Dr. Andrea Zimmerman, OD FAAO- Doctor of Optometry and Low Vision Specialist with Lighthouse Guild,obtained a BA in Biology from New York University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with Phi Beta Kappa distinction. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from SUNY College of Optometry and completed further educational training at Lighthouse Guild for treatment of individuals with Low Vision. Dr. Zimmerman is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor to SUNY College of Optometry. Dr. Zimmerman is also published in professional journals for work in Low Vision Optometry. Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Gita Lisker MD is board certified in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and an associate professor in the department of medicine at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Health.  She grew up in Queens, NY and graduated valedictorian from Stern College in 1995.  She taught AP biology at Shevach during her gap year and then attended Einstein School of Medicine.  She did her residency in internal medicine at LIJ in a shomer shabbos program followed by a fellowship in pulmonary/critical care at LIJ. After fellowship, Dr. Lisker was hired as an attending at LIJ/North Shore (which had merged at that point) where she works in both the inpatient and outpatient setting and has been there since.  While originally, inpatient responsibilities included both ICU and pulmonary/RCU, Dr. Lisker eventually decided to stop working in the ICU for a more flexible work-life balance.  During her time as attending, she has started and run several initiatives and units, including a Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) program at North Shore and a Respiratory Care Unit (RCU) at LIJ. At the start of the pandemic, she was in the unique position of being able to offer hospital-type pulmonary care in the outpatient setting, which was desperately needed. Thus, she founded the CROWN (Coronavirus Related Outpatient Work Navigators) Program, which used telehealth with pulmonary doctors, homecare RN visits, home 02, home IV infusions and blood draws, and the most up to date medical treatments to treat COVID patients at home. The program serviced nearly 4,000 patients. Dr. Lisker was also involved in the set up of the Shor Yoshuv site in Far Rockaway as a field hospital in March/April 2020 and joining it with Northwell Health. She also served as a medical advisor to SAR Academy and High School, Yeshiva Har Torah, and the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates during the pandemic.  Her work during the pandemic led her to start a new initiative for Northwell, the HOME (Hospital Outpatient Management Experience), project  to use what was learned from CROWN and COVID to treat other pulmonary diagnoses as well. Dr. Lisker met her husband, Jay, at camp Morasha when they were both 15, went through YU/Stern together as pre-meds, got married during a gap year and then attended Einstein medical school and LIJ internal medicine residency together.  They currently live in Jamaica Estates where they are active members of their community and have three daughters, ages 12, 18 and 22 and a son in law! Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

An experienced, board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Elissa Hellman, has been in practice for over ten years in Milwaukee, WI. She received her medical degree from NYU and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset. She is also the physician at The Confident Kallah, a telemedicine gynecology practice focused on the needs of Jewish women who observe Taharat Ha'Mishpacha. Throughout her years as a clinician, she noticed a gap in women's health awareness and education. This developed into a special interest in patient education and being a resource for the Jewish community in relation to body awareness and women's preventative health, starting from a young age. After The Chuppah: The Confident Kallah Part 2 with Dr. Elissa Hellman https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/seTYDqfanxb The Confident Kallah: Fostering Healthy Sexuality in Our Daughters with Dr. Elissa Hellman https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/The-Confident-Kallah-Fostering-Healthy-Sexuality-in-Our-Daughters-with-Dr--Elissa-Hellman-el5mk3 Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Esther Rochel Gertner combines her background in psychology and special education along with her life experience as a parent to empower parents and teachers to successfully advocate for their child’s needs, whilst providing a safe and nurturing environment. She is an Educational Consultant with a masters in psychology and has over 25 -years of experience working with both the students directly and the team around the child. She is passionate about helping families and educators tap into the strengths and delights of each individual by integrating educational, social and emotional functioning to help the whole child. Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Dr. Ken Ginsburg, MD, MSEd, Founder & Program Director, Center for Parent and Teen Communication, is a physician, adolescent medicine specialist, and Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is committed to preparing adults to be the kind of people that adolescents deserve in their lives. He supports local, regional, and national organizations in developing programs and policies that strengthen families and see young people through a strength-based lens. He speaks to parent, professional, and youth audiences nationally and internationally and is the author of 5 award-winning parenting books. His latest book is, “Congrats—You’re Having a Teen!: Strengthen Your Family and Raise a Good Person” out now. Parent and Teen https://parentandteen.com/ Support Teen Mental Health https://parentandteen.com/support-teen-mental-health-stand-by-teens/ Preparing Teens to Seek Professional Help https://parentandteen.com/seek-professional-help/ Amplification Partner toolkit  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jYxWHqrNJ40QPrT9LedKnV wePd1Ec2E/edit?urp=gmail link Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Danielle Ofri MD, PhD is one of the foremost voices in the medical world today.  She’s a primary care internist at Bellevue Hospital and clinical professor of medicine at NYU, as well as founder/editor-in-chief of Bellevue Literary Review, and her writing appears in The New Yorker, the New York Times, as well as in The Lancet, and NEJM. She’s given several TED talks and performed at The Moth. Ofri is the author of six books about life in medicine; her latest is “When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error.”  www.danielleofri.com Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Dr. Richard Harris is an anesthesiologist and professional cave diver who trained in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand. He has worked in diving and aviation medicine around the world. In 2019, Dr. Harris was named Australian of the Year in recognition of the role he played in helping orchestrate the rescue of a soccer team and their coach who were trapped in the Tham Luang Cave in Thailand. In this interview Dr. Harris discusses: - What physicians can do to avoid burnout. - How his training as an anesthesiologist prepared him to help save the lives of all thirteen people trapped in the cave. - How a support network can help you stay emotionally balanced during stressful times. - What it means to take healthy risks. Dr. Harris' Podcast https://realriskpodcast.com/ Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Dr. Lisa Heidi Shulman M.D. is a Professor Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. A Developmental Pediatrician with over 30 years at the institution, Dr. Shulman is the Director of Autism Services, and interim Director of the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center at Montefiore. She also directs the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities grant through Maternal and Child Health Bureau.Dr. Shulman currently serves on the Autism Sub-committee of the National AAP Council on Children with Disabilities, serving on the Education, Learn the Signs Act Early, and Payer Advocacy Committees. From 2016-2019 she served as the Centers for Disease Control Act Early Ambassador to New York State.A graduate of Brown University and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She is board-certified in Pediatrics and Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Her clinical and research interests include: early identification of autism, overcoming healthcare disparities in autism diagnosis, and follow up of children with an early diagnosis of Autism. Related Episodes: On the Spectrum: All About Autism with Dr. Devorah Segal | JOWMA Podcast https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jowma/episodes/On-The-Spectrum-All-About-Autism-With-Dr--Devorah-Segal-e1eqv4u Uniquely Human with Dr. Barry Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP | JOWMA Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/2micH8mmCnbAffltumUVUS?si=bf8695c683444b56 "If you've met one individual with autism, you've met one individual with autism." The Journey of Dr. Stephen Shore, Autistic Professor of Special Education | JOWMA Podcast https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/w6iz8ynG9yb Ask The Expert: ADHD and Autism, Q &A with Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician Dr. Amir Miodovnik | JOWMA Podcast https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/CTzR1UxG9yb Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

