Rising Stars: Meet Kemella Sillah of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kemella Sillah.

Hi Kemella, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone (West Africa), and immigrated to the United States at five years old. My family settled in Los Angeles in the Koreatown area, where I grew up learning two powerful lessons early: education changes lives, and service gives life meaning.

From Roscomare Road Elementary in Bel Air to middle school in the Pacific Palisades and University High near UCLA, I fell in love with learning. I initially thought I would become a journalist — I’ve always loved stories. But during college at California State University, Northridge, while earning my degree in Biology, I realized I didn’t just want to tell stories — I wanted to change them.

That realization led me to nursing. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Temple University and was honored to be selected as The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Scholar, serving underserved communities early in my career. Beginning in 2011, I worked as a bedside nurse in medical-surgical, telemetry, and emergency departments. Those years shaped me. I witnessed suffering, resilience, inequity — and strength.

Determined to expand my impact, I earned my Master of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University in 2016. I went on to practice as a Nurse Practitioner in corrections, rural health, occupational medicine, and military settings. I also answered a call to serve by joining the United States Army as a 66P Nurse Practitioner and commissioned Captain. Service has always been central to who I am.

But through every role, one vision stayed with me: creating a space where patients feel seen, heard, and cared for — not rushed, not reduced to numbers, but treated holistically and with dignity.

In 2026, that vision became reality with the founding of Veritas Healthcare PLLC in Lake Havasu, Arizona. “Veritas” means truth — and our mission is simple but powerful: to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care that integrates traditional medicine with functional and preventive approaches. We offer primary care, chronic disease management, occupational health services, IV hydration, and medical weight management — designed for both insured patients and those seeking direct primary care access.

I chose Lake Havasu intentionally. Rural communities deserve high-level care too. My goal is to build something lasting — a clinic rooted in integrity, service, and community collaboration.

I don’t see entrepreneurship as a business venture alone. I see it as an extension of purpose.

As Booker T. Washington once said,
“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”

From Freetown to founding a healthcare practice in America — this journey has been one of faith, resilience, and service. And I’m just getting started.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road — and for a long time, I didn’t feel comfortable saying that out loud.

One of the most defining setbacks of my life happened while I was in graduate school. Before becoming a Nurse Practitioner, I was enrolled in the PharmD program at the University of Southern California. I had worked incredibly hard to get there. Failing out of the program was devastating. It shook my confidence, my identity, and my sense of direction. For years, I carried shame about that chapter of my life.

As a first-generation immigrant, there is often an unspoken pressure to succeed — not just for yourself, but for your family. That experience forced me to confront failure in a very real way. I had to decide whether that moment would define me or refine me.

Instead of quitting healthcare altogether, I recalibrated. I went back to school, earned my nursing degree, and committed myself to serving underserved communities. Eventually, I was given a second chance at graduate education at Georgetown University — one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. Graduating from Georgetown with my Master of Science in Nursing was more than an academic milestone; it was redemption. It was proof that failure is not final.

Beyond academics, there have been other challenges — navigating male-dominated spaces, serving in correctional facilities, working in rural communities with limited resources, and now building a clinic from the ground up. Entrepreneurship comes with uncertainty, financial risk, and emotional weight. But every challenge has strengthened my resilience.

Looking back, I realize that failing out of pharmacy school was not the end of my story — it was the turning point. It humbled me, matured me, and gave me empathy for patients who feel like they’ve failed in life.

Resilience is not about never falling. It’s about rising with wisdom each time you do.

As Nelson Mandela said,
“I never lose. I either win or learn.”

Every setback I’ve experienced has prepared me to lead with compassion, humility, and courage.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and the Founder of Veritas Healthcare PLLC, a modern primary care and integrative medical practice based in Lake Havasu, Arizona.

My clinical background spans correctional medicine, rural health, occupational medicine, military healthcare, and traditional primary care. That diversity has shaped how I practice. I specialize in comprehensive primary care, chronic disease management, occupational health services, and preventive medicine, while also incorporating functional and holistic approaches when appropriate. My goal is to treat the whole person — not just the diagnosis.

At Veritas Healthcare, we offer insurance-based care alongside Direct Primary Care membership options, allowing patients greater access and continuity. We also provide services such as medical weight management, IV hydration therapy, chronic care management, and workplace health services. I designed the clinic to bridge traditional evidence-based medicine with personalized, accessible care.

What sets me apart is perspective. I have practiced in environments where resources were scarce — in correctional facilities, rural communities, and military settings. Those experiences sharpened my clinical decision-making and strengthened my ability to lead under pressure. They also deepened my compassion.

I am especially proud of building a clinic from the ground up — not backed by a large corporation, but built on vision, integrity, and service. Veritas means “truth,” and that word guides how we practice. Patients deserve transparency, education, and partnership in their care.

I am known for being thorough, calm under pressure, and deeply committed to my patients’ outcomes. I don’t rush visits. I listen. I educate. I empower.

More than titles or achievements, what I’m most proud of is this: I took a non-linear journey, faced failure, served in challenging environments, and still had the courage to build something of my own.

That courage — paired with compassion — is what defines my work.

What makes you happy?
Medicine and entrepreneurship are both demanding paths. They require long hours, constant decision-making, and a deep sense of responsibility toward others. For me, the ability to stay happy and grounded despite that pressure comes from remembering my purpose and the journey that brought me here.

When people ask how I stay happy despite the stress of medicine and entrepreneurship, the answer is simple: I stay connected to my purpose. Every patient interaction, every challenge, and every milestone reminds me why I started this journey.

I don’t see entrepreneurship as simply building a business. For me, it is an extension of service.

As Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”

From Freetown to founding a healthcare practice in America, my journey has been one of faith, resilience, and service—and I believe the most meaningful chapters are still ahead.

Pricing:

• $79-$129 Direct Primary Care (DPC)
• $60-$80 Chronic Care Management (CCM
• $149 Elite Essentials
• $249 Elite Plus
• $399 Elite Premier