Dr. Ashim Kumar | Board Certified Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist

Dr. Kumar is board certified in reproductive endocrinology and obstetrics and gynecology and practices near Los Angeles, California. In recent years Dr. Kumar has focused his efforts for those that have had difficulty conceiving and require third party reproduction (egg donor and/or gestational surrogacy). Over half of his current patients are from overseas which include Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, The United Kingdom, etc. Combining meticulous attention to detail, 7-day a week work ethic, the best support staff (nursing & embryology) and the latest in technology, he is able to obtain the highest pregnancy rates achievable today. He has been asked to present his work across the world including Australia, India, China, and Italy and has contacts in numerous clinics that collaborate closely to provide seamless care.
He completed his fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility through a combined program that allowed him to work with world-renowned leaders in the field at both University of California Los Angeles and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Kumar completed his medical education and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Kumar has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals on endocrine and surgical aspects of infertility and has presented his work at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. He serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the journal Fertility and Sterility. Dr. Kumar has written several textbook chapters on management of tubal factor infertility and ovarian function including premature ovarian failure, and has a special interest in hormonal and functional causes of infertility such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), tubal disorders, male factor infertility, and third party (donor/surrogate) reproduction. He is also a member of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society and American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Find Dr. Kumar on Fertility IQ and WebMD.

Lena Ao, PA-C | Physician Assistant

Lena is a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) who earned her Master’s degree at Chapman University. She worked in infertility prior to attending PA school and came back to this specialty because of her passion to help people navigate through the challenges they face in their infertility journeys. She collaborates with Dr. Kumar in performing ultrasounds and gynecological exams and procedures for patients. Additionally, she performs consultations for potential egg donor and gestational surrogacy candidates. She strives to deliver the best quality care to all patients.  

Samantha Wendler, M.S. | Embryologist

Samantha has a Master of Science degree in Biology from California State University, Northridge. She is currently working in our IVF Laboratory as a Junior Embryologist and specializes in genetic and fertility research. Samantha also has the duty of following up with our patients after their 10 week “graduation” to gather data on the outcomes of our embryo transfers and update records. She loves being a part of the Western Fertility Institute’s team, aiding in the amazing work of helping people expand their families, and seeing the joy it brings to our patients.

Loida Raymundo | Laboratory Tech/Compliance Officer/Safety Committee

Loida manages both our Endocrine and Andrology (blood and semen analysis) labs at Western Fertility. Prior to joining our team she managed a Cardiology Group Lab for 24 years. Loida also oversees our Regulatory Compliance and serves on our Safety Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy. Loida was born in the Philippines and is fluent in Tagalog. She says her favorite part of work is reading and sharing pregnancy results(she is the first to see them). Loida also loves to see our pregnant patients when they come in.

Jessica Lugo, B.S. | Endocrinologist/ Andrologist/Lab Associate 

Jessica has a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is currently working in our Andrology/Endocrinology Lab performing semen analysis, sperm freezing, ICSI preps, and operation of the hormone assay machine within our fertility practice. She loves being a part of the WFI team, aiding in the amazing work of helping people expand their families. 

Kyle San Jose, B.S. | Lab Assistant 

Kyle has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology from the University of California, Irvine. He is currently working in our Andrology/Endocrinology Laboratory as a Lab Assistant. Kyle’s daily responsibilities include processing our patients’ blood samples and providing results to our nurses to create a customized treatment plan. He also conducts semen analysis and freezes sperm samples for future use. Kyle enjoys being a part of our patients’ journeys to parenthood.   

Emma Clink, BSN, RN | IVF Nurse Coordinator

Emma graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. She has had the pleasure of working with the Western Fertility team for over 5 years. Emma enjoys coordinating cycles between intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors. She specializes in working with international and outside monitoring clients. Emma strongly believes that everyone is deserving of a family and Western Fertility can make that dream a reality.

