Alumni Notes

Richard Silver, M.D. ’53 was recently honored as the subject of a documentary titled “The Accidental Hematologist: Richard T. Silver, M.D.’s Journey and Legacy,” which celebrates his lifelong commitment to patient care, research and mentorship. The documentary can be found on YouTube and Vimeo.

Bernard Siegel, M.D. ’57 shares, “I am writing another book to encourage doctors to focus on their patients and not just their disease, and to teach survival behavior. My book in the works is about how to live your longest, healthiest and most rewarding life.”

Melvin Rosh, M.D. ’60 has published the latest book in his “Anatomy” series. “Living Longer and Healthier” discusses making the most of life and preparing for a secure retirement, and includes a simple diet plan for those who wish to lose weight. One section is devoted to comparing the medical care of seniors in different nations around the world.

James Bernstein, M.D. ’64 writes, “Against all odds, I’m still going strong! What a journey it’s been! I’m loving our monthly class Zoom calls organized by Belle Sumter Carmichael Coleman, M.D. ’64 — my former cadaver partner who took my place when hepatitis landed me on the critical list with asterixis right at the start of school. The chief resident told me I wouldn’t survive, but I had other plans! Six weeks later, I overrode Dr. Hanlon’s stern advice to wait a year and jumped right back in. Fast forward 61 years, and I’m still defying expectations as the active CEO of Eniware, neck-deep in the fascinating world of global surgery. Every day I’m reminded of Dr. Wade’s lectures on fractures, where he’d tell us to ‘forget everything you learned as soon as you turn in your exam because it’ll be obsolete by graduation.’ How right he was! At this stage of life, I’m busier than ever, learning how to learn, racing to keep up with the accelerating pace of knowledge and the incredible tools we now have to access it. Who knew that nearly dying before medical school even started would lead to a career still pushing boundaries six decades later? Life certainly has a sense of humor!”

Andrew Dahl, M.D. ’66 writes, “My new book, ‘Finding Rose: The Search for My Grandmother,’ was featured at the 2025 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at the University of Southern California campus. This is the largest free book festival in the Northern Hemisphere. The book also reached number 13 on Amazon’s list of best-selling Holocaust biographies.”

Charles H. Hennekens, M.D. ’67 is currently the first Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine and senior academic advisor to the dean in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. He also serves as interim chair of the Department of Population Health.

Edward Goodman, M.D. ’68 shares, “I’m retired from patient care but still active as a member of the faculty in the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas Internal Medicine Residency Program, which I co-founded in 1977. I attend morning report daily, teach conferences daily and give a seminar on infectious disease twice a month. I gave up golf, due to knee and elbow injuries. I read avidly and play the piano frequently.”

N. Reed Dunnick, M.D. ’69 writes, “I resigned as editor-in-chief of Academic Radiology and retired as a professor of radiology at the University of Michigan on Aug. 31, 2025.”

Allan Gibofsky, M.D. ’73 received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from his undergraduate alma mater, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Dr. Gibofsky is an attending rheumatologist and the director of the Clinic for Inflammatory Arthritis and Biologic Therapy at Hospital for Special Surgery.

Larry Reese, M.D. ’73 writes, “I retired as a retinal specialist after close to 40 years as an assistant professor of ophthalmology and on the voluntary faculty of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. After retiring, I was a consultant to the Office of Disability and Adjudication Review (now the Office of Hearings Operations) for the federal government. I now live in Parkland, Fla., with my wife, Lois. Wishing all good health and happy days.”

Arthur Sanders, M.D. ’73 shares, “About two years ago, I retired after a 45-year career in academic emergency medicine at the University of Arizona. I was honored to be elected to the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) in 2012. I am grateful to Weill Cornell Medicine and celebrated my 50th reunion last fall.”

Milagros Gonzalez, M.D. ’75 shares, “My husband, Keith, and I just returned from our trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. It was great seeing the ‘Big Five’ animals in their natural habitats. I would recommend this trip to everyone. Loved, loved this vacation.”

Paul Miskovitz, M.D. ’75 writes, “Still practicing (GI/liver/GI endoscopic procedures), serving on Weill Cornell Medical College committees (including the WCMC Institutional Review Board, the WCMC Continuing Medical Education Committee and the Alumni Association Student Engagement Committee) and various hospital committees. I continue to lead the Alumni to Student Knowledge program (ASK) with the help of fellow alumni and Zoom. Looking forward to working with classmates to promote a successful 50th class reunion in 2026. Enjoying international travel with my wife, Leslie, when time permits.”

