Current Residents
Chief Residents
Fariba Abedi, MD (CHoNJ, Chief Resident)
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: I love to bake, crochet and add random, new skills to my repertoire.
I also enjoy travelling and experiencing new adventures with my partner
and our pupper, Jaxon!
Professional Interests: I find myself drawn to the inpatient side of pediatric medicine. Participating
in quality improvement projects while personally improving my skills as
a physician are my primary goals for now.
Kyle Prisby, MD (CHoNJ, Chief Resident)
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: Nights out in Manhattan, cocktails at speakeasy, streaming HBO Max, ordering
takeout, and sleeping until noon.
Professional Interests: Emergency Medicine
Mirra Said, MD (CHoNJ, Chief Resident)
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: I’m passionate about fitness and wellness and inspiring others
to get moving as well! My other interests include art, traveling, cooking,
shopping, game nights, reading and soaking up sun on the beach.
Professional Interests: I find working with a younger population very gratifying and rewarding.
The resilience of children is inspiring. I enjoy acute and intensive care
and would like to pursue fellowship in Emergency Medicine. I also hope
to incorporate my love of fitness and wellness into my career in the future!
Suman Dhakal, MD (CHoNJ, Chief Resident)
Medical School: Universal College of Medical Sciences, Nepal
Personal Interest: Hiking and traveling, watching movies and gardening!
Professional Interests: Exploring the world of Pediatrics, not yet decided on what professional
career to choose after residency.
Isaac Snyder, DO (UH, PGY-4 Chief Resident)
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Personal Interests: I am passionate about cooking, especially trying out new recipes and
creating new dishes from leftovers. I love to read, whether it is a research
article or a mythology book. I especially cherish spending time with my
nieces and nephews. Lastly, I enjoy investing in the stock market, which
not only gives me an opportunity to put my affinity for numbers to good
use, but also helps me keep up to date with current affairs.
Professional Interests: Pediatric GI, Weight Management.
PGY-3
Pankti Bhavsar, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: I love to travel and hope to check off different countries from my bucket
list. Trying different cuisines and trying to recreate them at home. I
love to binge watch tv-shows, painting, reading and spending time with
family and friends.
Professional Interests: I am interested in General Pediatrics, Neonatology-Perinatology, and
Pulmonology. But I am keeping an open mind and explore different specialties
during residency.
Manasee Vyas, MD
Medical School: MGM Institute of Health Sciences, Navi Mumbai
Personal Interest: Spending time with my family and friends, watching sports games, and
exploring new music.
Professional Interests: I enjoy working with children and I hope to pursue a future in cardiology.
Abeera Naeem, DO
Medical School: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
Personal Interest: I love arts & crafts – anything from drawing, painting, DIY.
Recently I took on crochet and have been making crochet flowers, hope
to make enough to maybe start an Etsy one day. Other than spending my
time on arts & crafts, I enjoy devoting my life to drinking bubble
tea – yes, it is an obsession. I say "Boba everyday, all day,
anytime, anywhere."
Professional Interests: I have always wanted to be a pediatrician and have a special interest
in developmental pediatrics and would love to care for patients with developmental
disabilities, ADHD, autism, etc in the near future. However, I also am
highly interested in pediatric rheumatology and am waiting to rotate through
both fields before deciding on a fellowship route.
Nicole Flaherty, MD
Medical School: St. George's University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: Yoga, swimming, eating, laughing :)
Professional Interests: Pediatric cardiology & teaching
Maritza Lino-Grover, DO
Medical School: Rowan-Virtua SOM
Personal Interest: Journaling, Prayer, Cooking authentic Mexican food, Making YouTube vlogs
for my channel (like & subscribe), volunteering with our nonprofit
Christian organization, spend time with my husband, shop for clean beauty:
makeup and skincare, road trip, hit the gym or long walks
Professional Interests: Child Advocacy, Global Health, Medical Missions, Pediatric Nutrition,
Food is Medicine, Diabetes Prevention, Hispanic/ Latino
Ilham Farhat, MD
Medical School: University of Tripoli
Personal Interest: I have enriched my love for traveling and exploring new cultures, which
I often capture through photography. I am passionate about cooking diverse
recipes and experimenting with different culinary techniques.
Professional Interests: I am passionate about advancing treatments for pediatric endocrine and
hospital medicine.
Lajja Gadhavi, MD
Medical School: GCS Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Personal Interest: I like singing, painting, dancing, etc.
Professional Interests: Go into fellowship, like PICU/ Peds ED currently
Jennifer Dally, MD
Medical School: George Washington University
Personal Interest: Hiking, Backpacking, Music Writing, Poetry
Professional Interests: Pediatric Behavioral Health and Psychiatry, Neonatology
Shivani Patel, MD
Medical School: AMC MET Medical College
Personal Interest: Listening to podcasts, traveling, meditation
Professional Interests: Hematology and Oncology/ Primary Care
Ayodele Ajayi, MD
Medical School: University of Lagos
Personal Interest: Cooking, reading books and spending time with family
Professional Interests: Primary care pediatrician, public health and research
Jennifer Christensen, DO
Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Personal Interest: Spending time with my step kids and husband. Taking my chocolate lab
on long hikes.
