Current Residents

Class of 2023, PGY3s

Brynne Hunt, DO – Chief Resident
Undergraduate School: Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL
Medical School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in EM: Pain management, disaster medicine, critical care, airway management
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: listening to live music, mixed martial arts, watching sports, traveling
Bio and why you chose NBI: I rotated at NBI as a student and it was my first emergency medicine audition rotation. I realized that every time I rotated somewhere new or interviewed at other programs, I was constantly comparing them to NBI. I love the family atmosphere between staff in the ED, the continuous support from faculty, and the high level of acuity we see on a daily basis. After residency I would like to pursue fellowship before working in a community ED setting.

Thomas Snihur, MD – Chief Resident
Undergraduate School: Marist College
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Education, critical care, airway management
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Playing golf, traveling, biking and grilling
Bio and why you chose NBI: Born and raised in New Jersey, I couldn’t be happier to have matched at NBI. Since high school I have volunteered as an EMT locally. College took me to New York state and medical school to Grenada, and after rotating at multiple hospital systems across the tri-state I knew The Beth was where I wanted to be. From day one as a medical student it was clear that the residents, attendings and staff foster an environment that is extremely supportive. By seeing the variety of pathology and patient volume first hand, along with the autonomy throughout training, I knew coming here would prepare me to work anywhere. I am so grateful for the opportunity to train here. After residency, I plan on staying in New Jersey to practice EM in an academic setting.

James Starkie, MD – Chief Resident
Undergraduate School: University of Richmond
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: EMS, Critical care, Ringside Physician
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Physical fitness, boating, wake boarding, snowmobiling
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised on Long Island, NY to a family who ran a small landscaping company. Medical school brought me to the small island of Grenada, and I did my 3rd and 4th year rotations from New York to California. When rotating at NBI not only were the residents and attendings hard working and dedicated to making themselves better physicians, they did it in a way that lifted everyone up together. I quickly noticed everyone had each other’s backs and looked out for one another. This camaraderie amongst the residents, attendings, and leadership is what stood out at this residency program and is the why I wanted to train here. I’m so lucky to be with a fantastic group of people and close to my family in which I can visit our dog Pups, your friendly neighborhood Basset hound.

Emma Foley, MD
Undergraduate School: Cornell University – College of Arts & Sciences
Medical School: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Interests in EM: Simulation, medical education, critical care, disaster medicine, sports medicine, ultrasound
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Piano, ice hockey, karaoke, video games, journaling, ping pong, card games, friends & family, and my dog, Dory
Bio and why you chose NBI: I grew up in a big Irish family in North Jersey where I was raised to respect the sanctity of Bruce Springsteen, diners, and the NJ Devils. My entire family has remained in the area, so I have always planned to establish my career here. After doing undergrad in NY, I came back to Jersey to scribe in the ED at Saint Barnabas Medical Center where I worked with incredible people and became infected with EM fever. Several of my favorite docs there had done residency at NBI, leading to a secondary infection of Beth fever. I have wanted to train at NBI since then, and my rotation here as an M4 confirmed the program’s reputation. The Beth offers everything I wanted in residency – volume, acuity, intensity, autonomy, and, most importantly, outstanding people with exceptional work ethic.

Malik Giles, DO
Undergraduate School: Hampton University
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-VA)
Interests in EM: Sports Medicine, Administration, Ultrasound, International Medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Sports – basketball, football, and soccer, traveling, snowboarding, video games
Bio and why you chose NBI: I grew up in Washington, DC, but also spent time living in Montclair and West Orange. After living in Miami, Virginia, and North Carolina, I was looking forward to being able to train closer to home. After meeting several physicians who trained at Newark Beth Israel and hearing many great things about the program, I decided to rotate at NBI. During my rotation, I loved the diversity and teaching environment that existed within the department, as well as the supportive relationship between the residents. These reasons, along with my desire to live in a major city again, made NBI the ideal choice for my Emergency Medicine training!

Bobby Goyal, MD
Undergraduate School: Rutgers University – Newark College of Arts & Science
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: EMS
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Cooking, hiking, generic stereotypical EM stuff
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born in India but grew up in Jersey; having lived in several other states around the country, I can say there’s no other place I’d rather be. I did my undergrad and grad training at Rutgers in Brick City before going to med school in Grenada. I began my journey in medicine as a volunteer EMT for my town Ambulance Corps before becoming a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic in 2005, working at several Mobile ICU hospitals in the state. I truly believe in the edict of Emergency Medicine: whoever, whenever, whatever. To this end I chose residency at The Beth to prepare me for a career living up to this charge and serving those in need.

