, Pennsylvania - Family Medicine Residency, 2013 - 2016

Fellowship: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Faculty Development Fellowship

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine, American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and North American Board of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine.

Special Healthcare Interests: Breastfeeding Medicine, Transgendered Care

Additional Information: Dr. Huang is a member of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

Esteban Sosa, MD 

Esteban Sosa, MDEsteban Sosa, MD
Primary Care, Family Medicine

Bachelor Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas

Residency: CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Academic Medicine, Obstetrics and Women's Healthcare, Preventive Health Care, Hospital Medicine, Obesity Medicine, Transgender Care

Additional Information: Dr. Sosa is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Texas Academy of Family Physicians

Diana Ballesteros, MD 

A headshot of Diane BallesterosDiana Ballesteros, MD
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Director of Geriatrics, Community Outreach, and Clinic Medical Co-Director

First woman president of Mexican American Physicians Association (2003); Past president, Bexar County chapter of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians (2013-2014); elected one of San Antonio’s best doctors by San Antonio Magazine in 2014 and 2015.

Medical School: UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX

Residency: UT Health Science Center at San Antonio

Organizations: First woman president of Mexican American Physicians Association (2003); Past president, Bexar County chapter of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians (2013-2014); elected one of San Antonio’s best doctors by San Antonio Magazine in 2014 and 2015.

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Promotion of medical profession to minorities.

Additional Interests: Landscaping, gardening, and reading

Location(s): CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Health Center Westover Hills

Serena Cuellar, MD 

A headshot of Serena Cuellar, MDSerena Cuellar, MD
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Director of Recruitment

Bachelor Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Texas A&M University, College Stationo

Medical School: Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas

Residency: CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Women's Health and OB Care, Pediatric and Teenage Populations, Hospital Medicine, In-office Procedures

Additional Information: Dr. Cuellar is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Texas Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association.

Timothy Hover, DO 

Timothy Hover, DOTimothy Hover, DO
Primary Care, Family Medicine

Bachelor Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio, Texas

Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine – San Antonio, Texas

Residency: CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Preventive medicine, Women’s Health, Obesity Medicine, Hospital Medicine, Sports Medicine

Additional Information: Dr. Hover is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and Texas Academy of Family Physicians. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family, his dogs, watching sports, and collecting all things Pokémon.

James (Chris) H. Henderson II, MD 

A headshot of James Henderson II, MDJames (Chris) H. Henderson II, MD
Primary Care, Sleep Medicine, Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine
Director of Inpatient Services

Dr. Henderson presently serves as Chief of Staff at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Westover Hills hospital after tenure as Vice Chairman of the Department of Medicine, as well as Chairman of the Peer Review Committee with membership on several other committees including the Medical Executive, Patient Safety, Information Technology, and Pharmacy/Therapeutics. He is an elected member the 501c3 Board of Directors of the Family Medicine Residency Program. He is presently Director of Inpatient Services for the program and Chairman of its Clinical Competency Committee. He serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the UTHSCSA Department of Family and Community Medicine. He entered his present position after over 26 years of service in the United States Air Force Medical Corps, retiring in July 2011 in the rank of Colonel.

Amongst many other positions earlier in his career, he has served as Deputy Chief, Cardiopulmonary Services at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews AFB, MD; and then Pulmonary Flight Commander (Chairman, Pulmonary / Critical Care Medicine) at Wilford Hall Medical Center. He has several publications to his credit, served on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s Nosology Committee, and was an “Excellent” Graduate of Air War College (in seminar). He was instrumental in developing the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at SAMMC, and served as an Assistant Professor, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Col. Henderson graduated as Valedictorian, New Iberia Senior High School, New Iberia LA, in May 1977. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Chemistry, Magna Cum Laude, from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa OK in 1981, and the Doctor of Medicine degree, High Honors, from Oral Roberts University School of Medicine, 1985. Col. Henderson entered Active Duty in June 1985 as a Health Professions Scholarship graduate. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Wilford Hall Medical Center in 1988, and subsequently, his Fellowship in Pulmonary / Critical Care Medicine at WHMC in 1992. He was the third graduate of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN, in 1993 before returning to WHMC as a Staff Pulmonologist.

He assists his wife who is Chairman of the Board of Any Baby Can of San Antonio after prior posts with several charitable organizations in San Antonio to include Respite Care of San Antonio, and Kinetic Kids, Inc., speaking extensively regionally on behalf of community support for children with disabilities and military families, while continuing in her calling of private voice instruction and frequent invitations for vocal ministry.

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Karla Ivy, DO 

A headshot of Karla Ivy, DOKarla Ivy, DO
Primary Care, Family Medicine

Medical School: A.T. Still University – Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine - Kirksville, Missouri

Residency: Rapid City Regional Family Medicine Residency Program, Rapid City, South Dakota

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Preventative Medicine, Women's Health, Breastfeeding Medicine, Hospital Medicine

Additional Information: Dr. Ivy is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Laura Nietfeld, MD 

A headshot of Laura Nietfeld, MDLaura Nietfeld, MD
Primary Care, Family Medicine
Director of Pre-doctoral Rotations

Bachelor Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA

Internship: Rhode Island Hospital Pediatric Residency Program, Providence, RI

Residency: Baylor College of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program, Houston, TX

Fellowship: Baylor College of Medicine Master Teacher Fellowship, Houston, TX

Specialty Board: American Board of Family Medicine

Special Healthcare Interests: Women’s health, In-office procedures, Training medical students and residents

Additional Information: Dr. Nietfeld is currently president-elect for the Alamo Chapter of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, she is also Chair of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Council on Workforce and Member Engagement, and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on Continuing Professional Engagement. She also volunteers with the University of Texas Long School of Medicine’s Student-Run Free clinic program.

Staff

Tammy Hysten 

Tammy HystenTammy Hysten
GME Program Specialist II

Lisa Marquise, PhD 

Lisa MarquiseLisa Marquise, PhD
GME Program Specialist II

Maricella Cardoza 

Maricella CardozaMaricella Cardoza
GME Program Specialist I