Alumni Advisory Board

In 2009, Dr. Acosta became the Medical Program Director of the Yakima County Department of EMS and continues to serve as such and the past President of the Yakima County Medical Society. Dr. Acosta was very involved in the hospital medical executive committee and was the emergency Department Medical Director and Vice President of Medical Affairs for Hospital Physician Partners and The Schumacher Clinical Partners. He also served as a Board Member for the Osteopathic Board of Medicine and Surgery for Washington State.

Dr. Acosta was the Program Director in Emergency Medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital for several years. During his tenure with Pacific Northwest University (PNWU) of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in Yakima, Washington, he served as the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Medical Education, Director of Clinical Rotations, Regional Dean and Director of Medical Education. In 2009, Dr. Acosta became the Medical Program Director of the Yakima County Department of EMS and continues to serve as such and the past President of the Yakima County Medical Society. Dr. Acosta was very involved in the hospital medical executive committee and was the emergency Department Medical Director and Vice President of Medical Affairs for Hospital Physician Partners and The Schumacher Clinical Partners. He also served as a Board Member for the Osteopathic Board of Medicine and Surgery for Washington State.

He is currently responsible for building and developing several teams which include, Finance, 3PL Operations, IT Infrastructure, Customer Care and Sales Support. He also serves as the connective tissue between the US Sales, US Marketing and Global Infrastructure teams.

Irfan earned a B.S. in Marketing at The State University of New York, graduating in 1990 and earned his MBA from Iona College graduating in 2007. He also is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Mr. Buddha has previous experience serving on industry councils, philanthropic committees, and advisory boards.

Irfan is the proud father of 2 children Sara and Harris, his wife Melissa is a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner who is in private practice in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He enjoys traveling, skiing, & boating with his family.

Dr. Chaudhry spent 14 years with the United States Air Force Reserve, rising to the rank of Major and serving as a Flight Surgeon. Dr. Chaudhry spent two years as Health Commissioner for Suffolk County, New York, overseeing 1,300 employees and a budget of $400 million. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC., and co-author of Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine, 4th edition, and Medical Licensing and Discipline in America. He is a Master of the American College of Physicians, a Master Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists (of which he is also Past President) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London and Edinburgh). In 2016, Dr. Chaudhry was recognized by Modern Healthcare magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders in America.

Right after residency, she was the Associate Medical Director for CareNow Urgent Care in Dallas, Texas. Returning to her home town of Webster, NY she was the Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at University of Rochester. After deciding to transition from Academic Medicine to now working a new role in Telehealth with Amwell Medical Group, she believes this new role allows her to provide access of care in some communities where access to a provider can be difficult. Along side of this, she is working to establish her own private practice, emphasizing prevention around optimal health, encouraging an individual’s inherent self healing process. When not working, known to her family and friends as an avid adventurer who loves to try new things, she enjoys meeting new people, mentoring, traveling and philanthropy.

Dr. Ferrara completed his emergency medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, N.Y., and his osteopathic medicine residency at The Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. He earned a B.S. in Biology at Allegheny College, Meadville, Penn. Dr. Ferrara is currently co-Vice Chairman of the New York Institute of Technology Board of Trustees and a member of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) Dean’s Advisory Board.

He completed his undergraduate degree in biology at Binghamton University, a master of science in Physiology and Biophysics at Georgetown University. He graduated from New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he currently holds the rank of clinical associate professor of medicine and teaches pulmonary medicine. Dr. Golbin completed his residency and chief residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and his fellowship at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn., where he was the Burgher Family Fellow in Pulmonary Diseases. He completed his M.B.A. at Adelphi University, where he was elected to the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. Dr. Golbin is a member of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) Dean’s Advisory Board.

