Women's Voices For Change

Patricia Yarberry Allen, M.D., is a gynecologist, director of the New York Menopause Center, a Clinical Assistant Professor of  Obstetrics and Gynecology at  Weill Cornell Medical College, and an Assistant Attending Obstetrician and Gynecologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital (1985-present). She is a board certified fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Allen is also a member of the Faculty Advisory Board and the Women’s Health Director of The Weill Cornell Community Clinic (WCCC), a student-led initiative aimed at providing high-quality and equitable health care to uninsured individuals in New York City. She is a member of the North American Menopause Society. Dr. Allen was the recipient of the 2014 American Medical Women’s Association Presidential Award.

The president and a founding member of the board of Women’s Voices for Change, Dr. Allen is a spokeswoman on women’s health. She was the inaugural speaker for the Iris Cantor Lecture Series on Women’s Health at the American Hospital in Paris, and has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, regional newspapers and major television news programs on women’s health issues. Dr. Allen joined the board of the University of Louisville Kentucky Author Forum, a non-profit, literary event dedicated to showcasing renowned authors and interviewers in Louisville community, conversations then nationally distributed on PBS under the title “Great Conversations.”

 

Baxter B. Allen, M.D., is a board-certified neurologist, graduate of New York Presbyterian Hospital Neurology Residency program and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellow at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Allen has been involved in head trauma research for the last five years and is a Neurocritical Care fellow at UCLA.

 

 

Phyllis August, M.D., is the Ralph A Baer MD Professor of Research in Medicine at Weill Cornell, where she has been on the faculty for 25 years. Dr. August graduated from Harvard College, Yale Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. She trained in Internal Medicine and Nephrology and Hypertension at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell. She is the Director of the Cornell Hypertension Center and the Program Director of the Nephrology Training Program at New York Presbyterian-Cornell. Dr. August is the Theresa Lang Director of the Lang Center for Research and Education at New York Hospital Queens. Dr. August’s research has focused on hypertension in pregnancy, and hypertension associated with kidney disease. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for many years and has been published extensively in major medical journals Dr. August is a frequent speaker at international and national meetings. Her clinical practice at Weill Cornell focuses on nephrology and hypertension, particularly in women.

 

James. A. Blake M.D., is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. He graduated from the University of Rochester where he was elected into Phi Beta Kappa and obtained his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his medical residency and cardiovascular fellowship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Weill Medical Center. Dr. Blake is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Medicine, with additional subspecialty certification in Echocardiography and Nuclear Cardiology. He has been featured in New York Magazine’s Best Doctors, The New York Times Super Doctors and Castle and Connolly’s Top Doctors. He is the senior cardiologist practicing at Cardiovascular Prevention and Therapeutics of New York (www.nycpt.org) and remains affiliated with the New York Presbyterian Hospital as an attending physician and clinical assistant professor of medicine.

 

Steven M. Butensky, D.D.S., is a clinical associate professor in Post-Graduate Prosthodontics as well as the director of aesthetic dentistry in the Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics at New York University and maintains a private practice in New York City. A skilled dental clinician and lecturer with over 20 years experience, Dr. Butensky received his B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Environmental Sciences from Syracuse University, his D.D.S. degree from the Medical College of Virginia and his certificate in Prosthodontics from New York University College of Dentistry. Dr. Butensky is a member of the ADA, Academy of Osseointegration, the American College of Prosthodontics and he is a fellow of the Northeastern Gnathological Society.In addition to teaching the Aesthetic Continuum on Porcelain Laminate Veneers, Dr. Butensky is the past Professor of Prosthodontics for Aesthetic Advantage’s Hands-on Aesthetic Post-Graduate programsat New York University.

 

Gayatri Devi, M.D., MS, FAAN, is the Director of The New York Memory & Healthy Aging Services and an Attending Physician at Lenox Hill Hospital. She is one of five physicians in the United States who is triple board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Neurology, Pain Medicine and Psychiatry.  She is additionally boarded in Behavioral Neurology. She is an elected fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Devi has specialized in the early diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders related to aging, head injury, and menopause for 21 years.

