The Medical Affairs team works tirelessly to help ensure the scientific accuracy and integrity of all Medical News Today content, products, and services. Our dedicated team also manages the extensive Medical News Today Medical Network.
Our Medical Network is composed of healthcare professionals from research institutions, professional organizations, and private practice with varied and extensive expertise in their respective fields. Network Members bring experience from across the spectrum of medical specialties, as well as their perspective from years of clinical practice, research, and patient advocacy to ensure Medical News Today’s readers receive the highest quality health information.
Prior to publication, Medical Network experts evaluate the content to ensure that the information is medically accurate, up-to-date with the current standard of care (as determined by diagnostic and treatment guidelines), and is well supported by up-to-date research citations. As such, our content is an accurate reflection of the clinical conversations that occur in healthcare, as well as the clinical decision points between patients and their providers.
The collective experience from the medical professionals who develop Medical News Today’s content, products, and services can be seen in the medical review of our articles, advisory insights provided on research initiatives, and via the proactive surveillance of the evidence landscape, which ensures that our medical content is at the forefront of healthcare.
Continual surveillance and analysis of advances in healthcare research provide our audience with insights into new clinical guidelines, drug approvals or recalls, and major practice recommendations. Healthcare is continually evolving, and Medical News Today content, products, and services evolve accordingly, providing our audience with the information and analysis needed for informed decision-making. As stewards of healthcare, Medical News Today’s medical professionals fulfill their mission when our readers tell us that they feel smarter and more confident in their medical knowledge.
Meet Our Team
Chief Health Officer
Jenny Yu joins the Healthline Medical Affairs Team with experience in clinical research, education, and clinical practice. She has experience in clinical operations, research processes, and innovation. Her passion is to educate in the realm of conditions, prevention and wellness. Her role with the Medical Integrity Team is to ensure accurate and consistent medical content in the strategic growth of Healthline.
Megan Nelson, AM
Director, Medical Network
Megan Nelson brings her years of consulting and relationship management experience to lead the strategy of Healthline Media’s Medical Network and ensure the accuracy and integrity of Healthline’s content, products, and services. She received her master’s degree in social administration from The University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration with a certificate in health administration and policy. Before Healthline Media, Megan held leadership roles in organ and tissue donation education and hospital development.
Raven Shelvin
Medical Network Program Manager
Raven Shelvin brings her years of strong research, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills to oversee the relationship management of Healthline’s Medical Network. She earned her BS from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in criminal justice and sociology and is an advocate for mental health awareness within her community. Before joining Healthline, Raven was a physician credentialing specialist within the healthcare staffing industry, where she owned and developed the relationship management of the physician network.
Brittany Dickens, MPA
Medical Network Program Manager
Brittany brings her years of relationship building, problem-solving, and evaluation strategy to support Healthline’s Medical Network. She received her master’s degree in public administration from DePaul University with a certificate in health administration and policy. Before joining Healthline, Brittany held roles in the healthcare industry, where she worked to build recruitment resources and relationship management within the physician group.
Jenna Hotaling, CHES
Medical Network Assistant Program Manager
Jenna Hotaling joins the Medical Affairs team with experience in community engagement, relationship management, and content strategy. She received her bachelor’s degree in public health from SUNY Potsdam and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Before joining Healthline, Jenna held roles in the healthcare industry, including prevention and education, wellness promotion, and partner success in medical affairs.
Lin Reish
Medical Standards and Insights Manager
Lin Reish joined the Healthline Medical Affairs team after graduating with her B.S. from Vanderbilt University. As a Research Analyst on the Medical Integrity team, Lin is passionate about driving positive change through research, advocacy, and outreach. In her role, Lin collaborates with other members of the team to perform ad and affiliate vetting and healthcare landscape surveillance. Through her work she ensures that Healthline’s content is current, accurate, and trustworthy and helps Healthline set industry standards for transparency and safety.
Julia Machol
Medical Standards and Insights Senior Associate
Julia Machol brings her passion for equity and access to healthcare to Healthline Media’s Medical Affairs team. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, applying her analytical skill set to her work as a Medical Standards and Insights Associate. Her work helps verify the accuracy and integrity of Healthline’s content.
