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92NY’s Goldman Center for Children and Family provides an exceptional array of programs designed to support children at every stage of their development.
92Y Welcome
Katz Welcome with Dr. Stacey E. Rosen
Monique Jones, MD, MBA; Nina S. Vincoff, MD; Nancy Beran, MD; Stacey E. Rosen, MD (moderator)
Women can be so busy taking care of others that they too often put their own healthcare needs last. Our experts share the latest information on women’s health issues, the most essential things you need to know about your own health and wellness, and advice on how to take the best care of you.
Jennifer Kelly, Jessica Grose, Cecilia Gentili, Emily Tisch Sussman (moderator)
The COVID-19 crisis impacted the mental health of every one of us -- and the mental health of women most of all. Along with suffering losses of loved ones and jobs, and navigating anxiety about the virus and social isolation, those of us who are mothers of young or school-age children struggled disproportionately. Many of us found ourselves working from home while needing to parent, and even with helpful partners, the lion’s share of effort — and the stress that accompanies it – was ours. Join us to explore it all, and the massive primal scream it prompted.
Tina Conroy, E-RYT, RMT
Mariel Hemingway
Inspiring mental health advocate, activist and author Mariel Hemingway has long studied the link between mental and physical health. She rounds out the first day of the Summit with a powerful presentation centered on her own personal story of escaping a tragic legacy of depression, addiction and suicide in one of America’s most famous families. Mariel urges stigma-free honesty in women identifying with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and more as the first step toward living with greater balance.
Anna K. Costakis, MD and Victor Fornari, MD
How we handle adverse situations, stress and emotional distress varies widely from woman to woman, but every one of us needs coping mechanisms and tools for managing our mental health. Never has this been more vital than in this year of COVID-19, and as we begin to emerge from it. Our physicians talk about how women can assess their own mental health, how to build resilience, how to know when you or your loved ones need help, and more. And they reinforce the positive lessons learned from the pandemic, sharing concrete strategies for working your way back to greater stability and balance.
Stacey E. Rosen, MD is the Senior Vice President for the Katz Institute for Women’s Health (KIWH). She is a leading expert in the field of cardiovascular disease in women’s health. Dr. Rosen oversees the development and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated approach to women's health services at Northwell Health. In this role her mission has been to focus primarily on the elimination of health care disparities through comprehensive clinical programs, gender-based research, community partnerships and education. She has been a practicing cardiologist for over 30 years. Stacey is Partners Council Professor of Women’s Health and Professor of Cardiology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
Dr. Rosen has recently co-authored the book, Heart Smart for Women: Six S.T.E.P.S IN Six Weeks to Heart-Healthy Living, published in October 2017 and the Spanish version of the book, Un Corazón Saludable PARA La Mujer Moderna”, Seis P.A.S.O.S. En Seis Semanas Para Mantener La Salud Del Corazón, published January 2019., and has co-produced her first documentary titled MsDiagnosed which premiered at the Cinequest film festival on March 7, 2020.
She has served as a longtime volunteer for the American Heart Association with leadership positions at the local, regional and national levels and has been and has been a national spokesperson for the AHA’s Go Red for Women Movement. She served as a member of the AHA national committee 2016-2018 and currently serves as the President, Board of Directors, Eastern States for the AHA. In 2018 she received the AHA’s Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award.
Stacey is a graduate of the six-year medical program at Boston University School of Medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Physicians, and the American Heart Association (AHA).
Stacey is a recipient of numerous media, industry and healthcare awards and is regularly called upon by the media as an expert on women’s heart health.
Follow Stacey on twitter @DrStaceyRosen
Dr Monique De Four Jones received her baccalaureate degree from Hunter College and her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After completing a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Shore University Hospital, now known as Northwell, she was CEO of Monique De Four Jones, M.D., P.C. for close to 25 years. Board-certified in Obstetrician and Gynecologist she is passionate about education and she prides herself on being a lifelong learner.
Currently employed as the Associate Chief of Labor and Delivery at Northwell-LIJ, she is a senior physician executive who exemplifies vision, expertise, and leadership in understanding and responding to healthcare changes. Dr. De Four Jones is a dynamic and forward-thinking healthcare executive that executes skills to ensure that the Department of Ob/Gyn is providing quality and safety. With her strategic leadership training, she focuses on cultivating a deep working relationship and alliance with the faculty so that they will adhere to the rigorous systems compliance standards, policies and procedures.
She has published numerous articles and continue to do research and lecture in her field. Dr. De Four Jones loves doing medical missions and has provided care to those in need in several areas such as Africa, Guatemala, Haiti and several other areas. Through the charitable organizations she is involved with, she has lectured both locally as well as internationally empowering and educating people especially women to take charge of their health. She has been featured in Essence Magazine: Doctor’s You Love, Top Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Top Black Doctors in New York and New Jersey. She has received several honors and awards and was even honored by the late Maya Angelou in 2001.
Married 30 years, she has a son who is autistic and disabled, a daughter who graduated from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and doing a master in individualized genomics and health at John Hopkins. In May 2020, Dr. De Four Jones graduated with an MBA and MS in Healthcare Leadership and Policies from Cornell University Johnson School of Business and Weill Cornell Medicine. These additional degrees will strengthen her skills in finance and healthcare leadership and align with her already strong clinical, research and administrative background.
Dr. Nina Vincoff is the Imaging Service Line Vice Chair for Patient Experience and the Chief of the Division of Breast Imaging at Northwell Health. She a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, both undergraduate and medical school, and she completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency and Ultrasound fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Vincoff joined Northwell Health in 2015, after 16 years as a private practice radiologist on Long Island. Throughout her career, Dr. Vincoff has been an early adopter of new technologies which improve patient outcomes through early cancer detection and intervention. She is also a nationally recognized advocate for patient and family centered care; currently serving as a member of the American College of Radiology Patient and Family Centered Care Commission, the Co-Chair of the ACR Patient and Family Centered Care Outreach Committee, and Chair of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria Patient Engagement Subcommittee. At Northwell Health, she is a member of the Steering Committee for the Katz Institute for Women’s Health, and a member of the Board of Governors for Northwell Health Physician Partners, where she is also the Chair of the Quality Committee.
Nancy R. Beran, MD MHCDS CPE is a founding member and Chief Medical Officer of Westchester Health. She has been integral to the strategic recruitment and integration of new physicians and clinical growth of our practices in Westchester, NY and Stamford, CT.
Leading Westchester Health’s practice transformation over the past 10 years, she focuses on patient-centered, value based care. She has overseen the implementation of NCQA, Patient Centered Medical Home certifications in all of our primary care sites. Dr. Beran has worked as an innovative regional leader on Medicare’s Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative. Dr. Beran has designed numerous quality and population health based programs at Westchester Health. She oversees Westchester Health’s population health strategy and participation in the Northwell Medicare Shared Savings Program. Currently, she serves as the Director and Chief of Quality in Westchester and Fairfield counties for Northwell Health Physician Partners.
Dr. Beran is a practicing Internist with over 20 years of experience who focuses on Women’s health. She performed her undergraduate work at Washington University in St. Louis, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. She attended medical school at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College (formerly Jefferson Medical College) as a McClellan scholar, and performed her residency at the prestigious University of Texas Southwestern Internal Medicine program. Most recently, she completely her Masters of Healthcare Delivery Science at Dartmouth College.
Dr. Beran has been recognized for many years as a Top Doctor in Westchester County, Exceptional Women in Medicine and outstanding clinical practice with the Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative. Her commitment remains first to her patients and to improving healthcare delivery for all.
Dr. Kelly currently serves as the 2021 President of the American Psychological Association. She is a licensed psychologist and is Board Certified in Clinical Health Psychology. She is the director of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. As a Clinical Health Psychologist, Dr. Kelly addresses a variety of mental health concerns in her practice, with expertise in treating disorders that involve the relationship between physical and emotional conditions.
A native of Gulfport, Mississippi, Dr. Kelly earned her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University in 1987. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology and her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi.
In addition to her independent practice in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Kelly is actively involved in numerous professional organizations. In addition to serving as the President of the American Psychological Association, she most recently served as Co-Chair of the Advocacy Coordinating Committee of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. She served on the Board of Directors as Recording Secretary for APA from 2013-2018. Prior to that, she served on the Board as a member-at-large. Other leadership positions within APA include Council of Representatives six years, Past-Chair of the Board of Professional Affairs, member of the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice (CAPP), Past-Chair of the Committee of State Leaders, Past-President of the Division of State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association Affairs (Division 31), Division 29 Member-at-large, and numerous task-forces.
A past president of the Georgia Psychological Association, Dr. Kelly has served as the Federal Advocacy Coordinator of the Association for 22 years. She was Treasurer of the GPA Political Action Committee 21 years. Other past positions held within GPA include Chair of Membership and Ethnic Minority Affairs Committees.
Dr. Kelly was recognized at the 2019 APA Services, Inc. Practice Leadership Conference for her Leadership in Advancing the Profession of Psychology through Federal Advocacy. Other Advocacy recognitions include the 2011 State Leadership Award, Karl F. Heiser Advocacy Award and Legislative Award of the Georgia Psychological Association in 2000, and the Federal Advocacy Award by the APA Practice Organization in 2004. She was the 2012 recipient of the APA Division of Health Psychology/American Psychological Foundation Timothy B. Jeffrey Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Health Psychology. In 2011 she was presented with the Diversity Award from the Committee of State Leaders of APA. She received the Outstanding Psychologist Award from Division 31 of APA in 2006.
Dr. Kelly served as a member-at-large of the American Board of Professional Psychology Foundation from 2014-2019. She is a graduate of the 2003 class of Leadership Atlanta. She is a member of Lions Club International. Dr. Kelly was an Associate Editor of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice from 2006-2011.
Jessica Grose is the parenting columnist at The New York Times. She is working on a new book of nonfiction called ALL POWERFUL AND TOTALLY USELESS: The Creation of the Ideal American Mother. Jess was the founding editor of Lenny, the email newsletter and website. She also writes about women’s health, culture, and grizzly bears. She was named one of LinkedIn’s Next Wave top professionals 35 and under in 2016 and a Glamour “Game Changer” in 2020 for her coverage of the pandemic.
