Staff

JoAnn E. Tamez

Director of Operations

Along with her husband, Dr. Tamez, JoAnn played an instrumental role in setting up the practice of Tejas in 2002. She was initially responsible for all daily operations, human resources, marketing and the writing and implementing of policies and procedures. Now with a full staff, her focus is more on project management, practice improvements, human resources and bookkeeping. JoAnn is a strong advocate of quality patient care and strives to provide management and staff with the tools and education necessary to provide premiere customer service. She has over twenty years combined experience in customer service, marketing and management. JoAnn holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. She is happily married with three beautiful daughters and two adorable Poms. In her free time, she enjoys tennis, reading, shopping, volunteering and hanging out with family and friends.

---

Leonor Iribe

Billing and Collections Specialist

Team member since 2009, originally employed in 2008
Leonor is from Long Beach, California and moved to Texas in April of 2007. She is responsible for all insurance billing for the practice and is committed to utilizing her insurance knowledge to get claims paid by insurance companies in a timely manner. Leonor is in charge of special projects and assists the rest of the staff as needed. Leonor is happily married and enjoys long walks with her husband and dog.

---

Audrey R. Suarez

Certified Oto Tech/Medical Assistant/Back Office Team Lead

Team member since 2006
Audrey is from Amarillo, Texas and moved to the Hill Country in 2003. Back in Amarillo, she was the sole employee for a group of ten radiologists. When she moved to Austin, she worked for a law firm and here is where she concluded how much she missed working in the medical field and interacting with patients. This is how she landed at Tejas, and since then, has been an integral part of the team. Audrey wears many hats. One is shadowing Dr. Tamez and assisting him with patient exams and procedures, and also acting as a scribe. When she is not working directly with the physician, she is busy gathering all health information/history from the patient. In addition, Audrey is a certified Audio Tech who has undergone classroom and hands on training to perform various audiological tests, in the absence of the Audiologist. Audrey is happily married with three beautiful children and a Shih'tzu named Ren. She enjoys photography and fishing and camping with her family.

---

Nereida Natal

Medical Assistant

Team member since 2008
Nereida "Nettie" was born and raised in Austin. Her combined six years experience in customer service has equipped her with the skills necessary to provide excellent patient care. Nettie is responsible for shadowing Dr. Tamez and assisting him with patient exams and procedures, as well as acting as a scribe. When she is not working directly with Dr. Tamez, Nettie is responsible for taking patients back to the exam rooms and gathering all health information/history. Nettie enjoys going to the lake, fishing, camping, hunting and playing video games.

---

Shannon C. Denham

Scheduler/Front Office Team Lead

Team member since 2006, originally employed in 2003
Shannon was born and raised in Austin and grew up surrounded by family members in the medical field including a long list of nurses. She started as a Certified Nurse Assistant and has worked in a medical office environment since 1990. Shannon is a responsible Team Leader for the front office staff, providing support and filling in for absent personnel when needed. She is also responsible for all clinic and surgery scheduling. Her experience and professionalism allow her to successfully balance patient needs with Dr. Tamez's schedule. Shannon is happily married with a 22-year old son and three cats.

---

Maribel M. Santana

Patient Service Representative/Certified Medical Records Specialist

Team member since 2009
Maribel was born and raised in Asherton, Texas. She is responsible for various front office duties including verifying insurance benefits/eligibility and handling patient check-outs. Maribel is normally the last person patients interact with during their visit and she works to ensure that everyone leaves with a smile. Her ten years working in the medical field has equipped her with the skills necessary to accomplish this task. Maribel is happily married and has three children. When she is not working, she is busy with her kids doing sports activities. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping, camping, watching football games, and going on mini vacations with her family.

---

Rachel St. Clair

Patient Service Representative

Team member since 2011
Rachel is from Taylor, Texas and is the newest member of the Tejas team. She is usually the first person patients see and makes every effort to give everyone a warm welcome. Rachel is responsible for various front office duties including checking patients in, assisting with patient inquiries, preparing medical records, and ensuring that patients have an overall pleasant experience. Rachel has been happily married for 7 years and has two boys, Hayden and Tyler. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, and watching her son play t-ball.