E. Steve Lichtenberg, MD, MPH

Medical Director

Steve Lichtenberg, MD, MPH is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and has been medical director of Family Planning Associates Medical Group since its inception in 1988.

Educated at Cornell University (BA), the University of Pennsylvania (MD), the University of California, Berkeley (MPH) and the University of California, San Francisco (OB-GYN residency), he is currently assistant professor of clinical OB-GYN at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine where he serves as a preceptor, research director and site director for medical student, resident and fellowship teaching. 

He has served as an author and second editor of two seminal comprehensive textbooks in family planning, A Clinicians Guide to Medical and Surgical Abortion (Churchill Livingstone, 1999) and Management of Unintended and Abnormal Pregnancy: Comprehensive Abortion Care (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009). 

As a charter member of the Society of Family Planning, a society of medical professionals interested in the scientific study of family planning, he is a referee of contraceptive research projects in competition for private funding.

In his role as chair of the National Medical Committee of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a consensus scientific panel of national experts in family planning, he is a senior advisor to Planned Parenthood. He has co-authored in the peer-reviewed medical literature numerous research studies in his field.

Diana Maracich

Chief Operating Officer

Diana has worked in reproductive health since 1982. During high school, she began her career at FPA in an entry-level position in Modesto, California. Within five years, she was the clinic manager. When the organization expanded to Chicago, she was hand-picked by the administration to transfer to our surgery center. In the years since, Diana has been the driving force behind the operations of starting the Washington and Cottage Grove facilities for Family Planning Associates.

She is actively involved with the Chicago area community, working with other area abortion providers, academic institutions and legislators to ensure that women in the Chicago area can more easily obtain and pay for the abortions that they need.

Diana is also involved on a national level, serving her second term on the Board of Directors for the National Abortion Federation. This allows her the opportunity to work with many of the best abortion providers in both the United States and Canada and ensure the best quality of care to the patients Family Planning Associates serves. She has been invited to lecture at NAF meetings and conferences nationwide.

Diana’s passion for women’s healthcare remains the same after all of these years -- helping the women she serves. She still wears scrubs to work and always puts the patients before her primary job in administration. She may be the woman doing the ultrasound, she may go over paper work, or she may be at the front desk. Regardless, she’ll never be out of touch with our patients’ needs.

Michelle Howe, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Michelle has worked in family planning services at FPA since 1999. While completing her undergraduate education at Loyola University in Chicago, she found out through volunteer work and part-time employment at Planned Parenthood that family planning was the medical specialty she belonged in.  After learning the intricacies of abortion provision at FPA as a medical assistant, she obtained a physician assistant degree from The University of Florida.  She returned to FPA in 2003, not only involved in patient care, but also assuming a leadership role training incoming clinicians, coordinating clinical research trials, representing FPA at national meetings and working to initiate and implement new protocols. She was invited to lecture at the National Abortion Federation Annual Meeting in 2008. In 2009, she wrote an article for the department called “A Day In The Life” in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Neal Gould, CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Neal was the top student of his CRNA graduating class in 1982 from Rush University in Chicago. He spent 10 years as a CRNA at Cook County Hospital, then 10 years at Copley Hospital in Aurora. He has also worked at several other hospitals and clinics in the area as part of an anesthesia relief service. He has had the privilege and honor of providing anesthesia for abortion services since 1984. He knew that patients seeking abortions deserved the best sedation and pain relief they desired, and he wanted to provide that service. He has likely provided more anesthesia for abortions in the Chicago area than any other actively working individual. Patients can feel confident that they will get quality care and compassion from Neal.

Holly Hines, RN

Recovery Room Nurse

Holly has been the recovery room nurse at FPA since 2006. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Loyola University Chicago, she holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and master’s degree in theology from McCormick Seminary in Chicago. She began her work in women’s health in 1999 at Planned Parenthood Chicago where she was a patient representative, ultrasound technician, surgical assistant and lab technician. At FPA she is devoted to keeping women safe and comfortable after their surgery. She is proud to be part of FPA’s excellent team of abortion providers.

Prabhavathi Nama, MD

Surgeon

Dr. Nama has been a staple in the FPA family since 1990. She earned her medical degree from Bangalore Medical College in India, and completed her training in the United States at both Cook County Hospital and Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. She was Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1975. She worked in private practice at Rush University Medical Center for many years providing a full range of Obstetrics and Gynecological services to women and training resident doctors in the hospital’s training program. During and after private practice, Dr. Nama has worked continuously at area clinics providing abortions. She is deeply committed to ensuring that women will always have the right to choose, and she is proud of her lifetime efforts to provide excellent abortion care.

Kathy Fitch

Manager

Kathy started working in family planning services in 1985 with Albany Medical-Surgical Center as a switch board operator. Upon the inception of Family Planning Associates at the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center, Kathy was quickly promoted to manager of the surgery center. Her commitment to staff and patients is nothing short of incredible. Many patients describe her as helpful, full of knowledge, and compassionate. Kathy’s “hands on” management style shows that there is nothing she isn’t a part of. Kathy has represented Family Planning Associates at many community events, national conferences, and round table discussions. Although her responsibilities are far and wide, she is still grounded in her dedication and commitment to our patients.

Linda Rivera

Operations Manager

Linda has worked for Family Planning Associates for her entire career.  As a young woman, she started working at FPA in California as a medical assistant, and worked her way up to the management level.  She was instrumental in ensuring that her clinics reached and maintained accreditation through the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.  In 2005, she was called upon to transfer to the Chicago offices to assist in our growth and development.  Always up for a challenge, Linda joined FPA Chicago and continues to ensure regulatory compliance and excellence.  Not only does she work behind the scenes in an administrative capacity, Linda also spends a good deal of time interacting with patients and making sure their experience with FPA is as seamless and pleasant as possible.  

FPA Ancillary Staff

Our employees include some of the most informed, educated, and committed women and men who are devoted to women’s health care. We have employees from various educational and professional backgrounds who come together to make one of the best teams anywhere in women’s health care. Our employees range from 3 months of employment to over 20 years! We look forward to meeting and helping you with your health care needs.

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