Jose Ballesteros, MD
Joe Ballesteros cares deeply about his patients and strives to bring them the best possible medical care. He carries with him a depth and breadth of experience in the performance of interventional vascular procedures that is the largest among interventional cardiologists in Northern California. Besides performing thousands of heart operations, he has delivered balloon, stent or roto-rooter technology to the carotid arteries, and the arteries of the arms, legs, kidneys, and bowels of his patients. Since 2006 he has gained additional experience in treating venous disorders, using similar catheter-based techniques. His fluency in Spanish and Tagalog make him an unmatched, well-rounded asset of the Sonoma County medical community.
Dr. Ballesteros gained his early interventional cardiology experience at the world famous Mid-America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. He subsequently trained at Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois, and then successfully completed board certification in Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology. Despite growing up in Manhattan, New York, and graduating from Fordham University in the Bronx, this “East Coaster” settled in the South. He practiced in Texas for many years, working as a cardiovascular interventionalist in a large referral hospital, before moving to Santa Rosa in 2005.
“In my very little free time, I enjoy playing basketball and watching all types of sports,” says Dr. Ballesteros. “I also enjoy reading, and I try to keep up with the medical literature. My wife and I love living in Sonoma County because of its natural beauty and climate. Look for me in green scrubs, enjoying a unique meal with my wife, at one of Sonoma County’s great restaurants!”
Carla Evans, FNP-BC
Carla Evans offers her patients a unique perspective gained from a wealth of experiences within the world of medicine. She takes pride in listening to her patients and understanding their need and is passionate about patient education. The advantages of her background in nursing cannot be overemphasized, especially when it comes to the skill sets involved in effective treatment of complex vein issues. In addition, her recent extensive training received from national experts, allows her to bring to Sonoma County the most modern cosmetic vein treatment techniques.Carla grew up in Los Angeles, a sports fan who frequently attended Lakers and Dodgers games. She worked as a fitness instructor and restaurant manager before going to nursing school at Sonoma State University. Her nursing career included many years of work in Intensive Care Units, Cardiac Cath labs and Cardiac Electrophysiology labs, thus, it was a natural progression for her to specialize as a cardiology nurse practitioner. She joined Santa Rosa Cardiology in 2009 and immediately became involved in the efforts of Sonoma Vein to raise the standards of care for patients with venous disease.
“There is no better place to live than in the rolling hills of West Sonoma County,” says Carla. “My work is fun and rewarding, and my home-life is equally great. I love spending time with my family and also enjoy bicycling. Look for me pedaling on Harrison Grade, the Prince Greenway Parkway, or in Annadel!”
Arlene Padilla, RN, BSN
At the core, Arlene Padilla loves to help people. That’s why she chose nursing as her career path over 15 years ago. Arlene Padilla, RN, BSN graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and public health. Her career includes many years working in stem cell transplant and therapeutic apheresis as well as nursing staff development and management.
In recent years, Arlene has taken her medical healing and therapeutic expertise to help people look and feel their very best. Arlene says: “I enjoy getting to know each patient and establishing a long and lasting relationship based on trust and satisfaction. With technology and skills, today it is possible to turn back the clock without surgery and allow people to look more refreshed, healthy and vibrant.”
With a career in healthcare, Arlene knows the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. To keep the balance between work, play and health. Arlene gets plenty of fresh air, sunshine and exercise on her 22-acre ranch in Sonoma County where she breeds champion Doberman Pinschers as well as Arabian horses. As a native to the Bay Area, you may find Arlene enjoying her time off on their 100-year old family vineyard in the Russian River Valley.
Rachael
Rachael is the Vascular Technologist for Sonoma Vein. She has been
working with Sonoma Vein for eight years but has been in the medical
field for 16. Ever since she was young she’s loved people and that is
her favorite part about her job. She loves educating her patients on how
the treatments can make them feel better and she also loves being part
of the diagnostic portion of the patients treatment.
“When I am not at work I love spending time with my husband Matt and my
son Cooper, going to concerts and staying active in our local Church. I
also love to bake and my husband and I frequently travel on
“foodieventures” to find the next good eat.”
Nelly
Nelly Macial is a back office Medical Assistant at Sonoma Vein since
January 2018. Since she began working with the team she has gained
knowledge and experience in assisting the providers during procedures
like Laser, Radiofrequency and Sclerotherapy procedures. Her medical
experience started with Optometry then Cardiology combined a total of 18 years in the field. She enjoys working in the medical field because of the hands on work along with helping patients resolved their medical issues while working one on one with them.
She is married and has two beautiful boys. She loves to spend time
together with her family. Her eldest son, Junior, started to play
soccer, so between family gatherings, visiting the park they attend his
soccer games on the weekends.
“We are so proud of him because he has learned a new sport and really
enjoys playing soccer while making new friends. Of course our youngest,
Alfredo, looks up to his older brother and wants to be just like him.”
Claire
Claire Wheeler works as a back-office Medical Assistant since joining the Sonoma Vein team in February of 2019. She received her B.S. in Health Science from Oregon State University and studied at Cal Regional to become a certified medical assistant soon after. Her passion for the medical field stemmed from her own experiences as a patient and learning about human anatomy during her undergraduate studies. Claire enjoys connecting with and educating her patients to help them achieve their health-related goals. In the future, she is planning on furthering her career in the medical field by studying to become a Physician Assistant.
“During my free time, I enjoy getting outdoors, spending time with my family and experiencing all that Sonoma County has to offer after moving home from Oregon. I am always looking for a new restaurant or hiking trail to try!”
Angelica
Angelica Avalos or mainly known by most of her patients and peers as Angie, is Sonoma Vein’s scheduler and patient coordinator. You may occasionally see her step in to help Dr. Ballesteros from time to time during procedures. She is fluent in both Spanish and English to
ensure maximum comfort and satisfaction when scheduling Sonoma Vein’s new or current patients. She is currently attending the Santa Rosa Junior College where she is taking classes to receive her degree in business administration. She enjoys being the first source of contact when greeting the patients, and finds it important to keep the line of communication open especially during the aftercare.
“During my free time I enjoy going out to the movie theaters and catching the newest movie out, spending time with my family and friends or going out of town and sightseeing.”