Cecilia Gentili started Transgender Equity Consulting in the beginning of 2019 after serving as the Director of Policy at GMHC, the world’s first and leading provider of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy from 2016 to 2019.
Originally from Argentina, Cecilia came to the United States for a safer life as a transgender woman and lived, in the country undocumented for 10 years. During this time Cecilia gained her living through sex work, which came with drug use - for which she was continually targeted for policing. After multiple arrests and an immigration detention, she accessed recovery services and with more control over her life fought and won asylum.
Her experience surviving this time in her life impassions her desire to ensure that all people living on the margins are provided with access to the dignity and respect deserved in all spaces.
Cecilia’s first role within community services was when she started working as an intern at The LGBT Center in New York City. From 2012 to 2016 she was brought into Apicha Community Health Center to develop the transgender health services into a stand alone program where she managed a team of of 3 Patients Navigators and 6 Health Home Outreach Workers. Cecilia’s involvement was instrumental in expanding the program from 27 patients in 2012 to over 500 in 2016.
Seeing so many clients affected by institutional discrimination and widespread lack of access, Cecilia decided to move from direct services into policy work at GMHC from 2016 to 2019. There she became the Managing Director of Policy and was one of the hardest fighters for the passage of GENDA (Gender Non-Discrimination Act).
Her successes in policy inspired her to found Decrim NY, a coalition working towards the decriminalization, decarceration and destigmatization of people in the sex trade. Cecilia was instrumental in the development of two statewide bills to provide survivors of trafficking with record relief, and to end the criminalization of ‘loitering’ - a charge overwhelmingly leveled against transgender women, regardless of their involvement in the sex trade.
Cecilia started working independently with Trans Equity Consulting in 2019, and has already collaborated extensively with organizations including the AIDS Institute, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Borealis Foundation and Cicatelli Associates Inc. Her reputation amongst these organizations, and many more, is reflective of the deep personal commitment she brings to the work, and her unique insight which enables a deeper connection with queer and trans communities.
Emily Tisch Sussman has been at the forefront of executing strategy for the progressive movement in America for more than a decade. She is a leading democratic political strategist with over 250 appearances on MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, HLN, and CBS, and nearly 100 in the past election. Her views are also frequently featured in national news outlets including The New York Times, Newsweek, Reuters, and Politico.
Emily is the host of the popular all-women interview-style podcast Your Political Playlist, formerly Your Presidential Playlist, a guide to politics in the new presidential administration and Congress. Every week, the podcast releases bite-size conversations with women at the seat of power and activism like President Biden's Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O'Malley Dillon, Nominee for Director of the Office of Management and Budget Neera Tanden, White House Council of Economic Advisers Member Heather Boushey, and Acting Chair of the Federal Communications Commission Jessica Rosenworcel. Over the course of three seasons, more than 50 guests have come on the show including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Stacey Abrams. The podcast has had several features on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher and was named one of Refinery29’s Best New Podcasts for 2020.
Emily's January 2020 interview with Hillary Clinton made headlines in The New York Times, The Washington Post, POLITICO, The Hill, and several other outlets, driving a 48-hour news cycle in the midst of the Senate impeachment trial and the weekend leading up to the Iowa caucuses. Her May 2020 live podcast recording with Senator Cory Booker at the 92NY was viewed by more than 70,000 people in 120 countries. The show was called "required listening for any Democrat" by the National Field Director for Swing Left and "an in-depth policy brief with context around the democratic evolution on these issues" by a national political reporter for a major news outlet.
In 2019, Emily launched ETS Advisory which allows her to work directly with advocates across the country to drive progressive change through legislation, advocacy, the electoral process, and policy development. She has had the opportunity to provide counsel to organizations including Change the Ref, an initiative sponsored by March For Our Lives; Town Hall Project; the Baker Project, which is a part of Eleanor's Legacy; Funny or Die: Glam Up the Midterms; and Vote Vets.
Emily is a member of the EMILY'S List Creative Council and has also served as a Senior Advisor to Swing Left, where she executed a national celebrity surrogate tour with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Natalie Portman, and Jessica Alba and coordinated the "The Last Weekend" project to mobilize key stakeholders in the final days of the 2018 midterm elections. Previously, Emily held the role of Vice President of Campaigns for the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP), the largest progressive think tank in Washington, DC, overseeing issue campaigns to impact policies at the national and state levels.
She shaped key strategies to resist the Trump Administration's harmful policies and turned up the heat on the Repeal and Replace debate as Republicans worked to dismantle healthcare for millions of Americans. She also worked with CAP's youth outreach arm to cultivate young activists through Generation Progress and helped establish a Gun Violence Prevention Network.
Emily is a staunch advocate of women's rights and helped shape the leading principles for the inaugural Women's March in January 2017. She has extensive experience guiding young activists, having previously served as executive director of Young Democrats of America, and as the founder of Think Blue, an organization to increase youth participation in the democratic electoral process.
She is a member of the New York Bar, earning her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Key recognitions include the Cardozo Alumni of the Decade, New Leaders Council 40 under 40 Emerging Leaders in Politics, Washington Life Magazine 40 Under 40, American Association of Political Consultants 40 under 40, "We Are Emily" award from Emily's List, and the Truman Values Award from Truman National Security Project.
A New York Giants fan and a life-long musical theatre enthusiast, Emily considers her experience as a camp counselor for girls in Massachusetts amongst her most fulfilling roles. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children.
Mariel Hemingway is considered an expert in health — both mental and physical — and is a longtime advocate of personal power, life balance, authenticity, joy and finding peace of mind through a devoted practice of healthy living. She’s both a committed teacher and student in this holistic concentration. In 2014 Mariel co-executive produced the Emmy-nominated Running From Crazy, a rich and evocative documentary about the Hemingway family, collaboration with Oprah Winfrey. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and documents her boundless advocacy for mental health awareness, the dignity and rights of people of all circumstance and ability, and her commitment to connecting those of like mind and heart in order to optimize their lives in the best and worst of times.
In May 2015, in alignment with National Mental Health Awareness month, Regan Arts Publishing released two new books including her memoir, Out Came The Sun and a young adult targeted diary form project about the journey from surviving to thriving, entitled Invisible Girl.
In 2013, Mariel co-wrote the book, Running With Nature, wherein she and her life partner Bobby Williams share their insights about the import and impact of nutrition, meditation, mindfulness, movement, silence, the beauty of simple living, compassion for self and community, and staying a student of life at all ages. Mariel’s bestselling book, Finding My Balance, is an honest and inspiring story of her life’s journey through the lens of her personal yoga and meditation practices. Her second book, Mariel Hemingway’s Healthy Living from the Inside Out is a how-to guide to finding a greater sense of balance and meaning through self-empowering techniques and strategies. Her 2009 cookbook, Mariel’s Kitchen, offers creative gluten and sugar free recipes and was one of the first to shine the national spotlight on the benefits of this type of diet and lifestyle.
Mariel is a regular keynote speaker at conferences, conventions, and on academic panels where those of like mind and heart gather to educate, engage, entertain, and to enrich each other’s experiences. She is also an educator for Prime My Body, an organic hemp oil designed to reduce inflammation and stimulate the immune response. Recent health, wellness, inspirational, advocacy and entertainment media profiles include those in USA Today, LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Times of London, The Today & Dr. Oz shows, Huffington Post/AOL video sites, Vanity Fair, the New York Times, Interview, People, and USA Today Best of Magazines. In 2014, Mariel was the focus of a one-hour interview about her books with Oprah Winfrey’s on OWN’s premiere show, Super Soul Sunday.
Dr. Anna Costakis completed her undergraduate and medical degrees at Loyola university Chicago and Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. Following psychiatry residency at Northwestern McGaw Hospital in Chicago, she practiced at Mercy Hospital Chicago in consultation-liaison, early versions of integrated care in primary medical settings and was director of the inpatient psychiatric unit there. After ventures in outpatient at the VA, private practice on Michigan Ave and ACT team work with Thresholds, she moved to NYC in 2013. Dr. Costakis practiced at Mount Sinai St. Luke's until 2015, serving as director of the Psychiatric Recovery Center during that time. In 2015, she went on to become a faculty member at Columbia New York Presbyterian and worked to develop the DSRIP-funded Behavioral Health Crisis Stabilization Program, of which she was the Medical Director until May 2018. She has since transitioned to Northwell LIJ Zucker Hillside Hospital as the Adult Ambulatory Psychiatry Director, where she also serves as faculty at Hofstra Zucker School of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Costakis has been active in the American Psychiatric Association since residency and most recently served as the president of the New York County Psychiatric Society 2017-2018 and now serves on the APA Assembly as a state representative. She is also the proud mom of 13 year old boy/girl twins and a 11 year old daughter as well as 2 rescue dogs, 3 rescue cats and a tortoise.
Victor M. Fornari, M.D., M.S. is the Vice Chair, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the Director of the Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, including the Zucker Hillside Hospital & the Cohen Children’s Medical Center. He is also Professor of Psychiatry & Pediatrics at the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
In 2010, Dr Fornari participated in the development of CAP PC, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry for Primary Care, (Project TEACH) funded by the New York State Office of Mental Health to facilitate and collaborate with Primary Care Providers in the care of youth with mild to moderate mental health concerns. In 2017, CAP PC was the recipient of the American Psychiatric Association’s Psychiatric Services Achievement Bronze Award for Innovation.
Dr. Fornari is an Investigator of MOBILITY, a PCORI-funded Grant to study whether metformin added to healthy lifestyle may be more effective than healthy lifestyle alone for overweight and obese youth taking second generation antipsychotic medications. (2015-2023)
Dr. Fornari is an Investigator in a PCORI-funded Grant entitled Pre-START (Suicide Treatment Alternatives for Teens) to determine the most appropriate treatment for suicidal youth. (2019-2024)
Dr. Fornari is the Co-Editor of the book Evidence Based Treatments for Eating Disorders: Children, Adolescent & Adults (Nova Science Press: 2009 & 2014) and well as the Editor of a new book entitled: Psychiatric Nonadherence: A Solutions Based Approach (Springer, 2019)
Dr. Fornari was the President of American Association of Directors of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2018-2020).
Tina Conroy, E-RYT, RMT, is the Director of Energy Healing and Reiki Master at the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine. She also teaches all the Reiki certification programs and is a yoga instructor.