We’re All A Little “Crazy” is a 501c3 founded by 15-year professional sports executive, Eric Kussin, bringing together Athletes, Celebrities, and Expert Practitioners. After a successful career that started at the NBA League Office, and led to senior management positions with a number of professional sports teams, Eric’s mental health took a sudden and rapid decline. Due to unresolved personal life traumas he failed to appropriately address at a younger age – life experiences he was unaware were affecting his mental health – Eric developed a severe bout of PTSD, along with symptoms of anxiety and depression. This fall came essentially “out of nowhere” and left him almost permanently in bed, and with severe cognitive impairment, for just over two and a half years. Once he found a way to climb out of his abyss, he vowed to spend the rest of his life focused on changing the global conversation through mental health advocacy. It wasn’t until he met practitioners who taught him methods to actually heal his body and central nervous system, that he began to improve and get his life back. He is determined to spread his message: that EVERYONE in the world is affected by life’s inevitable traumas and stresses. We can’t escape them, as they are part of the human experience and they impact us on many levels. Mental health exists on a continuum, with some simply experiencing more severe declines than others over varying periods of time in their lives (and/or being more genetically predisposed to such declines). Because of this, his view is that we should all be open and accepting of those who need help, because we’re one community in this “crazy” world, all fighting our own unique, but often similar, battles. Click here to listen to the first podcast Eric taped about all of the challenges he endured. You will hear about the events which led to forming the vision for this Movement. www.samehereglobal.com Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Sara Chana Silverstein is a Master Herbalist and international board certified lactation consultant. She is a keynote speaker at medical conferences across the US. She does TV shows, podcasts and radio shoes across the US and internationally teaching people how to safely integrate botanical medicine with conventional medicine. Her specialty is using botanicals to help with emotional health for women and pediatrics. Instagram [email protected] sarachana.com moodtopiabook.com Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Madeleine Berg, MS, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist with degrees from Cornell University and NYU. Madeleine has a private practice specializing in weight loss and medical nutrition therapy. She has published articles in both popular and scientific journals and is the author of OMG! You Think I'm Fat!?! How to talk (or NOT talk) about your child's weight. Madeleine is also a local, state and national speaker. [email protected] Related Episodes: Hunger Games: Raising Healthy Eaters   https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Hunger-Games-Raising-Healthy-Eaters-emdik8 Well Fed with Dr. Louisa Ferrara Gonzalez   https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Well-Fed-with-Dr--Louisa-Ferrara-Gonzalez-e1g280f Fed Up with Leah Vitale, MOT OTR/L, CLC  https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Fed-Up-with-Leah-Vitale--MOT-OTRL--CLC-e1ojs5g Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc cid=dfb442d2a7&mc eid=e9eee6e41e

Dr. Chana Weinstock Neuberger is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist who has been a Genitourinary Oncology Team Leader at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2017. She is a graduate of Bais Yaakov Toronto and BJJ, and then graduated with high distinction from the University of Toronto before completing her MD at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After her training, she practiced Thoracic and Genitourinary Oncology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and at the Baltimore VA Medical Center, where she remains on staff. Her original oncology research has been published in peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Urology, and Clinical Cancer Research, and she has presented at national meetings, including oral presentations at ASCO, ASCO GU symposium, and AACR and ASTRO workshops. She served as the former track leader of ASCO’s GU oncology kidney and bladder cancer educational track, was on the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Annual Meeting planning committee, and is an FDA observer on the National Cancer Institute Scientific Steering Committee in Genitourinary Oncology, She is also on the DEI committee of the ACGME, was the founding co-Vice President of JOWMA, and is proud to serve on the executive leadership board of the Baltimore JCC. She lives in Baltimore with her husband and children and is an avid, albeit slow, runner and a devoted coffee drinker.

