Our Team
Our Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeons are highly trained and have in depth knowledge of the latest surgical and nonsurgical treatment options.
Meet Our Physicians
Emily Benson, MD Director of Orthopedic Surgery
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Undergraduate: Brown University
Med school: Boston University Medical School
Residency: University of Massachusetts
Fellowship: Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Specialists San Diego, CA - Orthopedic Trauma
Board Certification: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships:
- Orthopedic Trauma Association
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- AO North America
- Health Care Volunteers-Orthopedics Overseas
Hobbies: Triathlons, surfing, trail running
Clinic Location: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
Thomas Wu, MD Associate Director of Orthopedic Surgery
Hometown: Beijing, China/Somerset, New Jersey
Undergraduate: Harvard University
Med School: Washington University
Residency: George Washington University
Fellowship: University of California, Los Angeles - Sports Medicine
Board Certifications: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, CAQ - Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Professional Memberships:
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine
- Arthroscopy Association of North America
Hobbies: Traveling, eating delicious things, spending time with my children, hiking, photography, music
Clinic Locations: Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic, West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
Denise Stennette, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
Hometown: Pleasanton, CA
Undergraduate: University of California, Davis
Medical School: Wake Forest School of Medicine
Residency: University of Southern California
Board Certification: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships: American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
Hobbies: Outrigger canoe paddling, road biking, travel/wine tasting
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic, Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic
Tadashi Takara, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
Hometown: Concord, California
Undergraduate: University of California, San Diego
Medical School: University of California, San Diego
Residency: University of Southern California
Fellowship: University of California, Los Angeles - Sports Medicine
Board Certifications: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, CAQ-Orthopedic Sports Medicine
Professional Memberships:
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine
Hobbies: Pro Sports (MLB, NFL, NBA), Fantasy Football, Poker
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic , Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic
Damayea Hargett, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
VCMC/SPH Chief of Surgery
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate: Bethune-Cookman University
Medical School: Morehouse School of Medicine
Residency: University of Southern California
Fellowship: Georgia Orthopedic Trauma Institute, Macon, GA - Orthopedic Trauma
Board Certification: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships:
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- Orthopedic Trauma Association
- AO North America
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
- National Medical Association
- J.Robert Gladden Orthopedic Society
- Ruth Jackson Orthopedic Society
Hobbies: International travel to experience different cultures & food, hiking, music, and spending time with family
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
Mary Ragsdale, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
Hometown: Woodland, CA
Undergraduate: University of California, San Diego
Graduate: Georgetown
Medical School: New York Medical College
Residency: State University of New York, Stony Brook
Fellowship: University of California, Davis - Adult Reconstruction
Board Certification: Board Certified by American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships: American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
Hobbies: Lifelong passion for photography. Love the outdoors and traveling to National Parks. Just took up the piano and ukulele
Clinic Locations: Conejo Valley Orthopedic Clinic, Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic
Ashley Lamb, DOOrthopedic Trauma Surgeon
Undergraduate: Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport LA
Med school: Rocky Vista University – College of Osteopathic Medicine, Parker CO
Residency: Community Memorial Health Systems, Ventura CA – Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: USC Orthopedic Trauma Fellowship, Los Angeles CA - Orthopedic Trauma
Board Certification: Board Certified by American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships:
- Orthopedic Trauma Association
- American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
- American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics
- California Orthopedic Association
Hobbies: Golf, Skiing, Hiking, Camping, Guitar
Clinic Location: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY
Shafer DH, Robles EL, Linsley CM, Lamb A. Osteochondroma of the superomedial scapula managed with a novel muscle sparing approach: case report and review of literature. J Surg Case Rep. 2024 Mar 15;2024(3):rjae154. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjae154. PMID: 38495051; PMCID: PMC10942809.