Nia Davis
Medical Standards and Insights Associate
Nia Davis joined RVO Health bringing her common interest in communications strategy and research in the health and wellness space. Nia is passionate about collaborating on DEI efforts and health and wellness opportunities across all industry standards. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from Shaw University, Through her work with Medical Standards and Insights, she is dedicated to informing fact-based research for Healthline’s content.
Naomi Tellez-Duran
Medical Standards and Insights Associate
Naomi Tellez-Duran joined Healthline as an Associate Market Editor after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Queens University of Charlotte. Naomi’s drive for fact-finding, analysis, and editing evolved into Healthline’s Medical Standards and Insights team. Through her role, Naomi ensures the integrity and reputation of brands and products align with RVO Health standards.
Natalie Eller
Medical Standards and Insights Associate
Natalie Eller joins RVO Health with an educational background in health communication and professional experience in the clinical trial space. In her undergraduate studies at Northern Kentucky University, she participated in several qualitative research studies with topics spanning the health communication field. These opportunities allowed Natalie to pursue her passion for health literacy while learning valuable skills like data analysis, critical thinking, and collaboration. Through her work, Natalie is able to make an impact on the world by providing medically accurate health information.
Medical Integrity Manager
Lisa Valente is a registered dietitian with over a decade of editorial experience working with health and nutrition content. She loves breaking down complex science and health information, making it easier for people to understand, while maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the content. Lisa holds a Master of Science in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and completed her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Rose Aka-James, MPH
Senior Project Manager, Public Health Promotion
Rose Aka-James joins RVO Health with over a decade of experience working in social science research, community-centered health equity programming, and cultivating cross sector partnerships to improve maternal and reproductive health, youth mental health, HIV/AIDs, and food security in the U.S. and internationally. She’s a passionate advocate for equity, access, social justice and communication. In her role on the HESI team, she collaborates across business units to expand literacy, leads high-impact partnerships, facilitates DEI checkpoints for RVOH’s content, people, and products, and elevates important health inequities through social impact initiatives. Rose has a Master of Public Health degree from the New York University College of Global Public Health.
Medical Network
Nicole Aaronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP
Dr. Nicole Leigh Aaronson is an ABMS board certified otolaryngologist with fellowship training in pediatric otolaryngology. She currently practices in Wilmington, Delaware, and Deptford, New Jersey. She completed her residency at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut and her fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Shilpa Amin is an ABMS board certified physician specializing in family medicine, geriatrics, and integrative medicine. Dr. Amin’s clinical work experience has ranged from private internal medicine and family practice to urgent care, long-term care, and public health. Dr. Amin is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Dr. Jennifer Archibald is a board certified general dentist in the United States and Canada. She works in private dental practice and is also a research assistant in the department of dentistry at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
Bukky Aremu is an advanced practice registered nurse. Bukky has experience in family practice and urgent care, and she also specializes in dermatology. She especially enjoys the diversity of dermatology and being able to treat medical, surgical, and even cosmetic patients.
Dr. Mia Armstrong is an ABMS board certified pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP). Dr. Armstrong loves sharing with others and helping families learn to be healthy.
Dr. Emelia “Mimi” Arquilla is an ABMS board certified family medicine physician. They are an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. They also practice primary care at Mile Square Health Center, a federally qualified health center that focuses on the needs of the underserved. They have special expertise in LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare, gender-affirming care, addiction medicine, chronic disease management, and care for the homeless.
Dr. Angelica Balingit is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician. She has vast experience in treating adult conditions in the hospital, outpatient clinic, assisted living facility, home, and via telemedicine. Her special interests include hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and anemia.
Dr. Stella Bard is an ABMS board certified rheumatologist with more than 10 years of hands-on experience in managing complex rheumatologic concerns. She is currently a practicing physician in the states of New York and Texas.
Dr. Marina Basina is an ABMS board certified endocrinologist specializing in diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2, diabetes technology, thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer. She is currently a clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and is a medical director of inpatient diabetes at Stanford Hospital.
Dr. Angela M. Bell is an ABMS board certified physician, specializing in internal medicine and sports medicine. She practices in the south side of Chicago, in the treatment of sports and musculoskeletal injuries in athletes and nonathletes.
