VALLEY SLEEP CENTER PROVIDERS
We are here to help you take control of your sleep health.
We are the sleep experts and we are here to help you take control of your sleep health.
Most insurance companies do not require a referral to meet with one of our Board Certified Sleep Physicians and providers.
If you are having sleeping problems
Step 1 | Make an appointment for a sleep consultation to meet with one of our sleep providers.
Step 2 | Your sleep specialist will determine if a sleep study is necessary and prepare a plan for you.
Physicians
Michael Pelekanos, MD, Board Certified in Sleep Medicine, Board Certified in Psychiatry
Scottsdale Medical Director
Dr. Michael Pelekanos attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA on a Division 1 Baseball Scholarship. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He went on to earn his Medical Degree from Ross University School of Medicine. He pursued a residency in Psychiatry at Temple University. After completing residency, he completed a Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Stanford University. During his training, he published articles on various topics in sleep medicine and psychiatry and was nominated and awarded for excellence in patient care. Dr. Pelekanos is board certified in sleep medicine and board certified in psychiatry. He is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Pelekanos lives in Scottsdale with his wife who is also a physician. Him and his wife have 2 young children. On his spare time, he enjoys exercising, golfing, traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with his family.
Maria Martinez, M.D.
Glendale Medical Director
Dr. Maria Martinez specializes in adult and pediatric sleep medicine in Glendale, Arizona. She received her medical degree from Universidad de Navarra Faculty of Medicine and has been in practice for 31 years. She is the medical director at our Arrowhead location.
Michael Lepire, M.D.
Goodyear Medical Director
Dr. Lepire received both his undergraduate and medical degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. He completed his residency at Banner Good Samaritan (Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix) in Arizona along with his fellowship training in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine. He is Board Certified in Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine and is also a member of the American Academy of Chest Physicians and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Lepire has practiced Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in Arizona since 2001. He thoroughly enjoys the daily interaction with patients and supporting them in their medical needs. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be a physician and makes it his priority to treat his patients with kindness, compassion, and understanding. In addition to medicine, Dr. Lepire enjoys playing golf, watching sports, and spending time with his family.
Wahaj Ahmed, M.D.
Mesa Medical Director
Dr. Ahmed is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and sleep medicine. His practice encompasses all aspects of diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary and sleep disorders.
Michael Mohan, M.D.
Chandler Medical Director
Dr. Mohan is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Medical School. He went on to complete postgraduate medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Boston Children’s Hospital, some of the top-ranked hospitals in the world. He is one of the only physicians in Arizona to have received dedicated Fellowship training in Sleep Medicine, having completed Harvard’s Sleep Medicine Fellowship Training Program in 2016. He has authored journal articles, textbook chapters, and teaching materials on the subject of sleep disorders. Dr. Mohan is board certified in sleep medicine and a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Don Townsend, PhD
Diplomate, Behavioral Sleep Medicine
Fellow, American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Dr. Don Townsend is a clinical psychologist and sleep medicine specialist. He received his PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University and completed residency at Rush Medical Center in Chicago. He then completed a formal sleep medicine fellowship in Michigan and has been working in sleep medicine for over 20 years. Dr. Townsend is board certified in sleep medicine (2002) and behavioral sleep medicine (2005). His specialty is in the assessment and treatment of insomnia and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He has been involved in both local and national leadership in the field of sleep medicine, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and the Arizona Sleep Society. He has published in the areas of sleep medicine, insomnia and psychology. Dr. Townsend takes pride in his quality patient care as indicated by his 4.9/5.0 stars rating on Healthgrades.com.
Dr. Townsend is a native of Minnesota and moved to Phoenix in 2016. He is far too busy with family activities to play golf and seldom has time to sit down at home. In his rare free time, he enjoys exercise, particularly tennis and hiking.