Robert Schultz, M.D. ’78 writes, “What could be funnier than a 78-year-old orthopedic surgeon trying to deal with his own aging musculoskeletal system? Gratitude for living long is one precious coping tool. Paul Lachiewicz, M.D. ’77, while extraordinarily fit until 72, was not granted life on earth beyond that point. I, and many others, miss you, Paul. RIP, dear friend.”

Dennis J. Sullivan, M.D. ’78 received the Dr. Alan Ashare Excellence in Safety Award from USA Hockey at the organization’s June 2025 annual meeting in Denver. He was recognized for serving as team physician for 25 international ice hockey tournaments.

David Frank, M.D. ’79 writes, “After leaving my solo private GI practice in Rockville Centre, on Long Island, in 2014, I spent eight years at the Brooklyn VA Medical Center as a gastroenterologist and associate chief of medicine. Recently, I moved to the GI department at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, working three days a week. On other days, I paint at the Art Students League in Manhattan.”

Paul Skudder, M.D. ’79 writes, “I shared memories of Weill Cornell Medical College with classmates Frank “Rik” Richards, M.D. ’79, Dave Jacobs, M.D. ’79 and Mike Snyder, M.D. ’79 in June. We were together for our 50th undergraduate reunion at Williams College, and all reported doing well!”

Kevin Kelly, M.D. ’80 writes, “I joined the FDNY shortly after 9/11 to provide psychiatric services to traumatized first responders. I became a medical officer with the rank of battalion chief, which meant that I got a really cool hat and a parking placard. In August, I retired from this position, but I’m continuing with private practice and teaching at Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia.”

Barnaby Starr, M.D. ’82 shares, “I retired and sold my private pediatric practice. I have two grandchildren, Manya and Daniel, and published my first novel, which is about an ambidextrous tennis player: ‘Switch-Hitter: A Tennis Novel.’ I am enjoying retirement very much and send best wishes to all my classmates.”

Joseph J. Fins, M.D. ’86 shares, “I was the commencement speaker at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School on May 8. My talk was titled ‘A Leaven of Science.’ On May 16, I was the commencement speaker at the Medical College of Wisconsin and received an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Medical Science, honoris causa.”

Edward Chaum, M.D. ’87, Ph.D. ’86 shares, “After a career spanning almost 40 years of clinical practice and 50 years of biomedical research, I retired from my position as the Margy Ann and J. Donald M. Gass Chair of Ophthalmology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in July. I am looking forward to traveling more with Patti and working with the medical device and technology startup companies I have been growing over the past decade, both of which are bringing products to market this year: Plexitome, a novel surgical instrument to treat diverse corneal diseases, and Infusense, for point-of-care therapeutic drug monitoring. It has been a remarkably rewarding and productive career in clinical medicine and research. It is time to pivot and reinvent myself and my goals for the future.”

Frances Farley, M.D. ’87 received the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award from the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA). Dr. Farley shared that she received the award based on her work in pediatric orthopedics and her exemplary leadership within the medical community. Dr. Farley, who serves as the chief medical officer of Shriners Children’s Philadelphia, was honored at the POSNA annual meeting in May in Las Vegas.

Susan Cohen Pannullo, M.D. ’87 writes, “I keep in touch with many of our alumni from the Class of ’87 and continue to stay in contact with a bunch from other years, ranging from the 1950s to 2025. I am heartened by their outreach. I had the pleasure of catching up with fellow past WCMC Alumni Association board member Richard Lynn, M.D. ’71 and his gracious entrepreneur wife, Margrit, at their home in Palm Beach. I also was able to give an in-person hug to Lew Drusin, M.D. ’64 at the recent opening of the Feil Family and Weill Family Residence Hall ribbon-cutting event. (Lew recruited both me and Richard — twice! — onto the alumni board.) Kathy Foley, M.D. ’69 remains a source of inspiration, career guidance and life perspective. I have looked up to her since I was a medical student walking the halls of MSKCC in 1983, where neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry shared a hallway in a wink to the future.”

Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 shares, “This past May, I was awarded the Educator of the Year award at the Medical College of Georgia Faculty Senate Awards ceremony, where I have been on faculty since 2021. I am looking forward to the creation of the second public medical school in Georgia, when the University of Georgia receives accreditation in 2026. Excited to be on the ground with the staff and faculty who are making this possible. At the Athens campus of the Medical College of Georgia, the two schools will be combined for a few years. Great opportunities for all, and helping to create our future physicians is quite a blessing. Paul Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 is also on faculty part time while he continues with his consulting work and community activities. We travel as much as we can and enjoyed seeing many of our classmates at Reunion 2024. Appreciate the work that has been done at Weill Cornell Medicine and glad to have had WCM a part of our career journey.”