Energy work for Tina comes naturally and springs from the deep well of passion and love she found in her own healing journey. From childhood, she had an intuitive calling and an expansive gift. As an adult, she began cultivating her natural abilities and uses her sensitivity and attunement in her readings and healing sessions at the Center. Tina’s methods take many exceptional forms, all designed for the personal healing and transformation - unique for each of her clients.
Tina received her BA from American University. Inspired by several early teachers, including her teacher Rev. Terri A. Heiman, RMT, Tina found the confidence to use Reiki to heal herself and share this energy with others. Tina is trained in the traditional Usui Shiki Ryoho method of natural healing, and holds Reiki Master Teacher Degree.
Tina is also a gifted yoga instructor at the RYT-200 level. She was initially drawn to yoga after the birth of her daughter and loves working with children and moms-to-be! Tina completed her Yoga Teacher Certification with Suzanne Cardinal at Into This World Yoga Teacher Training. Tina’s many offerings at the Center include meditation classes and healing circles, individual Reiki sessions and Certification classes.
Tina is also the Producer of the The Intuitive Woman Podcast, a weekly show which includes guided mediations, spiritual topics and featured guests.
Tina’s passion is working with women to enhance their life and well-being. Tina is delighted to bring her passion and gifted healing work to the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine.
Fran Drescher in Conversation with Town & Country’s April Long
Emmy-nominated actress, producer and activist Fran Drescher used her experience with uterine cancer to launch a movement. Her nonprofit, Cancer Schmancer, was conceived to change the way policy makers and patients think about cancer and healthcare. Drescher joins us to talk about her foundation’s latest work, her holistic approach to wellness, the ways in which you can help protect yourself, the importance of knowing your rights as a patient, and more – all drawing on research to enlighten you and an experience she wants to spare you. Infinitely inspirational, infinitely relatable, Drescher says, “I got famous. Then I got cancer. Now I live to talk about it.” Be among those to hear her.
Benjamin Schwartz, MD, Andrea Zimmern, MD, Jocelyn Park, MD, Richard R. Barakat MD, MBA (moderator)
More than one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer in her lifetime, but there are multiple ways to help protect yourself. Our experts talk about the cancers that affect women most, lead you through the guidelines for screenings, and detail the lifestyle changes and healthy choices in diet, physical activity and more that can help reduce your risk.
Catherine M. Alfano, PhD
A cancer diagnosis and the treatment that follows is only part of the cancer care journey. Our experts talk about survivorship, and how women can empower themselves with information, find support and learn about the options and resources available to them that can optimize their health and wellbeing during treatment, recovery and beyond.
Fran Drescher has a reputation for passion and commitment. She received two Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal as the lovable “Miss Fine” on CBS’s hit series, The Nanny, which she both created and executive produced. She also created, executive produced and starred in the groundbreaking TV Land sitcom, Happily Divorced, which was inspired by her real-life relationship with her gay ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobson. Fran recently starred in the new NBC sitcom, Indebted, about a Baby Boomer couple who go broke and have to move in with their adult son and his young family. She has worked with many great directors in films such as Rob Reiner’s This is Spinal Tap, to which Fran won Esquire Magazine’s One Minute Oscar, Milos Forman’s Rag Time, and Francis Ford Coppola’s Jack. She also starred in Beautician and the Beast opposite Timothy Dalton. Her famous voice is currently featured in the top-grossing SONY animated feature franchise film, Hotel Transylvania: In her role as Eunice, the wife of Frank Stein. In 2019, Fran starred in two indie films, The Creatress and After Class.
An accomplished author, Fran received the prestigious NCCS writer’s award for Cancer Schmancer, which, along with Enter Whining, were New York Times Best Sellers. She also penned the celebrated children's book, BeingWendy. Furthermore, Fran made her Broadway debut as “Madame” in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Tony-Award winning, Cinderella.
Fran is a 20-year cancer survivor and founder of the Cancer Schmancer Movement; dedicated to educating, motivating, and activating patients into medical consumers by connecting lifestyle to disease with her Master Class Health Summit and teen-targeted education video, Be The Change, starring Jamie Foxx.
Fran has won countless awards for her leadership in the health space, including the John Wayne Institute Woman of Achievement Award, the Gilda Award, City of Hope Woman of the Year Award, The Albert Einstein Medical School Lifetime Achievement Award, Queens College Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Citizen Artist Award.
Furthermore, the Knesset in Israel also honored Fran for being the first female, Jewish actress since Molly Goldberg in 1948 to play an openly Jewish character in a starring role on primetime TV in her role on The Nanny. The series and Miss Fine were lovingly embraced by not only Israel, but by most of the world including many nations in the Arab world. Fran was also honored with the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality Award for her efforts to defend civil liberties and, most recently, the Stonewall and Liberty Bell Awards for her advocacy of Gay Civil Liberties. She is a vetted and appointed Public Diplomacy Envoy for Health Issues with the U.S. State Department. She is in high demand as a public speaker on a myriad of subjects and shares her unique take on life through the prism of self-deprecating humor in her stand up comedy act.
April Long is the Beauty Director at Town & Country. An expert in the beauty and wellness space for more than a decade, her work has won 12 Fragrance Foundation Awards for Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Writing, and 5 Women’s Dermatologic Society Rose Gold Awards for Excellence in Dermatologic Reporting.
Dr. Jeannine Villella, DO, FACOG, FACS, is the Vice Chair of Gynecology, Chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital, and Associate Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell Health. Dr. Villella is a devoted gynecologic oncologist, leader and mentor who is committed to improving screening, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for women with gynecologic cancers. She has built a robust and comprehensive program at Lenox Hill Hospital and is growing it to reach women throughout Manhattan and surrounding areas.
Dr. Villella believes in all-inclusive care of gynecologic oncology patients as evidenced by her practice that includes screening, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, clinical trials, translational research, survivorship and palliative care to deliver the optimum continuity of care. As an integral component of patient care, Dr. Villella emphasizes the importance of patient education to complement clinical therapies and to support recovery and wellness. She is highly experienced in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery to treat cancers and offer a faster recovery. Additionally, form women with large more advanced tumors, comprehensive advanced open abdominal procedures aimed at maximal tumor resection to optimize surgical outcome.
As a leader in the field of gynecologic oncology, Dr. Villella is highly committed to research and advancing science. She participates in progressive ovarian cancer immunotherapy research aimed at enhancing the immune response to malignancy. She is known for her passion in this area for over 16 years, and has brought these clinical trials to Northwell Health that foster collaboration and offer novel therapies to ovarian cancer patients. She continues to collaborate in translational research and is an ACRP Certified Principle Investigator, serves on the Vaccine Sub-Committee of the Gynecologic Oncology Group of NRG Oncology and is on multiple advisory boards due to her experience in this area. She has been a recipient of several research awards and grants for her work.
Richard Barakat, MD is an internationally recognized surgeon and clinical investigator who was Chief of the Gynecology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 2001 to 2013 and held the Ronald O. Perelman Chair in Gynecologic Surgery. Dr. Barakat was the lead investigator on several influential clinical trials at MSK, including a study to compare the benefits of laparoscopic versus standard surgery for patients with endometrial cancer and was the lead investigator on an NIH funded national study evaluating symptomatic lower-extremity lymphedema in women undergoing lymphadenectomy for cervical, uterine and vulvar cancer. Dr. Barakat is author or co-author of more than 340 peer-reviewed articles and numerous textbook chapters and was the lead editor of Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology, one of the leading texts in the field.
In addition he served as a member and examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and for five years served as a director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology. He was President of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology from 2013 to 2014 and past President of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (2014-2016). From 2013-2017, he served as Director of the MSK regional care network and Cancer Alliance.
In 2018 Dr. Barakat joined Northwell Health to lead all cancer services and research and serve as professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. In January 2020 Dr. Barakat was named the Edward and Carole Miller Distinguished Chair in Cancer.
As senior vice president and regional physician executive for Northwell Health's Eastern Region, Benjamin Schwartz, MD, MHCM, serves as the region's key physician executive, working to optimize ambulatory operations, improve patient experiences and assist with overall clinical strategy.
Dr. Schwartz also serves as the Eastern Region director of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at South Shore University Hospital.
A board-certified subspecialist in gynecologic oncology and minimally invasive and robotic surgery, Dr. Schwartz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Fellow in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Surgeons.
After graduating from Dartmouth College, Dr. Schwartz obtained his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and served as administrative chief resident.
During his residency, Dr. Schwartz completed a Galloway Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He then completed subspecialty training in Gynecologic Oncology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Dr. Schwartz has a master’s degree in health care management from the Harvard University School of Public Health.
Dr. Andrea Zimmern, MD, FACS, FASCRS is a fellowship trained, board certified Colorectal Surgeon treating a full range of diseases/conditions affecting the colon, rectum, and anus. This includes colon/rectal/anal cancer, diverticular disease, colon polyps, fecal incontinence, pilonidal disease, rectal prolapse, anorectal abscess, fistula, fissure, anal warts, rectocele, and hemorrhoids.
After completing a general surgery residency at SUNY Stony Brook, she went on to complete a fellowship in Robotic surgery at University of Illinois at Chicago followed by her colorectal fellowship at St. Vincent’s health System in Erie, PA. Dr. Zimmern specializes in the use of robotic and laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery and also performs advanced diagnostic/therapeutic colonoscopy as well as pelvic floor testing.
Dr. Zimmern is extremely involved in resident and medical student education. In addition to the general surgery residency program she holds faculty positions in the colorectal and urogynecology fellowship programs. She serves as a residency mentor as well as participates in the Women in Medicine mentorship program for the school of medicine. She is also a faculty member of the school of medicine ICE program (Initial Clinical Experience) for first year medical students.
Dr. Jocelyn Park is the Associate Chief of the Division of Breast Imaging at Northwell Health. In addition to her clinical practice, she oversees and coordinates the functioning and growth of multiple breast imaging sites in Long Island. Dr. Park is an Assistant Professor of Radiology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and has enjoyed teaching residents, fellows, and medical students throughout her career.
Dr. Park received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and attended medical school at the University of Virginia. She completed her Diagnostic Radiology residency at Beth Israel Medical Center and a fellowship in breast imaging at Columbia University.