Dr. Goldstein is a 1947 graduate of New York University (B.A.). He served in the US tank corps of the US army during WW II (European Theater) and received the Purple Heart. He is a graduate of the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (formerly the Des Moines Still College of Osteopathic Medicine) having received the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree in 1950. He completed a rotating internship and then a residency in internal medicine at the Still College Osteopathic Hospital. He later served as a post doctoral fellow in neurology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). He received a Master of Public Health degree (Epidemiology) from the University Of California School Of Public Health at Berkeley, CA. He is Board Certified in Public Health/ Preventive Medicine by the AOBPM and in Neurology by the AOBPN. He served as a member and officer of the AOBPM and is now an emeritus member. He is a founding member and past President of the AOCOPM and is now a Distinguished Fellow of that organization. He serves on the Advisory Board of the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine and has been a member of the Board of Trustees of 3 osteopathic colleges. He is a scientific member of the Board of Directors of four national health organizations. He is an active member and past President of the Academy of Medicine of Washington D.C. He has been the recipient of two honorary doctoral degrees in medicine and seven in science and public affairs from nine universities in the U.S. and abroad. He has received three US national public service awards, a Presidential Citation for prestigious national service; and a US Congressional Commendation for accomplishment He served as Chairman of the World Health Organization Task Force on Stroke and Other Vascular Cerebral Disorders (1986-1989). He is listed in “Who’s Who in America” since 2005.

Dr. Goldstein is recognized internationally as a leader in research on the cerebrovascular disorders and on disorders of the developing brain. He is presently in retirement but continues his professional activities serving as a member of the Board of several national and international educational, medical research and public policy organizations and as a senior lecturer in both neurology and in medical ethics at the US military medical school at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland (USUHS). Dr. Goldstein has 54 publications in refereed

In her 3 office locations, Yorktown, Carmel and Hyde Park, Dr. Hoffman treats diseases of the skin, hair and nails, in all age groups. These include all kinds of rashes. She does full exams to examine moles and detect skin cancers. She also performs cosmetic procedures and Laser treatments.

Through Dr. Hoffman’s participation in education, research and medical publications, she is at the forefront in understanding your skin and your needs and concerns.

In her 3 office locations, Yorktown, Carmel and Hyde Park, Dr. Hoffman treats diseases of the skin, hair and nails, in all age groups. These include all kinds of rashes. She does full exams to examine moles and detect skin cancers. She also performs cosmetic procedures and Laser treatments.

Through Dr. Hoffman’s participation in education, research and medical publications, she is at the forefront in understanding your skin and your needs and concerns.

Michael has also been lead defense counsel in two highly publicized health care antitrust trials involving cutting edge managed care issues. The first of these jury cases went to trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and the second was commenced in the Eastern District of New York. In addition, in the healthcare reimbursement arena, Michael has arbitrated and litigated many claim denial disputes. In these reimbursement cases, he has represented both providers and payors, or served as a mediator, and the subject matters have ranged from claim by claim analyses to allegations of vast inappropriate payment methodologies.

In his work representing academic institutions, Michael has some of the leading decisions involving a university’s rights to inventions developed on campus grounds, and a university’s rights to establish its unique criteria for the admission or rejection of prospective students.

Trained as a mechanical engineer, his technical background proves particularly useful in construction, software, electronic data storage and delivery systems, and mechanical/power system cases.

Before beginning his legal career, Michael worked as a civilian mechanical engineer for the Department of the Navy, where he wrote ship repair specifications and, after a bid was awarded, supervised construction and repair in shipyards throughout the United States. Michael possessed a United States Coast Guard license as a Third Assistant Engineer for steam and motor vessels of unlimited horsepower.

Prior to joining Garfunkel Wild, P.C., he was an associate at Thacher, Proffitt & Wood, where he was a member of the litigation department. Michael is admitted to the New York and New Jersey Bars, as well as federal courts for the Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Northern District of New York, District of New Jersey and Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Michael received his B.S. (with honors) from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1983 and his J.D. from University of Virginia, School of Law, in 1987.

Using clinical and cost data from MDVIP’s membership, Dr. Klemes has authored nine studies showing patients in the MDVIP model enjoy better outcomes in areas like hospitalization, emergency department utilization, preventive services and cost savings than patients in traditional primary care practices.

Before joining MDVIP, Dr. Klemes worked at Procter & Gamble in personal healthcare, women’s health and digestive wellness. She also served as North American Medical Director for bone health. She spent 10 years in private practice specializing in endocrinology and metabolism in Tallahassee, Florida, and has held leadership roles with the American Medical Association, Florida Medical Association, the Diabetes Center in Tallahassee and Panama City, Florida, and at Tallahassee Community Hospital where she was Chief of the Department of Medicine.

