Joseph Herbert, MD
Director, MS Care Center

Dr. Herbert is a graduate of Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem. He completed his internship and residency training in Neurology at Shaarei Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, as well as his clinical Fellowship training at Harvard University Medical School and Columbia University. His clinical and basic science career in neurodegenerative disease began at Columbia University in 1986. In 1989, he served as the MS Care Center Director of the Helen Hayes Hospital, West Haverstraw, NY, and developed a national reputation for his work in MS.

“My goal for all the MS Centers I’m involved with is to provide integrated services, research, and treatment options available to those living with the challenges of MS. To meet this goal, a very talented staff of MS specialized neurologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physical, occupational and speech therapists, psychologists, social workers, and patient care representatives, has been assembled to assist me.”

Christine Acevedo
Executive Assistant

Ms. Acevedo joined our Center two years ago. Her attention to detail and organizational skills are critical to providing timely care and services for our medical treatments, diagnostic testing, and communications with insurers.

Joshua Bacon, PhD
Psychologist

Dr. Bacon is a graduate of New York University. He has been at the Center for three years, specializing in psychology service for MS patients including adjustment, adherence, coping, problem solving, and community integration. Dr. Bacon has an essential role within the interdisciplinary team because he sees patients with MS both in the outpatient setting as well as during admission to the inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Dawnmarie Benevento
Clinical Research Assistant

Ms. Benevento is currently working towards a BA in Business Administration at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her most recent position was for the Puerto Rican Family Institute where she worked in administration and billing. Here at the Center, she provides support in a variety of research and administrative projects, including several clinical trials and outpatient billing.

Lisa Capolino Laing, RN, MSCN
Nurse Coordinator

Ms. Capolino is the clinical nurse coordinator for the Center. She educates patients and their families about MS, available treatment options, rehabilitation, and counseling. Lisa is certified in both rehabilitation nursing and MS nursing.

Rimma Danov, PhD
Neuropsychologist

Dr. Danov is a graduate of Adelphi University in New York. She completed her internship in clinical and neuropsychology at Harvard Medical School and postdoctoral specialization fellowship in pediatric and adult neuropsychology in a clinic setting affiliated with New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center (RWJMC). Dr. Danov is actively engaged with the New York State Athletic Commission and Penn State University Brain Injury Research Team. She is also a consultant to the New Jersey Devils and a professor at Adelphi University. Dr. Danov’s essential role in the team is to examine neurocognitive and neurobehavioral functioning of patients using state-of-the-art neuropsychological techniques. This work is vital to the assessment of current cognitive and emotional difficulties and for finding ways to improve the quality of life for patients at home and at work.

Maura L. Del Bene, MS, RN, NP-P
Director of Clinical Programming and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Ms. Del Bene has extensive experience in the fields of mental health, palliative care, and neurological disease. For ten years she was clinical administrator of the ALS Center and the Division of Neuromuscular Disease at Columbia University. She graduated from Columbia University with a Masters of Science in Nursing and Psychiatric Mental Health, and is an ANCC Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She is experienced in the practice of psychopharmacology and psychotherapy of individuals and families living with medical illness. Ms. Del Bene provides integrated mental health services within the MS Center, with an overall goal to improve the standard of palliative and psychosocial care for MS patients.

Mel Finkelstein, MS, BA
Patient Advocate

An important activity for Mr. Finkelstein is to help patients and families understand the diagnoses and treatment options presented to them by Dr. Herbert. In an effort to assist patients and families in being informed, Mr. Finkelstein helps to maintain patient educational materials and resources provided by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the MS Foundation, and others developed by our clinical staff members. Promoting patients’ rights is an important aspect of Mr. Finkelstein’s work at the Center. This includes, but is not limited to, state and federal patients’ rights protections and privacy rights in an effort to create a safe and comfortable feeling for patients, allowing patients to express any issues and concerns they might have about living with MS, their treatment choices, and their relationship with the Center.

Tamar Fromm, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist and Clinical Research Coordinator

Mrs. Fromm earned her Master of Science degree from Columbia University. She is an occupational therapist, specializing in cognition, who provides direct rehabilitative and educational services to the patients. Mrs. Fromm has started numerous therapeutic groups here at the Center and leads outings for patients who require community reintegration. Mrs. Fromm is also the research coordinator at the Center, where she coordinates and supervises 15 research trials in MS.

