Meet our team

James Ekbatani

Founder & Chairman of the board

James Ekbatani is the founder of Lotus Behavioral Health and the chairman of its board of directors. James founded this non for profit organization in 2021 after a tragic experience with substance use with his immediate family. James provided the seed funding for this project and a twenty thousand square foot facility to house the project. His desire to invest in this organization comes from a deep desire to help youth throughout the world. James’ Ekbatani, a veteran healthcare entrepreneur has been involved in creating successful healthcare companies for the past 35 years. His last venture was creating the largest mobile healthcare organization in the country focused on bringing preventive medicine to nearly two million seniors in 26 states within the US.

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Gary Hazy

Executive Director

Gary Hazy serves as the Executive Director of Lotus Behavioral Health. With a career spanning 20+ years in the behavioral health field, Gary has dedicated his efforts to transforming the lives of kids and families facing challenging situations. He is fueled by a passion for making a positive impact and has tirelessly advocated for accessible, compassionate, and evidence-based care. His experiences across several states, in diverse roles, allows him to not only have a deep understanding of the mental health care field but also the kids he serves. Known for his exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to inspire others, Gary fosters a collaborative environment where team members are challenged, accountable and thrive. He values the expertise of Lotus Behavioral Health's dedicated staff and believes in empowering them to make a difference in the lives of the kids in their care. Gary remains steadfast in his mission to transform lives and improve the overall well-being of the community. Through his visionary leadership, compassionate approach, and commitment to excellence, he continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of youth in need.

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Christopher Bevan

Director of Operation

Christopher Bevan is the Director of Information Technology at Lotus Behavioral Health where he orchestrates technology solutions to advance the care for clients challenged with substance use and mental health disorders. Christopher serves as a leader in the compliance efforts and project management for the pursuit of Lotus Behavioral Health's mission. Christonher has been a leader in the healthcare information technoloav field for over a decade, servina other teams to better influence the health of citizens across the country. Christopher has collaborated with providers andlinsurance companies to betterlimorove technoloav solutions and processes to achieve hiaher efficiency and accuracv. As mental health and substance use continues to significantly impact our families, friends, and communities, Christopher is excited to join the Lotus Behavioral Health team to help spread support and knowledge throughout the Central Florida community and beyon.

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Maya Namnum

Business Development Director

Maya brings a dynamic blend of expertise in adolescent behavioral health, substance use treatment, and strategic partnership development to her role as Director of Business Development. She specializes in relationship-driven outreach, connecting families, clinicians, and referral partners to the right levels of care through a trauma-informed and developmentally focused lens.Known for her ability to translate complex clinical services into clear, compassionate messaging, Maya strengthens referral networks, enhances engagement, and helps organizations align their services with the evolving needs of today’s youth and families. Her work reflects both her deep industry knowledge and her commitment to ensuring every young person has access to meaningful, effective support.

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Gabriel Dominguez Contreras

Clinical Director

Gabriel Dominguez-Contreras is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and CertifiedMasters Level Addiction Professional (MCAP). Gabriel completed his Master of Science degreein Counseling Psychology at the Carlos Albizu University, San Juan P.R. He is bilingual inSpanish (Native) and English (professionall proficiency). Gabriel's experience includes morethan 8 years providing psychotherapy to individuals, families, and couples to teenagers andadults with mental health and substance use disorders.As Clinical Manager for Lotus Behavioral Healthcare, his mission continues to be to renew andrestore wholeness to individuals and their families impacted by substance use and mental healthdisorders in an environment characterized by excellence for adult, adolescent and family-focusedcare. Gabriel is committed in creating a nurturing and therapeutic environment to foster a healthylifestyle in the clients, helping them to achieve sustainable healing from the effects of alcohol, substance use, and mental health disorders.Gabriel's characteristics and skills include leadership, multicultural sensitivity, strongcommunicator, excellent listener, critical thinker, trustworthy, ethical, and integrity. Among hispassions and interests are unconditional love for his family, connection and devotion to higherpower, self-care through sports, and physical activities and being an individual of good andpositive impact to the society and the community.

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Michele Guzman

Family Relations Coordinator

Michele Guzman is our Family Resource Coordinator. Michele is a Mother on a Mission, after struggling to find the proper services for her adolescent son early in his addiction. Michele has made it her mission is to empower families and loved ones affected by substance abuse by providing Support, Education and Advocacy Services, with Lotus Behavioral Health.

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Lourdes Gonzalez Lebron

Nursing Director

Lourdes Gonzalez Lebron is a dedicated registered nurse with over a decade of experience in healthcare. She earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from the Technological Institute of Puerto Rico, Guayama Campus, in 2011 and is currently completing her bachelor's degree at NUC University. Passionate about caring for others, she began her career with the Puerto Rico National Guard, administering vaccines and managing medical profiles, later gaining experience in phlebotomy and laboratory assistance. In 2016, she moved to Orlando, Florida where she advanced to Nurse Supervisor and developed expertise in mental health and substance abuse treatment for children, adolescents, and adults. Now serving as a Nurse Director at Lotus Behavioral Health, Lourdes is committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for clients, families, and staff while ensuring her team provides consistent medical care. She believes Lotus Behavioral Health is the ideal place to continue developing her skills while making a meaningful impact in the lives of those she serves.

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Nadine Massilon

Psychiatric Provider

Nadine Massilon MSN, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC is a dual board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Nadine has a robust background of 15 + years of experience in healthcare with eight of those as a healthcare provider. Nadine has developed a profound commitment to providing compassionate and evidence-based care to individuals facing substance use and mental health Challenges. Nadine focuses on psychiatric wellness including evaluations with medication management services. Her empathetic approach, combined with clinical expertise, provides a supportive environment where clients teel heard, understood, and empowered to achieve wellness.

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Dr. Robert Watkins III

Medical Director

Dr. Watkins has been practicing Psychiatric Medicine for over 14 years. He completed his Adult Psychiatry training at Columbia University as well as a Child and Adolescent fellowship at the University of Texas. Dr. Watkins works closely with his team to provide the safest and best care possible to kids served. He pushes his team towards excellence and is committed to improving wellness and quality of life.

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