Meet the Staff

Jamie J. Carr, BSN, RN, CBN
Executive / Clinical Director
email: jamie.carr@thedavisclinic.com

Jamie Carr joined The Davis Clinic as the Clinical Director in February 2008. With over 14 years of healthcare experience, Jamie has spent the last 13 years of her career focused on bariatric medicine and the treatment of obesity. Her background is in developing bariatric programs, and she has been involved with outcomes establishment and measurement, patient support programs, critical pathways, protocols, and bariatric team development. In 2009-2010, she worked on the design and buildout of our 8,000 square foot clinic and her involvement on that project brought great satisfaction to her personally and professionally. Jamie continues to look for ways to streamline processes, enhance our patient education materials, and she oversees our support groups and behavior modification programs, as well as the medically-supervised weight loss program.

She has consulted for bariatric surgical practices across the country to assist in improving patient outcomes and enhancing aftercare programs. In addition, she has consulted for the Surgical Review Corporation, in the Division of Clinical Quality and Compliance where she assisted in developing the bariatric Centers of Excellence program and performed site inspections for the first credentialed bariatric centers in the nation.

Jamie is a certified bariatric nurse. She served as the National Chair for the ASMBS Foundation’s annual Walk from Obesity for over four years, and is a past-member of the board for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Foundation. She has served on the Public and Professional Education Committee for the ASMBS, has written numerous articles for WLS Lifestyles magazine, including a cover story with the former Surgeon General of the United States of America, and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for WLS Lifestyles magazine. In addition, she has served on the ASMBS RN Credentialing Task Force and, most recently, as a faculty member for the Certified Bariatric Nurse Preparatory Course. She serves on the RN Certification Development Committee and chairs the Marketing subcommittee. She is also a past member of the BariMD Advisory Board. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. and is working on the development of their comprehensive portal modules to provide exceptional tools and resources to bariatric professionals across the country.

Jamie Carr has collaborated with bariatric industry manufactures as an educational consultant, has been a featured speaker at national conferences, and has been featured on the Discovery Health Channel on two one-hour specials regarding the treatment of obesity in America.

Prior to taking on the role of Clinical Director at The Davis Clinic, Jamie served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Bariatric Partners, Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she managed all aspects of starting and maintaining ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) in cities across the country. She was responsible for state licensure and accreditation, as well as overseeing all operational aspects of successfully running an ASC.

Most recently, Jamie was published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Disease (SOARD).  Her article, Path to bariatric nurse certification:  the practice analysis, can be found in Volume 6, Number 4, July/August 2010, pages 399-407.

Jamie is a strong proponent of research and education, believing in the empowerment of the weight loss surgery patient. She has worked with thousands of bariatric patients and has a special interest in post-operative micro-nutrient supplementation to ensure patients thrive and remain healthy after any bariatric procedure. 

Deborah Thibodeaux
Office Manager
email: deborah.thibodeaux@thedavisclinic.com

Deborah Thibodeaux joined The Davis Clinic in 2012 as our Office Manager.  She has a diverse background within many disciplines, which enables her to understand personal and business needs from a range of perspectives.  Deborah brings with her a strong background in management, accounting, book keeping and human resources. 

 Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, she managed an alternative medicine practice which her duties included medical office management, human resources, accounting, assisting in patient care and recruiting multicultural talent. Deborah worked many years for Administaff, a nationally known organization that provides an array of human resources and business solutions.  She worked in the healthcare, finance and sales area with them.

With her natural compassion towards people, and her strong background in management and accounting, she is a perfect fit for our clinic.  Deborah is a positive professional within all areas of the clinic environment and ensures that office operations run smoothly and professionally to support the staff, the clinic and the patients. 

Claudia Arroyos, MS, MA, RD, LD
Clinical Dietitian
email:  claudia.arroyos@thedavisclinic.com

Claudia Arroyos is a 2009 graduate of Bastyr University, an accredited natural health arts and sciences higher education institution located in Washington State. After obtaining a Master of Science in Nutrition, Claudia went on to complete her dietitic internship in 2010 at the University of Houston where, in 2001, she previously earned a Master of Arts in Sociology.  Claudia is passionate about nutrition and wellness, and takes a client-centered approach to both. She believes that good nutrition is the foundation for optimal health, and, therefore integrates a whole foods perspective into her practice. Her desire is to inspire healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes that promote optimal health outcomes throughout life, prevent disease, and enhance the overall quality of life, while recognizing individual needs and preferences.

Amy Philavanh joined The Davis Clinic in July 2012 as our Front Desk Coordinator. She graduated from the University of Houston-Downtown with a degree in Social Sciences. Amy is the warm, smiling face of The Davis Clinic. In her role at the clinic, Amy is responsible for making sure the check-in process is a pleasant, efficient experience for our patients.

Amy brings with her a strong background in healthcare concierge services and understands the importance of making the check-in process a positive part of our patients' time with us. She also has a keen knowledge of scheduling and the insurance verification process. She is very professional, amicable with our patients and really enjoys her position as well as the patients and staff she works with.

Zintia Dominguez joined The Davis Clinic in January 2008. She works with Dr. Garth Davis as his medical assistant on clinic days and schedules patient labs and other tests, reviews pre-operative instructions, and is the liaison to Dr. Garth Davis on behalf of his patients. Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, Zintia worked with an OB/GYN practice for over two years. She is a joy to have on staff and she says that she enjoys being a part of each patient’s journey to a new life!

