Nitza N. Rodriguez, DPM

Pediatric Foot & Ankle Specialist
PIA Ponseti Certified Clubfoot Doctor

Nitza N. Rodriguez, DPM, AACFAS is an adult and pediatric foot & ankle specialist in Orange County.  She was born in Nicaragua and raised in San Francisco and is fluent in English and Spanish. Prior to private practice in Ladera Ranch, she was an associate of Northern California Foot & Ankle Center (NCFAC), one of the largest and most highly respected podiatry groups in San Francisco. At NCFAC, she treated all foot and ankle disorders, specializing in lower extremity pediatric deformities. Dr. Rodriguez became a podiatrist driven by her own personal experiences as a child with flatfeet and is therefore passionate about keeping children healthy and active on their feet. She has authored several peer-reviewed articles dealing with pediatric foot evaluations and flatfeet. She had the honor to work with Dr. Mathew Dobbs to author a paper discussing the conservative treatment of vertical talus and has maintained a working relationship with him to ensure complicated clubfoot patients attain the best outcomes.

  • “Rigid Pediatric Pes Planovalgus: Conservative and Surgical Treatment Options.” – Clinics of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (2010)
  • “Clinical Diagnosis and Assessment of the Pediatric Pes Planovalgus Deformity.” – Clinics of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (2010)
  • “Hemorrhagic Ganglion of the Tibialis Anterior Tend on Report of Unusual Variant.” – Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery (2008)

Dr. Rodriguez completed her residency at Kaiser Northbay Consortium, where she received extensive training in conservative, elective, and reconstructive surgical treatment of the foot and ankle. During her residency, she worked closely with Dr. Michael Colburn learning the Ponseti clubfoot casting technique. She was fortunate to travel Iowa for a month to meet and train with her hero, the beloved Dr. Ponseti, with whom she honed her clubfoot casting technique. They developed a bond of friendship and a common goal to end congenital clubfoot disability worldwide. She returned to Iowa several times and still stays connected with Dr. Jose Morcuende ensuring she stays abreast of any new developments in the clubfoot world.

Dr. Rodriguez attended California College of Podiatric Medicine in the San Francisco bay area and earned her Bachelor of Science in biology with an emphasis in neurology, physiology, and behavior at the University of California, Davis (UCD). At UCD she participated in an international medical internship in Managua Nicaragua and worked for the Cooperative Extension collecting data for nutritional research in the Latino community.

With conviction for community service, Dr. Rodriguez is a strong advocate for health awareness and prevention and has participated in various community organizations throughout her life. Dr. R is committed to supporting the clubfoot community and has developed the SCFAS clubfoot club which is a network of families going through the clubfoot journey. She co-founded World Clubfoot Day California, an annual celebration for the clubfoot community, with an opportunity to connect and inspire those locally and support international clubfoot organizations.

Dr. Rodriguez enjoys music and dancing and spending time with loved ones. She has had the privilege of traveling to Europe, Africa, and Latin America and travels frequently to Nicaragua to stay connected with friends and family. Dr. Rodriguez is the mother of a young son and therefore very empathetic when treating families. Learn more about Dr. Rodriguez.

Contact Us

Robert Spencer, DPM

Nitza Rodriguez, DPM

Mario Porciello, DPM

Map & Directions

333 Corporate Drive, Suite 230, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Tel: (949) 364-9255 (WALK)
Fax: (949) 364-9250
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
*(Lunch 12 noon - 1pm)