Dr. Devi completed her training at SUNY Downstate, serving as Chief Resident of Neurology. She then became a Behavioral Neurology Fellow at Columbia University, after which she was an Assistant Professor at SUNY Stony Brook, and Director of the Long Island Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Dr. Devi returned to Columbia University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology, and became Director of the Memory Disorders Center at the Center for Women’s Health at Columbia Presbyterian-Eastside. She established the New York Memory and Healthy Aging Services in 1999.  She served as associate professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine until 2015.

Dr. Devi has over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals on the topic of memory loss. She has presented at national and international conferences, including the annual meetings of the American Neurological Association, the European Federation of Neurologic Sciences, the North American Menopause Society, and the European Menopause Society. Her current focus of research is the use of brain stimulation to treat Alzheimer’s disease, menopause related cognitive impairment and cognitive disorders.

Dr. Devi serves as consultant to the New York State Committee for Physician’s Health, assessing physicians on behalf of the CPH for cognitive and neurologic deficits. She also serves as a neurologic consultant to the National Football League in the assessment of players with concussions and other sports related injuries.

She has discussed memory disorders on the BBC, NPR, CBS, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and TIME. She is President of the not-for-profit National Council on Women’s Health, and serves on the board of the Partnership for Gender Specific Medicine at Columbia University. Dr. Devi was elected president of the American Medical Woman’s Association for the 2012-2013 term. She established the Sex Trafficking Task Force at AMWA. She is a proud member of the NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol Mounted Auxiliary Unit. She has been chosen as a Super Doctor® for many years, a peer reviewed selection of the top 5% of New York City neurologists.  She is the author of “Estrogen, Memory and Menopause” (Alphasigma Press; 2000), “What your doctor may not tell you about Alzheimer’s Disease” (Time Warner Books; 2004), and “A Calm Brain” (Penguin Books, 2012).  She is currently working on her fourth book, “No Stranger in the Mirror: Alzheimer’s and other dementias” (Workman, NY).

 

Susan Drossman, M.D., is a clinical professor of radiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and practices ar Mount Sinai Medical Center, with a specialty in interventional breast imaging. After her residencies at NYU Medical Center and CPUMC, Dr. Rossman also received a fellowship in Breast-Body Imaging from Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

 

Tanaka J. Dune, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urology at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is an advocate for women and is dedicated to women’s health, economical advancement and education. Dr. Dune received her medical degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She went on to complete her Obstetrics and Gynecology training from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois and subsequently her Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Training at Loyola University Medical Center also in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Dune teaches medical students and residents and is dedicated to the surgical and clinical care of her patients. Dr. Dune’s research interests include the female urinary microbiome and promoting new knowledge that the urinary bladder is really not sterile as well as promoting the judicious use of antibiotics.

 

Timothy C. Dutta, M.D., FACC, practices cardiology and internal medicine in New York, New York.  He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology and serves on the Medicine Quality Assurance committee.  He is affiliated with New York Presbyterian hospital and is a member of the Medical Board.  His cardiology expertise includes preventive cardiology, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, echocardiography, and stress testing.

 

Dr. Theodore R. Fields has had a special clinical and research interest in gout, dating back to basic research on uric acid crystals during his fellowship and more recent clinical study of unusual presentations of gout and on gout treatment. He is especially interested in and has published several articles on how to best educate people about gout. He is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and an Attending Rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

 

Cecilia M. Ford, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in private practice in New York with over 30 years experience. She has post graduate training in psychoanalysis, marriage and family counseling, and sex therapy. Educated at Stanford University, New York University, and the City University of New York, Dr. Ford has served as an adjunct professor in psychology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Teachers College of Columbia University, and The City University of New York. In addition to Women’s Voices for Change, her articles have appeared in American Psychologist, among others.

 

Melissa Frey, M.D., is a Gynecologic Oncologist and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Frey graduated from Duke University where she was elected into Phi Beta Kappa and earned her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine / New York-Presbyterian Hospital and fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at New York University Langone Medical Center.

Dr. Frey has a busy gynecologic oncology clinical practice and is active in the Weill Cornell Medical College where she teaches medical students, residents and fellows. Dr. Frey’s research focuses on genetics and genomics in gynecologic cancer. She has presented her work at national and international meetings and has more than 30 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Much of her research has explored genetic syndromes that predispose to gynecologic cancer including hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (BRCA1/BRCA2) and Lynch syndrome. Dr. Frey is also committed to providing treatment to underserved populations internationally. She has traveled to Central America, South America and Africa to provide basic health care and surgical management for gynecologic disease. 