Deborah Kado, M.D. ’91 shares, “Paul Mischel, M.D. ’91 and I are enjoying life as professors of medicine at Stanford Medicine. I also serve as the director of the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center for VA Palo Alto Health Care and appreciate the VA with regard to its support of veterans’ clinical care by ensuring ongoing education, developing clinical innovations and funding of cutting-edge research. We have recently cherished spending time with fellow classmates Adam Paley, M.D. ’91, Ron Cohen, M.D. ’92 and Helen Kim, M.D. ’92. Our daughter Anna has just finished her internship year in internal medicine at Stanford and our other daughter, Sarah, is starting medical school as a 21st Century Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. We hope other classmates and friends from the past are well, and maybe we can reconnect at our next reunion!”

Michael Irwig, M.D. ’99 writes, “I have achieved a better work-life balance this year since taking up pickleball, which is a lot of fun. This has been a great year for visiting new places, including Belize, Cuba and the amazing national parks in Wyoming (Grand Teton and Yellowstone).”

Tamara Rozental, M.D. ’99 shares, “I was recently elected president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). As of this writing, I plan to deliver the presidential address at the ASSH annual meeting in October in Vancouver, where I look forward to reflecting on the state of our field and the future of hand surgery.”

Shetal Shah, M.D. ’00 was named the 2025 Thomas A. Hazinski Distinguished Service Award recipient by the Society for Pediatric Research. Dr. Shah is a professor of neonatology in the Division of Neonatology, Stem Cell Liaison at the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital of Westchester Medical Center Heath Network.

Stefanie Weinstein, M.D. ’00 writes, “In June 2025, I graduated as valedictorian from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, with an executive M.B.A. and a graduate certificate in health management. I also accepted a new position at Stanford Health Care as executive director for community imaging.”

Maria F. Costantini-Ferrando, M.D. ’02 writes, “I was recently appointed East Coast regional medical director for IVI RMA North America, one of the largest fertility centers in the world. I am also a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences of Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.”

Tali Lando, M.D. ’04 shares, “I am now an attending pediatric otolaryngologist in Westchester. I completed my ENT residency at NewYork-Presbyterian in 2009. My second book, titled ‘Breathless,’ was released this summer and is an exciting look into the life of an airway surgeon from a clinical and personal perspective.”

Michael Day, M.D. ’10 recently published “The Renaissance Mind: Forging Resilience in Mind, Body and Spirit,” and shares, ‘The Renaissance Mind’ is a call to action for the modern Renaissance person. Part memoir, part professional development book, it holds appeal for anyone seeking to shake the one-dimensional labels applied by our traditional educational, social and work cultures. It weaves compelling narrative with pragmatic, actionable advice. The book is available on Amazon.”

Erica Miller, M.D. ’11 shares, “I was selected as the internal medicine-pediatrics residency program director at the University of Rochester, where I also completed my residency and cardiology fellowship, and work as a cardiologist. My husband, Jesse, is a primary care internist, and our children, Paige and Nathaniel, enjoy swimming, school and playing with new puppy Ralph.”

Alex Sarkisian, M.D. ’16 writes, “After the birth of our fourth child, I stepped away from full-time work and started doing locum tenens as a gastroenterologist. The flexibility has been great for our family, and I’ve really enjoyed the variety and balance it brings. I’ve also been having fun sharing bits of the journey on social media. Feel free to reach out anytime at alexsark@gmail.com if you’d like to chat or swap stories.”

Mark Sonnick, M.D. ’17 has joined NYU Langone Health as a clinical assistant professor and transplant pulmonologist.

Ali Thrope, M.D. ’18 completed a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship and accepted a position as an oncology hospitalist at Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center on Long Island.

Sergio Anthony De La Torre Jr., M.D. ’21 writes, “I started my gastroenterology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in July!”