Elizabeth R. Berger, MD, MS, FACS
Dr. Elizabeth Berger is an ABMS board certified assistant professor of surgery at Yale University School of Medicine in the division of surgical oncology. Dr. Berger was an American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Scholar-in-Residence, and she was selected as the Breast Cancer Alliance fellow while at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her research focuses on improving health outcomes for women with elderly breast cancer, including perioperative surgical quality, cancer care quality measure development, and assessment of surveillance strategies after breast cancer treatment.
Dr. Roger Bielinski is an ABMS board certified urologist who was in private practice in Chicago for 38 years. In addition, he previously served as president of his hospital’s medical staff and also served on his hospital’s board of directors.
Dr. Alana Biggers is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician. She is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, where she specializes in internal medicine.
Dr. Matt Boland is a licensed clinical psychologist who conducts structured assessment and psychotherapy with medical patients and mental health consumers in Reno, Nevada. He also conducts original research on posttraumatic stress and emotional regulation in clinical disorders, teaches university courses on related topics, and he helps train psychiatry residents in a medical school setting.
Dr. Kerry Boyle is a nationally board certified licensed acupuncturist. Dr. Boyle is a 2003 graduate of Bastyr University, where she studied acupuncture and integrative medicine. She specializes in women’s health and pain management at her private practice, Integrative Acupuncture, in Vermont.
Janet Brito, PhD, PSY, LCSW, CST
Dr. Janet Brito is a nationally certified Latinx sex therapist, supervisor, speaker, trainer, and author. Dr. Brito is the founder and owner of the Hawaii Center for Sexual and Relationship Health, a group practice that specializes in relationship and sex therapy, out of control sexual behavior, and gender and sexually diverse populations, and The Sexual Health School, an online training program for healthcare professionals seeking human sexuality training.
Amanda Caldwell is a nurse practitioner in dermatology. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) as a family nurse practitioner. She currently practices at KMC Dermatology in Kansas. She has diverse experience in family medicine, neurology, and dermatology. Caldwell strives to provide compassionate and patient-centered care in all aspects of both general and cosmetic dermatology.
Dr. Nancy Carteron is an ABMS board certified internist, consultant rheumatologist, and multidisciplinary Sjögren’s clinic team member. She is a health sciences clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry, and a clinical professor of medicine (volunteer) at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.
Lauren Castiello is a board certified adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner. Prior to becoming a registered nurse, she worked in diabetes research at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Lauren has done nurse practitioner clinical practicums focusing on the adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations in internal medicine, long-term care, and outpatient oncology/bone marrow transplant.
Dr. Adithya Cattamanchi is an ABMS board certified pulmonologist who also specializes in critical care medicine. He currently practices at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center and is an associate professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco.
Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C
Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie is an experienced physician assistant specializing in urgent care, family medicine, and gastroenterology. She has been a licensed physician assistant since 2001 and has clinical experience with all ages and in many environments.
Helen Chen is a board certified physician assistant working in cardiology at the Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute. She manages a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases and works in subspecialties of cardiology including advanced heart failure, electrophysiology, and interventional cardiology.
Dr. Jennifer Clements is an ABMS board certified physician based in Savannah, Georgia. She has a background of practicing in emergency medicine, and she now practices in lifestyle medicine and obesity medicine.
Dr. Cynthia Cobb is a nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health, aesthetics and cosmetics, and skin care. Dr. Cobb is a faculty member at Walden University and University of Louisiana, and she is also the founder and owner of the medical spa Allure Enhancement Center.
Felecia L. Dawson, MD
Dr. Felecia L. Dawson is a ABMS board-certified obstetrician gynecologist specializing in cannabinoid medicine, holistic gynecology and functional medicine. Dr. Dawson founded Women for Women and served as Medical Director, 1994-2016. She closed Women for Women in December 2016 to focus on advocating, educating and consulting on medical cannabis full-time. She completed The Medical Cannabis Institute’s certification in 2018 and joined the Society of Cannabis Clinicians.
Dr. Katherine Duncan is an ABMS board certified ophthalmologist specializing in comprehensive ophthalmology, cataract surgery, and oculoplastic surgery. Dr. Duncan completed a fellowship in orbital, oculoplastic, and aesthetic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Janelle Duah is an ABMS board certified Internal Medicine Physician specializing in Primary Care and Obesity Medicine. She is a practicing physician at Yale Internal Medicine Associates in New Haven, CT. She has a special interest in weight management.
Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES
Imashi Fernando is a Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and diabetes educator specializing in wellness and chronic disease management through sustainable, culturally appropriate nutrition and lifestyle modifications. Imashi works in a large hospital system as a clinical dietitian and provides one-on-one nutrition counseling through her virtual private practice, Brown Sugar Nutrition PLLC.
Dr. Sara N. Frye is an optometrist with over 13 years of experience in both academia and private practice. She currently works as a clinical project lead in Clinical Development & Medical Affairs at Alcon. Her area of focus is monofocal and toric IOLs and injectors.
Dr. Raechele Cochran Gathers is an ABMS board certified dermatologist and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology. She is passionate about health literacy, and she is the founder of MDhairmixtress.com, a health and wellness website focusing on skin, hair, and wellness.
Dr. Karen Gill is an ABMS board certified pediatrician whose expertise includes breastfeeding, nutrition, obesity prevention, and childhood sleep and behavior issues. She currently lives and practices in Portland, Oregon.
Joshana K. Goga PharmD MBA BCPP
Dr. Joshana Goga is a Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist, Educator, Speaker, and Researcher. Dr. Goga received her Doctorate degree from the University of Buffalo School of Pharmacy and her Masters in Business Administration from University of Maryland. She completed her Primary Care residency at the Buffalo Veterans Affairs Hospital and her Psychopharmacology residency at the Cleveland Veterans Affairs hospital. She has provided leadership in clinical, academia, research, health systems expertise at state, federal and private entities. She has been recognized by her students and colleagues as preceptor of the year, appointments to national councils and board of directors.
Dr. Ann Marie Griff is an optometrist actively practicing in the state of Washington. In addition to optometry, Dr. Griff also has expertise in energy medicine, reiki, nutrition, and yoga.
Dr. Nancy Hammond is an ABMS board certified neurologist specializing in epilepsy. Dr. Hammond works as a clinical associate professor of neurology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and is also the owner of Envision Neurology.
Dr. Seunggu Han is an ABMS board certified neurological surgeon and an associate clinical professor in the department of neurological surgery at Stanford. He currently practices in Salinas and Santa Cruz, California. His interests include surgical neuro-oncology, traumatic brain injury, and quality improvement in surgery.
Dr. Catherine Hannan is an ABMS board certified plastic surgeon. She is the chief of the plastic surgery division at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Hannan’s practice focuses on general reconstruction, skin cancer, breast surgery and reconstruction, wound care, and limb preservation. Dr. Hannan also performs cosmetic plastic surgery at West End Plastic Surgery in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Stacy Henigsman is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She currently practices in a private practice in California where she developed a special interest in minimally invasive gynecologic surgical procedures.
Danielle Hildreth is a registered nurse and certified personal trainer. She works full time in a labor and delivery unit, and her fitness background includes personal training, HIIT, yoga sculpt, and dance.
Dr. Uzochukwu Ibe is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician and a general cardiologist. He completed his fellowship in interventional cardiology in Ohio and now practices in Missouri.
Joslyn Jelinek is a licensed social worker specializing in perinatal mental health and chronic pain. She is the founder of Chicago Human Potential and practices with a group of behavioral health clinicians in Chicago, Illinois.
Daniel Jennings is a board certified physician assistant who specializes in cardiology. He practices at a busy cardiology practice in Indianapolis, Indiana. He sees patients with heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems, among other cardiac pathologies.
Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT
Marie Lorraine Johnson works as an outpatient dietitian at Bright Sky Nutrition in Missouri, where she specializes in weight loss, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease treatment, and diabetes remission. She also works as a personal trainer and fitness instructor teaching interval-based cycling classes at Cyclebar.
Thomas Johnson is a physician assistant who specializes in pulmonology and sleep medicine. He has been a full-time practitioner since 2004. He treats many diseases, including COPD, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, and narcolepsy. He is part of a large group practice in northwestern Pennsylvania.
Jerlyn Jones, MS MPA RDN LD CLT
Jerlyn Jones is a registered dietitian nutritionist, national media spokesperson, nutrition writer, and owner of The Lifestyle Dietitian LLC, an Atlanta-based nutrition consulting practice. She specializes in integrative nutrition with an emphasis on food sensitivities, digestive problems, and women’s health.