 

Brian Gelbman M.D., is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Sleep Medicine and Critical Care Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). Dr. Gelbman was President for the New York State Thoracic Society 2014-2015.

Dr. Gelbman’s special area of interests include early detection of lung cancer and has advanced training in bronchoscopy techniques for diagnosing lung cancer, such as Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided biopsy (EBUS) and Navigational Bronchoscopy.  Dr. Gelbman has performed research in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema and ciliary disorders of the airway.  He has written several original articles, reviews and abstracts on COPD, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Bronchiolitis Obliterans, and smoking related disease of the lungs.

Dr. Gelbman was raised in South Florida and Peekskill, NY.  After attending Cornell University in Ithaca, NY for his undergraduate training, and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for medical school, he returned to New York Presbyterian Hospital for his post-graduate training in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary and Critical Medicine.

During his residency training at Cornell, he met his wife, Joy Kaplan Gelbman M.D., who is now a Cardiologist at New York Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center.  Together, they have three children and live in Brooklyn Heights.

 

Roy G. Geronemus, M.D., director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, graduated from Harvard University and pursued his medical education at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He trained in Dermatology at the New York University Medical Center, where he was the Chief Resident, and subsequently underwent a fellowship training in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology. A Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the New York University Medical Center, Dr. Geronemus has founded its laser program and served nine years as its Chief of Dermatologic and Laser Surgery. He is also the Director of the Skin/Laser Division in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary. He is Past President of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. He has received the Ellet H. Drake Award for outstanding contributions to laser medicine and the Leon Goldman award for excellence in clinical laser research.

Dr. Geronemus has been a featured speaker of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery for many years, as well as speaking to other national and international audiences. He has published over 200 medical articles, chapters and books, including the most recent 2nd Edition of Illustrated Cutaneous and Aesthetic Laser Surgery. He has been involved with the development of several new laser systems and therapeutic techniques, which are now commonly used throughout the world. He has been listed in New York Magazine’s Best Doctors in New York 12 times, three times in Woodward and White’s Best Doctors in America and in Town & Country’s Best Cosmetic Surgeons.

 

Dr. Kirsten O. Healy is the Associate Medical Director of The Foundation for Gender-Specific Medicine.  Dr. Healy has been a cardiologist at New York Cardiology Associates since 2010 and is an attending cardiologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center.  She is board certified in both internal medicine and cardiology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Healy received her undergraduate degree at Brown University where she graduated with honors and majored in neuroscience and psychology. At Brown, she was captain of the women’s tennis team and was the recipient of the Nancy B. Parker Sportsmanship Award. She went on to obtain her M.D. degree from Upstate Medical University where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She was awarded the Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Award from the American Medical Women’s Association.

Dr. Healy completed her internship and residency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center where she was elected chief medical resident for the Department of Medicine.  She received several accolades including the Medicine Consult of the Year and the Columbia University Gold Foundation Teaching Award.

Dr. Healy completed her fellowship training at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center with a focus on clinical cardiology and echocardiography. She has presented at numerous national conferences and was the recipient of the American Heart Association Women in Cardiology Trainee Award for Excellence as well as the American Heart Association Laennec Young Clinician Award.

Dr. Healy resides in New York City with her husband and their two daughters.

 

Rekha B. Kumar, M.D., is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York Presbyterian Hospital and a member of the team of The Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine.

 

Hilda Hutcherson, M.D., professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, is the author of Having Your Baby: A Guide for African American Women, What Your Mother Never Told You About Sex and Pleasure: A Woman’s Guide to Getting the Sex You Want, Need and Deserve. She was recently named by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of America’s Leading Physicians, one of the Top Doctors in New York in the Castle Connoly Guide, and is included in the Best Doctors in America database. Dr. Hutcherson’s devotion to women’s empowerment and education is supported by her monthly sexual health column in Glamour. She is a Contributing Editor at Redbook and frequent contributor to Essence. An online advisor for Parents magazine and Glamour, she has been quoted in O Magazine, Heart and Soul, Cosmopolitan, MORE, Upscale, Allure, Health, Redbook, Parents, and Marie Claire. Dr. Hutcherson’s TV appearances include spots on Oprah, Rachael Ray, Montel, 20/20, Today, Good Morning America, the Early Show, ABC Nightly News, and Nightline.

