Amy R DeFelice, MD

Dena Goffman, MD is the Vice Chair for Quality and Patient Safety and Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sloane Hospital for Women at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Associate Chief Quality Officer for Obstetrics for the NewYork-Presbyterian health system. She has a strong interest in improving patient safety and quality in obstetrics and decreasing severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Much of her work has focused on the use of simulation, team training and implementation of evidence-based guidelines to achieve this goal. Dr. Goffman has been an active member of the New York State-Department of Health and The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists District II Safe Motherhood Initiative and is currently a member of the NYS SMI Leadership Committee. Additionally, she is active nationally and internationally in Obstetric Simulation and is the immediate past chair for the ACOG Simulation Working Group. She serves as faculty for many prominent OB simulation opportunities including the annual ACOG Obstetric Emergency Simulation Course, SMFM Critical Care Obstetric Simulation course at the Annual Pregnancy Meeting and the Banner/SMFM Annual Critical Care Obstetric Simulation Course in Phoenix. Dr. Goffman has a particular interest in Obstetric Hemorrhage, one of the leading causes of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality. She served as a Co-chair of the Obstetric Hemorrhage group for the New York State Safe Motherhood Initiative, served on the OB hemorrhage Clinical Advisory Work Group for the NYS Department of Health and was a core member of the National Partnership for Maternal Safety Obstetric Hemorrhage work group. She was recently part of a small multidisciplinary team working to update the AIM Obstetric Hemorrhage bundle, worked with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement on an Obstetric Hemorrhage Change Package and co-authored the Postpartum Hemorrhage ACOG Practice Bulletin.

Pediatric rheumatologic diseases can be complex, and figuring out the problem can be like solving a mystery. My interest in pediatric rheumatology began during my pediatric residency, when I was able to care for patients with arthritis, lupus, and other rheumatologic problems. Finding the right diagnosis, then helping patients find treatments that made them feel better was very gratifying! I now treat children of all ages, from infancy to young adulthood, with all types of rheumatologic problems, including arthritis, lupus, myositis, and vasculitis. I also have a specific interest in evaluating and treating patients with fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome—conditions that are sometimes referred to as amplified musculoskeletal pain syndromes (AMPS). I am the director of the Pediatric AMPS Program here at Columbia. For all of my patients, I work to provide an accurate diagnosis and support as they navigate the treatment process with their families. My goal is to provide compassionate, patient-centered, and family-centered care. My research interests are focused on juvenile fibromyalgia. I also participate in clinical research projects related to pediatric lupus nephritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and juvenile arthritis. I am very involved in teaching rheumatology to the next generation of pediatric doctors, and I am honored to work with medical students and pediatricians-in-training to help educate them on the evaluation and treatment of patients with rheumatologic disorders.

Dr. Mervat Nassef is a Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). She received her B.A., magna cum laude, and her MD at New York University. She went on to do her residency in Pediatrics at the New York University Medical Center, and her fellowship in Allergy & Immunology at Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons. After fellowship, she spent 2 years in Hong Kong where she was involved in teaching medical residents about allergies and asthma. Upon her return to New York, she joined the faculty of the Allergy & Immunology Division at CUMC. Her goal is to provide the highest quality, individualized patient care. She has a special interest in food allergies, environmental allergies and asthma. Because of her love for teaching, Dr. Nassef took on the role of Director of Resident and Medical Student Education in the Allergy/Immunology Division, in which she was responsible for coordinating the activities of students and residents who rotate through the Division. She has also been active in giving grand rounds and teaching conferences in area hospitals and writing publications on various topics in allergy, including co-authoring the textbook: Allergies and Adolescence: Transitioning Toward Independent Living. Stukus D, editor. Springer. She has presented some of her work at the annual international meetings of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Dr. Nassef served as Chair of the Women’s Health Committee, the Population Health Committee at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the Clinical Programs/Patient Safety and Quality Committee at the ACAAI. She was selected to Chair the ACAAI Education Council, a top-level leadership role in which she is led the development of the Education Strategy of the College and overseeing its implementation. She has helped develop educational resources for physicians worldwide. She volunteers her time by conducting free asthma screenings in her local community. She was chosen as one of The New York Times Magazine Top Doctors every year since 2012. She received the ACAAI Woman in Allergy Award in 2021 and the Castle Connolly's Exceptional Women in Medicine award in 2023.