Andrea received her medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan and an Endocrine and Metabolism Fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. She has completed broad clinical research in diabetes and osteoporosis, has published extensively and frequently lectured.

Outside her passion for medicine, Andrea plays golf and loves to spend time with her family.

In 2018, he joined the Mount Sinai Health System as Chief of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Queens, where he is currently working and building a new Department of Cardiology. Dr. Kukar is board certified in Cardiovascular Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology, Echocardiography, and Interventional Cardiology. His practice focuses on the treatment of both cardiac and vascular disease.

Dr. Rimmer received his medical degree at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005, where he was awarded a prestigious research clerkship at the Kennedy Space Center. After such, he completed his internship at St. Vincent’s Midtown Hospital in Manhattan, and then transitioned to his residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx for a simultaneous program in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, for which he’s dually Board Certified. During his training he was commissioned as an Officer in the United States Navy Reserves and was a national award recipient for research involving acute ophthalmologic emergencies. In 2020 he completed a fellowship in Healthcare Leadership via Seton Hall University and was a finalist for “NJ Healthcare Professional of the Year” in 2019. He has consulted for industry in both mature FDA-cleared and startup endeavors, bridging entrepreneurial, administrative, and clinical bedside experience to improve outcomes and operational efficiency.

After Dr. Sportelli successfully completed this ACGME intern year, he felt a true calling to master the intricacies of the human mind, behavior, understanding the complexity of mental illness and its modern life-changing treatment options. He then began Residency Training in General Psychiatry and fellowship training in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Sportelli continues to maintain a passion for medical education as Associate Program Director for The Prime Health Psychiatry Residency Program. He works on the Consultation Liaison Service at St Clare’s, has established the ECT service at Prime Health, is heavily involved in the Psychiatric Grand Rounds program as well as public education of defeating stigma and prioritizing mental healthcare as a media contributor.

Besides teaching at several medical schools and preparing future military physicians for service, he currently serves as Assistant Professor in Primary Care at the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine.. In addition, he serves as an Independent Healthcare and Leadership Consultant; serves as a Board Member on the Senior Advisory Board for the Special Operations Medical Association (SOMA); the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States / The Society of Federal Health Professionals (AMSUS); and serves as a Special Government Employee in Army Medicine focusing on Leader Development, Mentoring & Coaching, Strategic Planning Consultation, Teaching … and as a Senior Leader Advisor and Coach.

Dr Volpe was commissioned as a Captain in the Medical Corps in 1983, entering the Army via the Health Professions Scholarship Program. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pre-Professional Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Volpe is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He was selected as the Uniformed Services Family Physician of the Year in 1996 and served as the President, Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians from 2003 to 2004.

His military education includes the Combined Arms and Services Staff School; the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course; and the U.S. Army War College … where he was awarded a Distinguished Writing Award for publishing a Personal Experience Monograph on his experiences as the Task Force Ranger Surgeon in Somalia in 1993. As the Command Surgeon, the Medical Commander, and Senior Physician for Task Force Ranger, MG Volpe led the medical planning and the medical operations on the ground during the raid and subsequent mass casualty situation at the 3-4 October “Battle of Mogadishu” … resulting in a response which greatly decreased morbidity and mortality during one of the largest combat mass casualty situations in an extreme austere environment.

His military assignments (in chronological order) include Clinic Commander & Officer-In-Charge, Medical Dispensary, Multinational Force and Observers, Sinai, Egypt; Faculty, Family Practice Residency Program, Womack Army Medical Center, Ft Bragg, NC; Division Surgeon, 82D Airborne Division; Command Surgeon, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and Commander, Joint Medical Augmentation Unit (JMAU), Ft. Bragg, NC; Hospital Commander, 28th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Bragg, NC; Department Chief (Teaching Chief), Department of Family Practice & Emergency Medical Services, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI; Brigade Commander, 62nd Medical Brigade, Ft Lewis, WA; Commander, 18th Medical Command / 121st General Hospital (Seoul Community Hospital); Command Surgeon, United States Forces Korea / Eight US Army; and Deputy Command Surgeon, United Nations Command / Combined Forces Command, Republic of Korea from 2002 to 2004; the Assistant Surgeon General for Force Projection (ASG-FP), Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, the Pentagon, Washington, DC.

