Our Doctors
Paulina Avendano, MD, FAAP
Dr. Avendano has been with SOCPA since 2007. She is currently providing care Tuesday and Friday in our San Clemente office located in the community of Talega.
Eric Ball, MD, FAAP
Dr. Ball has been with SOCPA since 2006. He is currently providing care Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in our Ladera Ranch office.
Regina Brown, MD, FAAP
Dr. Brown has been with SOCPA since 1989. She is currently providing care Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in our Lake Forest office
Terence Chu, MD, FAAP
Dr. Chu has been with SOCPA since 2001. He is currently providing care Monday through Friday in our Lake Forest office.
Cynthia Dimalanta, MD, FAAP
Dr. Dimalanta has been with SOCPA since 2014. She is currently providing care on Tuesdays and Thursdays in our Rancho Santa Margarita office.
Lauren Dwinell, MD, FAAP
Dr. Dwinell has been with SOCPA since 2003. She is currently providing care Tuesday and Friday in our San Clemente office located in the community of Talega.
Gregory Kennedy, MD
Dr. Kennedy has been with SOCPA since 2019. He is currently providing care Monday through Friday in our San Clemente office located in the community of Talega.
Kenson Lo, MD, MPH, FAAP
Dr. Lo has been with SOCPA since 2013. He is currently providing care Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in our Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita and Talega offices.
John Mersch, III, MD, FAAP
Dr. Mersch has been with SOCPA since 1982. He is currently providing care Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in our Ladera Ranch office.
Stephen Tang, MD, FAAP
Dr. Tang has been with SOCPA since 2001. He is currently providing care Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in our Rancho Santa Margarita office.
Margaret van Blerk, MD, MPH, FAAP
Dr. van Blerk has been with SOCPA since 2008. She is currently providing care Monday and Wednesday in our San Clemente office located in the community of Talega.
Jenna Timboe, MD
Dr. Timboe has been with SOCPA since 2017. She is currently providing care Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in our San Clemente office located in the community of Talega.
Our Nurse Practitioners
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNPs) are very special healthcare providers who are dedicated to improving children’s health. PNPs have advanced education in pediatric nursing and healthcare and they serve children and families in an extensive range of practice settings. Working with pediatricians and other healthcare providers, PNPs have been enhancing the healthcare of children for over 30 years.
Judi Leonard, MSN, CPNP
Judi Leonard has been with SOCPA since 2008. She is currently providing care Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the Lake Forest office.
Melody Mitchel, MSN, CPNP, CNS
Melody Mitchel has been with SOCPA since 1997. She is currently providing care Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Ladera Ranch and Lake Forest offices.
PNPs serve as pediatric healthcare providers for sick and well children of all ages. PNPs offer a variety of services including:
- Provide health maintenance care for children, including well exams
- Perform routine developmental screenings
- Diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses
- Provide anticipatory guidance regarding common child health concerns
- Perform school physicals
Many parents choose a PNP as their child’s provider knowing they will receive individualized quality healthcare!
If I could give 7 stars, I would! Every doctor is wonderful, Lisa, the nurse practitioner is fantastic as well as the girls up front! Both our kids have gone here since birth and we are beyond pleased! My kids had some complex medical issues and had been misdiagnosed. The doctors here diagnosed correctly and after short treatment and food changes, we have very healthy kids!
Love taking my son to Dr. CHU. He has seen my son since he was born, I can’t say enough good things about him. He is really smart, he listens to everything and anything you want to address and he is very thorough. I would also like to mention all of the nurses and nurse practitioners are really good. The facility is always very clean. Another thing- they have really helped me squeeze my son in for an emergency appointment….5 stars!!!
Both of my children go here and I couldn’t be happier with them! From the great office staff that makes every visit simple and fast to the incredible nurses that always make my children ages 5 months and 4 yrs feel like family,