Dr. Bethany Juby is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in trauma recovery and stress management. She founded Juby Clinical Services, LLC to provide psychotherapy to adults via teletherapy, utilizing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). She is licensed to provide teletherapy in 39 states, including Illinois and Arizona, through the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT).
Dr. Madeline Knott is an ABMS board certified family medicine doctor. Her professional interests are broad and range from pediatrics to geriatrics to women’s health. She currently practices in Tennessee.
Dr. Meir Kryger is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician specializing in pulmonary and sleep medicine. He is a professor of medicine at Yale University and is also a practicing physician at Yale Medicine. He is on the Board of Directors of the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Mx. Francis Kuehnle is a registered nurse whose main areas of interest include therapeutic communication, compassionate care of patients experiencing psychosis, and LGBTQIA+ language. They are a faculty member at the University of Iowa College of Nursing and teach mental health nursing to undergraduate pre-licensure students.
Dr. Lori Lawrenz is a clinical psychologist and AASECT certified sex therapist. She has been a licensed psychologist since 2000, with licenses in Missouri and Hawaii. She currently practices in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Lawrenz is passionate about addressing trauma, shame, grief, and mental health issues to assist her patients to live productive and happy lives free of shame.
Dr. Angela Ryan Lee is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician specializing in cardiology. She is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a member of the National Lipid Association and the American Society for Echocardiography. She lives in Dallas, Texas and provides consulting services related to cardiovascular disease and health communication.
Dr. Susan W. Lee is an ABMS board certified neurologist with fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology. She currently practices in Los Angeles, California, and her subspecialty interests include the management of epilepsy and headache disorders.
Jennifer Litner, PhD, LMFT, CST
Dr. Jennifer Litner is a sexologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a certified sex therapist. Dr. Litner is the founder of Embrace Sexual Wellness, a Chicago-based wellness center specializing in confidential, comprehensive care in sexual health through the integration of psychotherapy and educational programming for teens, parents, and healthcare professionals. Her expertise includes helping clients improve sexual functioning and satisfaction, loss of intimacy, and pain during sex. Her research explores comprehensive sexuality education and relationship satisfaction.
Katherine Marengo is a clinical registered dietitian. She specialized as a certified nutrition support dietitian (CNSD) in New Orleans at the Medical Center of Louisiana, the No. 2 Level I trauma center in the nation.
Dr. Harshil Matta is an ABMS board certified sports medicine fellow physician at SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Matta’s practice interests include sports medicine and primary care.
Jared Meacham, Ph.D., RD, PMP, MBA, CSCS
Dr. Jared Meacham is a registered dietitian, fitness professional, and educator. He manages the global fitness and wellness programming for an international development institution, teaches at the university level, and practices dietetics in a variety of settings.
Dr. Gregory Minnis is a physical therapist with an interest in orthopedic manual therapy. His work experience includes orthopedic physical therapy, sports medicine, neurological rehab, advanced assessment and treatment of running injuries, and advanced treatment of the pelvic complex, spine, and extremities.
Dr. Heidi Moawad is a neurologist and teaches at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. She serves on the editorial board of the Neurology Clinical Practice and is a reviewer for Neurology.
Dr. John Moawad is an ABMS board certified vascular surgeon and associate professor of surgery at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He practices in Akron, Ohio. Dr. Moawad treats patients with vascular disease using the most appropriate medical, endovascular, or surgical approach.
Dr. Jorge Moreno is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician with Yale Medicine who is also board certified in obesity medicine. Dr. Moreno is an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine. He is a practicing internist who specializes in the management of patients with obesity and co-existing medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Throughout the COVID pandemic, he has become a trusted voice and advocate for the Hispanic community.
Michaela Murphy is a nationally certified physician assistant with 15 years of experience in infectious disease, primary and urgent care, and women’s health. She is passionate about patient care, research, writing, mental health, and wellness.
Kelsey Nank is a certified physician assistant who practiced in rural medicine in Iowa for over a decade before transitioning to the Smeltzer-Kelly Student Health Center at the University of Dubuque. Kelsey’s emphasis is on brain health and wellness.
Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH
Dr. Valinda Nwadike is an ABMS board certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She has over sixteen years of experience performing deliveries and gynecologic surgeries and currently works as a clinical instructor and supervises residents.
