Our Medical Advisors & Health Experts
Doctors and experts you know and trust
Holly Atkinson, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Holly G. Atkinson is a physician, award-winning medical journalist and noted professional speaker who has engaged national audiences on a wide range of medical topics for more than 20 years. She holds degrees in both medicine and journalism and has had extensive experience as a medical correspondent, including assignments with NBC's Today show and The CBS Morning News.
She has worked in print, broadcast television and online media for both medical professional and consumer audiences. Dr. Atkinson is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medicine and Co-director of the Advancing Idealism in Medicine Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and an adjunct professor of public health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. In addition, she is medical editor-in-chief of www.everydayhealth.com, a leading health website. She is also past president and a member of the board of directors of Physicians for Human Rights, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning health and human rights organization.
Dr. Atkinson was the Chairwoman of iVillage Health Initiatives and resident physician on iVillage.com. She was also a founder as well as President and CEO of Reuters Health Information, Inc. Prior to joining Reuters, Dr. Atkinson was at Lifetime Medical Television for 10 years where she served as Senior Vice President of Programming, overseeing all of the continuing medical education programs aired on the network.
Dr. Atkinson was also the founding editor of the consumer newsletter HealthNews for the Massachusetts Medical Society, publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine, and served as its editor-in-chief for more than 12 years. Dr. Atkinson has also been a columnist for New Woman magazine and a resident physician on DrWeil.com and iVillagehealth.com.
Dr. Atkinson has an MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and an MS from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colgate University with a BS in biology. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Kaveh Alizadeh MD, MS, FACS
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Dr. Kaveh Alizadeh is the President of Long Island Plastic Surgical group, the largest and longest running plastic surgery practice in North America. He also directs the clinical research division of the plastic surgery residency program. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Cornell University and earned his Masters Degree at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.
He then pursued a Medical Degree from Cornell University Medical College having received commendation from the Dean. He completed his general surgery and plastic surgery training at the University of Chicago Hospitals. Dr. Alizadeh then pursued an additional year of subspecialty training in Cosmetic Surgery, Microsurgery and Breast Reconstruction at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Dr. Alizadeh has traveled abroad to lend his expertise to others, having received numerous teaching and training grants for treating patients in Central and South America, the Middle East and East Asia. Dr. Alizadeh has authored numerous publications and has given extensive presentations on the national and international level. He continues to study new methods in all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery and has won awards for his innovative techniques.
Tanya Benenson, MD
Internal Medicine
Tanya Benenson, MD is a Board Certified Internist. Dr. Benenson's medical experiences include consulting for NBC Universal’s Medical Center and working in private practice in Manhattan.
She received her MD from Loyola University Chicago and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Lenox Hill Hospital where she received multiple awards.
In addition, Dr. Benenson has consulted for the ABC TV shows, "A Perfect Match" and "Wife Swap." Her community involvement focuses on preventative health, and primarily on flu and pneumonia prevention.
Isabel Blumberg, MD
OB/GYN
Dr. Isabel Blumberg is a Board-Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist in private practice in New York City. She holds degrees from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Princeton University.
Dr. Blumberg is also a clinical instructor for the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at The Mount Sinai Medical Center and a resident medical contributor to sisterhoodsix.com, a website helping women navigate their way through motherhood. She has been recognized especially for her outstanding achievements in the area of obstetrics and gynecology research.
Bobby Buka, MD, JD
Dermatology
A graduate of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Dr. Buka completed an internship in internal medicine at Saint Vincent's Hospital in New York City. He then completed a dermatology residency at the University of California, San Diego and a fellowship in pediatric dermatology at Children's Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Buka holds a law degree from Fordham University in New York City and speaks fluent Spanish.
Dr. Buka's particular expertise is pediatric dermatology, especially infantile conditions that are present at birth (congenital). He has conducted research and published widely on topics such as childhood acne, hemangiomas, connective tissue diseases (i.e. lupus) in children, and pigmented lesions. Dr. Buka speaks at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology on techniques in pediatric dermatologic surgery. His articles have been published in textbooks as well as a number of medical research journals.
Sasha Carr, Ph.D.
Contributing Expert
Sasha Carr holds a Ph.D. in Clinical/Health Psychology from Rutgers University, where she received specialized research and clinical training in the areas of health promotion and body image. She is also a fully certified Life Coach with the Fearless Living Institute.
Sasha currently divides her time between practicing therapy out of a group practice in Miami, FL, and providing individual life coaching to clients throughout the U.S. and Canada. She specializes in working with clients on relationship issues, personal wellness, and healthy body image. Sasha has published several articles and other written works in the areas of mental health and personal growth, including The Caregiver's Essential Handbook (McGraw-Hill), and she is an experienced public speaker on the topics of relationships, eating disorders, body image, and personal wellness.
Diego Diaz, MD
Pulmonology
Diego Diaz, MD, FCCP, is Board Certified internistand pulmonologist. He has been in private practice for the past 10 years, and received his Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care from New York Hospital-Cornell University, and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Yale University Hospital, where he was also a Chief Resident.
Dr. Diaz is currently an attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and is part of the teaching faculty in the Internal Medicine and Pulmonary departments. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Sheila Kelly, MS, RD
Nutrition
Sheila Kelly, MS, RD is a registered dietitian who has spent the past fifteen years promoting the topics of diet, nutrition and health education. Currently she is President and CEO, Skelly Publishing, a leading provider of continuing professional education for Registered Dietitians (RDs).