Lamb A, Hasegawa I, Gary J. Chapter 8: Humeral Shaft Fracture - Failed Intramedullary Nail, Failed Fracture Fixation: Revision Surgery Made Easy. (1st ed). Giannoudis, P. V., & Tornetta, P., III (Eds.) Springer International Publishing 2024
Shafer D, Ngo J, Lamb A, Vohra S. Unusual case report of concomitant lunate and scaphoid fractures without associated dislocation in a 16-year-old male. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2024 Jan;114:109146. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2023.109146. Epub 2023 Dec 15. PMID: 38128295; PMCID: PMC10800694.
Lamb A, McKinney B, Frousiakis P, Diaz G, Sweet S. A Comparative Study of Traditional Technique Guide versus Virtual Reality in Orthopedic Trauma Training. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2023 Sep 4;14:947-955. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S395087. PMID: 37693298; PMCID: PMC10487700.
Robles AS, Piple AS, DeSanto DJ, Lamb A, Gibbs SJ, Heckmann ND, Marecek GS. Standard versus low-dose computed tomography for assessment of acetabular fracture reduction using novel step and gap measurement technique. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2023 Dec;33(8):3703-3709. doi: 10.1007/s00590-023-03616-9. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37311829; PMCID: PMC10651530.
Lamb A, Larocque J, Gary J. Orthopedic Injuries, Atlas of Procedures and Techniques for Emergency Medical Services. The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge acting through its department Cambridge University Press & Assessment of Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8EA, UK. Submitted in edits 2022
McKinney B, Dbeis A, Lamb A, Frousiakis P, Sweet S. Virtual Reality Training in Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Blinded Trial. J Surg Educ. 2022 Nov-Dec;79(6):1526-1535. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2022.06.008. Epub 2022 Jul 19. PMID: 35863958.
Cinti J., Elbert G., Lamb A., Frousiakis P., and Sweet S. “Knee Dislocations and Multi-Ligament Knee Injuries: A Review”. Osteopathic Family Physician, Vol. 14, no. 3, May 2022, pp. 27–33, doi:10.33181/13073.
Lamb A, Mueller J, Levy E, Hobbs JL, Brien E. Distal fibular excision: A review of the literature and presentation of our reconstruction technique case series. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2021 Mar;80:105611. doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2021.01.105. Epub 2021 Feb 11. PMID: 33621730; PMCID: PMC7905352.
Diaz G, Lamb A, Cahatol I, Frugoli A, Romero J, et al. (2021) A Comparative Study on the Effects of Matter of Balance and Tai Chi on Measures of Balance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. J Prev Med Healthc 3(1): 1021.
Michael Maguire, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
Undergraduate: Creighton University
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine
Residency: University of California, San Diego
Fellowship: University of Utah Primary Children’s Medical Center & Shriner’s Hospital - Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Board Certification: Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships: Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
Sean Early, MD Orthopedic Surgeon
Undergraduate: University of Arizona
Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Residency: University of Southern California
Fellowship: University of California, San Diego & Children’s Hospital San Diego - Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
Board Certification: Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
Professional Memberships: Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic
Meet Our Physician Assistants
Ross Monroe, PA-C Chief Physician Assistant
Hometown: Newtown, PA
Undergraduate: University of North Carolina Wilmington
Graduate: University of Southern California
Certified Physician Assistant by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Hobbies: Surfing, running, wood working, camping
Clinic Locations: VCMC Orthopedic Clinic, Fillmore Specialty Clinic, Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic
Casey Lowe, PA-C Physician Assistant
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate: Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Graduate: Chapman University
Certified Physician Assistant by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Professional Memberships: American Academy of Physician Assistants
Hobbies: Trail running, cycling, camping and backpacking
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic, Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic
Jessica Cataldo Ramirez, PA-C Physician Assistant
Hometown: Agoura Hills, CA
Undergraduate: Jacksonville University
Graduate: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Certified Physician Assistant by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Hobbies: Running, reading, spending time with family and pets
Clinic Locations: West Ventura Orthopedic Clinic, Las Islas Orthopedic Clinic, Conejo Valley Orthopedic Clinic