Strauss Allergy & Asthma Therapy opened its Westbury office in 2007, but Dr. Raphael (Ralph) Strauss has been a practicing allergist for over 30 years. Dr. Strauss is certified by the American Board of Allergy & Immunology. After graduating cum laude from Brandeis University, he began his medical career at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he received his medical degree in 1986. He did his internship and residency in pediatrics at Schneider Children’s Hospital/ Long Island Jewish Medical Center. There, he was recognized with the Best Resident Teaching Award in 1989. He followed up his residency with a two-year fellowship in allergy and immunology at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Strauss has multiple professional affiliations, including Winthrop University Hospital, North Shore University Hospital, South Nassau Communities Hospital, Long Island Jewish Hospital, and Stony Brook University Hospital, where he is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Nassau County Medical Society, and the American College and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. He has authored and co-authored a number of publications for professional journals. Dr. Strauss has made several TV appearances as an expert in allergy and has been quoted in media publications such as the New York Times. More Podcasts about Asthma and Allergies: All About Allergies with Tehila Saadia, MD, CLC https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/All-About-Allergies-with-Tehila-Saadia--MD--CLC-e1er3dj All That Wheezes Is Not Asthma with Dr. Daniel Krich https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/All-That-Wheezes-Is-Not-Asthma-with-Dr--Daniel-Krich-e1eqv6a This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

Dr. Mel Houser (she/they) is an autistic family physician with a clinical focus on providing primary care for neurodivergent patients across the lifespan. She is the Founder and Executive Director of All Brains Belong VT, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in Montpelier, Vermont that uses universal design principles to provide healthcare, social connection opportunities, and neurodiversity-related education for kids and adults. At age 37, Dr. Houser was diagnosed as autistic, ADHD, dyspraxic, dyslexic, and dyscalculic. She is also the parent of an autistic 5 year old, who is her guru of so many keys to the universe. All Brains Belong   Recording from a past ATT Task Force meeting with an overview of the project  ATT Task Force Working Document    Learn Play Thrive  This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

Painful Periods, Pelvic Pain with Dr. Chani Yondorf by JOWMA (Jewish Orthodox Women's Medical Association) Podcast https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Painful-Periods--Pelvic-Pain-with-Dr--Chani-Yondorf-e1ntfh4 Ladies, We Need to Talk! by JOWMA (Jewish Orthodox Women's Medical Association) Podcast https://anchor.fm/jowma/episodes/Ladies--We-Need-to-Talk-e1eqv55 Gynecologic Overview - JOWMA Women's Health Webinar https://youtu.be/BOWNVEoMRG0 Medical Review Board https://endometriosis.net/medical-review-board This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

Deetza Franklin is a licensed mental health counselor and certified school counselor who has been working with children and families since 2008. She is passionate about social emotional learning: teaching children valuable life skills as a preventative rather than reactive measure.  Deetza has recently launched a children's project, entitled "Reel Feel Media", which teaches children how to regulate their emotions through catchy songs that are culturally appropriate for the Orthodox Jewish community. In her private practice, in addition to working with children on emotion regulation, Deetza specializes in working with children with the diagnosis of selective mutism. These children struggle to speak in some settings such as school. Deetza uses an intervention protocol developed by Dr. Steven Kurtz. She has seen tremendous progress using this method and is eager to share these strategies with others to benefit as many children as possible. https://www.skillsfocusedtherapy.com/ https://www.reelfeelmedia.com/about Home | Selective Mutism Association This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

Miriam (Pascal) Cohen is the founder of OvertimeCook.com, one of the world’s leading destinations for kosher recipes, and author of Something Sweet, Real Life Kosher Cooking, and More Real Life Koser Cooking. A self-taught cook and baker, Miriam shares her passion for recipes, food, and photography on her website. Miriam has garnered a large and loyal following of home cooks who appreciate her expertise and experience in creating simple, family-friendly recipes that fit the lifestyles of busy cooks who want to feed their families nutritious and delicious meals. Through her immensely popular sweet recipes, Miriam has also gained a reputation as the “queen of kosher desserts.” Miriam’s work has been featured by numerous national magazines and other media.   Implicit Bias Test Mishpacha Magazine: We Have a Weight Problem  The Weight of Stigma: Heavier Patients Confront the Burden of Bias  Effective strategies in ending weight stigma in healthcare  This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

A graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, Dr. Kadish received postdoctoral training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a fellow in cardiology. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and cardiac electrophysiology. Prior to joining Touro in 2009 as Senior Provost and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Kadish taught at the University of Michigan and held a 19-year tenure at Northwestern University. He served Northwestern as the Chester and Deborah Cooley Professor of Medicine, Senior Associate Chief of the Cardiology division, Director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials unit, and sat on the finance and investment committees of the Northwestern clinical practice plan. An accomplished and prolific research scientist as well, he has published over 250 peer-reviewed papers,received numerous grants, including from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and contributed to several textbooks.Dr. Kadish is a past chair of the Clinical Cardiology Program Committee of the American Heart Association, and has been elected to prestigious scientific research and education societies including the American Association of Professors, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the American Society of Physicians. Dr. Kadish, who was born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens, and educated in yeshivas in New York, is married with four children. This podcast episode is sponsored by the Lev Initiative: Everyone deserves to be safe. The Lev Initiative provides mental health support to those impacted by intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence. We take a holistic approach to help survivors of any age find ways to heal and thrive. Our virtual and in-person services include crisis and individual counseling sessions, support groups, psychotherapy, community-sensitive emergency housing, and linkages to a variety of community resources. The Lev Initiative is brought to the community by The Jewish Board in partnership with UJA-Federation. For more information, contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 646-273-1800. Are you interested in sponsoring the JOWMA Podcast? Email [email protected] for more information.