Dr. Park is the co-founder and physician lead of the Breast Ultrasound Quality Committee of the Imaging Service Line, which seeks to monitor and improve the performance of evidence-based and innovative breast ultrasound across Northwell Health. Dr. Park is passionate about breast ultrasound and its potential as an accessible modality that can play a key role in the early detection of breast cancer in conjunction with mammography.
Catherine Alfano, PhD, is an international leader in cancer survivorship and cancer rehabilitation. At Northwell Health, she leads both clinical care design and research across the health system. Operationally, she develops and oversees the implementation and integration of a high-quality cancer survivorship program for the health system that monitors patients from diagnosis forward, delivering timely and effective care. The goal of this effort is to simultaneously improve long-term patient outcomes and experience of care while reducing unnecessary costs. She also oversees the development of a Learning Health System for oncology where research is imbedded in care to facilitate translational research and allow patient data to drive personalized care. Before joining Northwell, she served as the Vice President of Survivorship at the American Cancer Society where she provided vision and leadership to ACS research, programming, and policy efforts nationwide to improve the lives of cancer survivors. She previously served as the Deputy Director of the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Survivorship where she created funding opportunity announcements to fill gaps in cancer survivorship and transdisciplinary research. Dr. Alfano’s research aims to speed the effective translation of research into practice and inform supporting policy to optimize patient outcomes and clinic efficiency, address provider shortages, and decrease healthcare costs. This research focuses on: 1) Domestic and global efforts to improve interventions and models of care delivery for oncology, cancer rehabilitation, and survivorship; 2) Integrating multi-source Big Data including Real World Evidence to generate insights for predictive and prescriptive analytics and creating mobile health and other digital health tools leading to better-personalized care approaches; 3) Incorporating rehabilitation, healthy behavior change, and self-management into oncology and cancer follow-up care; and 4) The integration of biological and behavioral pathways governing health, accelerated aging, function, and cancer prognosis. In addition to her roles at Northwell, she has led work with the American Society of Clinical Oncology to help American healthcare systems develop risk & need-stratified survivorship care that focuses on helping patients self-manage their health and delivers care outside of clinic walls. She has held leadership positions as the Chair of the Cancer Special Interest Group of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and Co-Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Panel: Diet, Physical Activity and Weight Management During Cancer Treatment. She has served on the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Survivorship Committee and Energy Balance Sub-committee, and on the Research Task Force of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s Cancer Networking Group.
Jennifer H. Mieres, MD
Lisa Bondy, E-RYT
Eugenia Gianos, MD, Catherine R. Weinberg, MD, Sonia Henry, MD
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the US, but up to 80% of heart disease can be prevented through education, management of risk factors, healthy lifestyle choices, and advancements in technology that have positively impacted prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Our experts address areas including cardio-obstetrics and cardio-oncology, offering guidance on how women can take charge of their heart health at every stage of life – and their view that it’s never too early to start.
Deborah McElligott, DNP
Sharon Zarabi RD, CDN, CPT
Healthy eating is essential for a heart-healthy life. Our experts guide you on the best foods for cardio health, the ones to avoid or limit, and how they impact your health. And they offer tips on how you can reshape your diet with food choices that can be easily worked into your lifestyle – and which can make all the difference in your health.
Dr. Jennifer H. Mieres is a leading expert in the fields of nuclear cardiology, cardiovascular disease in women and patient-centered healthcare advocacy. As Senior Vice President of Northwell Health’s, Center for Equity of Care, Dr. Mieres serves as the health system’s first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, with oversight of all diversity and health equity initiatives and is a member of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health. Dr. Mieres is also the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and a professor of cardiology, at The Zucker School of Medicine.
A graduate of Bennington College and Boston University School of Medicine; she is a Fellow of The American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology (ACC), and Master of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) and served as the first female President of the ASNC in 2009.
Dr. Mieres’ clinical focus and research are centered on the elimination of health and gender disparities and cardiovascular disease in women. She is a leading advocate for patient-centered healthcare and medical education reform and has authored/co-authored over 60 scientific publications, including as lead author of the 2005 and 2014 AHA cardiac imaging guidelines for women. As an international speaker, she has presented her research as distinguished faculty at over 100 forums and conferences; both nationally and internationally including scientific sessions of the ACC, AHA, ASNC, the International Conference of Nuclear Cardiology and IHI/BMJ International Forum on Quality & Safety in Healthcare. A true patient and community advocate; Dr. Mieres is actively involved in service. served as chair of several national AHA committees as well as the Scientific Advisory Board for WomenHeart.
A prolific communicator; Mieres recently co-authored Heart Smart for Women: Six S.T.E.P.S IN Six Weeks to Heart-Healthy Living, published in October 2017 and the Spanish version of the book, Un Corazon Saludable Para La Mujer Moderna -Seis P.A.S.O.S en Seis Semanas Para Mantener La Salud Del Corazon published January 2019. Her previous book Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas: A Five Week Program for Living a Heart- Healthy Lifestyle was published in 2008. Following her Emmy-nominated documentary A Woman’s Heart, (2001); her creative ingenuity has evolved as an executive producer of a two part documentary series Rx: The Quiet Revolution and Doctors of Tomorrow, (2015). The films have forged a change in narrative while garnering placement on national TV network PBS and in educational institutions. Dr. Mieres is routinely called upon by national and local media for expert commentary and has been designated as a most credible voice in the healthcare industry.
Dr. Mieres has been recognized as a tireless force working to foster diversity in medical education. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards, which include; one of Crain’s NY Notable Women in Healthcare, September 2018; Good Housekeeping/L’Oreal’s one of ten Humanitarians Over 50, April 2018; Delta Sky Magazine Heart Disease: Calculating Risk, July 2018; CardioSource (ACC) Pioneering African-American Physicians, February 2018 and one of “15 Hospital, Health System Chief Diversity Officers to know” by Becker’s Hospital Review, April 2016. Dr. Mieres has also received; The Association of Black Cardiologists Walter M. Booker Sr. Health Promotion Award, October 2015, The AHA’s; National Chairman’s Award, November 2014 and Louis B. Russell, Jr., Memorial Award, June 2011.
Dr. Tara Narula is a board certified cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, an Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra/Northwell and a CBS News Senior Medical Correspondent. She also serves as the Associate Director of the Women’s Heart Program at Lenox Hill Hospital. She contributes to various CBS News broadcasts and platforms including CBS this Morning, CBS Evening News, CBSN and CBS Sunday Morning. She has been a frequent contributor to O, Oprah Magazine. She joined Lenox Hill Heart & Vascular Institute of New York in 2010 and provides outpatient consultative care. She is additionally board certified in Nuclear Cardiology, Echocardiography and Internal Medicine. After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in Economics and Biology, she was founder and CEO of her own small business, Sun Juice Inc. Subsequently she obtained her medical degree at USC Keck School of Medicine where she graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha Society Honors. Dr. Narula completed her residency in internal medicine at Harvard University/Brigham and Women's Hospital and her fellowship training in cardiology at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Narula is currently a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). She serves as a member for both the NYC Go Red for Women Committee and is a national spokesperson for the American Heart Association. She is a recipient of the 2019 WomenHeart Nanette Wenger Award for Media and the Super Doctors Award for NYC 2014-2020. Her interests include women's health and prevention.
Nancy Brown is Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association (AHA). The Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all – in the U.S. and around the world.
Serving as CEO since 2008, Nancy has elevated the AHA as a global leader in heart disease and stroke science innovation. Under her leadership and 30+ year AHA career, the Association established the first-ever definition of “cardiovascular health” and just announced its bold 2030 global aspiration: “Together with global and local collaborators, we will equitably increase worldwide healthy life expectancy from 64 to at least 67, by 2030.” The Association’s work is led by over 40 million volunteers, scientists, staff and donors.
Dr. Eugenia Gianos is an Associate Professor of Cardiology at the Zucker School of Medicine. She is system director for Cardiovascular Prevention at Northwell, director of the Women’s Heart Program at Lenox Hill and Director of the Western region, Katz Women’s Heart Program at Northwell. She is board certified in medicine, cardiology, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and lipidology. She completed her residency and fellowship training at North Shore and Long Island Jewish Hospitals before becoming an attending at NYU Langone Medical Center for 11 years. She currently directs multiple clinical, research and teaching programs to improve cardiovascular health in our health system, with a specific focus on women's heart health. She is applying her expertise nationally as a member of the American College of Cardiology Prevention Council and she is President elect for the Northeast Chapter of the National Lipid Association.
Dr. Sonia A. Henry is the Medical Director of Echocardiography at North Shore University Hospital. She graduated Downstate-SUNY College of Medicine. She completed Medicine residency, Chief Residency, and cardiovascular fellowship at Northwell. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Cardio-Oncology, Echocardiography, Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiovascular CT and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and American Society of Echocardiography. Under her leadership there has been growth in education, quality and advanced Echo procedures which supports structural heart, electrophysiology, cardiac transplant and cardiomyopathy programs at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital. One of Dr. Henry’s most notable contribution to the Northwell was the development of the Cardio-oncology Program in collaboration with Katz Institute for Women’s Health. This program was urgently needed because of the increase in cardiotoxicity seen from cancer treatment. Through this program, she created partnerships with the Monter Cancer center, Cohen’s Survivorship cancer program and radiation-oncology. Dr. Henry is an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Zucker School of Medicine. She is devoted to education and has received the Cardiology Teaching Attending of the Year Award. She was an honoree for The Network Journal’s “40 Under Forty” Achievement Awards 2014 for leadership. She was recognized by Kicked It in Heels organization at their 3rd Annual Breast cancer benefit “Life after cancer – Celebrating Survivorship” for innovation in cardio-oncology. She also received the National Medical Association – “Top Healthcare Professionals Under 40 Award” for clinical expertise.
Dr. Catherine Weinberg is the director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease and High Risk Cardiovascular Obstetrics Programs at Lenox Hill Northwell Health. As a clinical cardiologist, she has expertise in congenital heart disease, and pregnancy-related heart disease. She collaborates closely with obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric cardiology, and surgical colleagues to provide the highest quality care to her patients. She also treats general cardiology patients.