Chris Kemen, MD
Undergraduate School: York College, Nebraska
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: EMS/Disaster Medicine Fellowship, Wilderness Medicine, Education, Critical Care, Military Medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Comedy, Baseball, Hiking, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Lifting, Paddle boarding, Skiing
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Paradise, California, a small town in the Sierra Nevada Foothills. I began my college career on the path to an engineering degree, however after losing my father to an unfortunate illness I quickly understood I wanted to care for others by helping them maneuver difficult situations and circumstances, especially in critical situations. I completed my undergraduate degree in Nebraska where I played college baseball and earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology. After college I moved back to my hometown and began working as an ED Tech/EMT and Scribe, quickly realizing my passion in Emergency Medicine. During my fourth year of medical school I rotated here at Newark Beth Israel where my interest in Emergency Medicine was augmented by the unique pathology, patient population, family nature of the staff, and the intense acuity of our patient encounters. NBI best suited my interests in preparing for a future in EM and EMS prehospital medicine.

Michele Wright, MD
Undergraduate School: Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Medical School: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Interests in EM: International medicine, Health disparities, Pediatrics
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Community outreach, exercise, travel, hanging out with family and friends and brunch
Bio and why you chose NBI: I'm a Jersey girl through and through! I was born and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey by Jamaican immigrant parents. I was one of those people who always wanted to be a doctor so my Mom made me become an EMT at the age of sixteen. That was when my love for my Emergency Medicine began. I chose to attend medical school in Newark, New Jersey in order to have the opportunity to work with disadvantaged communities. Over the years, I've learned a tremendous amount from the Newark patient population and I knew that it would be a great place to train for residency because of the high acuity and various illnesses that this population unfortunately suffers from. When I interviewed at "The Beth" I was surrounded by friendly faces and people who I could see myself having a great time with both in the ED and outside the hospital. After residency, I will continue to work in an underserved community/academic ED and plan to do local and global community outreach. I recommend applicants to choose a residency where you feel most comfortable so that you can flourish! I am glad to be a part of the NBI Family!

Class of 2024, PGY2s

Jake Alvaro, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: I enjoy outdoor winter activities with my wife, especially beach trips! Exercise and health are life-long interests of mine, which I find essential to residency. Also, I love helping, attending, and serving in my local church!
Why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in New England. I relocated to NJ for my clinical rotations. During my 4th year of medical school, I decided to rotate at NBI, and I could not have been happier with the experience! The program's atmosphere is upbeat, positive, and the current residents are truly looking to help, teach, and support each other. The attending physicians are ready and willing to answer questions from all learners, which is a huge benefit. The acuity and scope of pathology I have been exposed to already is enough to preview the expanse of clinical experience I will receive here as a resident. My wife and I are glad to be a part of the Beth family and look forward to many more years in NJ!

Annaclaire Brodnick, MD
Undergraduate School: Cornell University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Trauma, Medical Education, Health Equity, Mentorship Programs
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Interior design, graphic design, traveling, and sailing
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was raised in Westchester, New York, however my parents are from New Jersey. My grandma used to live in Newark and my uncle was born at NBIMC. I grew up knowing it was an amazing hospital and was thrilled when I had the opportunity to rotate in their ED during my fourth year of medical school. I instantly fell in love with The Beth—between the amazing teamwork and comradery among everyone in the department to vast pathology and wonderfully diverse patient population. I knew it was a special place and that I would absolutely get top-notch training among a fabulous group of individuals who seemed truly excited to come to work each day. I could not be more thrilled to have matched at NBIMC and look forward to joining the team, working hard, and learning.

George John, DO
Undergraduate School: Boston University
Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in EM: International Medicine, Community Outreach, Ultrasound, Critical Care
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, breweries, learning new skills, and attempting to cook…failing and finding awesome restaurants/bars instead
Bio and why you chose NBI: Coming from northern New Jersey, I knew I wanted to train at a great program that was close to my family. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to rotate through NBI as a medical student due to the pandemic. However while researching programs, I kept coming across NBI as a program that stood out among others for their variety in pathology, high acuity of patients, and a leadership that provided ample support but also fostered growth and independence. The final piece came together for me during my interview. I had a great time speaking to the residents (both at the pre-interview meet and greet and during the interview) and the attendings. Everyone was so genuine and friendly that it felt less like an interview and more like a conversation between family and friends. I knew this program would be a great fit for me and I look forward to the next few years of my training at NBI. After residency, I hope to stay around the tri-state area finding ways to combine my training with community outreach and possibly pursue fellowship training.