Alex Nguyen is a seasoned professional with a robust background in medical information, medical review, and pharmacovigilance. With a passion for patient education, Alex has undertaken projects for renowned pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Genentech, Biogen, AbbVie, Takeda, Agios and Averitas Pharmaceuticals. Their expertise and contributions within the healthcare industry underscore a commitment to enhancing patient care and safety through comprehensive medical insights and educational initiatives.
Dr. Darragh O’Carroll is an ABMS board certified emergency physician specializing in emergency, disaster, climate, and COVID-19 medicine. Currently practicing in Hawaii, Dr. O’Carroll has practiced in the busiest trauma center in the world, located in South Africa, and provided disaster relief in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian.
Dr. Ifeanyi Olele is a board certified psychiatrist. He is the CEO and co-founder of Genesis Psychiatric Solutions, serving patients in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, and he also treats patients virtually in California and Florida. In the past, Dr. Olele has served as a medical director of outpatient mental health clinics in Maryland and D.C. He is passionate about using social media to normalize mental health and break stigmas.
Dr. Jennie Olopaade is a clinical pharmacist with an interest in critical care. She has practiced as a hospital pharmacist for more than 10 years, and she has strong clinical knowledge in pharmacokinetics, accurate reviews, and organization of student programs.
Alissa Palladino, MS, RDN, LD, CPT
Alissa Palladino is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Alissa has worked in a variety of corporate, community, medical, and fitness settings with diverse audiences supporting a range of health conditions and goals. Her focus areas include sports nutrition, weight management, diabetes, high blood pressure/cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Ami D. Patel is a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist and a licensed clinical pharmacist specializing in internal medicine and preventative healthcare. She is passionate about providing evidence-based education and empowering people to take control of their health. She is the host of a podcast and provides consulting on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) through her company, PCOS Holistic Coach.
Meera Patel is a board-certified physician assistant currently practicing in nephrology and hospitalist medicine in North Texas. She is passionate about patient care and health literacy.
Dr. Priya Patel is an ABOG board-certified obstetric and gynecology physician. She is a practicing physician in Orlando, Florida.
Reema Patel is a physician assistant specializing in dermatological skin conditions and aesthetic medicine who has a special interest in treating skin of color. She has previously worked in the emergency room as a physician assistant and for several years in a cosmetic plastic surgery office, gaining experience in aesthetic dermatology.
Dr. Sheel Patel is an ABMS board certified physician in hematology, oncology, and internal medicine. Dr. Patel is a practicing physician at the Orlando VA Medical Center in Florida. He specializes in genitourinary oncology.
Dr. Alyssa Peckham is a board certified psychiatric clinical pharmacist specializing in various psychiatric and substance use disorders. Prior to her current role in the pharmaceutical industry, she practiced in the Bridge Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, which is a low-threshold, harm-reduction clinic for people with substance use disorders.
Alexandra Perez, PharmD, MBA, BCGP
Dr. Alexandra Perez is a geriatric pharmacist specializing in chronic disease state management. She has experience collaborating with healthcare providers in primary care clinics, optimizing medication regimens. She also has experience in clinical informatics partnering with pharmaceutical companies to help them leverage real world clinical data to perform research studies.
Skye D. Quamina, Au.D., CCC-A, F-AAA
Dr. Skye Quamina is a board-certified audiologist specializing in adult diagnostics, compensation & pension examinations for veterans, vestibular assessments, and hearing aid selection, fitting, and troubleshooting. She is currently serving veterans in Florida, helping them pursue compensation for hearing loss and tinnitus due to military noise exposure and auditory trauma.
Dr. Leela Raju is an ABMS board certified ophthalmologist and an associate professor at NYU Langone Health Center in New York. Dr. Raju’s research focuses are ocular surface treatment and reconstruction, and herpetic eye disease and factors to reduce recurrence. She has a special interest in international eye care and is currently involved with the Eye Foundation of America and the Goutami Eye Institute in India and Ghana.
Dr. Sarika Manoj Ramachandran is an ABMS board certified dermatologist at Yale Medicine and medical director of the Branford, Connecticut, location. She is also an associate professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. Her clinical and research focus is in medical dermatology, with a special interest in rheumatologic dermatology conditions such as cutaneous lupus, scleroderma, and morphea.