After graduating with an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Lawrence University, Wisconsin, she earned her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine where she was a member of Iota Epsilon Alpha Honor Society. She completed her Internal Medicine residency and Cardiology fellowship at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. Dr. Weinberg’s passion for treating adults with congenital heart disease led her to complete an advanced fellowship at the Wisconsin Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. In 2012 she joined Concorde Medical Group. In addition to seeing general cardiology patients at Concorde, she helped build and grow the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at NYU Langone Health. She joined Lenox Hill Northwell Health in 2020 to grow their Adult Congenital Heart Disease and High Risk Cardiovascular Obstetrics Programs programs.
Dr. Weinberg shares her knowledge by teaching medical school students, residents, and fellows. She has co-authored journal articles and textbook chapters on advancements in echocardiography, women with coronary artery disease, pregnancy and heart disease and adult congenital heart disease. Dr. Weinberg has been named one of New York’s Super Doctors®.
Sharon Zarabi is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Fitness Trainer by trade and currently serves as the Program Director for the Katz Institute for Womens Health, Northwell Health System. For over 15 years Sharon has been a transformational expert, helping patients optimize their wellness through lifestyle medicine. She takes a no nonsense approach to incorporating whole foods and movement to daily rituals as a means to living your best self. She has counseled patients, led nutrition classes, created support groups and hosted various community walks to support funding for what she is most passionate about. To spread her ardent belief, she has coauthored several nutrition books and publications, presented internationally and shares her wisdom in various media outlets. Committed to solving the conundrum of defining “healthy,” Sharon is active in research studies studying glucose regulation, weight loss/bariatric surgery, and most currently evaluating gut microbiome and metabolism. She is an active member in Dietetic Practice groups, and held leadership roles in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She received her Bachelors of Science from NYU and completed her dietetic internship at CW Post Long Island University.
A devoted yogi and meditator for over 35 years, with over 15,000 hours of teaching experience, Lisa is a master yoga teacher who inspired many over two decades of teaching on Long Island to become practitioners and to train with her to become yoga teachers.
Always a student Lisa studied Hatha, Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga with some of the best teachers in the world including David Swenson and Shelley Washington, Tim Miller, Dharma Mittra, Eddie Stern, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, Shiva Rea, Alan Finger and Pattabhi Jois. Among her specialty certifications, Lisa teaches Cardiac Medical Yoga, Laughter Yoga, Yoga Kids and Baby Yoga, and Reiki 2. Lisa is currently working toward certification in Yoga Therapy through the Kundalini tradition with Guru Dharum.
Lisa’s teaching style is masterful and empowering. She inspires all of her students (from teen elite athletes to fabulous octogenarians) to move beyond the bounds of the mind and expand into an experience of authenticity and self-realization. Lisa’s intention and expertise lies in her ability to lead students on a healing, transformational journey—body, mind and soul.
In addition, Lisa is a natural gourmet and macrobiotic cook who has been part of the organic and holistic health lifestyle movement for the past 30 years. Her passion is clean living/eating and detoxification/ cleansing, believing both enhance a greater & direct experience of vibrant living and robust health.
Deborah McElligott, DNP, ANP-BC, AHN-BC, HWNC-BC, CDE, is a board certified Adult and Holistic Nurse Practitioner, an Integrative Health and Wellness Coach and a Certified Diabetes Educator. Her nursing career spans 40 years (30 with Northwell) with experience in Cardiac Surgery, Integrative Medicine, Administration and Education. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra –Northwell and Associate Faculty with the International Nurse Coach Association, mentoring both medical students and nurses.
Deborah has practiced in both acute and out-patient settings with her most recent focus on health promotion, wellness and healing. In the past three years, Deborah has collaborated with the Integrative team at the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine and the many donors who support programs to develop and hold groups, trainings and programs to meet the needs of Northwell employees and the community. These include health and wellbeing education, a focus on comfort management with chronic diseases and expanding the skills of employees who wish to become certified or trained in Integrative Therapies. She facilitates numerous community support groups focused on wellness including the Heart Healthy Living Program and the Diabetes Prevention Program. Deborah works closely with integrative health care teams to focus on whole person wellbeing, risk assessment and the prevention and self-management of cardiac disease, cancer and diabetes.
Deborah has been the primary investigator in nursing research studies involving imagery, massage, and three studies focusing on health promotion and wellness. She has published these studies, papers and book chapters on topics including self-care, reflection, integrative assessment, coaching, reflexology and healing. A frequent speaker in the community, faith -based and professional organizations, she has presented the results of her research both nationally and internationally.
Deborah’s formal education included various outstanding universities. She received her BSN from Hunter –Bellevue, her MA from NYU, her Post Masters NP from SUNY Stonybrook and her DNP from Case Western Reserve University. She also holds certifications in AMMA Massage, Reflexology, Integrative Imagery, Reiki, and as an Urban Zen Integrative Therapist. Long Island has always been her home, and she enjoys living in a beach community with her family.
Rafael A. Ortiz, MD
Kelly McGonigal
Through her trademark blend of science and storytelling, Stanford University psychologist and best selling author Kelly McGonigal draws on insights from neuroscience, psychology, and evolutionary biology to explore how physical activity supports brain health and will outline actionable strategies for putting the ideas to work for you.
Penny Stern, MD, MPH
Maria Torroella Carney, MD, Jeremy Koppel, MD
Maintaining brain health is top of mind as we age. Our experts break down what can be expected as natural developments in women’s brains and the signs and symptoms to be alert to, and they share the things every one of us can do right now to promote brain health throughout our lives.
Tracee Stanley
Joan Lunden
Award-winning journalist Joan Lunden chronicled her experience as an aging baby boomer in her book Why Did I Come Into This Room? She joins us with Lynn Posluns, founder and president of the Women’s Brain Health Initiative, to address the mental and emotional aspects of aging, with takeaways on what you can do to protect your brain health. Lunden shares frank, often funny, truths about her personal experiences with changes in energy, weight, sleep, and sex drive, and navigating a society that reveres youth. Lunden and Posluns address disorders associated with brain aging that disproportionately affect women. And they discuss the latest scientific findings on brain health, offering advice on the best ways to protect your own cognitive vitality.
Rafael A. Ortiz, MD is the Chief of Neuro-Endovascular Surgery and Interventional Neuro-Radiology at Lenox Hill Hospital and for Northwell Health’s Western Region. Dr. Ortiz is Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Radiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and serves as the Chair of the Communications and Marketing Committee at Northwell Health Physician Partners.
Dr. Ortiz completed his residency in neurology and fellowship in stroke/neuro-critical care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. In 2006, he moved to New York City to complete fellowship training in interventional neuro-radiology and endovascular surgery at the Hyman-Newman Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Roosevelt Hospital, where he served as attending physician and director of the fellowship program until June of 2012.
Among his numerous accolades, Dr. Ortiz was honored with a Proclamation by the New York State Senate in 2012 for his dedication to community education and outstanding patient care. More recently in the fall of 2020, Dr. Ortiz gained a new title of Incoming President of the NYC Board of Directors of the American Heart Association. From 2016 to 2021, Dr. Ortiz has been selected to the New York Super Doctors list for all 6 consecutive years. In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 he was named as Castle Connolly Top Doctor and New York Times Top Doctors. In 2019, Dr. Ortiz was nominated by his peers as a finalist for the Truly Awards for leadership. In 2010 he received The American Heart Association's Young Heart Award for achievements in Cardiovascular Science and Medicine and also the American Heart Association's Tu Corazon Latino Award for dedication to patient education and community health. In 2013, he was recognized as one of the Men of the Year in the City of New York by El Diario La Prensa newspaper. In 2014 and 2015 respectively, he received the Leadership and Vision Award of the American Heart and Stroke Association and the Latino Trendsetter Award.
Dr. Ortiz specializes in endovascular (interventional) treatment of cerebral aneurysms, embolization of brain tumors and vascular tumors of the head and neck region, cerebral and spinal arteriovenous malformations, treatment of craniofacial vascular lesions (venous, lymphatic, AVMs, hemangiomas) in adults and children, stenting of carotid artery stenosis, as well as revascularization procedures for acute stroke. He is known for his dedication to community education, patient satisfaction and outstanding patient care.
Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University who specializes in understanding the mind-body connection. As a pioneer in the field of "science-help," her mission is to translate insights from psychology and neuroscience into practical strategies that support personal well-being and strengthen communities.
She is the bestselling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress. You might also know her from her TED talk, "How to Make Stress Your Friend," which is one of the most viewed TED talks of all time, with over 20 million views.
Through the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism, she helped create Stanford Compassion Cultivation Training, a program now taught around the world that helps individuals strengthen their empathy, compassion, and self-compassion.
In January 2020, Oprah Magazine honored her ability to “transform scientific data into wisdom” by naming McGonigal the first ever O! Visionary, people whose groundbreaking way of seeing the world mean a better future for us all.
Her new book, The Joy of Movement, explores why physical exercise is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, television host, and motivational speaker, Joan Lunden has been a trusted voice in American homes for more than 40 years. For nearly two decades, Lunden greeted viewers each morning on Good Morning America making her the longest running female host ever on early morning television.
Lunden continues to be one of America’s most recognized and trusted personalities which has made her a sought-after speaker for events across the country. As an ardent health & senior advocate, Lunden has testified before the Food and Drug Administration advocating mandatory mammogram reporting and the Congressional House Ways and Means Committee advocating for the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Lunden is the host of the Washington Post Podcast series, Caring for Tomorrow on the future of healthcare. She also hosts the PBS television series, Second Opinion with Joan Lunden, premiering January 2021. Additionally, Lunden has become the ambassador to the Poynter Institute’s MediaWise for Seniors program which educates individuals over 50 on media literacy – separating fact from fiction online.
As a part of the sandwich generation, Lunden’s demographic is far-reaching. She is a mother of 7 including two sets of teenage twins. Like many Boomers in America she has juggled being a working mom while caring for an aging parent, and brings this experience to her role as the spokesperson for the nation’s leading senior referral service, A Place for Mom, a company helping caregivers and families find the right care and resources for their loved ones. Lunden also encourages Americans to ensure that they have adequate medical insurance coverage to protect their health and wellbeing as spokesperson for the Assurance Medicare Advantage program.