Prior to running her current company, Sheila spent four years as Director, Product Development, at WeightWatchers.com developing and marketing online weight loss programs and services. She has extensive experience working with clients on diet and nutrition issues, especially in the area of diabetes care. Sheila has conducted numerous nutrition, weight loss and health interviews in both print and television, including appearances on CNN Headline News, CNN Financial News, Good Day New York, Glamour, Vogue and many others.
Paul Knoepflmacher, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Paul Knoepflmacher is a Board-Certified doctor of Internal Medicine. He is in private practice at the Medical Group of Manhattan in New York and is a partner in the MGM.
He is a clinical instructor at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Knoepflmacher is published and is a noted humanitarian, winning the Richard Garlin Award for Humanitarianism while a resident at Mount Sinai and the Ira and Rose Prystowsky Award for Overall Excellence in Patient Care. He has also served as a volunteer in the United States Peace Corps
Seth S. Leopold, MD
Orthopaedics
Seth S. Leopold, MD is Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, one of the top Orthopaedic Surgery Departments in the US. Dr. Leopold specializes in minimally-invasive knee and hip replacement surgery. Seattle Magazine named Dr. Leopold "Top Doctor" in its September 2007 issue. He currently serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Dr. Leopold received his A.B. cum Laude from Dartmouth College, and his M.D. with honors in research from Cornell University Medical College in New York. He completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at the University of Chicago and performed a fellowship in Joint Replacement at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. Following this, he spent time teaching arthritis surgery and performing arthritis research while on a 3-year active-duty tour in the US Army Medical Corps, where Dr. Leopold received two consecutive Outstanding Faculty Awards for his efforts. He has been recognized at the national level for his research into problems related to hip and knee arthritis.
After leaving the military, Dr. Leopold joined the faculty of the UW Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in August 2002 and became Vice Chair of the department and Chief of the Orthopaedic Surgery Service at the University of Washington Medical Center in 2007.
Preeti Parikh, MD
Pediatrics
Dr. Preeti Parikh is a Board-Certified Pediatrician holding degrees from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Columbia University.
She currently is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics Department at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She also works in private practice in New York and New Jersey. Dr. Parikh is actively involved with the American Academy of Pediatrics and through multiple leadership positions she has helped educate pediatricians on how to become effective advocates in the area of children's health care legislation and policy.
Keri Peterson, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Keri Peterson has been in private practice with a prominent medical group on the Upper East Side of Manhattan since 1999 and has affiliations with Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Peterson earned her bachelor degree from Cornell University and her medical degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. A frequent media spokesperson, Dr. Peterson has appeared on CNN American Morning, Fox 5 News, Your World With Neil Cavuto and has contributed to Channel 11 News and Self Magazine. She has also been featured on the cover of Internal Medicine News.
Holly Philips, MD
Internal Medicine
Dr. Holly Phillips is a Board Certified Internist practicing in Manhattan. She received an M.D. from Columbia University and completed post-graduate training at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where she currently holds admitting privileges.
She has received awards of distinction in the field of women's health, and has been involved in several volunteer community educational programs, most recently involving the flu and flu vaccine.
Dr. Phillips is the medical reporter for local CBS news in New York. Previously she was featured regularly as a medical expert on the Fox News Channel covering such topics as Avian flu and the health effects of Hurricane Katrina. She has also appeared on numerous other top tier news programs including NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America and CNN's American Morning.
Roshini Raj, MD
Gastroenterology
Dr. Roshini Raj is board certified in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine with degrees from New York University School of Medicine, and Harvard University. Currently, Dr. Raj is an attending physician at NYU Medical Center/Tisch Hospital in New York City.
She also serves as an assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine, and she has a special interest in women's health and cancer screening. She has also published several research articles on colon cancer screening.
Dr. Raj has discussed health topics on ABC News' "Good Morning America", CNN International, and Discovery Health. She has been quoted in publications like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Men's Health and Women's Health and Fitness on the state of healthcare, and health news of the day. She's often called upon to explain and demystify complicated health topics.
Kristin Reale, LMSW
Contributing Expert
Kristin Reale's clinical background includes work with individuals, families, and couples. She also has a specialty in the areas of parent/child attachment and child therapy.
She received her B.A. from the University of California and Masters degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University. Alongside her clinical practice in Brooklyn and Manhattan, she teaches in the Masters program at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work.
Sharon Richter, MS, RD, CDN
Nutrition
Sharon Richter is a registered dietitian who is passionate about helping people understand the impact diet and nutrition have on their overall health.
A graduate of New York University, Sharon has focused on sports nutrition, weight loss/gain, eating disorders, and disease prevention for children, adolescents and adults. She is an accomplished writer, speaker, and counselor who provides nutrition services to schools as well as corporations such as Kiels and Nike. Sharon has also made appearances on Bravo TV's "Queer Eye" as a weight-loss expert.
Rachel A. Sussman, LCSW
Contributing Expert
Rachel A. Sussman, LCSW, is a Marriage & Family Therapist and Relationship Expert working in private practice with individuals, couples, and families. Her focus is on helping people improve their emotional well being, enhancing their ability to engage in interpersonal relationships, and empowering them with the tools necessary to take control of their lives.
Rachel holds a B.S. from Emerson College and an MSW from New York University. In addition to her busy New York City practice, local and national media often calls on Rachel to comment on topics having to do with relationships. Recent appearances have included The Today Show, The Early Show, Martha Stewart Living Radio, and the Rev Up Your Romance campaign by Cosmopolitan Magazine and L’Oreal Paris.