Dr. Qin Rao is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. He is currently a practicing physician at Manhattan Gastroenterology in New York City, and he specializes in irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, dyspepsia, and hemorrhoid treatment.
Tahirah Redhead, MPAS, PA-C, MPH
Tahirah Redhead is a board certified physician assistant specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. She is passionate about women’s health and centers her studies on health literacy and education surrounding contraceptive health. She is currently an OB-GYN PA in an underserved, minority community.
Dr. Akilah Reynolds is a licensed psychologist in California. She practices at an academic psychiatric center and in private practice. Dr. Reynolds specializes in child psychology, parenting, depression and anxiety, and work-life balance.
Amy Richter is a registered dietitian who specializes in skin conditions and gut health. She owns The Acne Dietitian, a blog and private practice dedicated to helping people with acne achieve clear skin using diet and lifestyle changes.
Dr. Dannell Roberts is a licensed psychologist and licensed behavior analyst in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She specializes in evaluations of childhood disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disorders. She also specializes in behavioral treatments of common childhood disorders based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Dr. Roberts is the co-owner and program director of Will’s Way, LLC, a private practice in Hattiesburg.
Kimberley Rose-Francis RDN, CDCES, LD
Kimberley Rose-Francis is a Florida-based registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in food and nutrition. Her inclusive approach and philosophy revolve around “making nutrition easy and attainable.” She does this by addressing common and complex food and wellness topics. Kim is also passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, specifically as it relates to food justice.
Dr. Yalda Safai is a psychiatrist in New York City. She currently works in telepsychiatry, treating people in California, Connecticut, Florida, and New York. She specializes in high functioning depression and anxiety disorders.
Dr. Michael Schopis is an ABIM board-certified internal medicine physician specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. He is currently a practicing physician at Manhattan Gastroenterology in New York City, and he specializes in GERD, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer prevention, and hemorrhoid treatment.
Julie Scott, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCNP
Dr. Julie Scott is an oncology certified nurse practitioner. She practices clinically in a community medical clinic. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct faculty member in a master’s in nursing program at a local university.
Adrienne Seitz, M.S., R.D., LDN
Adrienne Seitz is a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist. She is a practicing dietitian and cook in Sarasota, Florida, where she prepares healthy and delicious food at a country club. Adrienne’s special interests are plant-based diets, gastrointestinal diseases, and intuitive eating.
Faith Selchick DNP, APRN, AOCNP
Dr. Faith Selchick is a board certified adult oncology nurse practitioner and an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner specializing in oncology. Currently, she is the associate director of medical strategy at a network of oncology healthcare and scientific communications agencies. Previously, she was an oncology nurse practitioner with over 10 years of experience. She also writes continuing education content and modules for nurses and advanced practice registered nurses.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician specializing in gastroenterology, hepatology, and advanced interventional endoscopy. He is currently a gastroenterology practitioner in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Kristin Shaffer is a board certified physician assistant specializing in cardiology. She currently practices in Texas and treats a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases ranging from cardiogenic shock to acute coronary syndrome. She is passionate about education and teaches cardiology topics to physician assistant students across the U.S.
Abby Sikorcin is a board certified physician assistant specializing in cardiology. She is a practicing physician assistant at Midwest Cardiovascular Institute in Naperville, IL.
Dr. Megan Soliman is an ABMS board certified internal medicine physician whose main focus in her clinical practice is patient advocacy. Her research interests include adverse effects of medications and herbal supplements. Dr. Soliman is enthusiastic about “bread and butter” medicine, which includes treating patients with the most common diseases. She also has a passion for reaching underserved communities, including both U.S. and international rural communities.
Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN
Carissa Stephens is a pediatric nurse, with a special expertise in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). She is currently a nurse in a pediatric intensive care unit at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.
Dr. Jenna Stoddard is a residency-trained optometrist currently practicing in North Carolina. Following optometry school, she finished her ocular disease residency at the Baltimore VA Medical Center in Maryland. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
Dr. Olivia Sugimoto is a licensed dentist practicing general dentistry in the state of California. She has over 10 years of experience in the dental field.
Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI
Dr. Debra Sullivan is a nurse educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. Her expertise includes cardiology, psoriasis and dermatology, pediatrics, complementary medicine, and workplace burnout syndrome. She has held many leadership roles in her nursing career.
