Ariel Favela, MPH

I currently serve as the Neuromodulation Services Manager at Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center (ERC Pathlight). I oversee clinical, administrative, and financial operations of all ERC Pathlight neuromodulation sites along with a great team led by our national medical director.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. After completing my undergraduate degree, I worked as an EMT in Chicago for four years. During that time, I responded to many crisis and psychiatric calls, which sparked my passion for mental health. Later, I pursued my Master of Public Health at Purdue University with a focus in health administration.

In 2018, I transitioned into outpatient mental health care and worked as a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technician, coordinator and practice manager. These experiences allowed me to deeply understand the clinical and operational sides of neuromodulation treatment, including navigating insurance processes and training with top TMS manufacturers such as MagVenture, NeuroStar, and BrainsWay.

In 2021, I joined ERC Pathlight in Chicago and helped launch our very first TMS site. In those early days, I wore many hats—working as a technician, manager, utilization reviewer, patient access coordinator, and more. Building this program from the ground up has been both a challenging and incredibly rewarding journey. In 2022, we expanded our services to three new states—Texas (Plano - Legacy), Colorado (Denver), and Washington (Seattle). By 2023, we opened our fifth site in Maryland (Baltimore). Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team and helping patients recover brings meaning to our work.

Professionally, I’m deeply interested in the evolving research around neuromodulation treatments for conditions beyond depression—such as eating disorders, chronic pain, and other neurological conditions. Personally, I love spending time outdoors, exploring new spots in the city, and trying new foods and restaurants. I also enjoy reading fantasy and fiction, spending time with friends and family.