From the Chief Medical Officer CASTLE CONNOLLY TOP DOCS
This year, I am proud to announce that 12 of our doctors were cited by Castle Connolly’s 2026 Top Doctors, recognized as the best in their field by their fellow physicians. Our top docs have expertise that spans from family medicine, to neurology, to pediatric specialties and more.
Furthermore, TBHC was recognized by Castle Connolly as a top hospital for knee replacement and for orthopedic surgery in general.
Our state-of-the-art facilities, like The Brooklyn Cancer Center, the Physicians Pavillion, and our recently opened Family & Women’s Health Center, are all within walking distance from each other, meaning patients are never more than a few minutes away from comprehensive award-winning treatment.
But buildings don’t treat people, doctors do! Without further ado, this year’s Top Doctors (pictured above from left to right and listed below):
• Sherly Abraham, MD, Family Medicine
• Armand P. Asarian, MD, General Surgery
• Leonard B. Berkowitz, MD, Infectious Disease
• Edward Chai, MD, Neurology
• Ivan Colon, MD, Urology
• Bryan J. Conti, MD, Orthopedic Surgery
• Louis Gerolemou, DO, Pulmonary Disease
SPRING 2026
• Ramesh Gulrajani, MD, Pulmonary Disease
• Abraham Jelin, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Patrick LeBlanc, MD, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
• Shahzaib Nabi, MD, Hematology/Oncology
• Maxim Shulimovich, DO, Hematology/Oncology
In order to be considered, you must register through their provider portal. Every TBHC physician and dentist (MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DMD), should register for an account.
By having a Castle Connolly account, you can be nominated by your peers, nominate other colleagues, and update your profile information, including practice location. Visit here to start/update an existing account.
Each calendar year, you are allotted the following number of nominations; we encourage you to use your full quota on your TBHC colleagues:
• 15 nominations in your own specialty
• 7 nominations in Family Medicine
• 7 nominations in Internal Medicine
• 7 nominations in Pediatrics
• 5 nominations in all other specialties
After December 31, your quota will reset for the upcoming new year.
Sam Amifar, MD, MS
Legislative Breakfast
TBHC hosted its annual Legislative Breakfast, featuring keynote speaker Cynthia Chen, DO, Breast Cancer Surgeon, who outlined current guidelines on breast cancer detection and screening. Also present was State Senator Jabari Brisport, State Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest and NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler. All three addressed the audience as well, pledging their commitment to TBHC to support the hospital’s efforts toward economic stability.
Representatives from the offices of State Senator Andrew Gounardes, State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon and NYC Council Member Crystal Hudson also attended, with other community stakeholders.
“This is a wonderful presentation and so important to our community,” said Darold Burgess, Resident Association President of Ingersoll Houses. Plans were made on the spot to have Dr. Chen visit and present to our community, providing education on essential preventative healthcare to our residents.
Gary G. Terrinoni, TBHC President and Chief Executive Officer, who also provided remarks, emphasized the significance of such partnerships within the community. “We are making diligent efforts to ensure the organization sustains itself for another 180 years. TBHC offers vital healthcare access to over one million residents of Brooklyn,” he stated. “Additionally, we are equally committed to exploring opportunities to collaborate with the State and all of you, our community leaders, to realize this objective.”
Dr. Cynthia Chen
State Senator Jabari Brisport
State Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest
City Council Member Lincoln Restler
BARIATRIC and GENERAL SURGERY
Maria Iliakova, MD Attending
GENERAL SURGERY
Alok Aggarwal, MD Attending
Sydney John, PA Physician Assistant (robotic surgery)
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Julia Strobel, PA Physician Assistant (PATH Center)
INTERNAL MEDICINE
Benjamin Felder, DO Attending
ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
Ali Al-Omari, MD Attending NOT SHOWN
Timothy Henderson, MD Attending
PEDIATRICS
Emin Fidan, MD Attending (pediatric neurology)
PODIATRY
Akhila Issac, DPM Attending RADIOLOGY
Elise Burkett, PA Physician Assistant NOT SHOWN Svetlana Sapozhnikova, MD Attending (breast imaging)
Kara Ho, MD Attending (body imaging)
Link to TBHC at LinkedIn (and elsewhere, too)
We are pleased to announce that The Brooklyn Hospital Center is up and running on LinkedIn! Follow us there for news, announcements and other information. You can also follow us on all
Rounds
The Founders Ball is May 18! During every chapter of life, through the routine or the unexpected, and whatever life brings, TBHC has got you! Nearly 300,000 patients count on us annually. Whether seeking lifesaving care following an accident, a safe delivery as a first-time mother, a knee replacement, dental surgery or vaccinations for school-aged kids, patients can find it all at TBHC! We could not offer all of this – and so much more – without the generosity of our donors. Proceeds raised from past events have expanded our award-winning clinical programs, enhanced our top-notch medical education, and made brand-new facilities and medical equipment possible. This year’s Founder’s Ball will be no exception.