One of the most visible women in America, Lunden has graced the covers of more than 60 magazines and book covers. Lunden’s newest book, Why Did I Come into This Room: A Candid Conversation About Aging quickly became a New York Times bestseller.
In June of 2014, Lunden was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. An eternal optimist, she turned her diagnosis into an opportunity to become an advocate and help others. She chronicled her experience in her memoir Had I Known. Lunden continues to interact with American’s daily on her website, Joanlunden.com as well as her social media platforms.
Lunden has served as national spokesperson for various organizations such as the American Heart Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, American Lung Association, American Red Cross, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Colon Cancer Alliance.
Joan Lunden’s books include Why Did I Come into This Room: A Candid Conversation About Aging; Had I Known; Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Caregiving; Growing Up Healthy: Protecting Your Child From Diseases Now Through Adulthood; Wake-Up Calls; A Bend in the Road is Not the End of the Road; Joan Lunden’s Healthy Living; Joan Lunden’s Healthy Cooking; Mother’s Minutes; Your Newborn Baby; and Good Morning, I’m Joan Lunden.
Joan Lunden truly exemplifies today’s modern working woman.
Lynn Posluns is the Founder and President of Women’s Brain Health Initiative, the only organization dedicated solely to protecting the brain health of women. Since the charity launched in Canada and the U.S. in 2012, Women's Brain Health Initiative has made tremendous strides in raising awareness about the inequity in brain aging research for women, in funding that research, and in creating compelling education programs to help women protect their cognitive vitality.
Lynn has held a number of executive positions within the Retail and Fashion industries, and throughout her career, has raised millions of dollars for many philanthropic causes, focused primarily in the healthcare industry.
Lynn has received numerous awards for her work in philanthropy and giving back to the community, including Women’s Executive Network’s Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women Award, the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management’s Top Ten High Achieving Women Award, Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award and recently the Kurt and Edith Rothschild Humanitarian Award.
In June 2019 Lynn was presented with the Honorary Doctor by York University in Toronto recognizing Lynn’s exceptional commitment to women’s health with the establishment of Women’s Brain Health Initiative, promoting health education and community engagement while raising essential research funding to advance women’s brain health.
Dr. Maria Torroella Carney is Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine and Medical Director of Post-Acute Services for Northwell Health. She is Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and clinical attending at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, part of the 23 hospital Northwell Health system in New York. In her roles at Northwell, Dr. Carney aims deliver reliable high quality care to older adults and those with advanced illness, while providing education and conducting research to promote improved care and quality of life.
Previously, Dr. Carney served as Commissioner of the Nassau County Department of Health on Long Island, New York. During her role as commissioner, she focused on bringing senior health issues to public health such as adult immunization promotion, minimizing falls risks, educating on advance directives and emergency response for vulnerable populations.
Dr. Carney has worked in every aspect of health care – ambulatory care, hospital care, nursing home, house calls, and public health. She has published on advance directives, end of life, clinical program development focusing on aging and advanced illness populations. Dr. Carney has written several opinion and advocacy pieces in national media publications and has been interviewed by national and international media. She has been very active with American College of Physicians (ACP) since 1995 and considers it her professional home.
Dr. Carney served the last four years as Governor of the New York ACP (NYACP) chapter representing the Long Island District, and was President of the NYACP in 2020-2021. This past year was an incredibly challenging, but proud year for New York and the NYACP chapter. The NYACP was able to be a resource for internists as well as the New York State Department of Health on COVID 19 response. She has served on the national ACP Immunization Technical Advisory Committee and ACPs Awards Committee. In 2019, she received the NYACP Chapter Laureate Award.
In 2019, she was recognized by Crain’s Business New York by being on their Most Notable Women in Health Care List.
Most recently she is working to make Northwell Health an age-friendly health system by working collaboratively with the clinical transformation leaders of Northwell Health.
Jeremy Koppel, M.D., received his medical degree from Indiana University. He completed his clinical training in psychiatry and his geriatric psychiatry fellowship at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and his basic science training in Alzheimer’s disease research in the laboratory of Dr. Peter Davies. He works in clinical and basic science research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
Penny Stern MD, MPH, FACPM, FACOEM is the AVP of Preventive Medicine & Clinical Programs at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology, and Prevention. She is physician oversight for the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine and serves on the Employee Wellness Team. Dr. Stern is the Immediate Past President, Faculty Council of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, the Co-Chair of Northwell’s Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee and Director of Joint Accreditation Initiatives for the CME committee. Deeply involved in public health education, she routinely presents to dozens of community and workplace groups each year, as well as at various Northwell sites. She provides oversight and has participated in clinical screening activities, influenza vaccination programs, as well as in health education efforts for the Employee Wellness Team. She is a facilitator and speaker for Unconscious Bias training as part of the Northwell Center for Equity of Care’s efforts throughout the system and has presented hundreds of Unconscious Bias workshops.
Dr. Stern earned her MD with special distinction for research in neuropathology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society. As part of her residency training in Preventive Medicine at Cornell, she earned her MPH at the Columbia (now Mailman) School of Public Health. She completed an additional residency in Occupational Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. She maintains appointments as a Clinical Assistant Professor at both Weill-Cornell and Mount Sinai and has taught medical students at Cornell for over two decades. Dr. Stern is board-certified and is a fellow of both the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). She is also New York State-certified in medical acupuncture.
Prior to coming to Northwell, Dr. Stern was the Associate Medical Director and later the Deputy Medical Director at the World Trade Center Health Program at Mount Sinai and served as Medical Director at the Pfizer manufacturing facility in Brooklyn NY until its closure. At Pfizer, where she oversaw the medical department, she was responsible for the workplace health and safety of over 1200 employees. Her fields of expertise in the occupational health setting include safety and environmental health (through the OSHA Voluntary Protection Program, she helped shepherd the Pfizer facility to achieve OSHA Star status); medical surveillance; disability management; the use of acupuncture and other integrative modalities in the workplace; and wellness. A former president of the Queens County Medical Society and the New York Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association (NYOEMA), Dr. Stern continues to be involved in organized medicine on both the local and national levels, having served two terms as a Regent on the American College of Preventive Medicine’s Board of Regents. Currently, she is the Chair of the Undergraduate Medicine Education subcommittee for ACPM. She is also the Delegate to the ACOEM’s House of Delegates, representing NYOEMA. She is also an experienced medical editor and journalist, having worked in television (Lifetime Medical Television), on-line (ReutersHealth.com), and print (multiple outlets). In those capacities, she published hundreds of medical news articles for both consumer and professional audiences.
Tracee Stanley is an author and radiance advocate on a mission to help people explore their birthright to deep rest and awakened clarity that comes from the spiritual practice of Yoga Nidra.
As a lineaged teacher with over 20 years of experience, Tracee shares ancient teachings sourced from years of study in the tradition of the Himalayan Masters, Sri Vidya, and Tantra. It is her passion to create and hold space to transform, inspire, and empower utilizing the practices of Yoga Nidra, Self-inquiry, Perfect Sankalpa, Meditation, Kriya, Mantra, and sacred movement.
Tracee’s forthcoming book, Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation & Awakened Clarity published by Shambhala Publications, will be available March 9th, 2021. In Radiant Rest, Tracee guides individuals towards the door of awakening to their true nature: full of luminosity, truth, wisdom, and bliss. She offers heart-centered practices, techniques for everyday living, and ancient rituals for modern times. Tracee also hosts the Radiant Rest Podcast, where audiences join her for spacious conversations and a deeper dive into the practices that lead to deep rest and all of the treasures that come from being rested. Her guests have included Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry, Dr. Gail Parker, and Andrew Holecek, along with upcoming episodes with Nicole Cardoza and Octavia Raheem.
Tracee is highly sought after for her in-person and online trainings and retreats. She has worked with Marianne Williamson, Wanderlust, and the Lightning in a Bottle festival, and also offered yoga and meditation on the most recent Oprah and Gayle’s Girls’ Getaway to the Bahamas. Tracee serves as a faculty member at the Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, and Kripalu. She is the Founder of the Sankalpa Shakti Yoga School and the Co-Founder of Empowered Wisdom Yoga Nidra Training School.
A former model and filmmaker, Tracee has produced over 35 films. Her wish is for everyone to have access to the practice of Yoga Nidra to support and nurture them in their life.
Michael L. Nimaroff, MD, MBA
Dr. Jen Gunter
World-renowned gynecologist, author of the New York Times bestseller The Vagina Bible and new The Menopause Manifesto Dr. Jen Gunter joins us to debunk every myth and mistruth about menopause and empower you with hard facts and real science. Widely misunderstood both culturally and medically, Dr. Gunter cuts through the noise and shame too often associated with menopause and offers the essential truths every women needs to know about hot flashes, sleep disruption, sex and libido changes, depression and mood changes, skin and hair issues, outdated therapies and more. An eye-opening talk by one of the world’s most highly regarded and outspoken advocates for women’s health.
Christine Metz, PhD
Jill Rabin, MD
Throughout every woman’s lifetime, she goes through stages of physical and emotional changes. Partnering with your gynecologist is one of the most important steps women of all ages can take to keep informed of screening guidelines, to take measures in preventative care, and to find reassurance and support. Every stage is new to every woman. And no woman is ever alone.
Nicole Noyes, MD; Francine Hippolyte, MD
The struggle to conceive can be among the most difficult times in a woman’s life. Our experts present the latest advancements in fertility treatments, breaking down options ranging from medications to assisted reproductive technologies. And they share what you – and anyone hoping to conceive – can do beforehand to ensure the healthiest start for a pregnancy.
Stephanie McNally, MD; Kristina M. Deligiannidis, MD
Hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes … what exactly is happening to your body? While every woman experiences this bewildering stage of life a bit differently, there is much that we share. Our experts discuss the physical and emotional effects of menopause and offer treatment options, advice for self-care and more.
Christina Kwon, MD, Robert Moldwin, MD
Many women experience some type of pelvic health issue at some point in their lifetime. Problems can range from pelvic pain or discomfort to urinary incontinence. There are many causes, with symptoms that can range from minor inconveniences to restrictions that have a major impact on quality of life. Our experts talk candidly about pelvic health disorders and the treatments that can help you live your fullest life.