Nancy Ramirez
Medical Assistant to Dr. Robert Davis
email:  nancy.ramirez@thedavisclinic.com

Nancy joined our team in April 2011 and works directly with Dr. Robert Davis as his medical assistant. In her role, she triages patients on clinic days, schedules tests, reviews results with Dr. Davis, communicates pre-op instructions for all of Dr. Davis's surgical patients, and acts as the liaison to Dr. Davis on behalf of his patients. Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, Nancy worked as the front and back office coordinator and surgery scheduler for a high volume, multi-location urology/fertility clinic for three years. She assisted in minor surgical and diagnostic procedures and also managed insurance verification processes. Nancy is a compassionate patient advocate and medical assistant, and brings excellence to each patient experience.

Ellen Bell
Senior Bariatric Insurance Coordinator
email:  ellen.bell@thedavisclinic.com

Ellen Bell joined The Davis Clinic in May 2010 as a Bariatric Insurance Coordinator. In her role, she manages the patient process to insurance approval for all patients within the program. Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, Ellen was the Practice Manager for Dr. John Husted in Somerset, Kentucky, and worked extensively with patients to obtain insurance approval for surgery. Prior to working for Dr. Husted, she was the Bariatric Insurance Coordinator for Bariatric Partners, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. In her role with Bariatric Partners, she coordinated all insurance approval efforts for outpatient surgery centers across the country which operated under the brand name “JourneyLite.” Prior to joining Bariatric Partners in this national role, she worked for Dr. Husted for over three years when his practice was located in Nashville, TN. Ellen is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and was a keynote speaker at the annual convention in 2006. She has consulted with surgeons across the country to educate and streamline their practices to increase the surgery approval rate as well as reimbursements. Her overall commitment and empathetic nature is due, in part, to her own personal experience as a successful bariatric patient.

Alma Palacios
Surgery Scheduling Coordinator
email: alma.palacios@thedavisclinic.com

Alma Palacios joined The Davis Clinic in March 2006. She initially was our front desk coordinator; she moved from that position to our insurance benefits verification coordinator, and now serves full-time as our surgery scheduling coordinator. Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, Alma spent over four years in the healthcare industry, and she also enjoyed time as a stay-at-home mom. We’re thankful that she decided to rejoin the workforce, as Alma is a vitally important team member at The Davis Clinic. Her attention to detail shows in all that she does. As a patient of our practice, you will work closely with Alma in scheduling your surgery, making sure everything is ready to go on the day of your surgery. Alma states that she loves her job and making a difference in the lives of our patients.

Dallas Conant 
Scheduling Coordinator
email: dallas.conant@thedavisclinic.com

Dallas joined The Davis Clinic in 2010 as the Scheduling Coordinator.  She brings with her a wealth of communication and customer service skills.  Dallas is the warm, caring voice of The Davis Clinic.  In her role, she is responsible for directing incoming calls, scheduling patient appointments, and is vital in directing and educating new patients about the “first steps” with The Davis Clinic.

Dallas has a strong background in customer service skills.  She worked for many years as a Customer Service Agent with Southwest Airlines, where her duties were primarily focused on ensuring customer satisfaction.  She also brings many years of experience within the medical field where she has worked as a receptionist and a medical records specialist.  Dallas is the utmost professional.  She is always smiling and takes personal pride within all of her responsibilities at The Davis Clinic.

Dana McDonald 
Dietitian - BeHealthy Program
email: dana.mcdonald@thedavisclinic.com

Dana joined The Davis Clinic in 2013.  She will be facilitating and further developing our BeHealthy program. 

She is a Registered Dietitian (RD), Licensed Dietitian (LD), and a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) with over 7 years of professional experience working with pediatric and adult patients within the Texas Medical Center.  Dana’s expertise includes the areas of sports nutrition, weight management, nutrition and educational support with bariatric surgery patients, nutrition support, and general disease prevention and wellness.

Dana participated in competitive soccer throughout her adolescent years and was ultimately rewarded a full soccer scholarship to McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana (2000). Upon completion of her soccer career, Dana moved back to Houston to complete her undergraduate studies at the University of Houston, Houston, Texas.

 She has a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Human Nutrition and Foods.   She completed her dietetic training at the University of Houston Dietetic Internship program within the Texas Medical Center and has served as an officer of multiple professional organizations, including the Houston Pediatric Nutrition Group and the Houston Area Dietetic Association. In addition to licensure as a RD, Dana is licensed as a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC).

Dana’s knowledge and expertise in the field of wellness, nutrition and fitness make her the perfect fit to our BeHealthy program and she is an excellent addition to the team.

Leslie Stevens
Billing Manager
email: leslie.stevens@thedavisclinic.com

Leslie joined The Davis Clinic in September 2010. Born and raised in New Orleans, Leslie brings a bit of wonderful, Southern creole flair to our practice. She moved to Houston in 2001 when her spouse was transferred here, but frequently returns to her native roots to enjoy time with family and friends. Prior to joining The Davis Clinic, she worked as a receptionist for an orthodontist in Louisiana, and for an otolaryngologist in west Houston. Leslie has a strong background in insurance services, with a specialty in workers compensation. In her role at The Davis Clinic, Leslie focuses on billing and collections and works with both insurance companies and patients to bring about resolution when there are issues regarding payments being appropriately processed.

Debbie Carter
Billing and Collections Coordinator
email: debbie.carter@thedavisclinic.com

Debbie joined The Davis Clinic in 2012 as the Billing and Collections Coordinator. In her role with us, she is responsible for coding and billing all patient encounters as well working closely with insurance companies to verify patient benefits. She is very committed to making sure that all claims are submitted to the insurance companies in a timely fashion to ensure a smooth process for patients and insurance companies.

She has been involved in the medical billing and collections field since 1982, and brings with her a whole arsenal of knowledge and skills. Debbie is an integral part of our team and never hesitates to "jump in" and help other members of the team when needed. Her warm smile and her caring style make her a perfect fit for her role.