Dr. Jyotsna Sahni
Dr. Sahni has been in medical practice for over two decades. She spent the first 11 years of her career as an internist at Canyon Ranch Health Resort. Since then, she has dedicated herself exclusively to sleep medicine. In 2017, she established her own practice, Swan Sleep Medicine and seven years later joined the team at Valley Sleep Center. Valley Sleep Center is among the prominent sleep medicine practices in Arizona, boasting several locations across the state, including Chandler, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, and Tucson. The center provides comprehensive sleep health services, including diagnostics and treatments for various sleep disorders.
When asked why she chose sleep medicine, she often jokes that she couldn’t commit to a single organ. Fortunately, sleep medicine integrates pulmonology, cardiology, neurology, and psychiatry. It’s never boring and requires a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment. To support this, she has been certified in holistic medicine, nutrition, Ayurvedic medicine, and sleep medicine.
Overall, sleep medicine is a rewarding field. When people sleep well, they not only feel more rested but also experience better moods, sharper memories, lower heart risks, and stronger immunity. Dr. Sahni asks for forgiveness for the pun, but improving sleep truly makes a night-and-day difference!
Dr. Sarah Cordova Kuper
Dr. Sarah Cordova Kuper is a board-certified sleep medicine physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and circadian rhythm disorders. She has a special interest in sleep technology and health economics and is experienced in innovative therapies such as hypoglossal nerve stimulator therapy.
Dr. Kuper earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 2012, followed by her medical degree from the same institution in 2016. From 2017-2021, she completed her internal medicine residency at the University of New Mexico, where she was recognized as Resident of the Year during her third year and later selected as Chief Resident during her fourth year. She then pursued advanced training in sleep medicine at Stanford University, learning from leading experts in the field and completing her fellowship in 2022.
Dr. Kuper is double board-certified in internal medicine and sleep medicine, ensuring a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to patient care.
Outside of work, she describes herself as a lifelong learner with a passion for history, geography, different cultures, and astronomy. She also enjoys traveling, making specialty coffees, staying active, and spending time with her family.
Francisco Miguel Ralls, MD
Dr. Francisco Miguel Ralls is board-certified in Family Medicine and Sleep Medicine, with board eligibility in Geriatric Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Care. He earned his undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Northern Arizona University and a master’s in Bilingual Special Education from the University of Arizona. Dr. Ralls received his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Appleton. He later completed fellowships in Geriatrics and Sleep Medicine at the University of New Mexico.
With over a decade of experience in rural northeast Wisconsin, Dr. Ralls has also served as an associate professor and Sleep Medicine Fellowship director at the University of New Mexico. He has held leadership roles with the New Mexico Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and contributed to multiple medical journals and the Encyclopedia of Sleep.
Dr. Ralls has volunteered on ten medical missions to Africa, providing care in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At Valley Sleep Center, he works alongside a dedicated team to improve patients’ lives. In his free time, Dr. Ralls enjoys gardening, hiking, and flying small aircraft.
Nurse Practitioners
Stephanie Alvarez, FNP, ABAAHP
Stephanie is a family nurse practitioner specializing in sleep medicine. She has been practicing sleep medicine for over 10 years with a strong background in cardiology and preventative health care. She is passionate about quality of life, which encompasses sleep, nutrition, exercise and spirituality. Teaching her patients comes naturally to her.
Stephanie is married with three sons. She spends free time with family, friends and church activities. An Arizona native, she loves to spend time out of doors working in the yard and reading. She enjoys mission work and has been to Mexico and Africa to serve.
Carla Marie Gutierrez, DNP, AGNP-C
Carla Gutierrez is a board-certified adult-gerontology nurse practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010 from Angeles University Foundation, Philippines. She speaks Tagalog fluently. She had passed both the Philippine and US nursing board exams with clinical experiences on Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Medical Surgical, Skilled Nursing, Telemetry and Perioperative Nursing. She also had worked as a Charge Nurse in Skilled Nursing and Telemetry.