Christina Brennan, MD, MBA
Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, Tricia Regan and Jennifer H. Mieres, MD (moderator)
Nearly all of the healthcare women receive is based on research performed on men. But nearly every disease affects women differently. In the final panel of our summit, Dr. Jennifer Mieres moderates a conversation with Dr. Sharonne Hayes and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Tricia Regan about the stunning gender inequities in healthcare that are the focus of her powerful documentary Ms. Diagnosed. A short clip from the film sets up the conversation, which explores how we arrived at a system so poorly considered for women that it costs lives, the progress that is being made, the urgent need for greater action, and what you can do to advocate for yourself until we get there.
Katz Closing Remarks with Dr. Stacey E. Rosen
Dr. Michael Nimaroff is the Senior Vice President & Executive Director of Ob/Gyn at Northwell Health and serves as the Chair of Ob/Gyn at North Shore University Hospital & Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Nimaroff is an Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. In these roles, Dr. Nimaroff drives the strategic vision and quality initiatives for the division. He has been a member of the Northwell community for over thirty years, where he began his career as a resident and subsequently became a member of the voluntary staff. Initially trained as a General Ob Gyn, his practice dealt with the full range of obstetrical & gynecologic conditions. With the birth of the field of minimally invasive surgery in the early 1990’s, Dr. Nimaroff began to focus his practice on this new area of specialization, becoming a leader in this field and teaching new minimally invasive techniques to other physicians, locally, regionally, and nationally. Dr. Nimaroff founded the Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery in 2009, and established one of the first gyn robotic programs in New York. In his clinical practice, he has a special interest in fertility preserving minimally invasive procedures, and management of recurrent pregnancy loss. Currently, Dr. Nimaroff and his team are spearheading a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach to combating the crisis of racially disparate outcomes in maternal care.
Jill Maura Rabin, MD, is vice chair of Education & Development, OB-GYN at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center. She is also the co-chief of Ambulatory Care, OB-GYN at Northwell Health, section head of Urogynecology at LIJ Medical Center, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and professor at the Center for Health Innovations and Outcomes Research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
A practicing OB-GYN and urogynecologist for more than three decades, Dr. Rabin was one of the first female members of the American Urogynecologic Society and helped develop the field of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Her research team has developed numerous techniques and devices to treat and prevent urinary incontinence and improve pelvic floor health.
Dr. Rabin also has a special interest in the health and well-being of women during and after pregnancy. To support women’s emotional and psychological health, she partnered with Northwell Health’s ambulatory psychiatry team to create videos and other educational material on perinatal and postpartum mood disorders. Because periodontal health impacts pregnancy and postnatal health, Dr. Rabin helped develop a periodontal program for women in pregnancy. She also led a team that developed and patented an improved hospital gown for obstetric and gynecologic patients.
An educator as well as researcher, Dr. Rabin helped develop a graduate medical ambulatory curriculum for OB-GYN residents at Northwell. As co-director for the advanced clinical experience in OB-GYN at the Zucker School of Medicine, she helped create an integrated curriculum for medical students. She is a member of the Academy of Medical Educators and of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. Dr. Rabin has published numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and four books, and has provided insights and perspective for network and local television and radio, as well as for articles in print media and online.
Dr. Rabin received Northwell’s Arnold Fenton Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology and was named Grantee of the Year by the Susan G. Komen Foundation. In recognition of her educational leadership, Dr. Rabin received the Faculty of the Second 100 Weeks Teaching Award from the Zucker School of Medicine and the Master Teacher Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the SUNY Downstate Alumni Organization. Dr. Rabin serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals, including the “American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology” and “International Urogynecology Journal.”
Dr. Rabin graduated from the State University of New York Downstate Medical College and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She came to Northwell Health in 1985 as an attending physician, where she completed a fellowship in urogynecology.
Christina Brennan, MD has devoted her career to clinical research and currently serves as Northwell Health’s vice president of clinical research. Committed to the advancement of science and medicine, Dr. Brennan has more than 21 years of extensive clinical research experience, including over 16 years in clinical research management roles. She is on the board of trustees for the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. She is the immediate past president of the NY Metropolitan Chapter of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. She is an active member of the Clinical Trial Transformation Initiative (CCTI), with Duke University and the FDA, where she actively sits on some of their committees. She is on the leadership council for Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS), where she also sits on the oncology advisory board and technology site advocacy group. She is an adjunct professor for a Masters of Science program with Yeshiva University. She is also an active member of the Women in Bio and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr. Brennan also has authored chapters in textbooks, coauthored many manuscripts and abstracts, and has presented at numerous scientific and research meetings.
Dr. Francine Hippolyte is a well-respected, board certified obstetrician-gynecologist with over twenty years of expansive experience in clinical and outpatient medical settings. A skilled and compassionate clinician and leader, Dr. Hippolyte focuses on providing consistent, high-quality medical care to her patients while maintaining ties to the metropolitan community she loves to serve. She is an attending physician with an expertise in benign gynecology and minimally invasive surgery and Vice Chairman of Clinical Operations in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwell’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center Katz Women Hospital. In this capacity, Dr. Hippolyte is at the forefront of clinical administrative initiatives, frequently collaborating with cross-departmental Northwell Health leadership on a variety of endeavors. She is currently the Birth Equity Project Physician Leader at Katz Women‘s Hospital and a Katz Institute for Women’s Health Member, in addition to serving as a Member of several other Katz Women’s Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center Committees. Dr. Hippolyte is also an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
Dr. Hippolyte earned her Doctor of Medicine, magna cum laude, from the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She completed her medical residency, including serving as Chief Resident, at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Binghamton University, where she participated in the Collegiate Science and Technology Program.
Before returning to Long Island Jewish Medical Center in 2009, Dr. Hippolyte was an attending physician and Co-Director of Medical Education and Clerkship in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She also was an attending physician at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. Before that, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.
A native New Yorker and first generation American, Dr. Hippolyte has been recognized for her resounding commitment to community service. She was honored with the 2021 Northwell Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Arnold N. Fenton, MD Award, given to an individual who significantly contributes to the department, hospital and patients in the exemplary path developed by the Award’s namesake. Dr. Hippolyte also received the “Straight From the Heart” Employee Compliment Award from the Katz Women’s Hospital and the Resident Mentor Award from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Zucker School of Medicine. In addition, she was nominated for and completed the highly-selective Northwell Health Physician Leadership Development Program for top-performing physicians. Dr. Hippolyte is a member of a several professional associations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association. She and her family live in New Hyde Park, New York.
Dr. Nicole Noyes competed her undergraduate and medical degree at the University of Vermont and then an OB-GYN residency and Reproductive Endocrinology fellowship at Weill-Cornell University School of Medicine. She has participated full-time in academic medicine in New York City ever since, first at Cornell, then at New York University (for 23 years) and now at Northwell Health, where she serves as System Chief for Reproductive Medicine. At NYU, she helped established the University’s Fertility Preservation program, one that came to cryopreserve oocytes for more than 4,000 women and produced more than 125 babies using the technology. Dr. Noyes has also frozen oocytes for more than 250 cancer patients. She currently oversees all of Northwell Health’s Fertility treatments, including its Fertility Preservation program, practicing out of a state-of-the-art Fertility facility at 210-A East 64th Street - MEETH. She was past chair of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group and continues to focus her research efforts on fertility preservation, early embryogenesis and human implantation.
Stephanie Trentacoste McNally, MD, FACOG, FACS is a newly promoted Associate Executive Physician for Ambulatory Operations at Northwell Health. She is the director of OB/GYN Services at the Katz Institute and the site director for Northwell Health Physicians Partners at Lynbrook. Under her leadership and oversight, the new satellite office in Lynbrook has grown.
Dr. McNally has a deep passion for community outreach, which stems from her work as a Fulbright Scholar in Kenya. She provides health maintenance and prevention lectures throughout Long Island and frequently publishes medical counsel for social media at “The Well” by Northwell. Dr. McNally embraces integrative medicine and actively incorporates the aspects of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health into her daily practice.
Dr. McNally is also devoted to education and advancement. She plays a pivotal role in the development a robust, cross institutional in-situ OB simulation program. And continues to grow educational opportunities, programs, and access for patients.
Dr. McNally’s most notable contribution to Northwell to date is as the co-founder and co-director of the Emerging Female Physician Program. This program is intended for female physicians with 2-5 years of experience in academic medicine. It provides a two-tier approach for women to have a mentor and an administrative advocate focused on career advancement. The program includes classroom didactics about hospital administration, negotiation skills, and a complement of lectures.
Dr. McNally has been with the health system since 2013. She studied medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and moved on to her residency in OB/GYN at New York Presbyterian at Weill Cornell. Upon completion of her residency, she worked as assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and then as a voluntary faculty attending at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She has a BA in Biology from the College of the Holy Cross and studied public health strategy at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Kristina M. Deligiannidis, MD received her medical degree from, and completed her psychiatry residency and chief residency in psychopharmacology research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (2009). Prior to and during medical school she trained in neuroscience research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). After residency she completed additional research training in behavioral endocrinology and experimental therapeutics at the NIH and in neuroimaging at Harvard/MIT.
Dr. Deligiannidis is the Director of Women’s Behavioral Health (WBH) at Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health. As Director, she leads the Division and develops policies and services promoting women’s behavioral health, health system-wide in metro NY/western Long Island. As a reproductive psychiatrist, she has expertise in treating women with mood and anxiety disorders linked to the menstrual cycle, perinatal and perimenopausal periods.
She is a nationally recognized leader in the field of women’s depression and in novel therapeutics research. Her research program includes a focus in psychoneuroendocrinology, particularly neurosteroids and hormones, and multimodal neuroimaging in women’s behavioral health. Dr. Deligiannidis’s research is supported by NIH, foundation and industry funding, including prestigious K23 and R01 grants. Her efforts have been nationally recognized with many awards for research and medical student and resident teaching. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has given over 180 oral presentations/research posters at local, national and international scientific conferences. Her recent publications have been in high impact journals including the Lancet, JAMA Psychiatry, Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychoneuroendocrinology. Her research has been covered by major media outlets, including CNN, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Boston Globe, Boston ABC and CBS News, CBS and ABC-New York, Newsday and others. Her work over the past 12 years was recognized with the 2019 Northwell Health Truly Award for Innovation and she was 1 of 9 Northwell Health Physicians of the Year in 2020.
