Neurologists:
Dale J. Lange, MD
Dora K. Leung, MD
Alexander Shtilbans, MD
Pulmonologists:
David Berlin, MD
Ana Kreiger, MD
Neurology Fellows:
Anna Kogan, MD
Mary Sedarus, MD
Stephanie Vertrees, MD
Clinic Coordinator & Social Worker / Nurse Coordinator
Mona Shahbazi, MSN, NP, BC-NP, OCNMona Shahbazi, MSN, BC-NP, OCN is the Assistant Program Director of ALS Clinical Services at Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical Center. Her educational background includes a Diploma in Nursing from New York University and Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience from Lafayette College. She obtained her MSN from New York University, and has been working in a Multidisciplinary ALS Clinic since 2008. Ms. Shahbazi now specializes in coordinating ALS clinical care management in ALS clinics and conducting and managing clinical research studies in Neuromuscular disease.
Contact: Mona Shahbazi, NP
Assistant Program Director
tel: 212.774.2361
fax: 212.249.9185
email:
shahbazim@hss.edu
Physical Therapists
Karen Yanelli, PT, DPTKaren Yanelli received her doctorate's degree in Physical Therapy in 2006. Since then she has been a physical therapist in several settings including being a staff member of the Acute Care Rehabilitation Department here at HSS since November 2007. She has served as a speaker for the National Arthritis Foundation, the Patient and Public education sector of HSS and privately funded local support groups on several occasions.
Devany Tiedeman, MSPT Devany Tiedeman, MSPT received her bachelor's degree of health sciences in 1998 and her master's degree in physical therapy in Jan 2000 from Boston University. Since that time she has worked as a physical therapist in many different settings including outpatient orthopedics, pediatrics, long term-acute care and neurological acute rehab. She joined the physical therapy team at HSS 2007 and works part-time in the ALSA clinic.
Occupational Therapists:
Lorene Janowski, OTR/L, MS Lorene C. Janowski OTR/L, MS graduated from the University of Scranton with a BS in Occupational Therapy. She pursued her MS degree in business majoring in Organizational Leadership at Mercy College. She currently works at The Hospital for Special Surgery specializing in pediatric occupational therapy. At the HSS she works in the wheelchair/equipment clinic, and is a member of the ALS/neuromuscular clinic team. Her previous job experience includes working at The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove working with patients with orthopedic and neurological disorders.
Contact: Lorene C. Janowski OTR/L, MS:
JanowskiL@HSS.eduThe Hospital for Special Surgery
Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Tel: 212.774.2796
Fax: 212.774.2761
Gioia Ciani, OTR/L, OTD Gioia Ciani, OTR/L, OTD received her MS in Occupational Therapy from Mercy College and her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Gioia works at the Hospital for Special Surgery in their ALS clinic. Gioia is also a faculty member of New York Institute of Technology’s Department of Occupational Therapy.
Speech/Language Pathologist:
Jessica Welsh, MS, CCC-SLP Jessica is a speech-language pathologist on the ALS/Neuromuscular Disorders team at Hospital for Special Surgery. She works with people who have trouble speaking, communicating, and/or swallowing. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Fairfield University and her Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Arizona State University. Jessica has been a member of this clinical team since 2010 and has had experience working with with people who have communication and swallowing difficulty since 2001.
Social Worker:
Susan Zimmerman, LCSW Susan H. Zimmerman, LCSW, received her undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and her graduate degree from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service (specializing in geriatric social work). Sue worked for many years in the nursing home and adult day healthcare settings, enjoying the supervision of social work staff and graduate social work interns as well as direct clinical practice. Sue also is a certified psychoanalytic psychotherapist and supervisor, graduating from the Training Institute for Mental Health Practitioners. In addition to her work with the ALS Association – Greater New York Chapter and The Hospital for Special Surgery’s ALS Program, Sue maintains a private psychotherapy practice in New York City.
