Irvine

Hitha Amin, MBBS, MD is the director of pediatric neurology at Cortica Irvine. Dr. Amin has unique training and experience in general pediatrics, pediatric neurology, and neurodevelopmental disorders. She is committed to providing comprehensive and holistic care for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

Dr. Amin has previously worked as a general pediatrician in Marin County, California. In her quest to provide quality care for children, she trained in pediatric neurology with additional specialization in neurodevelopmental neurology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She seeks to manage neurologic conditions arising from neurogenetic and neurometabolic conditions.

After graduating with honors from medical school at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore (Manipal University), she completed residency training in general pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco in Fresno, California. She completed her pediatric neurology and neurodevelopmental disabilities residency training at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Amin has also been engaged in research on neurodevelopmental disorders. She was involved in studies on autism at Stanford University, including the use of imaging techniques in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders and the use of psychopharmacology in the management of autism. She has gained additional experience in the management of neurometabolic conditions at the Baylor Genetics and Metabolics Clinic.

She speaks Spanish, Hindi, Kannada, and Tulu. In her spare time, she designs board games, invents new ice-cream flavors, and enjoys spending time with her children and pets.

Sesil Sefer-Ampil is the operations manager at Cortica Irvine. As a board registered EEG technologist, she is also the administrative lead for Cortica’s neurophysiology program. Sesil realized her profound interest in pediatric care, specifically in autism, during her years of clinical work in various major acute care hospitals in Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and Orange County. Her passion to provide quality care for children with neurodevelopmental differences inspired her to pursue a career in healthcare operations. She received her bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from West Coast University. Sesil's compassion motivates her to be at the service of each family during their journey at Cortica.

At home, Sesil has two rescue dogs of her own and one foster dog. She champions responsible pet ownership and is heavily involved with animal advocacy efforts against breed-specific discrimination. In her free time, Sesil combines her passion for working with children and dogs by volunteering at libraries and schools where kids can practice their reading skills by reading books to her therapy dog.

Taylor Brooks is the director of cognitive and behavior therapies at Cortica’s Irvine location. She is a South Jersey transplant who relocated to California in 2014. Taylor received a Master of Science degree with a focus in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree with a focus in communication disorders and a minor in psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Taylor is a strong believer in open-door policies with open communication, endless support, and continuous collaboration for her team members. She stands by the saying “there is no ‘I’ in team” and believes we truly are better together. Taylor enjoys working out (HIIT and yoga), listening to a wide range of music, and spending quality time with her friends, family, and two dogs. Additionally, Taylor has a passion for animal therapy and loves incorporating animals into therapeutic services for children with disabilities.

Kristen is a patient and playful Speech-Language Pathologist with over a decade of experience in the field of speech therapy. She has worked with a variety of ages and diagnoses over the years. She enjoys using various techniques in her therapy sessions, as well as providing parent training and collaborating with other disciplines to optimize her clients’ overall response to therapy. Kristen has experience working in multiple private practices, rehabilitation hospitals, and was previously an adjunct professor within the field of Communication Disorders. She uses all of these unique professional experiences to help guide her therapy, supervision, and director responsibilities at the new Irvine care center. Kristen earned her bachelors degree in Communication Disorders from Biola University and her masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of West Georgia.

Marjan is a Family Wellness Counselor at Cortica Irvine. She obtained her master’s degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and has worked as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2012. Marjan worked as a teacher before changing her career path.

Marjan is passionate about helping families, couples, and individuals with a range of challenges. Her ability to listen without judgment and stay present with the client's state of mind brings empathy to the forefront of all her sessions.