 

Richard S. Isaacson, M.D., currently serves as Director of the Neurology Residency Training Program and and Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic, Weill Cornell Memory Disorders Program. He previously served as Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Vice Chair of Education, and Education Director of the McKnight Brain Institute in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, and his medical internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL. Prior to joining UM, he served as Associate Medical Director of the Wien Center for Alzheimer’s disease and Memory Disorders at Mount Sinai.

 

Elizabeth Jelks, M.D., is an ophthalmologist based in Manhattan, works in close association with Dr. Glenn W. Jelks, M.D., including evaluation of surgical patients, in the operating theatre and aesthetic supplementary procedures. Her first career in medicine was as an emergency physician; she now focuses on reconstructive eyelid and facial surgery and all aspects of cosmetic surgery. An expert in oculoplastic surgery, Dr. Jelks has co-authored medical journal articles and chapters related to oculoplastic surgery and conducts courses in the subject as well.

 

Jason S. Kendler, M.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is a gradulate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed his post-graduate training at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he served as Chief Medical Resident. Dr. Kendler is now Course Director for Medicine, Patients and Society 2, a course for second year medical students at the Weill Cornell Medical College. He maintains an active practice in Internal Medicine in Manhattan and has a special interest in travel medicine.

 

Thomas M. Kolb, M.D., is widely regarded as leader in the field of women’s health care and imaging. He is an assistant clinical professor of Radiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and is in private practice in New York City specializing in the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer in young, predominantly hi-risk premenopausal women. Dr. Kolb has been on the faculty of numerous medical educational meetings, and he has lectured throughout the U.S. and internationally on the topic of breast cancer detection and diagnosis, including at the New York Academy of Sciences and chairing multiple sessions at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. In 1998, Dr. Kolb published the first contemporary study detailing the use of breast ultrasound to detect cancers. An original founder of the New York Breast Cancer Study, Dr. Kolb and was co-author of its research publication “Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risks Due to Inherited Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2” published in the journal Science in 2003 detailing the clinical effect of breast cancer genetic mutations. Dr. Kolb’s research interests focus on the critical evaluation of current breast cancer screening modalities, genetic predispositions to breast cancer, and the use of novel techniques and technologies for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Currently, he is a principal investigator of the North American Digital Breast Tomosynthesis project trial which is analyzing a novel mammographic technology that acquires multiplanar images of the breasts. He directs one of only five sites that possess this technology.

 

Brian Landzberg, M.D., is a gastroenterologist and liver specialist affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Hospital for Special Surgery where he serves as Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. His particular areas of clinical interest are celiac disease, functional gastrointestinal disorders including constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, gastritis, GERD and liver disease. He has published and lectured on these topics and maintains a very active clinical practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

 

Steven K. Magid, M.D., is a graduate of Brandeis University, and Cornell University Medical College. After completing his Internship and Residency at the New York Hospital, he completed his Fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery. From 1981- to the present, he has been on staff at New York-Presbyterian Hospital the Hospital for Special Surgery and is presently an Associate Attending of Clinical Medicine. He has a very large clinical practice specializing in General Rheumatology; with particular emphasis on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Lyme Disease, as well as Osteoarthritis. Through the years Dr. Magid has published on a variety of subjects including Osteoarthritis, Lyme Disease, Pregnancy and Arthritis. . He is active in Weill-Cornell Medical College teaching program, teaching Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows. His recent interests include Quality and Safety as well as Medical Informatics. He is Chairman of the HSS Safety Committee, Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chair of the Clinical Informatics Committee. His research interests include Medical Informatics, Bibliometrics and Patient Safety/Quality.

 

Sharmila Makhija, M.D., FACOG, MBA, an international expert on gynecologic cancer, currently serves as Department Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health, Professor of Gynecologic Oncology, and the The Chella and Moise Safra Endowed Chair at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center.

Dr. Makhija earned her B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University and her medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Louisville Hospital and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She received her executive MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School.

Dr. Makhija has held faculty positions at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she received the medical education award and the Argus Teaching Award from the medical school. At Emory University, she was division chief of gynecologic oncology, a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar, and the Leach Endowed Chair in obstetrics and gynecology. She served as Department Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, was a tenured professor of gynecologic oncology and the Donald E. Baxter Endowed Chair in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. While there, she also served as the Chief Medical and Operations Officer for the Center for Women and Infants. At the University of Louisville College of Business executive MBA program, she was an instructor for the course “Economics of Health Sector Management.”

