About Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists
More options. Greater expertise. Expanded pathways to innovative care.
PNS was founded on a simple conviction: that every person deserves access to compassionate, expert psychiatric care. Since 2006, we’ve grown into one of Southern California’s largest outpatient psychiatric groups without losing sight of what brought us here.
We are committed to offering expert, compassionate psychiatric care for every patient who needs it. All with the professionalism, scale, and advanced capabilities to make a real difference in a rapidly changing world.
Who We Are
Helping people find a path forward
Mental health treatment isn’t always a straight line. Some patients benefit from therapy alone. Others require medication management, advanced treatment options, or a combination of approaches over time.
That’s why we take a personalized approach to care. Our providers work closely with patients to understand their symptoms, treatment history, goals, and concerns before developing a plan designed around their unique needs.
Whether someone is seeking support for anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, or a more complex mental health condition, our goal is the same: helping patients access the care, resources, and support they need to move forward with confidence.
PNS offers a broad spectrum of mental health services under one connected practice, making it easier for patients to receive coordinated care as their needs evolve.
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Medication Management -
Psychotherapy
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TMS Therapy
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Ketamine Treatment
Scale with a personal touch
Our multidisciplinary team includes psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, therapists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals.
Advanced treatment options
PNS offers the tools that make a difference when standard treatments fall short, including TMS Therapy, Spravato® (esketamine), IV ketamine therapy, and pharmacogenomic testing.
Clinical research
PNS is an active clinical research site. Our providers participate in trials evaluating emerging treatments for depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions, giving our patients access to cutting edge treatments.
Language access
PNS providers collectively speak English, Spanish, Farsi, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Mandarin, and more, because mental health care should be accessible regardless of the language you’re most comfortable in.
What Sets Us Apart
Mental health care that grows with you
We are an established organization with a growing footprint, serving communities across Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire.
We are committed to continuing to expand our provider base, our physical presence, and our in-house capabilities to better serve our clients wherever and however we can.
20+
years in operation
60+
full-time providers
200+
clinical trials
8
locations
Milestone moments
Leadership Team
Guiding the future of mental health care
PNS is led by a team of clinical and operational leaders committed to expanding access to high-quality mental health care throughout Southern California. Together, they help shape the organization’s clinical standards, treatment offerings, provider network, and long-term vision for growth.
Alejandro Alva, MD
CEO, Founder
Alejandro Alva, MD, is the Founder and CEO of Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists (PNS). He sees psychiatric patients of all ages at the practice’s three offices in Costa Mesa, Orange, and Huntington Beach, California, with a focus on substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment and general psychiatric disorders.
Jacques Ambrose
CMO
Dr. Ambrose is the Chief Medical Officer of PNS. He specializes in treatment-refractory mood disorders and interventional psychiatry for adult and child and adolescent populations. Dr. Ambrose completed his clinical training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital, and holds a Master’s in Health Management and Public Policy from Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Aashish Patel
COO
Aashish is a seasoned operational leader adept at helping companies grow. Prior to joining PNS, Aashish served as CEO of Clinnova Research Solutions, as an executive leading technology and financial strategy at Warner Bros., and as a consultant with Accenture. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from UCSD and MBA from UCLA Anderson.
Yatin Bera
CFO
Yatin Bera is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive experience across a broad range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, agriculture and nonprofit organizations. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer for Advantage Health Care Services, one of the largest specialty pharmacies in the United States, and as a consultant with Ernst & Young. Yatin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from California State University, Fullerton.
Sheena Patel
Senior Clinical Director
Sheena Patel, PA-C, is a board-certified Physician Assistant at Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists (PNS), focusing on mental health and psychiatry. As Director of Clinical Services and lead PA, she is a key member of the management team. Based primarily in Costa Mesa and Orange, she also oversees the hiring, training, and supervision of PAs across all PNS offices.
Innovating our approach through clinical research
Clinical research has long played an important role in the evolution of psychiatric care. PNS has participated in research involving emerging treatments and innovative approaches designed to improve outcomes for patients.
This commitment to research helps inform how we evaluate new treatment options and expand access to care for patients who may benefit from approaches beyond traditional therapies.
Get in touch
Whether you’re seeking information about our services, exploring a partnership opportunity, referring a patient, or simply have a question, our team is here to help. Contact PNS to connect with the right department and get the information you need.
Meet our providers
Behind every patient experience is a team of experienced psychiatrists, therapists, psychologists, and mental health professionals dedicated to delivering personalized care. Explore our provider directory to find the clinician, specialty, and treatment approach that’s right for you.