About us
Florida Fertility Institute is a state-of-the-art national practice that offers comprehensive advanced reproductive treatment services. The Institute’s highly qualified team of fertility professionals combines medical and scientific expertise with individualized and compassionate patient care to assist infertile couples achieve their dream of having a family.
Compassionate Doctor Recognition (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018)
Compassionate Doctor certification is granted to physicians who treat their patients with the utmost kindness. The honor is granted based on a physician’s overall and bedside manner scores.
Patients’ Choice Award (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)
Patients’ Choice recognition reflects the difference a particular physician has made in the lives of his/her patients. The honor is bestowed to physicians who have received near perfect scores, as voted by patients.
Our Physicians
Mark D. Sanchez, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Dr. Sanchez graduated from the University of South Florida in 1991 with a Bachelors of Science in Biology. He subsequently attended the University of Florida College of Medicine, and graduated in 1995 with a Doctorate in Medicine. From 1995 to 1999 Dr. Sanchez performed his Internship and Residency at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he received several honors and awards including outstanding laparoscopic surgeon. Following his residency, Dr. Sanchez completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of South Florida where he presently serves as an Instructor.
Dr. Sanchez is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and subspecialty certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, and the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists. Dr. Sanchez remains active in the education of residents in training.He is an Assistant Professor at Florida State University’s college of Medicine, faculty at Bayfront Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Associate Program Director, Director of REI and clinical research director at Brandon Regional Hospitals OB/GYN Residency. He is also an Adjunct Professor at NOVA University.
Mark Sanchez, M.D. Curriculum Vitae
Yissa Fonticiella, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Dr. Fonticiella is a Board certified OBGYN specialist with training in reproductive care. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics.
Dr. Fonticiella earned her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Dominica and completed her residency at Bayfront Health in St. Petersburg, Florida where she was elected Administrative Chief Resident. She is fluent in Spanish.
Ancillary Providers
Nurse Practitioner – Deborah Martin, A.P.R.N.
Deborah Martin A.P.R.N. received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Florida in 1985 and graduated from the OB-GYN Nurse Practitioner Program at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in 1990.
Deborah Martin A.P.R.N. has been nationally certified as a Woman’s Health Nurse Practitioner since 1990. She is an active member of numerous professional organizations including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, West Coast Council of Advanced Nursing Practice, Tampa Bay Advanced Nursing Council, American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for Nursing.
Deborah joined the Florida Fertility Institute in 1999 and has focused her career on providing professional, compassionate gynecologic care to women of all ages. She is active in clinical medical research and has participated as a sub-investigator in over 60 clinical studies.
Embryologist / Andrologist – Jennifer Mae Linn, M.S.
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science from Newberry College and then proceeded to obtain a second Bachelor of Science in Animal and Veterinary Science at Clemson University. She then received her Masters in Biomedical Science, Embryology and Andrology from Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Following matriculation she worked as a staff embryologist at Reproductive Biology Associates in Atlanta. She joined the staff of Florida Fertility Institute in January of 2018.
Jennifer has published fourteen scientific articles in various medical journals.
Embryology Laboratory Director- Sungmi Choi, MSc, ELD
Sungmi received a Master of Science degree in developmental biology from Sungshin Women’s University Graduate School in Seoul, South Korea. She started working as an embryologist in 1997 at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), the IVF center to do the first In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) in South Korea.
She is a certified Embryology Laboratory Director (ELD), and Technical Supervisor (Ts) for Andrology and Embryology by American Board of Bioanalysis. She has been working 25 years as an embryologist including the Director of the University of Miami Infertility IVF Lab for 10 years. She is an active member of American Society of Reproductive Medicine and American Association of Bioanalysis.
“Choi”, as she prefers to be called, joined as the Embryology Laboratory Director of Florida Fertility Institute in November 2020.