Yadira Martinez, BSN, RN | IVF Nurse Coordinator

Yadira graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from West Coast University. She enjoys helping create families and believes everyone deserves to have the family that they dream of. With a strong compassionate approach, Yadira joined our team in 2021, assisting with phlebotomy and coordinating IVF cycles for patients. In her own words, she says being able to work in the specialty of fertility is such an amazing honor because you get to help individuals from all walks of life in the pursuit of becoming parents.

Courtney Millar, BSN, RN | IVF Nurse Coordinator

Courtney joined the Western Fertility Institute team in 2021. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University Channel Islands. She has over 10 years of experience in fertility and women’s health. She enjoys working with patients to provide specialized care that enables them to achieve their fertility and family goals.

Jessica Richter, BSN, RN | IVF Nurse Coordinator

Jessica graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from National University. She joined the WFI team in early 2022 and enjoys helping intended parents, donors, and surrogates navigate their journeys with us. Jessica says that the best part of this process is educating patients and watching them go from their first consult to their 10-week “graduation” pregnancy ultrasound. She feels incredibly grateful to have a role in helping people create and grow their families. 

Leslie Menendez, MA | Medical Assistant

Leslie joined the WFI team in April 2016. She is a certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist. Leslie works along side Dr. Kumar and the IVF staff. Leslie supports patients when they come in for scans and procedures, caring for their needs and listening to any concerns they may have. She enjoys being at the heart of patient daily visits and care. Leslie really enjoys working in the specialty of fertility, where she can make a difference in helping our patients complete their families.

Jesenia Benavides, MA | Medical Assistant

Jesenia is a certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist and assists our patients when they come in for their appointments and procedures. She has joined Western Fertility Institute’s team in 2016 and loves providing care and support. Jesenia always tries to have a smile on and enjoys making a difference in people’s lives. She states it is a privilege to be part of such amazing journeys on a day to day basis.

Trudi Atherton | Surrogacy Program Director

Trudi has worked in the third party reproductive field for over 10 years. She enjoys helping others and is always passionate about what she does. She was previously a surrogate herself and with her extensive third party coordinator experience, she is very familiar with the entire IVF and surrogacy process. With her down to earth approach, Trudi’s main strength comes from putting herself in our patients’ shoes in all types of situations that may occur during the process. Her compassion and readily availability to patients and our surrogate mothers constitute some of the main traits that guide and set our program apart.

Caitlin Moran | Third Party Program Manager

Caitlin graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Psychology. She oversees our egg donor program and coordinates the matching process. With a dedicated and warm approach, Caitlin guides our intended parents not only in the search for their desired donor, but also assists them with the financial planning of their journeys. Ultimately her goal is making sure all their initial needs are met at the highest level possible. Caitlin’s favorite moments are when the little ones come back to visit with their parents and enjoys the baby cuddles.

Lin Lin  | Asian Regional Manager

Lin is the Asian Regional Manager at Western Fertility Institute. She has been with the Institute since its founding in 2016. Fluent in both Mandarin and English, she helps bridge the gap for patients from overseas to ensure they get access to the best quality care and have a smooth, successful experience. Lin is familiar with the workflow of each area of the Institute, from IVF to surrogacy, and egg donation. She is excited to help bring the miracle of life to so many families. Lin graduated from Carleton University with a double major in Economics and Psychology. She is also a Level II Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Candidate.

Vivi Wang | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Vivi has a Master’s Degree in Business & Logistics Engineering. She has worked in the fertility field for several years and is very familiar with the process by helping numerous intended parent in the past. She is multilingual / translator and has great passion and compassion for her clients. Meanwhile as a mom of two boys, she understands her clients’ needs and truly enjoys helping families make their dreams come true.

Sonia Anguiano | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

With over 20 years of experience in the medical administration, Sonia is excellent at coordinating the needs of our domestic and international intended parents from the time an egg donor and/or surrogate mother have been selected until confirmation of pregnancy and/or delivery. She is excited to be a part of helping people come together and bring a new life into the world. As a dedicated mom herself, Sonia has a big heart and loves the gratitude that comes with helping others complete their families.

