Melanie Fiorella, MD

Medical Director - Center for Integrative Medicine
Executive Committee - Centers for Integrative Health

Melanie Fiorella, MD, serves as Medical Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine, within the Centers for Integrative Health at UC San Diego. Dr. Fiorella has expertise in whole-person clinical care, managing healthcare workforce teams, and creating and delivering curricula at various learner levels, from medical students to residents and continuing education for current health care professionals.

As a board-certified family medicine and integrative medicine physician, she provides whole-person, integrative primary care for patients of all ages, including preventive care and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. She has a special interest in women's health, mood disorders, back pain, gastrointestinal disorders and sleep problems.

Dr. Fiorella integrates lifestyle medicine - such as nutrition, mindfulness-based stress reduction and yoga - into the medical care of her patients. Where indicated, she refers patients to complementary therapies such as osteopathic manual therapy, acupuncture and massage. She also offers consults in integrative medicine through UC San Diego's Center for Integrative Medicine.

As an assistant professor of family medicine and public health, Dr. Fiorella is involved in training medical students and residents at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She is the director of the Integrative Medicine in Residency program.

Dr. Fiorella completed her residency at UC San Diego School of Medicine and earned her medical degree at State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. She is board-certified in family medicine and completed fellowship training in integrative medicine.

Medical Degree: SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY Residency: UC San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, CA

Lauray MacElhern, MBA

Managing Director - UC San Diego Centers for Integrative Health
Co-Director - UC San Diego Center for Integrative Nutrition

As Managing Director of the UC San Diego Centers for Integrative Health, Lauray MacElhern oversees the business administration, strategy, operations, marketing, finance, management, and development of its five Centers: Center for Integrative Medicine, Center for Mindfulness, Krupp Center for Integrative Research, Center for Integrative Education and Center for Integrative Nutrition. As one of the founding members of the Centers for Integrative Health in 2011, Lauray has supported its growth over the years from a 10-person micro-granted program to a nearly 100-person multi-Center organization.  As part of her role co-directing the Center for Integrative Nutrition, Lauray has expertise in curriculum development and is co-founder, teacher, and trainer of the UC San Diego Natural Healing & Cooking program and the UC San Diego Integrative Nutrition Certificate program. She serves on the boards of the Krupp Endowed Fund and of the prestigious Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health. Lauray joined UC San Diego after running a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization, The Cancer Project, dedicated to nutrition education and research for cancer prevention and survival. As part of that role, she worked with and trained more than 100 chefs around the world on how to teach the organization’s award-winning cooking and nutrition courses. Under her leadership, the organization reached millions through its public outreach efforts and within community centers, hospitals, and medical centers in more than 160 cities across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Panama, Jamaica, India and Spain. For the prior decade, Lauray specialized in technology, management, marketing, and leadership roles contributing to the successful start-up and growth of three companies. She has achieved formal recognition from NASA and the Telly Awards for her work. From an early age, Lauray has been personally immersed in and passionate about healing cooking, natural medicine, Ayurveda, and Chinese medicine. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communication and commerce through coursework in the Wharton School and Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and advanced degree coursework in nutrition sciences through extension programs at Harvard University, UC Berkeley, and American University. She earned her MBA from Rady School of Management where she was the recipient of a Pauline Foster MBA Fellowship.

Alice Chen, DO

Osteopathic Medicine Director

Alejandra Reyes, DACM, LAc

Acupuncture and Massage Services Manager

Alejandra Reyes, DACM, LAc is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and a board-certified acupuncturist. Dr. Reyes serves as the Manager for the Outpatient Acupuncture and Massage for the Center of Integrative Medicine at UC San Diego Centers for Integrative Health. She also provides acupuncture and Chinese Medicine consultations across various clinical sites at UC San Diego Health. Dr. Reyes specializes in family medicine, orthopedics, and mental-emotional well-being. She uses a wide range of Chinese Medicine evidence-based techniques to obtain the best results for her patients. 

Dr. Reyes earned both her Masters and Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from The Pacific College of Health and Science (PCHS). During her doctorate program, she had the opportunity to intern at the UC San Diego Cancer Center in Encinitas and Rady’s Children’s Hospital. Dr. Reyes is also the founder of Awakening Integrative Medicine located in San Diego, California.  

Dr. Reyes is a first generation Mexican-American who grew up in San Diego, California. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, road cycling, and spending as much time as possible outdoors soaking up the California sun.

Susie Samano

Clinical Operations Manager 
Patient Navigator

Alex Bobadilla

Revenue Manager
Patient Navigator

Alejandra “Alex” Bobadilla serves as Revenue Manager and Patient Navigator for our Center for Integrative Medicine.  She specializes in identifying and resolving any issues found within our revenue cycle and helping our patients navigate through scheduling, insurance verification, and finding the right fit with one of our prestigious providers to help address their needs.  Alex is also the coordinator of the Supervised Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine Program for Weight Management (SLIM).  Alex has collaborated with leadership to roll out many new lines of services and help improve established ones. Prior to Integrative Medicine, Alex was a referral coordinator for Collaborative Care and Family Medicine.  Alex’s background is in psychology, certified substance abuse counseling, esthetics, and fitness, as a spinning instructor. Alex cherishes every moment of being a mother to her two amazing sons.   In her free time, she enjoys high intensity exercise, dancing, the companionship of her partner, family, friends, and last, but not least, her long-tongued pug, Maya.