After being promoted to BG, MG Volpe served as the Commanding General, 44th Medical Command (Airborne), the Command Surgeon for XVIIIth Airborne Corps and the Director of Health Services at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2005-2007. He then served as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force – National Capital Region Medical at Bethesda Naval Base, Maryland from 2008-2010. While serving at the Joint Task Force, MG Volpe was promoted to Major General. He then served as the Commanding General of Western Regional Medical Command and Senior Market Executive for TRICARE Puget Sound at JBLM from 2010-2012, and finally culminating his diverse career as the Commanding General of the AMEDD Center and School in San Antonio, Texas from 2012-2013. Several of MG Volpe’s assignments included Joint, Interagency, Combined and/or International duties and responsibilities.

In addition to his assignments, MG Volpe also served on the Joint Healthcare Vision 2010 Project from 1996-1998; the Combat Trauma Care Futures Committee from 1998-2001; served as the Military and Operational Medicine Consultant to the Surgeon General from 1998-2003; served as a Military Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians from 2002-2005; served as an Advisory Board Member for the Citizen-Soldier Support Program from 2006-2009; and served as the Co-Chair of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces from 2009-2011.

During MG Volpe’s military career, he participated in a variety of deployments to include: Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama (2nd Ranger BN / USSOCOM); Operation HURRICANE ANDREW RELIEF in South Florida (Command Surgeon, 82nd ABN DIV); Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia (Command Surgeon, Task Force Ranger); Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti (JSOTF Surgeon); Operation CLEAN SWEEP (Hurricane Fran Relief) in North Carolina (Hospital CDR); and numerous classified special operations missions.

In addition, MG Volpe served as the Co-Chair of the Department of Defense “Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces” … comprised of both military, industry and national experts … and lead the effort to produce and publish a compendium of recommendations for utilization throughout the DoD.

His awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device for valor, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead and 2 Bronze Stars, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal with 2 Service Stars, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, and the Korean Order of National Security Merit Medal (the Samil Medal). He has also been awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Combat Medical Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Parachutist’s Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Army Staff Badge. MG Volpe possesses the Surgeon General’s “A” Proficiency Designator in the field of Family Medicine. He is a recipient of the Corby Award from the University of Notre Dame for distinguished military service and a recipient of a Public Service Award from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. MG Volpe is a proud member of the AMEDD Regiment and the Order of Military Medical Merit.

Prior to assuming her role at DHCF, Watson served as the chief of staff (CoS) for the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health) from 2015 – 2024. Preceding her appointment to CoS, Watson served as the executive director of the Boards of Medicine and Chiropractic from 2009 – 2015. Under her visionary leadership, the Board developed the first set of policy guidelines for the appropriate use of telemedicine; introduced policy on the practice of aesthetic and cosmetic medicine; published the Districts’ first physician workforce capacity report; significantly improved board operation efficiencies that led to the Districts’ sharp rise in the annual Public Citizen state medical board performance rankings; and used her influence to have the first osteopathic physician appointed to serve as a member of the medical board. Watson was a presenter at the 2024 OMED annual conference in Texas this past fall, and, earlier last year, she was invited to address students at the NYITCOM Health Equity Workshop about the role of the social drivers of health in advancing health equity and improving health outcomes. She is very active in her local community and her expertise is sought after to serve on several boards. Watson founded the small boutique consulting firm, Health Concepts International, LLC, where she serves as president / managing partner.

A long-time Nassau County resident, Dr. Wong attended medical school at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he obtained both his MBA and DO degrees. He then completed his internal medicine residency as well as his Pulmonary Critical Care fellowship at the then-Winthrop-University Hospital. Dr. Wong is board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, Neuro-Critical Care, and hospice/ palliative care medicine. In addition, Dr. Wong is board certified in Hospital Quality and Management by the American Board of Quality Assurance.