Rabbi Barry Eichenbaum, Psy.D. completed his PsyD in clinical psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School of Yeshiva University. He also received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. Barry has extensive experience in providing exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), in which he was trained under nationally renowned psychologist, Dr. Stephen Phillipson. He is also trained in Sex Therapy and Gottman Method Couples Therapy. His areas of clinical focus are in OCD, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, compulsive sexual behaviors, and relationship difficulties. Barry currently works at Blue Anchor Psychology, a private group psychotherapy practice based in Manhattan. Why embracing uncertainty is the key to navigating OCD Displaying irrelevance: A powerful tool to manage OCD Blue Anchor Psychology

This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Lawrence (Aryeh Shalom) Rosenberg, z"l.   Dr. Rebecca Rosenberg is currently a pediatrician at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital (HCH) at NYU Langone, taking care of children and families from birth to adolescence in the hospital, including healthy newborns. She is also a complex care pediatrician and have the privilege of caring for children with medical complexity and technological dependence, and their loving families, at the Fink Ambulatory Care Center at NYU (pulmonology). She is currently section chief of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at HCH. Her interests include improving care across systems to ensure patients get the same excellent care, every time, in things like postoperative pain control and preventing hospital infections. Her research interests include using qualitative research to learn about parent andcommunity practices and beliefs, including health promotion in close knit communities.   Publications here: https://library.med.nyu.edu/api/publications/?person=rosenr14&sort=display rank&in-bio sketch=true&offset=10   Evidence for the Vitamin K Shot in Newborns https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-the-vitamin-k-shot-in-newborns/    Babies Need The Hepatitis B Vaccine, And Here’s Why https://scimoms.com/hepatitis-b-babies/

Yaffi Lvova, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and twin mom who is passionate about providing nutrition education for the pregnant or breastfeeding woman, help with nutrition for colicky or fussy babies, and assistance with initial food introduction. Yaffi graduated magna cum laude with a bachelors of science in nutrition and dietetics from Arizona State University in 2010 and went on to complete the Iowa State University dietetic internship.  Yaffi partners with families to grow happy, healthy babies and confident parents by breaking down complex scientific concepts, ideas, theories, and research into easier to understand language so that parents can make informed decisions about their child’s wellness. “Together, we can transform complex science into simple words that describe why things work and what formulas, recipes, and strategies you can use to achieve optimum health for your child  and you.”   Marcy Forta EdD, MBA is the founder and director of Atzmi, an organization dedicated to supporting the mental health of Jewish girls through programs that improve their self-esteem, body acceptance, and reduce the focus on outward appearances.  She specializes in eating disorder education, awareness, and prevention, focusing specifically on risk factors and prevention within the Jewish Orthodox Adolescent Female Community. She is also a Body Project Facilitator, and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist.  Dr. Forta’s doctoral research focused on community healthcare stakeholders descriptions of religious and environmental risk factors unique to the Jewish orthodox adolescent female community. Community healthcare stakeholders include rabbis, teachers, principals, mental and physical health professionals. Her research was conducted over a period of several years and focused on the U.S. Midwest region. There is long established evidence supporting prevention programs and their impact, this being the impetus to create Atzmi as the evidence suggests that their efficacy is vastly improved when tailored to specific demographics. Her research forms the basis of the eating disorder awareness, education, and prevention programs designed for this community.  Dr. Forta lives in Oak Park, Michigan. She is a lecturer, blogger, and sought after expert in the eating disorder field. Her personal website is marcyforta.com.   Alisa Minkin, MD is host of JOWMA Podcast which provides health education geared to the Orthodox community. Dr Minkin also produces the JOWMA Preventative Health hotline (929-4-GEZUNT/929-444-9868) and is past chair of the JOWMA Preventative Health Committee. She is a board-certified pediatrician in Oceanside, NY. She attended Johns Hopkins University followed by New York University School of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center. Dr Minkin is on the Leadership Panel of the Haredi Health Coalition which serves as a liaison between NYC’s Department of Health and the New York hareidi community.  She has worked on numerous Covid-19 and vaccine related community health efforts in the past, including the EMES Vaccine Task Force. Dr Minkin’s public health efforts on behalf of the Orthodox community has been featured in numerous Orthodox media outlets including Mishpacha and Wellspring magazine.   Tobi Ash, RN, BSN, MBA is completing her Ph.D. in Health Promotion.  For more than 25 years, Tobi has been teaching, mentoring, researching, and helping women and girls with healthcare issues. Her book on puberty for neurotypical and neuroatypical girls is being published by Mosaica Publishing in the coming year.  A former midwife, childbirth educator,  critical care/trauma/ER nurse, and managing director of a women's health care clinic, Tobi enjoys making a major difference in the health of all people with competent, compassionate care.

Naamit Kurshan Gerber, MD is an associate professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Perlmutter Cancer Center of the NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Gerber received her AB in the history of science from Harvard College and her M.D. from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She completed her training in radiation oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Gerber specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and lymphoma. In addition to her clinical practice, she is actively engaged in research that focuses on improving outcomes for women with early stage breast cancer. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Gerber is a member of the NRG Breast local regional committee and serves on the breast scientific program committee for ASCO and the breast education committee for ASTRO. She is a senior editor for breast cancer at PRO where she also serves as the editor of the Morbidity and Mortality Column. Dr. Gerber serves as the program director of the NYU Radiation Oncology Residency Program residency program. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a two-time winner of the ARRO Educator of the Year Award and the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics Outstanding Reviewer Award.

Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, in the department she chaired from 1988-2003 and from which she retired in September 2017. She is also Visiting Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell. She holds honorary degrees from Transylvania University in Kentucky and the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York.  She earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an M.P.H. in public health nutrition from the University of California, Berkeley. Previous faculty positions were at Brandeis University and the UCSF School of Medicine. From 1986-88, she was senior nutrition policy advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services and editor of the 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health. Her research and writing examine scientific and socioeconomic influences on food choice and its consequences, emphasizing the role of food industry marketing.  She is the author, co-author, or co-editor of fifteen books, several of them prize-winning, most notably Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (2002); Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety (2003); What to Eat (2006); Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics, with Dr. Malden Nesheim (2012); Eat, Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics (2013); and Soda Politics: Taking on Big Soda (and Winning) in 2015. She also has written two books about pet food, Pet Food Politics: The Chihuahua in the Coal Mine (2008) and Feed Your Pet Right in 2010 (also with Dr. Nesheim). She published Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat, in 2018 and a book of short essays with Kerry Trueman, Let's Ask Marion: What You Need to Know about the Politics of Food, Nutrition, and Health in 2020. Her most recent book is a memoir, Slow Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics (2022). Read her full bio here Food Politics [email protected] More Podcasts on Nutrition: Atzmi: My Body is Not My "Self" Health at All Sizes with Malka Katzenstein Hunger Games: Raising Healthy Eaters