She then obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree specializing in Adult-Gerontology from Arizona State University in 2020. She had practiced in Internal Medicine, Neurology and Sleep Medicine clinics here in the Valley. She is a member of American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She is enthusiastic about educating patients regarding Sleep Medicine and would love to learn from her patient’s experiences as well.
Carla lives in Chandler with her husband, son and twin girls. She loves spending time with her family and friends.
Isabella Izdebski, FNP-C
Izzy is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Arizona State University. She completed semesters abroad in Poland and Mexico. She then received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College in St. Louis, Missouri. As a registered nurse she worked on the transplant unit at Mayo Clinic Hospital while completing her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix.
Izzy is passionate about helping patients achieve optimal health and educating patients to empower them to do so. She has completed additional training courses through the Institute of Functional Medicine. She is also a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
In her spare time Izzy enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading, and traveling. She loves to experience new cultures and the beauty of our world, particularly anywhere tropical! She is very fond of humpback whales and will plan her travels around the migration patterns of the whales.
Kimberly Telfer, FNP-C
Kim Titak is a board certified family nurse practitioner. She graduated from Purdue University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011. As a registered nurse she worked in various intensive care units. She graduated from Georgetown University with her Masters in Family Nurse Practitioner in 2019. As a Nurse Practitioner she practiced in Sleep Medicine at a large teaching hospital in Chicago prior to moving to Arizona. She managed a variety of sleep disorders and fell in love with working in sleep. She is a member of American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She moved to Arizona with her husband and Goldendoodle in 2021. In her free time she likes to go on walks with her Goldendoodle and spend time with family and friends. She is also a big sports fan.
JoAnn Caley, MSN, FNP-C, CCRN
JoAnn Caley, MSN, FNP-C, CCRN is a nurse practitioner who specializes in the management of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Nurses Association, American Association of Critical-Care Nursing, American Lung Association, Association of Pulmonary Advanced Practice Providers and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
JoAnn earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University, then went on to complete her MSN and FNP-C degrees from Chamberlain College of Nursing. As a registered nurse she was a staff nurse in the Medical, Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center. JoAnn is also experienced in pulmonology, cardiology, neurology, and thoracic surgery.
Her main interests include Sleep Medicine and Pulmonary conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, Genetic lung conditions such as Pulmonary Fibrosis, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, and other advanced lung disease such as Pulmonary Hypertension and Interstitial Lung Disease. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, spending time with family and spoiling her chihuahuas.
Susan Scott, FNP-C
Susan is a board-certified nurse practitioner. She earned an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) from Arizona State University in 2004. She earned an RN (Registered Nurse) in 1988 following the completion of the nursing program at Gateway Community College. In 1999 she also earned a (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) from ASU.
Since 2017 Susan has been an NP working with patients with sleep issues through Sleep Medicine and Neurology. Susan’s prior years of working with patients in Family Practice has given her a foundation to be able to assess the whole person more effectively. Her passion to help patients find ways to improve their quality of life by solving sleep problems provides great fulfillment in her profession.
Susan and her husband enjoy cooking, traveling, spending time with their children, grandchildren, family, and friends. (Susan’s dog likes her husband best!)
Jenelle Lewis, FNP-C
Jenelle Lewis is a board – certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She graduated from Northwestern State University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2014. As a registered nurse she worked as a medical surgical nurse at various facilities in the United States, she has spent most of her career as a travel registered nurse. She graduated from Simmons University with her master’s degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2022. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). She has been an Arizona resident since 2019. She is an active-duty military spouse and mother. She is enthusiastic about evaluating and educating patients regarding sleep medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Jeannie Cormier, FNP
Jeannie is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Jeannie graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1998. As a registered nurse she worked in coronary care intensive care, adult and pediatric emergency, and prehospital flight nursing.
She graduated from University of Phoenix with her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner in 2014. As a nurse practitioner she has worked in primary care pediatrics and urgent care settings before pursuing a career in sleep medicine.