Cassandra Lira, MD, MS
Undergraduate School: Rutgers University, The State University of NJ – New Brunswick
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Global Health & Ultrasound
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Traveling the world, Disc Golfing, Fitness, and Movies
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised here in northern New Jersey and stayed close to home for my undergraduate and master’s degrees. I traveled to Grenada for medical school before returning to New Jersey for my clinical rotations. I knew immediately after rotating at NBI that this was where I wanted to match. The diversity of patient complaints, the young enthusiastic attendings, and the autonomy given to the residents were just some of the reasons NBI stood out as an excellent place to train. Feeling as though I was part of a family was high on my priority list and what sealed the deal for me was the relaxed banter between the residents. The camaraderie between the staff was so easily appreciated that it made me feel right at home. After residency, I hope to do a fellowship in Global Health and bring medicine to underserved areas of the world.

Cedrick Lubin, MD
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: working out, playing soccer and tennis, cooking, traveling, music (fun fact: I used to be a DJ before medical school)
Why EM: My first exposure to emergency medicine was when I scribed for 3 years prior to medical school. EM was always fascinating to me since it's a very broad specialty (you never know what is coming through the doors). Also, I always wanted to practice in a field that is very hands on and procedure based.
Why you chose NBI: Never rotated there as medical student. The warm and welcoming interactions I had during the interview process were key to my decision. And also, the variety of pathologies that are seen at the Beth!

David Ly, MD
Undergraduate School: University of Texas at Arlington
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Toxicology, ultrasound, critical care
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Traveling, hiking, biking, netflix
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Dallas TX and lived there for most of my life including for undergrad. After college, I spent some time working as a scribe which inspired me to pursue emergency medicine and led me to St. George’s University in Grenada for medical school. I did most of my clinical rotations in New Jersey and had the wonderful opportunity of rotating at The Beth. I was blown away by the patient acuity, diverse pathology, the approachability of the residents, faculty, and staff, and couldn’t be happier matching here. After residency, I am considering a fellowship in toxicology or critical care with the potential plan of moving back to Texas.

Kris Mincieli, DO
Undergraduate School: Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick
Medical School: Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests in EM: Ultrasound, EMS
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Snowboarding, Golf, Travel
Bio and why you chose NBI: As a lifelong resident of New Jersey, it was important for me to continue my training here. After having the opportunity to rotate at NBI, I knew I wanted to pursue residency training here. NBI had high acuity and pathology I didn’t see at other hospitals.

Aakash Saraiya, DO, MBA
Undergraduate School: Villanova University
Your graduate school: Cornell University
Medical School: Rowan University
Interests in EM: Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship, Digital Health, Medical Technology
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Traveling, Wine Tasting, Basketball, Fitness, Snowboarding, Cooking, Podcasts, Reading.
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Bergen County, NJ but have spent the majority of my adult life, in and around, the Philadelphia suburbs. My interest in medicine sits at the intersection of emergent care, med-tech and digital health and I was looking for a program that would allow for an immersive EM experience. After my rotation with NBI, I was sold. NBI offered me the opportunity to not only come back home but also train at a program with a variety of pathology and hands-on teaching. These attributes were important to me because of my long-term goal of incorporating innovation/design-thinking within the realm of Emergency Medicine. Underserved communities and neighborhoods are where new methods of care delivery and technological innovation can have the greatest magnitude of impact and the ability to train at a program that allows me to experience that firsthand, is second to none.

Class of 2025, PGY1s

Lauren Brannan, MD
Undergraduate School: Fairleigh Dickinson University
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Trauma and Medical Education
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: The beach, traveling.
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was raised in Orefield, Pennsylvania but completed my undergrad years in North Jersey ultimately coming back here for my last two years of medical school. I was fortunate enough to rotate at NBI as a student which made it very clear this was the place I wanted to train at, not only for the acuity but also the atmosphere. The support the residents receive as well as how close everyone is were two huge factors for me.