Dr. Judith Fridovich-Keil joined the faculty at Emory in 1991. She is currently a professor in the department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine at Emory. Her research focus: inborn errors of metabolism (galactosemia). Dr. Fridovich-Keil received her AB in Biochemistry, Princeton University (1983), and her PhD in Biology from MIT (1988). She completed her postdoctoral training at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School (1988-91) and is board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics in Clinical Medical Genetics (1996 - present). Dr. Fridovich-Keil grew up in Durham, NC. My husband, Mark, and has been married for 38 year. She and her husband  are the proud parents of two adult children.   Newborn Screening Tests   Galactosemia Foundation 

Nechama Nerenburg is a wife and mother of 4 children. She has worked as a doula for over 20 year. In her training, Nechama has completed courses in Breast Feeding, Emergency Birth, EMT, Neonatal Resuscitation, Techniques on More Efficient Pushing, BRM Body Balancing, to alleviate pain during pregnancy and for easier birth.   https://mishpacha.com/dear-doula/ https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/   Read about Nechama's miraculous story here: https://vinnews.com/2022/07/21/its-all-in-hashems-hands-says-husband-of-woman-who-survived-niagara-cliff-fall/  www.jowma.org

Dr. Rachel Berman is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Academic General Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After earning her BA in Social Anthropology at Harvard University in 2004, Dr. Berman attended Boston University's School of Medicine and School of Public Health, earning her MD and Masters of Public Health degrees in 2010. She completed her pediatric residency at the Boston Combined Residency Program in Pediatrics in 2013, followed by a residency in Preventive Medicine at Boston Medical Center in 2015. Dr. Berman practices general pediatrics, and she serves as her clinic’s clinician champion for social needs screening and referrals. In this role, she has also had the opportunity to be involved in a multisite research study of biomarkers of stress and resilience in children through the Harvard Center for the Developing Child. Dr. Berman teaches residents and medical students, and through a grant from the American Medical Association’s Reimagining Residency Initiative, she has been working to develop a curriculum on social and structural determinants of health for residents in Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Most recently, she is participating in the 2022-2023 United Hospital Fund’s PEDS Network Fellowship Program, which provides early career pediatricians with mentorship and support for projects that aim to improve health equity for young children and families. Her project specifically focuses on sharing opportunities for civic engagement with her patients and their families. Outside of work, Dr. Berman serves as a founding board member of the Interfaith Public Health Network, a non-profit organization that aims to engage and mobilize faith communities to improve the health of our communities through addressing social, commercial, environmental, and political determinants of health. She lives in Riverdale with her husband, Rabbi Yonah Berman, and their 3 very energetic boys.

Rahel Bayar is a sought after keynote speaker, trainer, workshop facilitator and consultant. Rahel is trusted by companies, K-12 schools, camps and organizations across the country to deliver inspiring abuse and harassment prevention training, and inspire those she meets to work collaboratively to create safe spaces. She uses her expertise as a former sex crimes and child abuse prosecutor, and a former managing director of the sexual misconduct consulting and investigations division of a global investigative company to effectively help each organization work to create a safe space for all.  Rahel can be reached at the bayargroup.com and is on instagram @rahel.bayar    Actionable Abuse & Harassment Prevention Training | The Bayar Group | NYC and Beyond  https://www.thebayargroup.com/  Education – The Digital Citizenship https://www.thedigitalcitizenship.com...  Keter  https://ketertech.org/  Online Safety for Kids in 2022: Parenting Tips for Tech | SafeWise  https://www.safewise.com/kids-online-...  Sextortion: What Kids and Caregivers Need to Know | Federal Bureau of Investigation  https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-y... www.jowma.org

Dr. Maureen Nemetski is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Attending Physician at Hackensack University Medical Center - Joseph M Sanzari Children’s Hospital, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. She obtained her MD/PhD from New York University School of Medicine, and completed a Pediatrics Residency at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, and a Fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. In 2019, she joined JOWMA as the first chair of the Preventative Health Committee and launched our vaccination hotline and preventative health podcast. She stepped down from her role as the JOWMA Preventative Health Committee Chair in May 2020, in order to devote her energies to the medical advisory committees of Yeshivat Frisch and Ben Porat Yosef, and the New Jersey Yeshiva Joint Medical Committee as they worked with Jewish day and high schools in and around Bergen County to re-open - and stay open - safely during the Covid pandemic.

Leah Vitale MOT, OTR/L, CLC received her Masters of Occupational Therapy from James Madison University in 2010. She is a certified lactation counselor and maintains a NY state license as well as a national certification and membership with the American Occupational Therapy Association and National Association for Neonatal Therapist. She brings over ten years of experience, and has dedicated herself to pediatric occupational therapy treating children of all ages in a variety of settings. Her clinical skills with the pediatric population include but are not limited to premature infants, neonatal feeding therapy, neurodevelopmental care, sensory processing disorder, complex medical conditions and lactation support. As a new mother herself, Leah realized the lack of support in newborn feeding and overall developmental guidance. It is her goal to support the caregiver-baby dyad and facilitate optimal bonding to foster a loving and nurturing relationship through all stages of development. Her approach is holistic and provides families with strategies they can incorporate into their daily lives. www.jowma.org