Dr. Tiffany Taft is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the psychological and social effects of chronic medical illness. She is the founder of Oak Park Behavioral Medicine LLC, an independent private practice of psychologists, social workers, and counselors near Chicago. She is also a research associate professor and director of psychogastroenterology research at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Vincent Tavella is an associate veterinarian at a small animal hospital in the greater Richmond area of Virginia. His special interests include population health, preventative medicine, the human-animal bond, emergency disease response, epidemiology, and evidence based medicine. Vincent is also passionate about international veterinary medicine and agriculture and participates in veterinary missions trips to developing nations.
Teresa Hagan Thomas PHD, BA, RN
Dr. Teresa Hagan Thomas is a registered nurse specializing in oncology and is a scientist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. Dr. Thomas has an active, funded program of research focusing on promoting patient self-advocacy among individuals with cancer, including testing patient interventions to promote self-advocacy, patient-centered care, and quality of life.
Dr. Amy Tiersten is an ABMS board certified medical oncologist specializing in breast and gynecologic cancers. She is a professor of medicine and the clinical director of breast medical oncology at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
Kelsey Trull is an NCCPA-certified physician assistant specializing in gastroenterology. She is currently practicing at Northeast Digestive Health in North Carolina. She has a special interest in hepatology and research.
Avi Varma, MD, MPH, AAHIVS, FAAFP
Dr. Avi Varma is an ABMS board certified family medicine physician and public health advocate working for a nonprofit fighting the HIV epidemic in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Varma is an HIV Specialist™ (AAHIVS), certified through the American Academy of HIV Medicine.
Alisha D. Vassar-Sellers, PharmD
Dr. Alisha D. Vassar-Sellers is a managed care pharmacist. She is the pharmacy director for Aetna Better Health of Maryland Medicaid, where she manages the pharmacy benefit and implements clinical and corporate initiatives, targeting various disease states, to improve member outcomes.
Dr. Nick Villalobos is an ABMS board certified internist, pulmonologist, and clinical assistant professor. He is currently part of the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium in the department of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the Brooke Army Medical Center. His focuses include medical education, point-of-care ultrasound/echocardiography, occupational lung disease, and pulmonary vascular diseases.
Meredith Wallis, MS, APRN, CNM, IBCLC
Meredith Wallis is a certified nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, and international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) who specializes in out-of-hospital birth, lactation support, and childbirth education. Her professional passions include holistic medicine, vaginal birth after cesarean, and evidence-based care. She currently works in the Health Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco.
Dr. Alyssa Walton is an experienced clinical pharmacist with a history of working in the hospital and healthcare industries. She has a passion for hospice, pain care, and palliative care. She practices in an oncology clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Nicole Washington is an ABMS board certified psychiatrist and the chief medical officer of Elocin Psychiatric Services, a primarily virtual practice where she focuses on the mental health needs of the busy professional. Dr. Washington has spent most of her career caring and advocating for people who aren’t typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities and high-performing professionals.
Dr. Watkins is an ABPN Certified Psychiatrist who specializes in whole health approach to the disease management of mental illness. She is a practicing physician at FreedomMind Wellcare and Consulting in MD and the surrounding areas of Washington DC and Virginia. Her focus and passion lies in utilizing nutrition as an augmentation for treating the root cause of common mental health symptoms. She specializes in the treatment of Anxiety and Depression.
Dr. Daniel Wiznia is an ABMS board certified orthopedic surgeon at Yale Medicine who specializes in total joint replacement and avascular necrosis/osteonecrosis of the femoral head. He is an assistant professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Yale School of Medicine and is also an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science. He specializes in core decompression stem cell therapies, robotic total joint replacement, and computer navigation.
Dr. Kelly Wood is an ABMS board certified endocrinologist and internal medicine physician who treats adults with diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, and other hormonal conditions. She achieved her fellowship in endocrinology from University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
Dr. Sirisha Yellayi is an ABMS board certified family medicine physician. In the fall of 2022, she will be joining the faculty at the Northwestern McGaw Family Medicine Residency at Humboldt Park in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Grace Zhang is an ABMS board certified ophthalmologist with almost 2 decades of experience. She practices in Santa Rosa, California. Dr. Zhang finds ophthalmology rewarding because she can practice medicine, perform microsurgery, and remain aware of the constantly evolving technology in this field.