Chris Griffin, MS, PT
Physical Therapist

Ms. Griffin has practiced physical therapy since 1989. She is an experienced educator, teaching classes to both patient groups and rehabilitation professionals. Chris is a certified Feldenkrais Practitioner and has been at the MS Center since 2000.

Jennifer Haus, MSW
Social Worker

Ms. Haus is the clinical social worker at the MS Care Center at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. She received her graduate degree in social work from NYU School of Social Work in September 2002 and was licensed as an LMSW by the state of New York in March of 2003. Prior to working at the MS Care Center, Ms. Haus was a counselor in residence at NYU for undergraduate students, as well as a full-time employee at NYU Law School, where she worked while attending the MSW program at NYU. Ms. Haus continues to work as a staff psychotherapist one evening a week at Washington Square Institute for Psychotherapy in NYC.

Noelle Layer, BA
Research Assistant

Ms. Layer started at the MS Care Center in 2002 and assisted with clinical research for three summers. After her graduation from Yale University, she returned this year to continue to help manage the MS Center’s clinical studies. Next fall, she will be attending medical school to pursue an MD-Master of Public Health dual degree.

Sue X. Qu, MD
Attending Physiatrist

Dr. Qu is an attending physician in neurorehabilitation at the Hospital for Joint Diseases. She is a board certified physiatrist, and a graduate of the Medical School of Jilin University in China. She completed her residency at the Rusk Institute at New York University. Prior to this residency, she spent two years training in neurology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where she received her Master's degree in biomedical sciences in 1992.

Leah Riber
Research Assistant

Ms. Riber assists our Center’s psychologist on work pertaining to the injection adherence study. She will be graduating from Stern College this May with a Bachelors degree in psychology. Ms. Riber then hopes to pursue her interest in psychology at graduate school.

Maria Rodriguez
Senior Executive Assistant

Ms. Rodriguez has been at the MS Care Center for the past five years. Her dedication and experience at the Center are essential to accomplishing our mission of excellence in customer service. Ms. Rodriguez serves an additional vital role as a Spanish-speaking translator for our Latino population. She is currently Senior Supervisor of the front office staff and works closely with the clinical team to ensure continuity of patient care.

Lila Satram
Executive Assistant

Ms. Satram recently joined our Center as an addition to the front office operations. Her experience with billing, customer service, database management, and as an insurance liaison is a welcome addition to our Center’s operations.

Matthew Schwed, BS, RN
Clinical Nurse

Subsequent to earning his Bachelor of Science degree from the Columbia University School of Nursing, Mr. Schwed began his training at the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at the NYU Medical Center. Additionally, Matthew’s prior graduate work at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology helped to prepare him for his role as Clinical Nurse at the MS Care Center, where he divides his time between patient education, direct patient care, and clinical research.

Alison Scotese, MS, RN, FNP
Nurse Practitioner

Ms. Scotese earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Villanova University, her Masters of Science at Columbia University, and is an ANCC Certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Alison’s background and experience is in women’s health and neurological disease at NY Hospital Cornell where she served as a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery for several years. At the MS Center, Ms. Scotese provides direct patient care in an advance practice manner including physical assessment, neurological examinations, symptom management, and integrating medical and nursing aspects of care to provide a comprehensive plan of care.

Mary-Grace Vendola, MPH
Project Coordinator, Professional Education and Client Services

Ms. Mary-Grace Vendola earned her Masters of Public Health degree from Columbia University, with a focus on health promotion. She harbors a special passion for MS and has considerable experience in the field, having worked for the MS Center at Cornell Medical Center, the New York City chapter of the National MS Society, and the Manhattan Society (an MS-volunteer group for young professionals). Here at the Center, she is responsible for coordinating client, community, and professional educational activities, and special client programs such as our Self-Image initiative.

Xishan S. Zhang, MD, MS
Attending Neurologist

Dr. Zhang is a graduate of Shanghai Second Medical University in China. He completed his internship at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and residency training in neurology at the New York University School of Medicine. He served as research associate in the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School from 1994 to 1997. Dr. Zhang is the attending neurologist on the neurorehabilitation unit, and also provides care to patients in the MS Center.