Melissa S. Cuesta-Gonzalez, LPN

With almost ten years experience in the medical field, Melissa S. Cuesta-Gonzalez, LPN, CST is an integral member of the Surgical Weight Loss Institute team.  Her current position as Bariatric Program Coordinator keeps her on the frontline of the practice.  She works hand-in-hand with all bariatric patients, educating them about everything from weight loss procedures and health insurance to post-operative expectations and implementing life changes.  She is the heartbeat of SWLI and brings the perfect balance of knowledge, professionalism and compassion to each and every patient she comes in contact with. 

Prior to joining to SWLI, Melissa worked at University of Miami Hospital, formerly Cedars Medical Center, as the Surgical Services Materials Coordinator.  Her responsibilities included management and maintenance of equipment for perioperative services.  Melissa also has experience in the areas of Gastroenterology and Cosmetic Surgery, where she held the positions of GI Technician and Surgical Technician for two Miami-based practices.

In addition, Melissa is also a member of numerous professional medical organizations including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery and the Obesity Action Coalition.  She has published an article about the Metabolic Surgery Summit, which was coordinated by the SWLI team in March 2008 - Cuesta-Gonzalez, M. Symposium Synopsis, First Metabolic Surgery Summit, Bariatric Times, Volume 5, Number 3, March 2008.
 

Juan Carlos Cabrera, CSFA

Juan C. Cabrera, CSFA joined the Surgical Weight Loss Institute in 2001, bringing to the team a wealth of medical experience from a regional and international perspective.  A graduate of the University of Havana School of Medicine. Juan Carlos was trained in General Surgery at the General Hospital Sancti Spiritus in Cuba and currently holds the position of Surgical Assistant at SWLI.  He works directly with Dr. de la Cruz Muñoz both in office and in the operating room.  He utilizes his extensive medical experience to educate patients and put them at ease about various health procedures and concerns.

Prior to joining SWLI, Juan Carlos worked as Surgical Assistant at Mercy Hospital in Miami, Florida. In 2004, he became a Certified Surgical Assistant through the American Board Surgical Assistants and has been changing lives ever since.

Juan Carlos is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and the American Board of Surgical Assistants.