Professional Interests: Open to all specialties. Interested in procedures.
Shiva Lal Bhattarai, MD
Medical School: Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University
Personal Interest: I like nature, walking, and hiking. I like volleyball.
Professional Interests: General Pediatrics
Ayesha Usman, MD
Medical School: Jinnah Sindh Medical Univery (SMC)
Personal Interest: Organizing spaces and drawers, Hosting people, Making To-do-list, and
expertly filling online carts I never check out.
Professional Interests: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
PGY-2
Tochi Alex-Okoro, MD
Medical School: Abia State University Faculty of Medicine NGA
Personal Interest: Traveling, cooking, baking, spending time with family, and window shopping
Professional Interests: Pediatric NICU
Rabika Aslam, MD
Medical School: St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: Watching reality tv shows, going to theme parks, volunteering, and spending
time with family and friends.
Professional Interests: General Pediatrics
Pallavi Bhogesara, MD
Medical School: G.M.E.R.S Medical College and Hospital, Sola IND,
Ahmedabad, India
Personal Interest: Hiking and exploring national parks, cooking different cuisines to host
my friends and loved ones, painting scenic landscapes and abstract animal
art, and practicing yoga/meditation
Professional Interests: Pediatric gastroenterology
Karishma Desai, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada
Personal Interest: Reading, painting, drawing, trying new foods and recipes, embroidery
and personalizing jackets, and power naps.
Professional Interests: Pediatrics NICU
Nayan Manish Gandhi, MD
Medical School: G.C.S Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre
Personal Interest: Competitive FPS game, experimenting with different coffee types and brewing
methods. Aspire to build an extensive speaker collection
Professional Interests: Peds EM and Cardiology
Aishwarya Joy Gilkes, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Personal Interest: Baking, crochet, hiking, trying new activities
Professional Interests: Pediatric Hematology & Oncology or ICU
Sachin Reddy Kasarla, MD
Medical School: GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research
Personal Interest: Hiking, long drives to the beach, exploring natures beauty, badminton
and cricket. Binge watching suspense thriller web series.
Professional Interests: Peds Cardiology
Makuochukwu Maryann Ozoude, MD
Medical School: Zaporozhye State Medical University
Personal Interest: Reading fiction books, cooking, board games, and attending music concerts.
Professional Interests: Pediatric Hematology & Oncology
Ritika Parekh, MD
Medical School: K.J. Somaiya Medical College
Personal Interest: Yoga, Rope mallakhamb (yes, I climb ropes for fun), on an eternal quest
for NYC’s perfect pizza, love to travel with family & friends
with my camera always on standby, and a sweet tooth forever searching
for new desserts.
Professional Interests: Team tiny humans! Advocacy is my love language. Future academic pediatrician,
Gen Peds at heart, exploring NICU, Peds Pulm, and Peds Endo with wide-eyed
curiosity.
Yasoda Rijal, MD
Medical School: Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University
Personal Interest: Engaging in sports, Slow mornings and evening walks, Exploring new places,
Enjoying Nepali food and a slice of cheesecake.
Professional Interests: Pediatrics GI or Pulmonology.
James Ryberg, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University of Medicine
Personal Interest: Coffee, weight lifting, comedy shows, hanging out with friends.
Professional Interests: General Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, Peds GI
Iqra Zaheen, MD
Medical School: Jinnah Medical and Dental College
Personal Interest: Experimenting with new recipes and culinary techniques, watching engaging
thriller series, exploring new places with loved ones, and capturing meaningful
moments through photography.
Professional Interests: Congenital heart disease and advancing patient-centered care in pediatric
cardiology.
PGY-1
Rawan Abdalla, MD
Ahmed Abdaltawab, MD
Nirajan Baral, MD
Vanessa Fernandez Lopez, MD
Elahe Golalipour, MD
Ramsha Javed, MD
Arsen Kaakijian, MD
Osei Lindsay, MD
Clemence Ngandu, MD
Virtue Olaitan, MD
Nikitha Pappachen, DO
Nazia Shaheed, MD
Child Neurology
Saloni Bakkannavar, MD
Medical School: J.J.M Medical College
Personal Interest: Reading books, talking to my friends, dancing.
Professional Interests: Pediatric Neurology
Sheidel Ifrah Goldfeiz, DO, PGY-2
Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine – Harlem
Personal Interest: Empowering and mentoring women in STEMM, health advocacy, finding new
recipes, and spending time with my husband and kiddies!
Professional Interests: Neurology, Public health, Preventative health education