Barry M. Prizant, PhD, CCC-SLP is recognized as among the world’s leading authorities on autism, and as an innovator of respectful, person- and family-centered approaches for autistic individuals and those with other neurodevelopmental conditions. He currently is the Director of Childhood Communication Services, a private practice, and has fifty years of experience as a scholar, researcher, and international consultant. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Brown University for more than 25 years, as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Brown University Medical School and has held tenured Professor appointments at Emerson College, Boston, and Southern Illinois University. He has published five books, more than 140 articles and chapters, and is senior author of The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach, now being implemented in more than a dozen countries. Barry has been a two-time featured presenter (2013, 2017) at the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day in New York City, and has given close to 1000 presentations in major universities across the US and in more than 25 countries. Over the past 25 years, Barry also has co-developed and co-facilitates a retreat weekend for parents of autistic family members with his wife, Dr. Elaine Meyer of Harvard University. He also has a specific interest on the positive impact of the musical, theatrical and visual arts for autistic and disabled children and adults. Barry’s recent book, Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (Simon & Schuster, 2015; 2022 expanded edition) has been the best-selling book on autism since 2015, along with an audiobook version narrated by Barry. It is now published in 24 languages, and was ranked by Book Authority as #1 of the “100 best books on autism of all time”. Barry also co-produces and hosts a podcast, Uniquely Human: The Podcast (www.uniquelyhuman.com) with his friend, Dave Finch, an autistic audio engineer and New York Times best-selling author.

Dr. Devorah Segal was born in Baltimore and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated from Prospect Park Yeshiva and went to BJJ seminary, followed by Brooklyn College. She attended Mount Sinai Medical School, where she earned her medical degree and a PhD in neuroscience.  She then completed a residency in child neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a fellowship in pediatric neuro-oncology at NYU. Dr. Segal practiced general child neurology and neurogenetics at Weill Cornell for several years, where she was also the director of the Child Neurology residency training program. She then returned to NYU, where she practices pediatric neuro-oncology and is the Associate Director of the Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center at NYU and the director of the pediatric neuro-oncology fellowship. Dr. Segal is the principal investigator or co-investigator of several clinical trials looking for new treatments for nervous system tumors. She is also the site principal investigator of a clinical trial studying a treatment for metachromatic leukodystrophy. Dr. Segal lives in Passaic, NJ with her husband and 5 children, all of whom were born while she was in medical school.

Shira Berkovits, Esq., Ph.D. is President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. A behavioral psychologist with a research background in creating large-scale organizational change, and an attorney specialized in criminal law, Shira has spent years studying the intersection of psychology and law as related to sexual offending in faith communities. Bringing a uniquely Jewish lens, Shira partners with Jewish leaders to build healthy and accountable institutions, whose culture and daily operations foster sacredness and reduce the risk of harassment, abuse, and other forms of interpersonal harm. In her role as CEO of Sacred Spaces, she has worked with Jewish communities across five continents to prevent, handle, and heal from institutional abuse. In addition to an Amazon bestseller, Shira has published pioneering pieces on abusive institutional practices, which are regularly cited as foundational texts in the Jewish abuse prevention field. Selected as an inaugural Wexner Field Fellow and named to The Jewish Week’s 2017 36 Under 36 for her pioneering work on abuse prevention, Shira sits on the board of the Academy on Violence and Abuse and is a member of the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. Aleinu Campaign: Safeguarding Our Children Keilim | A Policy Toolkit by Sacred Spaces I was shamed and shunned for revealing my abuse

CP is a client-centered, humanistic therapist who believes that it’s the human within the therapist that creates the space for recovery and self-actualization. CP’s holistic approach to treatment was born out of a deep appreciation for the mind-body connection. After working in vastly different populations, CP discovered early in her career that trauma and mental illness do not discriminate.   CP has worked in juvenile prison, methadone maintenance, inner-city homes and schools, residential treatment, foster care and private practice. CP is the co-founder of Atideinu, a non-profit organization that fosters social and emotional development in children.   After years of working as a therapist, clinical supervisor, consultant and trainer, CP created Resonant Therapies to help streamline all of these services and more.   https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/Understanding Intergenerational Trauma   https://resonanttherapies.com/about/   https://www.instituteforcreativemindfulness.com/icm-blog-redefine-therapy/5-takeaways-from-a-decade-as-a-therapist-in-our-juvenile-justice-system-by-cp-handler/

Dr Esther R. Libman, Hon. B.Sc M.D. is a family medicine physician with a full time family practice in Thornhill, Canada since 1982. She attended University of Toronto for Medical School and continued at University of Toronto’s family medicine residency program. She then obtained her Fellowship of the College of Family Medicine. She worked regular shifts in the emergency department of North York General Hospital from 1982 to 1994 and has continued to attend family practice rounds at NYGH with admitting privileges for newborn, pediatric and adult patients.  She manages women’s health at every stage, adressing menstruation, birth control, fertility difficulties, perimenopause and menopause. She has a particular interest in guiding orthodox Jewish brides with period regulation prior to their wedding. She has received honorary awards in recognition of her outstanding commitment to the Orthodox community by the Toronto Lubavitch Center, Ohr Somayach, Bikur Cholim of Toronto and Yeshiva University.  Her interests include challah baking, fitness, tennis, swimming, simcha dancing, camping and ice skating. She is married to a wonderful family physician, Dr Robert Libman, with whom she shares four terrific children and is the proud grandmother of many.

Compassionate, straight-forward and down-to-earth, Anna Sherman is a Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Maternal Mental Health Practitioner who works with individuals, couples and families. With a strong passion for self-help and wellness, Anna offers support as clients build on their strengths and continue to move forward in their lives.   Anna holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and uses a variety of therapeutic approaches based on the individual needs of her clients. She is specially trained and has experience in Emotion-Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Gottman Couples Counselling, Family Systems, Bowen Theory, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Mindfulness Meditation. Her treatment specializations include anxiety/depression, dating and relationships, couples counselling, family counselling, parenting support, perinatal support, separation and divorce, work and career issues, stress management and conflict resolution.   Anna enjoys providing classes and lectures on mental health and wellness and supervising Psychotherapy students. Anna uses a client-centered and collaborative approach, helping clients find the root of their challenges and ultimately gaining the skills to help themselves. Most importantly, her compassionate, down-to-earth personality and warm sense of humour provide a calm, safe and nurturing environment for clients to grow, change and heal.