Steanna Morrison | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Steanna holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology and has joined our team in 2020. After 17 years in the education field, Steanna decided to follow her passion of helping families, and bringing unmeasurable joy to the lives of couples from all around the world. She is a great addition to the Western Fertility team, having been a surrogate mother 3 times in the past which has only amplified her love for the fertility field and third party reproduction. Today Steanna shares her valuable experience with our intended parents, while guiding them through each and every step of their parenthood journey.

Rachel Lee | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Rachel was born in China and came to the United States for College. She is a tremendous asset for our program, and frequently assists with translation for our Chinese intended parents, as she is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Rachel graduated from a program at University of California, Los Angeles where she studied International Business. After working in the fertility industry for nearly 2 years, she says she is fascinated by the miracles she sees every day. Rachel has a huge passion for helping to create new families.

Mandi Morrison | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Mandi has worked in interpersonal roles for over 6 years. She has a degree in Sociology, which gave her a broad understanding of culture, communication, and equality. Mandi is passionate about helping people achieve their dream of having a family. Being part of the WFI team and a mother of three daughters, compassion is her biggest commitment to our patients. Mandi’s goal as a 3rd Party Program Coordinator is to make the journey understandable, exciting, and smooth.

Sharon Xing | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Sharon graduated with a major in Canadian Hotel Management and Montessori Education. She speaks multiple languages and assists with translations. Although she only joined the WFI team in 2022, Sharon has always had a passion for the third party reproduction field and uses her skills to assist every patient’s individual needs. Sharon enjoys seeing every surrogate mother that comes to WFI and successfully graduates from our clinic onto the care of their obstetrician. Being part of wonderful journeys is what brings her the most satisfaction.

Salma Espinoza | 3rd Party Representative/Patient Coordinator

Salma began working at WFI in 2023. She has been a certified medical assistant for 5 years and is fluent in Spanish and English. Salma takes great delight in helping others. Her goal is to one day become a Midwife. Salma enjoys working in the medical field and cannot imagine taking any other career path. She loves being able to directly work with intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors on their baby journey. 

Rosie Mendiaz | Patient Financial Coordinator

Rosie has over 15 years of experience in the fertility field. She goes well beyond the daily functions of office and clinic operations, smoothing the path for patients. Rosie is a highly devoted professional. She helps with appointments scheduling and financial questions regarding IVF costs in California and other treatments. She always greets the patients with a warm and friendly smile.

Yolanda Rivera | Billing Coordinator

Yolanda is a senior medical billing specialist with over 25 years of experience. She has vast experience in handling insurance claims that require appeals and provider disputes resolutions, claim follow up, verification of eligibility and benefits, and authorizations. Yolanda’s primary daily tasks include the billing of cryopreservation of semen, embryos, and oocytes, sending statements to our clients, processing payments for services provided, and serving as a liaison between the Physician, our patients, and staff. She also assists with medical billing issues. In Yolanda’s personal life, she is a proud mother of 3 adult boys, and 3 furry animals. 

Carla Garcia | Billing Coordinator

Carla recently graduated from UEI college as a medical biller. She has joined WFI in early 2022 and is a great asset to our team. Her day to day responsibilities involve checking patient’s insurances for infertility coverage. She helps our patients initiate prior authorizations with their insurance companies, when they are ready to proceed with their infertility treatment. Carla also follows up on claims and appeals if needed. She enjoys being such an integral part of helping patients initiate their IVF process.

Sara Hernandez | Surrogate and Egg Donor Liaison/Marketing Assistant

Sara currently works with all candidates that express their desire to become an egg donor. She has 10 years of previous experience as an egg donor and surrogate herself. She is zealous about helping our egg donors have the best experience possible since her own experiences have been highly rewarding. Sara is very knowledgeable about the process and her guidance is a valuable asset to our company.

Ready to Visit a Fertility Specialist Near You?

As you can see, our staff has the experience and knowledge to assist everyone involved in the fertility solutions we offer, from intended parents to surrogates and donors. We value each person and their role in the conception process. Are you eager to get started? Western Fertility Institute is the right place for you.

Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation. We can discuss your history, learn more about your unique circumstances and tell you more about our practice and what we can do for you. Get more information from us now by filling out a contact form.