Our Purpose

Early Detection Changes Lives

Heart disease and cancer are the top two causes of death in America and around the world. These silent killers are taking millions of lives every year because they show no symptoms until it’s too late.

Our mission at Life Guard Imaging is to scan our patients annually through a long-term preventative program.

Our low radiation, high-resolution CT scanner creates 3D images of a patient’s internal organs, aiding in the detection of these deadly diseases before their first symptoms are felt. Early detection saves lives.

For example, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in America, yet it has the highest survival rate. Why? Early detection through annual mammograms.

get to know us

Meet The Life Guard Imaging Team

Frank Maldonado

Director of Operations

Frank G. Maldonado was born and raised in Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in Health. He originally had a career in the entertainment industry where he appeared in motion pictures, television series and commercials.

He is married to the love of his life, and the proud father of three. Frankie is an avid sports fan, enjoys working out and traveling with his family.

Losing his Father to pancreatic cancer was devastating and motivated him to change his course in life. Frankie has dedicated himself in the endeavor of helping families to not suffer the loss of a loved one to these terrible, deadly diseases by Saving Lives Through Early Detection. This has been the most rewarding experience in his professional career and is the soul motivation for Life Guard Imaging.

Brandi McMillan, R.T.(R)(CT)

Senior Patient Advocate

Brandi McMillan, R.T.(R)(CT)- Senior Patient Advocate has been performing CT scans for over 14 years. She is registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and holds multiple state licenses.

She has lived in the Tampa area for almost two years with her long-term boyfriend and is happy to now be a resident of the great state of Florida. She traveled around the US as a travel CT Technologist off and on for seven years working at Stanford Healthcare Clinics, Emory Healthcare, Moffitt Cancer Center and other various facilities dedicated to healthcare excellence. She grew up in Alabama where she attended Auburn University Montgomery and then graduated from Baptist Medical Center South School of Radiologic Technology. She enjoys experiencing new cultures while traveling to new places, the beach, lake, hanging out with friends and family, working out and spending time with her new Dalmatian puppy, Niko.

Brandi has tragically lost family members and friends to cancer and heart disease and knew from an early age she wanted to be involved in healthcare and helping people. She is very excited and blessed to be a part of saving lives here at Life Guard Imaging.

Stephanie Martin, A.S., R.T. (R)(CT)(ARRT)

Director of Imaging

Stephanie Martin, A.S., R.T. (R)(CT)(ARRT) has been working in Radiology/CT since 2011. She currently holds licenses in 3 states and is registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technology in both radiography and computed tomography. She has worked in various clinical settings, ranging from a critical access hospital to a trauma center, and from outpatient imaging to a cancer research facility.

Stephanie has lived in the Tampa Bay area for almost 3 years with her faithful dog Jasper. She was born and raised in southern Indiana, where she attended radiography school and finished her degree. When you don’t find her here at the office, she enjoys going to concerts, sporting events, and the beach. She also loves to go back home and spend time with her friends and family, especially her nephews.

Stephanie has seen firsthand, throughout her career, the effects that early detection and preventative care can have on her patients’ lives. She is thrilled to be a part of the Life Guard Imaging team!

Kevin Poulin, A.S., R.T. (R)(CT)(ARRT)

CT Technologist

Kevin Poulin, A.S. R.T.(R)(CT)(ARRT) began working in Radiology in 2013. He is registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in both Radiography and Computed Tomography and holds licenses in multiple states. In 2009, he had a scare with cancer and found great comfort and support from the technologists and nurses he interacted with during that time. He went back to school in hopes of being able to make a difference in people’s lives like they had for him and graduated from Hillsborough Community College in 2013 with an A.S. in Radiography.

Kevin has lived in the Tampa Bay Area since 2003. He was born and raised in New Hampshire before escaping the cold New England winters for the beautiful Sunshine State. He shares his life with his future wife and stepdaughter. They enjoy their free time traveling, having family time, upgrading their home, and spending time throughout the year planning and preparing their animated holiday light displays for Halloween and Christmas.

Kevin is blessed and thankful to be a part of a company where he gets to help make a difference in people’s lives and give people a chance to spend more time with their loved ones.

Janelle Longobardi, R.T. (R)(CT)(ARRT)

CT Technologist

Janelle Longobardi, R.T.(R)(CT)(ARRT) was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ and graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Health Administration. She was a competitive gymnast and dancer growing up and throughout college, which initially spurred her interest in the human body and its capabilities. Previous to Radiology, she was a Program Director of multiple athletic facilities and a Regional Training Facilitator for hospitality companies. She never felt she was fulfilling her purpose in those industries, so she returned to healthcare hoping to make a difference.

Janelle then pursued a secondary degree in Radiologic Sciences and has been a CT Technologist for the past 5 years in acute care, stroke, and trauma centers. 

She is excited to offer her expertise and service to Life Guard Imaging and helping people be proactive about their health through early detection. 

She has witnessed the relief and security it can bring to families to be ahead of the curve and is grateful to be a part of an organization that offers that peace of mind.  

When she isn’t working, Janelle enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, baking, weight training, and teaching children’s dance classes. You can usually find her small Yorkshire terrier, Tilly, alongside her at all of these activities as well!  

Thomas Atlas M.D

Radiologist

Thomas Atlas M.D. is a practicing Radiologist, for Life Guard Imaging. His private practice includes extensive work with lung cancer screening, full body screening, virtual colonoscopy, and calcium scores. He received his medical degree from the University of Southern California and board certification in Diagnostic Radiology from Baylor College in Houston. In addition to reading studies, he actively works to standardize and streamline reporting based on the most current guidelines.

He serves as director of the Sacramento Ultrasound Institute, a school for technologists, and as a member of HeartLung.AI, an innovative company using deep learning to automate cardiac and lung cancer screening.

Dr. Atlas is very excited to be working with Life Guard Imaging to help Save Lives Through Early Detection and Preventative Screening.

Phyllis Kapellen, M.D.

Medical Director

Phyllis Kapellen, MD completed both her undergraduate and medical school degrees at the University of Arizona in Tucson. After medical school, she left Tucson to pursue her Diagnostic Radiology training, completing her internship and Radiology residency at St. Luke’s Medical Center within the Aurora Healthcare system in Milwaukee, WI.

After achieving board certification with the American Board of Radiology, the call to duty brought her to Dayton, OH for four years of active duty service as a practicing Radiologist in the USAF during Desert Storm, achieving the rank of Major at the time of her honorable discharge.

The desire for further subspecialty training in Musculoskeletal Radiology brought her to Edmond, OK for one year at Edmond Medical Center. She then began her private teleradiology practice, consulting with numerous imaging centers including work with lung cancer screening and full body screening. Dr. Kapellen serves as Medical Director for our Tampa facility. Her extensive knowledge and experience are major assets to Life Guard Imaging.

“First class, professional, personable, and life saving! Results of my full body scan were in my email the next day, followed by a call from Frank Maldonado, Director, who recommended I consult a cardiologist based on concerning findings of the cardiac scan. As a former Registered Nurse, I understand the importance of early detection and intervention. Thank you Frank and Amy!”

WHY EARLY DETECTION IS NECESSARY

We’re here to help

We bring true awareness to annual health and wellness initiatives. We take the guesswork out of healthcare by providing three-dimensional images for the internal organs of the torso. The data produced by our scans provide information that can’t be captured through basic blood cultures. It aids in detecting abnormalities that could be developing into potentially harmful health issues.

  • Your first scan is used as a baseline for all future scans. If anything changes, your healthcare professionals can plan a course of action to treat the illness.