Dr. Hovington has a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical exercise Physiology and a Master’s in Rehabilitation Science from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.    She completed a Post- Doctoral Fellow at McGill in Education . She received her PHD in Neuroscience also from McGill University.   Dr. Hovington is the recipient of six awards and is the author of eight journal articles.    After becoming a mom for the first time in 2015, I learned that there were very few evidence-based resources available to support parents.   I left academia to stay home with my 3 children and decided that I needed to create a reliable and science-backed resource that ALL parents can access. This is how Curious Neuron was born and has grown into a community of over 50,000 international parents.    By making science accessible to parents, we make informed decisions about our children and develop tools and skills that help us and our children thrive.     Dr. Hovington has published her work in psychological and educational journals including Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, BMC Psychiatry, Schizophrenia and Science and Children.    She is a parenting contributor for CJAD800 and has appeared on Global News Montreal.    She has given webinars for Learn Quebec, The Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists, The Society for functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy 2021 conference and more.     Curious Neuron and Dr. Hovington’s work has been highlighted in Canadian, US and UK magazines. Click here to learn more about her media appearances.    She has worked with companies including Pampers, Pok Pok, Brightlobe, Edx Education, Dadditude, Grin Natural, Groops, Peanut and more.

Jennifer E. Weiss, M.D., is a board-certified pediatric rheumatologist. She graduated from St George’s University School of Medicine and completed a pediatric residency and fellowship in pediatric rheumatology at Schneider Children’s Hospital/LIJMC. She is board certified in Pediatric Rheumatology. Dr. Weiss specializes in juvenile arthritis, Lyme arthritis, vasculitis, lupus, fever/autoinflammatory syndromes and pediatric pain syndromes. Her research interests include clinical research on juvenile arthritis, chronic musculoskeletal pain and quality improvement. She is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and serves on the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Steering Committee and is Vice-Chair of the CARRA Pain Sub-Committee. She is also on the Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcome Improvement Network Steering Committee and has served on the NJ Board of the Arthritis Foundation. She has served as site principal investigator on many clinical trials and quality improvement studies.     Philosophy Of Care:  "My care philosophy mirrors the mission and vision of Hackensack Meridian Health. I aim to listen to patients, make the correct diagnosis, and use shared decision making to come up with a treatment plan. It is incredibly rewarding to help diagnose and treat patients with rare diseases so they can live active, pain-free lives."

Eliza “Shevie” Kassai, MD is a general and trauma surgeon in Denver Colorado. She is a graduate of Bais Yaakov of Denver and Stern College for Women. Following a 2 year post baccalaureate research fellowship at the NIH, she attended medical school at the Technion in Israel with induction into the Gold Humanism Society. She returned to Denver to complete her residency training in General Surgery at the University of Colorado. She completed a Research Fellowship in Trauma Surgery during her training and her research has been published in multiple medical journals including the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Injury, and the American Surgeon. She lives with her husband and three children in Denver. She is involved in many organizations within the local Frum community. Dr. Kassai loves skiing, running, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Christy Huff, MD, is a cardiologist and director of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, a nonprofit that educates about the adverse effects of prescribed benzodiazepines. Dr. Huff attended medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern where she graduated Alpha Omega Alpha. She completed an internal medicine residency at Washington University in St. Louis and a cardiology fellowship at U.T. Southwestern, with a focus in advanced cardiovascular imaging and noninvasive cardiology.  Dr. Huff is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and was a private practice cardiologist in Fort Worth,Texas until 2011, when she became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her daughter.   Dr. Huff speaks and writes frequently about her lived experience with benzodiazepines. In 2015, she experienced adverse effects after three weeks of prescribed Xanax for insomnia. Over a three-year period, she slowly tapered off benzodiazepines utilizing Valium, and suffered protracted and disabling symptoms. Her personal experience led her to realize the serious risks of these medications and the potential severity of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, neither of which were emphasized during her medical training. Dr. Huff specifically advocates for better education of physicians regarding the adverse effects of benzodiazepines and how to safely taper patients off these medications. Her research interests include patient-centered benzodiazepine deprescribing and benzodiazepine-induced neurological dysfunction (BIND).  In addition to her work at BIC, Dr. Huff is a member of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse’s Benzodiazepine Action Work Group.

"I am trained to work with young children though adulthood treating issues such as anxiety and depression. In addition I provide parent coaching to support parents in their developing strong relationships with their children. I am also trained to treat women struggling with pre and post natal challenges. I utilize an integrated approach using evidence based treatments that include CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), mindfulness, exposure treatment, and parent management training. I also believe in the validity of psychodynamic therapy and building a strong therapeutic alliance with my clients.   I also work as a school psychologist at a private school in NYC. I understand the inner workings of school-related stress and can be particularly helpful in parenting strategies and developing coping skills for managing school-related anxiety and social dynamics.   ​In addition to my clinical work, I serve on the Medical Advisory Board at Lauren Bongiorno's Health Coaching for People with Diabetes. As a type 1 diabetic myself, I understand the unique challenges of living with chronic illness and value the commitment I have made in supporting those struggling with their mental health. "

Dr. Jensen is the Board Chair of the REACH Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization he founded in 2006. From 1999-2009 he served at the National Institute of  Mental Health as the Associate Director for Child Adolescent Mental Health Research. He then moved to Columbia University to assume an endowed professorship in the Department of Psychiatry, where he directed the Center for the Advancement of  Children’s Mental Health. Leaving New York in 2009 he joined Mayo Clinic’s Department of Psychiatry Psychology to lead the Division of Child Psychiatry Psychology, eventually becoming the Vice-Chair of the Department (Research). In 2014 he was appointed Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, moving to Adjunct Professor in 2018. Dr. Jensen was the lead NIMH investigator on the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD study (MTA) and served on other multi-site NIMH national studies. He has held many national offices, including President of the International Society for Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, Secretary and Council Member (American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry), and as member of CHADD’s Board and Scientific  Advisory Board.  Dr. Jensen has authored/edited over 300 peer reviewed articles and chapters and 20  books. He has received many awards for research and teaching from multiple national  organizations, including the Hall of Fame award from CHADD, the American  Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, the Society for Child Psychiatric Nursing, and NAMI.