Dr. Makhija has published and lectured nationally and internationally on developmental therapeutics, such as gene therapy and monoclonal antibody therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer, for which she received NIH funding as a Women’s Reproductive Health Research Scholar. She has been the Primary Investigator or Co-Primary Investigator for 15 translational/clinical grants and protocols for the NIH, NCI and pharmaceutical companies, including the HPV vaccine trials. She has served as a reviewer for the Department of Defense and the NIH Clinical Oncology Study Section.

Dr. Makhija established a NCI cooperative trial site at Tata Hospital in Mumbai, India to bring cervical cancer trials to patients who most needed access to the latest therapies. She has continued her work in India and serves as the Women’s Health Co-Chair for the upcoming Global Healthcare Summit in New Delhi, India in 2016, sponsored by the AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) with a focus on Maternal and Infant Mortality.

Dr. Makhija is presently on the editorial board for the Journal of Oncology Practice and has served on the editorial boards for the Women’s Oncology Review Journal and International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. She is a reviewer for the journals Gynecologic Oncology, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, and Clinical Cancer Research.

Dr. Makhija is a graduate of Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), serves on their advisory board and was an elected representative for AAMC CFAS (American Association of Medical Colleges, Council of Faculty and Academic Societies) while at the University of Louisville. She has served as a board of director member of numerous local, state and national organizations including the University of Louisville Medical Center, KMRRRG malpractice, KY Medicaid (Passport). She currently serves on the Foundation for Women’s Cancers and the Indo-American Cancer Association. Dr. Makhija has been listed as a “Top Doctor in America” since 2008.

 

Andrew Martorella, M.D., received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in the year 2000. He completed a residency program in internal medicine at the Boston University Medical Center in the year 2003. He then completed a fellowship program in endocrinology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2005. He is currently an Assistant Attending Physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital and holds an academic teaching position as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is an active member The Endocrine Society (TES), and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE).

 

Stephanie Middleberg, MS, RD, CDN, is the founder of Middleberg Nutrition, a health and wellness practice based in New York City. Stephanie earned her Masters in clinical science and her RD at New York University. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she graduated with distinction.

 

Elisa Port, M.D., FACS is a renowned breast surgeon who joined Mount Sinai as Chief of Breast Surgery and Co-Director of the Dubin Breast Center.  After receiving her medical degree from Mount Sinai in 1992, Dr. Port was a general surgery resident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles until 1994. She then joined Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for a breast cancer surgery research fellowship, and later completed a general surgery residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. In 1999 she joined the staff of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Breast Surgery Service where she remained until her Mount Sinai appointment in early 2010.

Dr. Port is one of the busiest breast surgeons in New York State, performing hundreds of operations each year. She is a leading expert in sentinel-node biopsy, a procedure that allows physicians to determine the patient’s breast cancer stage, and nipple sparing mastectomy, as well as the use of breast MRI.

Dr. Port has also been a leader in breast cancer research. Through a grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Dr. Port researched PET scanning in the preoperative staging of patients with breast cancer, and with funding from the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Port conducted a trial investigating the role of COX-2 inhibitors in breast cancer.

Dr. Port’s research has been widely published in numerous journals, including the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Annals of Surgery, and Cancer Research. Dr. Port is also a member of several professional associations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Diseases, the Society of Surgical Oncology, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She is an invited speaker in numerous national forums including the national meetings of the aforementioned societies.

As Co-Director of the Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Port is working to create a center which will offer the latest, most innovative approaches available for breast health and the treatment of cancer.

 

Leila Rafla-Demetrious, M.D.,  is a board certified ophthalmologist. She is fellowship-trained in the medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma, a potentially blinding disease. She also sees and treats general ophthalmologic medical and surgical conditions. Dr. Rafla-Demetrious performs cataract surgery, as well as other anterior segment procedures. She has been a proud part of the Ophthalmology service at Weill-Cornell Medical Centert at Presbyterian Hospital for over eleven years.

 

Elena S. Resnick, M.D. is an Internist and Allergist/Immunologist in New York City. She completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard College and went on to medical school and Internal Medicine Residency at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. She then continued at Mt. Sinai Medical Center as a Fellow in Allergy/Immunology where she was on the faculty for several years before going in to private practice.

