Meet Our Esteemed Fellows
David R. Reitter, M.D.
Dr. Reitter is a board-certified general surgeon with 21 years of surgery and endoscopy experience. He recently completed the Sono Bello Aesthetic Fellowship in 2021. He feels the opportunity was the right move to reinvigorate his career.
“After working to serve the healthcare needs of the communities I have lived and worked in, I found the multiple administrative roadblocks and hurdles of the insurance and government-based system to be stifling and suffocating to what I needed to feel like I was still “making a difference”.
"I was burning out and knew that I needed a change to bring energy and joy back into my career. I began to look at options and found Sono Bello with their strong company track record and vision for growth to be very refreshing. Having finished this very rigorous fellowship with one of the most tenured surgeons in the company, I feel renewed vigor in my career. Fostering new skills and techniques is part of what we do as surgeons and this experience has given me a new lease on my career. One on one patient experiences, helping clients to achieve their best self physically and emotionally, is a career I find very rewarding.”
Board Certifications
American Board of Surgery
Medical School
Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota, Vermilion, SD
Medical Doctor
Internship
University of Illinois College of Peoria, Peoria, IL
General Surgery
Residency
University of Illinois College of Peoria, Peoria, IL
General Surgery
Dr. Reitter discusses his Sono Bello fellowship
Brian J. Plaskon, M.D.
Dr. Plaskon is a board-certified general surgeon with 20 years of experience. He recently completed the Sono Bello Aesthetic Fellowship in 2020. He believes this opportunity helped him achieve his goal of a more fulfilling career.
“I was no longer feeling rewarded in my career as a general surgeon. After my time as a fellow, I felt confident with my skills and prepared to immediately provide liposuction services. Now, I get to focus on what I do best, customizing procedures to ensure positive results for the patient every time.”
Board Certifications
American Board of Surgery
Affiliations
American College of Surgeons
Seattle Surgical Society
Undergraduate
Purdue University
Lafayette, IN
Bachelor of Science, Physics
Medical School
Indiana University School of Medicine
Indianapolis, IN
Medical Doctor
Internship
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Seattle, WA
General Surgery
Residency
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Seattle, WA
General Surgery
Elie Adam Goldenberg, M.D.
Dr. Goldenberg is a board-certified general surgeon with over 20 years of experience. He recently completed the Sono Bello Aesthetic Fellowship in 2021.
“The fellowship experience was a great way to perfect my body contouring skills. Working with Dr. Walt Siemian in Orlando was hard work, but it made me a better surgeon in general. He gave me the tools to appreciate how to fine tune my skills and make good work, great. Overall, the rigors and the work put in made for an enriching experience that improved my aesthetic eye and broadened my horizons in this exciting field.”
Board Certifications
American Board of Surgery
Affiliations
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association
Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons
Medical School
Ponce School of Medicine
Residency
The New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens Flushing, New York
Nicole Thomas, D.O.
“I have been working in General and Trauma Surgery and Surgical Critical Care for many years. I had long been searching for an opportunity to improve my work-life balance. I was referred to Sono Bello by my longtime friend, Dr. Brian Plaskon. After completing a very thorough fellowship with Dr. Javad Tavassoli, I am prepared to offer body contouring procedures in the San Ramon office. My new position affords me an improved quality of life and I am experiencing a renewed sense of purpose in my career. I am grateful for the opportunity to supplement my talents with these new skills.”
Board Certifications:
American Board of Surgery
Surgical Critical Care
Medical School:
Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathy
Residency:
Kern Medical Center General Surgery
Fellowship:
Indiana University Surgical Critical Care
Sono Bello Aesthetic Fellowship Program Minimally Invasive Body Contouring
Catherine L. Loflin, M.D.
“I have always enjoyed body contouring in the cosmetics industry because it helps to jump start patients into a better lifestyle and gives them confidence. My experience with Dr. Siemian in Orlando, Florida set me up for success in delivering exceptional care to my patients. He is an incredible mentor and has been very willing to share his expertise with me so I can deliver the same to my patients. I appreciate the fact that Sono Bello supports, values, and empowers its employees from the top down. It’s truly a positive difference from standard hospital administration.”
Board Certifications:
American Board of Surgery
Medical School:
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Doctorate of Medicine
Residency:
Palmetto Health Richland Memorial Hospital, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia, SC
Fellowship:
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Winston-Salem, NC
Afshin Eslami, M.D.
“Before I got to this fellowship program, I was a Bariatric and General surgeon in solo private practice working terrible hours and missing family time.
Without question, it was a good idea joining the Sono Bello team to avoid dealing with insurance companies and hospital regulations, which has been getting worse over the past decade. Joining Sono Bello is already improving my work/ life balance. I enjoyed learning new techniques to help people looking into big transformations in their lives.”
Certifications & Memberships:
Associate Fellow of American College of Surgeons
SAGES & ASMBS Memberships
Medical School:
Tehran Medical University
Residency:
General Surgery - University of Maryland
Chief Resident – Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore
Fellowships:
Baylor College of Medicine – Minimally Invasive & Bariatric Surgery
Sono Bello Aesthetic Fellowship Program Minimally Invasive Body Contouring
Matthew Alter, M.D.
After practicing General surgery and then Acute Care and Trauma surgery, I felt that it was time for a change. The rigors of the General Surgery Lifestyle were taking their toll on me. 24 yrs of nights, holidays, and weekends, I felt it was time for a change. The Sono Bello Fellowship Opportunity arose, and I felt that it was the right fit for the lifestyle and career change that I needed.
After graduating from the Fellowship, I felt that I was extremely well trained to perform the needed procedures with efficiency, skill, and technical abilities necessary to meet our patient's needs while achieving the work-life balance needed.”
Affiliations:
American College of Surgeons
Medical School:
Buffalo Graduate Medical/Dental Consortium
Professional Organizations:
Fellow American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons, Associate Group
American College of Surgeons, Candidate Group
American Medical Association
American Society of Breast Surgeons