Our Team
DR VEDASHREE PANTHULU M.D.
Dr. Panthulu (Dr P) has been serving the Sun City Center Community since August 2017. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
She chose rheumatology because it is intellectually challenging and exciting. Recent advances in the treatment options including those on the horizon adds enormous gratification in her patient care. She strives towards improving the quality of life for her patients.
She returned to Florida after completing her rheumatology fellowship at University of Connecticut. She also has three years of experience working as a Hospitalist managing acutely ill patients at Florida Hospital - Heartland Division. She completed her Internal medicine residency from Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY and she got her medical degree from Topiwala National Medical College, Mumbai, India where she is originally from. In addition to English, she can speak Hindi, Marathi, and Telugu.
While not at work, she enjoys her time being with her family which includes 3 beautiful daughters. She also loves beaches, outdoor activities and has a passion for photography.
DR DIANA ZULETA D.O.
Dr Zuleta joined our Sunshine family in Oct 2020. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. Born in Colombia and raised in Central Florida, she received her medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton and completed both her Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at Larkin Hospital, South Miami, FL. She became interested in Rheumatology after she was inspired by her father’s diagnosis with a debilitating autoimmune vasculitis. She is compassionate towards her patients and understands how devastating arthritis and autoimmune conditions can be.
She is bilingual in English and Spanish. She realized that she was destined to pursue the field of rheumatology as she enjoyed being exposed to the variety and intricacy of diseases, procedures, and exciting medications that can help relieve suffering for those affected by these conditions. During her rheumatology training, she served as Chief Rheumatology Fellow and was actively involved in clinical studies.
During her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and dogs, traveling, volunteering, exploring new foods and playing the violin.
JULIE SHAJU APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse)
Julie has worked as a Registered Nurse and Team Leader at Brandon Regional Hospital since 2006. She graduated as a Family Nurse Practitioner from South University, Tampa in 2017. After working as a Nurse Practitioner in various clinical settings she became interested in Rheumatology as she started serving patients with chronic illnesses and realized that she could make a difference by providing compassionate care. She joined Sunshine Rheumatology in January 2021. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Calicut medical College, Kerala, India. During her free time, she enjoys traveling with family, watching movies, engaging in social and cultural activities of church and has a passion for dance and music.
Marissa Galeno : Office Manager
As the Office Manager for Sunshine Rheumatology and Arthritis Center, Marissa oversees all office operations. Having 10 years of experience in the Healthcare Industry, she has worked every aspect of the office including management and billing. Her goal is to incorporate her knowledge and experience to provide the best service and make your visit to our office an amazing experience.
She is born and raised in Tampa, Florida. In her spare time she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and 3 children having adventures, staycations or any family oriented activity. She loves to travel often with her family and spends time at the beach enjoying the beautiful Florida weather.
Melissa : Medical Assistant
Melissa is our infusion medical assistant and she takes a lot of pride in the work she does for our patients.
She loves helping patients receive the care, attention and best medical treatment that can be given. She has been in the medical field since 2007. Melissa graduated from Pima Medical Institute in Arizona and received her Nationally Registered Certified Medical Assistant certification here in Florida. Melissa and her husband moved to Florida with their three children in 2016. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, and catching up on a good show.
Marilyn : Billing Specialist
Marilyn is our billing specialist. She has over 26 years experience in medical coding and billing. She helps patients with any questions they may have regarding their claims, insurance reimbursement or their statements. When Marilyn is not working she loves to spend time in the yard, travel with her husband and shower love on her fur babies.
Judith: Medical Assistant
Judith was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Puerto Rico. She graduated and obtained her medical assistant license in 2006 in Florida. Judith is also one of our amazing Medical Assistants and has been a part of our team since October 2019. Judith is married and has 3 beautiful children. In her free time she loves to cook for her family, watch movies and spend time making memories with her family and friends. Her goal is and will always be to deliver high quality and compassionate patient care.