Please join us in celebrating the many ways “We’ve Got You” on Monday, May 18 at the Brooklyn Museum for the 2026 Founders Ball! The event will honor Lizanne Fontaine, Chair, Board of Trustees, and Robert DiGregorio, PharmD, Chief Pharmacotherapy Officer. To make reservations or find more info, click here.
We Wore Red! In February, TBHC showed up for National Wear Red Day! Everywhere we turned, people were bedecked in red to remind us of the importance of cardiovascular awareness.
We Wore Blue! Our staff may look blue, but they were more than happy to spread awareness for Colorectal Cancer in March! The American Cancer Society recommends regular screenings for adults 45 and older, which can be scheduled right here at the hospital. Early detection is our best prevention! To make an appointment, check out tbh.org/gastroenterology.
Epic in Dentistry! Good news for your patients— Dentistry has joined Epic! This means that patients can experience all the benefits of MyChart for their dental care, too, including:
• Easy, online appointments
• All ambulatory care health information at TBHC, including Dentistry, is now in one place, such as appointments, histories and test results
• Providers have a more comprehensive patient record to refer to
If your patients need to sign up for MyChart, they can visit tbh.org
For Convenience, Quality and the Intangible Brooklyn Vibe
After living most of their lives in Manhattan, Sandy and Louise Mattingly moved to Brooklyn in 2005. It was for all the usual reasons — the kids had moved there, and they wanted in on the then burgeoning Brooklyn “vibe.” But, one thing they didn’t change was their healthcare. That remained Manhattan-centric even though their home was a block from TBHC.
Ms. Mattingly, a recently retired teacher, was the first to take a second look at her neighbor. “I would walk past TBHC on DeKalb to get a subway into Manhattan for my mammograms and bone density checks,” she remembers. “Finally, I thought, ‘What am I doing? Why am I schlepping onto the subway to go into the city instead of trying the place that is literally steps from my front door?’”
What she found encouraged her: Excellent medical care, a committed, caring staff, and, of course, convenience. “TBHC renovated the breast imaging suite, and the facilities were even nicer. The results were fast. The patient portal made it convenient,” she adds.
His wife’s experience piqued Mr. Mattingly’s curiosity. At that time, his Manhattan doctors were forming a concierge practice that was not practical for him. “Louise told me, ‘You should give TBHC a shot,’” he recalls. “For me, it started with convenience and grew from there. It’s an intimate environment, almost small-town. I’ve been seen by heads of departments as a patient. Their manner is amazing. Friendly, professional. They spend time with patients. And it’s a onestop shop if you have other needs beyond your primary care,” says the retired attorney and realtor.
During the pandemic, the Mattinglys’ commitment grew deeper. “I remember riding a Citibike by the hospital and appreciating all the heroics going on inside,” says Mr. Mattingly. Every night, 7 pm sharp, the Mattinglys were at their window clapping their
and Louise Mattingly
hands, banging pots and pans, and shouting out their appreciation for all those on the front lines, knowing that their healthcare team was in earshot.
A recent move took them about 10 blocks away from TBHC to a new development on the edge of Downtown Brooklyn, but it has done nothing to disrupt their relationship with their community hospital. “TBHC is in Fort Greene, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City. Interactions and shared life experiences are greater here than anywhere I’ve lived, and I was born in Manhattan,”
Mr. Mattingly says. “TBHC is not stratified healthcare, it’s real and it’s a representation of the incredible community it serves. I enjoy sitting in the waiting room and seeing Brooklyn in the house.”
Sandy