Ryan Conklin, MD
Undergraduate School: University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Administration & Sports Medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: entrepreneurial pursuits, artificial intelligence research, blockchain technology, water sports, atving, snowmobiling
Bio and why you chose NBI: I grew up in rural Eagle, Wisconsin. Graduated college with a biology healthcare services degree, subsequently worked for 3 years as a business account manager. After graduating medical school, I performed a 1-year preliminary surgery residency with Rutgers NJMS. Emergency Medicine aligned with my entrepreneurial goals and I decided to apply EM. After rotating through 5 hospitals while a surgical resident it was grossly apparent how strong the NBI EM residents were and the primary reason why NBI was my number one choice to become the best possible EM physician. We’re a close-knit family at NBI and couldn’t be happier with my decision. My 10-year goal is to have a C level role while actively practicing.

Kristen Delcalzo, MD
Undergraduate School: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: critical care, global health, and ultrasound
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: traveling, reading, wine, karaoke, pasta
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey so I knew I wanted to stay in NJ if possible. I ended up doing an ultrasound rotation at NBI during my 4th year of medical school and knew this is where I wanted to be. The pathology, volume of patients, and energy from the staff made the decision a no brainer. To top it off, I was lucky enough to have my best friend match into the same program! #bestieatthebeth

Matthew DeLuca, MD, MS
Undergraduate School: State University of New York – The College at Brockport
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Airway, laceration repair, resuscitation, ultrasound
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Spending time with my wife, Michelle, and our two dogs, Henry and Cardi.
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. I grew up playing ice hockey and ultimately finishing my career as Captain of Brockport’s NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Team. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with anatomy and exercise physiology, which led me to pursue a Masters Degree in Biomedical Sciences at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. I then graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine. As a student, I had the opportunity to rotate at NBI and was so thoroughly impressed by the quality of the current residents. I felt welcomed as part of the team and knew that I would thrive there as an emergency medicine resident. I am grateful for the opportunity to train in this high volume, high acuity medical center and hope to one day become the chair of an emergency department in the Tri-State area.

Helena Halasz, MD
Undergraduate School: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Medical School: Semmelweis University (Budapest, Hungary)
Interests in EM: ultrasound, MedEd, social EM
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: hiking, indoor rock climbing, reading and binging TV shows
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born in Hungary and moved to NJ when I was 8; I went back to Budapest for medical school and fell in love with EM during COVID. I wanted a training program that was intense and tight-knit, and the residents at NBI had only good things to say about their training. In short, I felt that working at NBI would prepare me for practicing in all kinds of settings. Additionally, although my time abroad was fantastic, it was hard being away from family, so the idea of going back to NJ definitely enticed me. Down the line, I might pursue fellowship — but I’m keeping my options open!

Jonathan Madonick, MD
Undergraduate School: James Madison University
Medical School: American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Interests in EM: global health, ultrasound, pediatric emergency medicine
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Skiing, surfing, hiking, and recreational sports with friends. I also enjoy traveling, spending time with family, and binge-watching TV shows with my fiancé and dog, Bear.
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born in Massachusetts, moved to New Jersey for most of my childhood, then moved to Virginia. During all the moves, my family always had our NJ home. I always wanted to end up returning home to Jersey, where most of my friends and family are. Although I never rotated here, NBI had a strong transgenerational reputation for being a great hospital with many opportunities and the ability to train physicians to work in any resource setting. After my fiancé and I interviewed with our respective departments, we knew NBI was the place we would both call home for residency.

Linh Nguyen, MD
Undergraduate School: University of California, San Diego
Medical School: St. George's University
Interests in EM: Global health, Ultrasound, Pediatrics
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Surfing, karaoke, Beyonce
Bio and why you chose NBI: I was born and raised in San Diego. I did an EM rotation at NBI during my 4th year of medical school and loved working with the team here. I felt it was a place I could get great training while being supported by my colleagues. One of my favorite memories of medical school was opening up my Match email with my best friend to see that we both matched at the Beth! #bestieattheBeth

Meagan Russell, MD, MPH
Undergraduate School: University of South Florida
Medical School: St. George’s University School of Medicine
Interests in EM: Resuscitation, Global Health
Other interests and extracurriculars outside of medicine: Disney, traveling, family, and sleeping
Bio and why you chose NBI: I’m from Long Island but grew up in Florida so I knew I wanted to be somewhere between the two and near family. I was lucky enough to do my core rotations in New Jersey, and an elective in EM at the Beth which is where I knew I wanted to be! From the variety of pathology to the diverse patient population and autonomy the attendings provide, I couldn’t imagine training anywhere else. After residency, I plan on staying in New Jersey but am always open to new adventures.