Leadership Team
Meet the physician anesthesiologists who lead Aldenvale Anesthesia Group.
Executive Leadership
Julian Ashcombe, MD, FASA
Julian Ashcombe, MD, FASA, founded Aldenvale Anesthesia Group in 2013 with a single surgery center contract and now leads a practice that covers more than 140 ambulatory and office-based sites in five states. A graduate of the Ellsmere University School of Medicine, he trained in anesthesiology at Northmere University Hospital and has written on outpatient airway safety and recovery-time benchmarks. Outside the practice he teaches sedation safety courses for community clinics.
Renata Okafor, MD
Renata Okafor, MD, became Chief Medical Officer after nine years as one of the group's founding clinical directors. She completed residency at St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital, where she later ran the ambulatory anesthesia rotation, and previously directed perioperative quality at a regional hospital system. Board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, she oversees clinical standards, credentialing and the group's peer review program.
Clinical Directors
Samir Qadri, DO
Clinician and teacher in equal measure, Samir Qadri, DO, brings deep experience in perioperative medicine and regional anesthesia to his role as Clinical Director. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at Carrow Point College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed residency at Northmere University Hospital and holds a clinical faculty appointment there. He is board certified in anesthesiology and leads the group's resident teaching rotations.
Anika Brandt, MD, PhD
With a medical degree and a doctorate in pharmacology from Ellsmere University, Anika Brandt, MD, PhD, pairs clinical practice with a researcher's rigor. She directs anesthesia at Cedar Loop Surgical Suites and, as Clinical Director, shapes the protocols used across the group's surgery centers. Dr. Brandt serves on the clinical faculty at St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital and chairs the practice's medication safety committee.
Regional Directors
Lucia Ferreira, DO
Lucia Ferreira, DO, is Regional Medical Director for Michigan and Chair of Anesthesiology at Brindle Harbor Community Hospital. She supports staffing and operations at the group's Michigan surgery centers and brings nearly two decades of private practice experience. Dr. Ferreira earned her DO at Carrow Point College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed a surgical internship at Brindle Harbor and trained in anesthesiology at Northmere University Hospital.
Thomas Wexley, MD
Since joining Aldenvale in 2016, Thomas Wexley, MD, has cared for patients in surgery centers and office-based suites across Ohio. He earned his medical degree at Ellsmere University and completed residency at St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital, where he stayed on as a clinical instructor. Before medicine he spent six years as a high school chemistry teacher, which his colleagues say explains his talent for calm, clear explanations.
Site Directors
Experienced physicians leading anesthesia at our partner facilities across the region.
Darnell Pryce, DO
Darnell Pryce, DO, has built his career in high-volume ambulatory settings, from orthopedic centers to busy endoscopy suites. He earned his degree at Carrow Point College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed residency at Northmere University Hospital, where he served as chief resident. He leads the regional-block program at Tamsin Point and mentors new graduates joining the group.
Sofia Albescu, MD
Sofia Albescu, MD, joined Aldenvale in 2018 and helped open the group's first dedicated pediatric dental suite. She trained at St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital and completed a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia at Northmere Children's. As Site Director at Kestrel Ridge she runs one of the practice's busiest multispecialty schedules while keeping first-case starts on time.
Graham Whitlock, MD
For more than twenty years, Graham Whitlock, MD, has led anesthesia services in outpatient surgery. He earned his medical degree at Ellsmere University and completed residency at Northmere University Hospital, then practiced in hospital settings before moving to ambulatory care full time. He joined Aldenvale when the group took over coverage at Fenwick Hollow and has directed the site ever since.
Imani Castellanos, MD
Imani Castellanos, MD, focuses on anesthesia for ophthalmic and plastic surgery, where precision and patient stillness matter most. She completed medical school and residency at St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital and spent several years at a regional eye hospital before joining Aldenvale. She now directs anesthesia at Marrowgate Eye Institute and leads the group's expansion in Minnesota.
Kenji Arakawa, DO
A graduate of Carrow Point College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kenji Arakawa, DO, is fellowship-trained in pediatric anesthesia and leads that program across the group. He directs anesthesia at Copperleaf Ambulatory Center and is known for child-friendly induction techniques that make first visits easier for families.
Mariela Quintero, MD
Mariela Quintero, MD, brings a background in both anesthesiology and pain medicine to the lakeshore's busiest ambulatory center. She completed residency and a pain fellowship at Northmere University Hospital and holds board certification in both fields. Dr. Quintero directs anesthesia at Brindle Harbor Ambulatory Center and coordinates the group's opioid-sparing recovery pathways.
Owen Lindqvist, DO
Owen Lindqvist, DO, has spent most of his career in reproductive and office-based anesthesia, where short procedures demand smooth, quick recoveries. He trained at Carrow Point College of Osteopathic Medicine and St. Aurelian Teaching Hospital. As Site Director at Wrenfield Fertility Suites, he manages sedation for more than 4,000 procedures a year.