 

 

Anetta Reszko, M.D. Ph.D., is a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon; director of New York Skin Institute and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College; and an Assistant Attending Dermatology at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Reszko is a board certified dermatologist and a fellow of American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, and American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. She has published over 20 scientific research articles, reviews and book chapters. Her clinical practice in Manhattan is focused on early skin cancer detection and treatment, laser surgery.

 

Megan Riddle, M.D. Ph.D. MS, is fellow in consult liaison psychiatry at the University of Washington and is completing her second year as an APA Leadership Fellow. She is a graduate of the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program where her research focused on the biological mechanisms of eating disorders, looking at the effect of dieting on anxiety and fear learning in mice. She plans to continue to work with individuals struggling with eating issues after she completes training.  She has a strong interest in women’s mental health, including perinatal psychiatry and LGBTQ issues.

 

Lauri Romanzi, M.D.,is  a Clinical Associate Professor in the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Division of the Department of Urology at NYU Langone Medical Center. She is co-chair of the Ghana Project of the International Urogynecology Association, and international consultant for obstetric fistula & pelvic floor disorders capacity building to UNFPA,  Mercy Ships, Fistula Foundation, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, EngenderHealth, USAID, and the Clinton Global Initiative Human Resources for Health program in Rwanda.Her work with international colleagues includes sites in Niger, Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Rwanda and Mozambique.

Her research covers a spectrum of Female Pelvic Medicine issues, including hysteropexy for uterine prolapse, pelvic organ prolapse, obstetric fistula, Kegel exercise, labiaplasty and overactive bladder. Dr. Romanzi  serves on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Gender Specific Medicine, Journal of Sexual Medicine, International Urogynecology Journal, Minerva, and the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Romanzi is the pioneer of a minimally invasive uterus-preserving (no hysterectomy) hysteropexy technique of uterine prolapse repair and author of two books for women suffering prolapse – Plumbing and Renovations, and eBook The Good in Bed Guide to Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

At NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr. Romanzi works in collaboration with Dr. Veronica Ades of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology on the Global Women’s Health Program.

 

Joseph Safdieh, M.D., Medical Director of the Neurology Clinic at Manhattan’s New York–Presbyterian Hospital, serves as Director of Outpatient Training for the Neurology Residency Training Program at Weill Cornell Medical Center. He has developed numerous curricula for the teaching of neurology to both medical students and other physicians.

 

 

Glenn Schattman, M.D., is a specialist in reproductive surgery and in the treatment of pediatric and adolescent problems associated with sexual development. He is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as Reproductive endocrinology and Infertility. He is currently an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Medical College of Cornell University. While a leading figure in the use of laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery, Dr. Schattman is particularly experienced in advanced methods of correcting common causes of infertility including blocked fallopian tubes, adhesions or scar tissue, endometriosis and ovarian cysts. After receiving his M.D. degree from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, in 1987, Dr. Schattman completed his residency at the George Washington University Medical Center in 1991 and went on to the New York Hospital/Cornell University Medical College where he finished his Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility. He is a member or fellow of numerous medical associations including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. He currently serves as the Chairman of the practice committee for the Society for ART. Dr. Schattman has authored numerous articles and chapters covering various medical topics. He lectures both nationally and internationally on a wide range of topics in sexual development and reproductive health.

 

Lyris A. Schonholz, M.D., is a radiologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center. On the board of Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, Inc., Dr. Schonholz has also been the recipient of a fellowship in Ultrasound at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

 

Minisha Sood, M.D., is a board-certified Endocrinologist who is highly-regarded by her peers and patients.  Dr. Sood is an Assistant Professor at the Hofstra School of Medicine and a board-certified Endocrinologist in private practice in New York City. She is also a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and she holds a certification for endocrine neck ultrasound. Dr. Sood received her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Sood is an active member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Endocrine Society and is a board member of the Independent Doctors of New York. Dr. Sood’s media appearances include those on NY1, CBS, WPIX11, Good Morning America and she has contributed to numerous news articles about various Endocrine topics including diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disease, endocrine disrupting hormones, obesity and osteoporosis. Dr. Sood has been named by her peers to Castle Connolly Top Doctors, Castle Connolly Top Doctors in the New York Metro Area from 2017 through 2020 and to New York Super Doctors from 2014 through 2020.