Dr. Deligiannidis actively contributes to national scientific committees and gives scientific presentations nationally and internationally. She is a Council member of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, a Board member for the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology and an Associate Member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology where she serves on several committees. Dr. Deligiannidis also serves as a reviewer on over 20 scientific journals and on Editorial Boards of national and international journals. Thrice annually she serves as a federal grant reviewer for the Center for Scientific Review at NIH. Locally she serves on steering committees in both the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Psychiatry at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and Zucker Hillside Hospital and at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health on Long Island. She additionally serves on Faculty Council at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
Dr. Moldwin is Professor of Urology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell. He is also Director of the Pelvic Pain Treatment Center at The Arthur Smith Institute for Urology of the Northwell Health System. Dr. Moldwin has a national and international reputation as a leader in the field of pelvic pain with special interests in pain syndromes including interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals some of which have included Cancer, The Journal of Urology, The British Journal of Urology International, The British Medical Journal, Contemporary Urology, and Urology. Dr. Moldwin is the author of the well-received, The Interstitial Cystitis Survival Guide: Your Guide to the Latest Treatment Options and Coping Strategies, the first physician-written book exclusively related to interstitial cystitis, designed to reach an audience comprised of both physicians and patients. He also has recently edited a physician-oriented textbook entitled Urological And Gynaecological Chronic Pelvic Pain.
He is affiliated with numerous medical societies including American Urological Association, International Association for the Study of Pain, The Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction, and is past President of the Society for Infections and Inflammation in Urology. Dr. Moldwin serves on multiple medical advisory boards including the Interstitial Cystitis Association, and is a member of its Board of Directors. He serves as co-Chair for IC/BPS in the MAPP (Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study Of Chronic Pelvic Pain), a project funded by the NIDDK. Currently, Dr. Moldwin is involved in several clinical drug and device studies dedicated to the treatment of pelvic pain syndromes.
Dr. Christina Kwon is a native New Yorker. She attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where her interest in medicine led her to a degree in biology. She returned to New York City to obtain her medical degree from SUNY HSC at Brooklyn, graduating in 1996. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Health, during which she was chosen to be Administrative Chief Resident. In 2000, she was honored by the OB/GYN faculty of NYU to receive the Lyman G. Barton Memorial Award, given to the outstanding resident of each graduating class. Following her residency, she completed a three year fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the Evanston Continence Center, Northwestern University Medical School, presenting her research at multiple national and international scientific meetings and conferences. In 2002, she was co-awarded the ‘Central Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology Young Investigators’ Award for the research, “Urinary Incontinence Among Mothers of Multiples”.
From 2003-2007, she was part of the NYU School of Medicine, Department of OB/GYN academic faculty. She served as the department’s Director of Clinical Research, mentoring medical students, residents and fellows during their training. In 2004, she was chosen to receive the Berlex Foundation Junior Faculty Development Award. As a mentoring faculty member in 2006, her collaborative work “A Web Based Virtual Pelvis Trainer” was awarded the Best Video Presentation at the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.
In 2008, she was privileged to join Concorde Medical Group in order to focus on what has always been her main interest – to provide individualized care for women and management of their urogynecologic and gynecologic issues. In 2019, she chose to focus her medical practice to office-based care of her patients.
Dr. Kwon’s patients have frequently honored her with Compassionate Doctor Recognition and Patient Choice Awards. She has been consistently nominated by her peers to both New York Magazine’s Best Doctors and the New York Super Doctors®, and has achieved New York Super Doctors® Hall of Fame status. Dr. Kwon is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor as well as a Castle Connolly Exceptional Women in Medicine Award recipient.
Dr. Kwon is a Board Certified physician who is fellowship-trained in Female Pelvic Medicine. She specializes in urogynecology, female incontinence and general gynecology. Dr. Kwon’s patients describe her as a friendly, compassionate and thorough physician who makes each patient feel certain they are receiving the finest care.
Dr. Christine Metz received her BS and MS degrees from Cornell University and PhD degree in immunology/pathology from New York University. Currently, she is a Professor at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health and a Professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. She is the Director of OB/GYN Research for the Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program at NSUH and LIJMC. Dr. Metz has published over 150 peer-reviewed research papers and is an inventor or co-inventor on 5 patents. Her research primarily focuses on identifying mechanisms that underlie dysfunctional inflammatory responses. Much of this work centers on women’s health. Recently, Drs. Metz and Gregersen received the Northwell Health Innovation Award to develop a non-invasive diagnostic for endometriosis.
Dr. Jen Gunter is regularly referred to as “Twitter’s resident OB/GYN.” Dr. Jen is an internationally bestselling author, obstetrician, and gynecologist with more than three decades of experience as a vulvar and vaginal diseases expert.
Her instant New York Times and USA Today bestselling book, The Vagina Bible, has been translated into nineteen languages, and she is author of the new book The Menopause Manifesto. The Guardian calls her “the world’s most famous—and outspoken—gynecologist.” The recipient of the 2020 NAMS Media Award from The North American Menopause Society, she is a columnist for The New York Times and the star the CBC/Amazon Prime series Jensplaining, a video series that highlights the impact of medical misinformation on women. Her TED Talk was one of 2020’s Top Ten, and she is the host of the TED Radio Collective’s podcast Body Stuff with Jen Gunter.
Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and founded and maintains an active clinical practice in the Women’s Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Dr. Hayes has long advocated for the advancement of women’s health and sex-based medicine within the field of cardiology and many other areas that affect women’s health and well-being. Dr. Hayes previously served as Mayo Clinic’s first Director of Diversity and Inclusion from 2010 through 2020. With leadership she set strategy for D&I activities across Mayo Clinic and developed solutions for equity in patient care and the workforce. Under her leadership, Mayo Clinic was nationally recognized for its D&I accomplishments. She also directed of the Mayo Clinic’s Office of Women’s Health, has led efforts to optimize women’s health clinical practice and research activities at Mayo Clinic and developed programs to enhance the professional and personal development and mentorship of women and minority physicians in order to promote a more diverse workforce at Mayo and in the field of medicine. In 2017 she was recognized by the AHA with the Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award. She is a tireless advocate for safe, equitable, and dignified healthcare workplaces that promote high-quality patient care and has developed programs to assess and mitigate unconscious bias in healthcare.
Dr. Hayes is a member of a number of national initiatives and groups involved in education, strategic planning, and program development for improvement of health care and reduction of health disparities. She helped develop the NHLBI’s Heart Truth (“Red Dress”) campaign, is active with AHA’s Go Red Campaign and served on the Board of Directors for WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. With WomenHeart, Dr. Hayes coordinates the Science and Leadership Symposium for Women with Heart Disease, held annually at Mayo Clinic, aimed at preparing heart disease survivors to be advocates and educators for other women. Her commitment to women’s heart health has been recognized by the 2002 Wenger Award, an invitation from First Lady Laura Bush to speak at the White House for the 1st National Wear Red Day in 2004, and a Woman’s Day Magazine “Red Dress Award” in 2009. Dr. Hayes research interests include sex and gender-based cardiology, cardiovascular conditions primarily affecting women, spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), fibromuscular dysplasia, health equity, participation of women and minorities in medical research, healthcare workforce equity, and the utility and optimal role of social media in clinical practice, medical research and health education.
Dr. Hayes is a nationally recognized educator and speaker on diversity, women’s health and cardiovascular issues and has developed numerous medical educational programs on women’s health and health equity topics for both medical professionals and the public. In 2004, Dr. Hayes co-produced the Emmy-nominated PBS show, Call to Action: Women and Heart Disease. In 2011 she co-hosted and moderated In the Prime of Her Life — A Mayo Clinic Media Briefing on Women and Heart Disease held in February at the Paley Center for Media in New York City. She has been a guest on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Talk of the Nation, and the Dr. Oz Show among others, and has also done live medical reporting for a local ABC affiliate. She serves on the advisory board for Woman’s Day and Diabetic Living magazines.
Dr. Hayes received her medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and pursued fellowships in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Research, and Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic Rochester, joining the Mayo staff in 1990. She is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, and member of the Association of Black Cardiologists where she has served in a number of volunteer leadership roles at the local, regional and national level.
Tricia Regan is an award-winning director, producer and cinematographer of documentary film and television. She is the recipient of Primetime Emmy Award nominations for directing and cinematography, and the winner of a Primetime Emmy for Best Documentary for her feature length film, Autism: The Musical, which she directed, produced and shot. Autism: The Musical had its premiere at the TriBeCa Film Festival, where it was bought by HBO. Ms. Regan’s film work has been theatrically distributed and broadcast on five different continents and in at least six different languages. Her credits include her first film, A Leap of Faith, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996. The film was narrated by Liam Neeson and was theatrically distributed and televised on PBS. Soldiers Pay (2004), which she co-directed with filmmaker David O. Russell, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was also theatrically distributed, having its television premiere on IFC. Her most recent feature length documentary, Ms. Diagnosed received three major awards since its premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival in March 2020 and her award-winning follow up film Autism: The Sequel is currently running on HBO Max after its festival run. Ms. Regan’s television work includes directing, producing, and shooting for ABC, Fox, NBC, MTV, VH1, A&E, Lifetime, Discovery and TLC. She recently completed a four-part series for MTV, 16 and Recovering which she executive produced.
In addition to the Emmy award, Ms. Regan is the winner of two Cine Golden Eagle Awards, The Aurora Award, the Strive Award, the WIN award, The Voice Award, The Wenger Award and over a dozen film festival awards internationally. Ms. Regan has a masters degree from NYU and lives in New York City.
About the Katz Institute for Women’s Health
The Katz Institute for Women's Health knows that women’s health needs are unique and provides a healthcare connection focused on the continuum of care over a woman’s life span. Our network of women’s health experts work to promote this vision by raising the standards of excellence in patient-centered women’s health care. The Resource Center is available to answer questions related to women’s health and schedule appointments with members of the Katz Institute: (855) 850-KIWH (5494).
By registering for this event, you’ll be enrolled as a member of the Katz Women’s Circle, our community of women’s health and wellness advocates. This free membership gives you direct access to new insights from our experts, invitations to special events and even a little swag.
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