George Corpuz, M.D. ’24 writes, “One year into my first year of plastic surgery residency, and it’s been nothing short of breathtaking. From performing my first mastectomies and breast implant placements, gender-affirming top surgeries, breast reductions (inferior pedicle!) to dissecting out large skin cancers or gluteal lesions and reconstructing the soft tissue defects, to learning a little bit of hand surgery, and getting to scrub in to large free flap microsurgery cases to making new breasts from abdominal tissue, I’m eternally amazed at what plastic surgeons are able to do for patients. I’m also endlessly grateful to be able to train to become one. I couldn’t have imagined how much I would learn, with five more years to go. I’m hopeful my dream to end breast cancer will come true, but I know there is so much to do in the meantime. Being married to a future dermatologist has given us the opportunity to argue every day about who can sew better.’’

Eric Lader, Ph.D. ’89, shares, “After a 30-year career in molecular diagnostic product development, I’m enjoying my free time with grandkids, travel and ham radio.”

Maureen Gannon, Ph.D. ’96 shares, “I was the 2025 commencement speaker for my high school alma mater, the Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica, Queens. I also performed on St. Patrick’s Day weekend at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with the Nashville Irish Step Dancers.”

Allan Mariano, P.A. ’03 writes, “My physician assistant (P.A.) career began 22 years ago, when I graduated from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences’ P.A. program. I was fortunate to be one of five new graduates selected to launch the satellite cardiothoracic surgery program at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (formerly New York Methodist Hospital). My leadership journey truly began when I transitioned to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where I played a key role in establishing the cardiothoracic surgery step-down unit into a 24-hour, P.A.-run service. I was deeply honored when my P.A. colleagues, surgeons and nurses there rallied together to nominate me as the inaugural recipient of the P.A. of the Year Award.”

Maria Teresa DeSancho, M.D., M.S. ’09 was awarded Weill Cornell Medicine’s Hematology/Oncology Fellows’ Teaching Award in 2014 and 2021. In 2023, she was awarded the Lusher-Shapiro Award by The American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network.

Sam Globus, Ph.D. ’13 writes, “I am currently the chief operating officer at Genomenon. We are a genomic intelligence company working on curating the entire human genome. Our team is dedicated to improving the quality of patients’ lives by characterizing the genomic drivers of genetic disease and cancer. I would love to talk to any fellow alumni whom we might be able to help!”

Iva Dincheva, Ph.D. ’14 has joined Fox Rothschild in New York as an associate in the intellectual property department. She is a patent attorney with a strong technical background in the life sciences, helping clients protect and monetize their valuable intellectual property assets.

Natalie Davidson, Ph.D. ’19 writes, “I started a new position as an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in the Division of Reproductive Sciences. My lab focuses on leveraging cutting-edge machine learning techniques to disentangle the molecular and clinical features of ovarian cancer and to identify drivers of tumor progression and treatment response.”

Seanna Thompson, M.S. ’20 published her new book, “Mary Poppins Doesn’t Exist: What Twenty-Two Au Pairs Taught Me About America’s Care Crisis,” highlighting the struggle of modern motherhood in America. The book was featured by the American Association for Physician Leadership and Chief’s “Bold Moves.”

Peter Lee, Ph.D. ’21 started a new role as associate director of new product planning at Syndax Pharmaceuticals.

Paul Kim, M.S. ’21 was appointed as CEO of LevelUp MD Urgent Care in 2023 and later appointed as CEO of LevelUp MD Health.

Chenura Jayewickreme, Ph.D. ’22 shares, “I recently transitioned from McKinsey & Co. to GondolaBio, a BridgeBio affiliate focused on genetically defined rare diseases. At GondolaBio, I am stepping into a business development and operations role, working to advance breakthrough therapies for patients with rare diseases.”

Ayush Bhattacharya, M.S. ’23 shares, “I am excited to share that my research paper, ‘Investigating the Quality of Mobile Apps for Drug-Drug Interaction (DDI) Management using Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and K-Means Clustering,’ co-authored with Jose Florez-Arango, associate professor of teaching in population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, was recently accepted in JMIR mHealth and uHealth. The study introduces an AI-based framework to evaluate medication safety tools — a critical step toward more evidence-driven digital health solutions. I am grateful for the opportunities to contribute to high-impact, peer-reviewed work at the intersection of informatics, machine learning and public health. I am excited to help shape the future of app evaluation and clinical decision support through rigorous, scalable and translational research.”

Qinghe Zhang, M.S. ’23 writes, “After a few years in traditional finance at Goldman Sachs, I made the leap into fintech — now fully immersed in the world of stablecoins and digital assets. My background in health policy and economics at Weill Cornell taught me how tech and data can transform legacy systems, and I’ve carried that mindset into finance. I am excited to be building at the intersection of compliance, innovation and crypto!”