 

 

Michael Stewart, M.D., is chairman of otorhinolaryngology at Weill Cornell Medical College and a specialist in nose and sinus disease, sleep breathing disorders, and head and neck trauma. Prior to his arrival at Well Cornell, Dr. Stewart served as Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, Chief of Service at Ben Taub General Hospital, and Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs for Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Stewart is the author of the textbook Head, Face, and Neck Trauma: Comprehensive Management, and has written more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous book chapters, and book reviews. He is the associate editor of the American Journal of Rhinology, and serves on the editorial board of the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. In 2004, Dr. Stewart received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. He also listed in Best Doctors in America and in New York by Castle Connolly, Marquis Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, and Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare.

 

Eleni Tousimis, M.D., is a breast surgeon at the New-York-Presbyterian Weill-Cornell Medical Center, and an assistant professor of Surgery at Weill Medical Coolege of Cornell University. She plays a very active role in resident training, serving as Associate Program Director of Surgical Education. Dr. Tousimis graduated from Albany Medical College in 1996 and spent the next five years as a general surgery resident at the Guthrie Clinic in Pennsylvania. She graduated the program in 2001 and went on to become a Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 2001 to 2002 and then spent the last year as an International Fellow at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy. A highly skilled clinician, researcher and teacher, Dr. Tousimis is trained in the latest techological advances in the treatment of breast disease, specializing in minimally invasive techniques. She enjoys an outstanding reputation for excellence and commitment among her professional colleagues, her students and her patients.

 

Wulf H. Utian, M.D., Ph.D., DSc (Med), FRCOG, FACOG, FICS, is an independent consultant in women’s health issues. Dr. Utian is the Executive Director Emeritus and Honorary Founding President of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS); the Arthur H. Bill Professor Emeritus of Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine; Consultant in Gynecology and Women’s Health, The Cleveland Clinic; and Visiting Professor, University of Cape Town, South Africa (2007-2012). Previously, he was Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center of Cleveland, and then at University Hospitals of Cleveland, and Chairman of Reproductive Biology at Case Western Reserve University. He received his medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and his Ph.D. from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

He is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the International College of Surgeons. Dr. Utian is a credentialed NAMS Menopause Practitioner (NCMP), and is certified in Clinical Densitometry (CCD). He is the recipient of multiple research grants. He has studied the metabolic and psychosocial aspects of hormones and menopause for over 40 years.

During his career, Dr. Utian has written over 200 papers related to women’s health, and has authored several books, including one on management titled The Utian Strategy, and six on menopause; the most recent, Change Your Menopause, was published in September 2011. He is Honorary Founding Editor of Menopause, and was Editor of Menopause Management, a NAMS-endorsed publication, from its inception in 1987 until December 2009, and Maturitas from 1983 to 1993. Dr. Utian has served on the NAMS Board of Trustees since he founded the Society in 1989. He was also one of the three original founders, in 1976, of the International Menopause Society, of which he is Honorary Past President, and currently he serves on a number of national and international committees.

 

Wayne G. Whitmore, M.D, F.A.C.S. completed his ophthalmology residency at the New York Hospital – Cornell University Medical Center in 1981 and a fellowship in ocular oncology at New York Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1982, the same year he received his certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology and became a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center where he performs and teaches surgery. He is also on the attending staff at Lenox Hill Hospital and its affiliate, Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital which is now part of the Northwell Network of Hospitals. Dr. Whitmore is a comprehensive ophthalmologist who understands and diagnoses all types of eye disease (including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration).

 

Dr. James Wyss, M.D., P.T., is an Assistant Attending Physiatrist in the Department of Physiatry at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He completed his graduate degree in physical therapy at the University of Scranton. After completion, he returned to New York and practiced physical therapy in a sports and orthopedic setting for three years before pursuing a degree in medicine. He then attended New York Medical College and graduated with honors. He completed his residency in physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) at Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation and a fellowship in Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine at Hospital for Special Surgery.

He specializes in the non-operative management and rehabilitation of common sports, musculoskeletal and spinal injuries. He utilizes exercise based therapies, interventional spine procedures, ultrasound and fluoroscopically guided joint and tendon injections to treat these problems.  He also has a special interest in the prevention of common sports injuries. He is board certified in both PM&R and Sports Medicine, and is currently a team physician at St. John’s University.