Dr. Seymour Huberfeld is a graduate of Yeshiva University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his postgraduate training at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and was Chief Medical Resident from 1991-1992. This was followed by a fellowship in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at LIJ.  Dr. Huberfeld has a particular focus on sleep disorders and has promoted the use of home sleep testing to facilitate the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Dr. Huberfeld, his wife Lori, and their children live in Lawrence, New York and are active members of their local synagogue organizations. Dr. Huberfeld maintains an active role in the education of medical students and is an active member of the teaching faculty of the Zucker Hofstra Medical School. He is a member of the Academy of Medical Educators at the Zucker/Hofstra School of Medicine.  Dr. Huberfeld is dedicated to the highest ethical standards in medicine and to providing an uncompromising level of care to all of his patients.  Mission Statement: To provide the best of academic oriented medicine in a patient friendly environment.

Esti is a seasoned advocate and quiet trailblazer in her community. She is a former teacher, a writer, a consultant, a case manager, but first and foremost- she is a mother. Esti has worked tirelessly with non profit and other community leaders to try to change the communal conversation and reduce stigma for children with invisible disabilities. As a passionate and fearless advocate for inclusion, Esti is a resource to other families and organizations. Her goal is to make sure that no one struggles through the difficult journey of raising a child with ASD alone. Esti believes that with increased awareness about autism, there are many opportunities for greater inclusion and lifelong success. As a gifted child who struggled through the school system herself, she is seeking to raise awareness in order to help others. (In her spare time, she enjoys reading, singing/songwriting, performing, and comedy writing with her adorable and creative children.)

Eli Shapiro, EdD, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker with a doctorate in education and specialists certificate in Jewish educational leadership. He is the creator and director of The Digital Citizenship Project (thedigitalcitizenship.com), an Adjunct Professor for the City University of New York and a Trustee of the Queens Borough Public Library. Dr. Shapiro is a graduate of the Azrieli school of Jewish Education and Administration, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Touro College and holds two licenses in school administration through the Queens College post graduate Educational Leadership Program. Dr. Shapiro has presented to thousands of parents, school faculty and mental health professionals in communities across North America, and has lectured for internationally recognized organizations including, Agudath Israel of America, Consortium of Jewish Day Schools, International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim, Nefesh International, The Orthodox Union, Prizmah - Center for Jewish Day Schools, Project Inspire, Torah Umesorah and Yeshiva University. Dr. Shapiro is an expert on the social and emotional functioning of families and leads numerous studies on Jewish families and technology. For more information, visit elishapiro.com.

Dr. Gaggino is a primary care pediatrician practicing on the west side of Michigan for over 30 years.  From 2015 to 2020, she served as the Kalamazoo based Bronson Healthcare System Medical Director of Behavioral Health implementing Zero Suicide practices and building integrated behavioral health in primary care.     Knowing that the emotional well-being of children is at the core of their total health, Dr. Gaggino has partnered with other professionals to develop processes and protocols to strengthen cross-disciplinary diagnostic and behavioral healthcare models, and when given the opportunity to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, has always come to a better, more comprehensive care solution for patients.   Dr. Gaggino is the founder of Medical Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC offering support to clinicians and systems and the host of the Pediatric Meltdown podcast featuring experts on children’s emotional well-being.  She currently sits on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Board of Directors, partners closely with the Michigan Chapter of the AAP and is a consultant to the University of Michigan MC3 child psychiatry access program. www.medicalbhs.com   This is something all parents should watch!!!  Why you should ask:   https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-suicide/art-20044308   AAP Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention  https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/blueprint-for-youth-suicide-prevention/   NIMH ASQ Toolkit:  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/research-conducted-at-nimh/asq-toolkit-materials   American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP:  What Parents should Know:  https://afsp.org/teens-and-suicide-what-parents-should-know   Trevor Project for LGBTQ Youth:  https://www.thetrevorproject.org   Healthy Children AAP site:   https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Signs-your-Teen-May-Need-More-Support.aspx? ga=2.211488725.1523782614.1655308108-1489161112.1653328982& gl=1*e4kg7* ga*MTQ4OTE2MTExMi4xNjUzMzI4OTgy* ga FD9D3XZVQQ*MTY1NTMzOTQ2OC4yMC4xLjE2NTUzMzk3NTQuMA..   Mayo Clinic - what parents need to know:   https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-suicide/art-20044308   The Zero Suicide Framework:  www.zerosuicide.org   Counseling on Access to Lethal Means safety:  CALM   https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/calm-counseling-access-lethal-means

An experienced, board-certified OB/GYN, Dr. Elissa Hellman, has been in practice for over ten years in Milwaukee, WI. She received her medical degree from NYU and completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset. She is also the physician at The Confident Kallah, a telemedicine gynecology practice focused on the needs of Jewish women who observe Taharat Ha'Mishpacha. Throughout her years as a clinician, she noticed a gap in women's health awareness and education. This developed into a special interest in patient education and being a resource for the Jewish community in relation to body awareness and women's preventative health, starting from a young age.