She believes prevention is the best medicine, knowledge is power, and happiness is a good night’s sleep. Her practice style is patient centered and focused on educating patients about their sleep and how it impacts their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Outside of work she likes to spoil her dog and spend time with her family and friends. She’s passionate about physical fitness; As an avid runner she believes there is no problem that a long run can’t solve.
Thelma St. Victor, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC.
As a Nurse Practitioner with a passion for delivering compassionate, patient-centered care, I bring over a decade of experience across a range of specialties—including neurology, medical-surgical, cardiac/telemetry, and oncology, with a strong focus on breast and neuro-oncology. My career has allowed me to care for patients at every stage of their journey, from diagnosis and treatment through survivorship and recovery. Working in oncology taught me not only the science of complex treatment plans but also the human side of healing—how to listen, connect, and support patients emotionally as well as physically. I’ve guided many individuals through chemotherapy, symptom management, clinical trials, and post-treatment care, always with empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for each person’s experience.
My passion for education and advocacy also led me to write and publish an article titled “Oral Chemotherapy Adherence” in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. The piece focuses on improving medication compliance and supporting patients navigating oral chemotherapy—an area where clear communication and trust are essential. This kind of patient education is at the heart of my practice, whether I’m helping someone manage sleep challenges, medication regimens, or post-treatment symptoms. I’m dual board-certified as both a Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and I integrate both physical and mental health care in every encounter. I believe that compassionate care is powerful—it builds trust, eases fear, and gives patients the confidence to take control of their health. Whether I’m working with you in person or via telehealth, I’m here to partner with you on your path to better sleep and overall wellness.
Pawanvir Tung, PA
We are so pleased to welcome Pawanvir Tung, PA to our Valley Sleep Center family. Pawanvir, (people call him Pavin) is a nationally certified physician associate (PA) specializing in sleep medicine. He received his undergraduate degrees of Biology and Biochemistry from University of Washington in 2015. He earned his PA degree from Northern Arizona University at the downtown Phoenix campus. He has been practicing in sleep medicine around the Phoenix Valley for the last couple of years.
Pavin is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. His interest in sleep medicine started due to his previous struggles with daytime sleepiness. He also knows family and friends with sleep apnea, so he understands the struggles. Sleep plays a tremendous role in many aspects of an individual’s life; and Pavin is excited to help patients get the best sleep possible so they are ready to conquer each day.
Pavin spent most of his years growing up in Washington state, and moved to Arizona in 2019. During his spare time, Pavin enjoys hiking on mountains, biking on paved trails, or playing pickleball at the local parks. When the weather gets hot, he enjoys weight lifting at the gym or catching up on the latest Hollywood, Bollywood, Disney, and anime movies and shows.
The next time you are in our Chandler location, say hello to Pavin!
Mary Goetsch, PA
Mary was born and raised in Gilbert, AZ. She attended St Cloud State University in MN, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and played college soccer. Then, she completed a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant studies at Harding University in Searcy, AR. After graduation, she practiced primary care medicine in Gilbert, AZ for 2 years. She has been practicing sleep medicine since 2021. Her passions are outdoor activities with her husband and daughter.
Monica Crespo, PA
Monica holds a Physician Assistant Certification (PA-C) from Junta de Licenciamiento y Disciplina Medica de Puerto Rico since 2022 where she had two years of experience and in 2024, became certified as Physician Assistant (PA-C) from Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants.
Monica holds a Bachelor of Science degree in General Science with a minor concentration in Psychology from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica of Puerto Rico and later earned her Doctorate Degree in Medicine from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara.
Born and raised in Ponce , Puerto Rico , she is bilingual and she recently became a member of American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM ).
She is a member of Puerto Rico Medical Reserve Corps since 2020 and a member of the American Red Cross and of the American Cancer Society since 2022.
Monica always believes and is committed to putting her patient’s health first and ensure they achieve a better quality of life.
Founder
