Allison Gati M.D.
Pediatrician & Founding Partner
ABOUT DR. GATI
Allison Gati M.D. was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. After attending University of Michigan undergrad (Go Blue!) and New York Medical College for medical school, she completed her pediatric residency at Columbia Presbyterian. Dr. Gati began her pediatric practice in 2006 back in her old stomping grounds of the Upper West Side. She always wanted to be a Pediatrician and is so happy to play a special role in children’s lives from birth to college. When not in the office, she can be found with her husband and 3 children in River Run playground or eating ice cream at Emack and Bolio’s. Her favorite children’s books are Doctor Desoto and Matilda.
Jessica Grant M.D.
Pediatrician & Founding Partner
ABOUT DR. GRANT
Dr. Jessica Grant has been practicing pediatrics in New York City since 2006, after having completed medical school at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and residency at Columbia University Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. After growing up in New Jersey and then living in Ithaca while attending Cornell, she was thrilled to discover life in the big apple and never plans to leave! Dr. Grant enjoys getting to know the families in her practice well and takes seriously the privilege of guiding her patients’ growth and health. She especially loves that because she practices in her neighborhood, she gets to see her patients in their natural habitat. She hopes her patients will come say hello to her, her husband and her two daughters when they see her at the park, bookstore or favorite local restaurants, though be prepared she may chat your ear off. Despite having read them no fewer than a hundred times each, her favorite children’s books currently are Pout Pout Fish and Room on the Broom.
Judith Hoffman M.D.
Pediatrician & Founding Partner
ABOUT DR. HOFFMAN
Judith Hoffman M.D. is originally from the midwest, but after 20 years in New York considers herself a true New Yorker. After successfully spending four years at the University of Michigan without attending a football game, Dr. Hoffman moved to New York to attend NYU for medical school. She completed her residency at Columbia Presbyterian with Drs Gati and Grant and immediately started working in private practice. Dr. Hoffman considers it a privilege to ride the waves of parenthood with the families she works with; she loves getting to know both the parents and children, providing sensitive, non-judgmental advice. Dr. Hoffman lives in Harlem with her two daughters, Margot and Joni, and her husband Daniel. She has been known to travel to the outer boroughs for the best dim sum in the city, sometimes via bike. Her all time favorite children’s book is Harriet the Spy.
Lisa Nowell M.D.
Pediatrician & Founding Partner
ABOUT DR. NOWELL
Lisa Nowell grew up in upstate New York and spent her summers in the Adirondacks. After attending college at Hobart and William Smith she completed medical school at Duke University. She did her residency here in New York at Columbia Presbyterian and has been practicing primary care in New York ever since. From the beginning of her medical education she has always been certain pediatrics would be her career. She loves being allowed to participate in the growth of a child and family throughout the different developmental ages. When not in the office she can be found on the upper west side with her husband and children. She also enjoys swimming and cooking. One of her favorite childrens’ books is The Big Orange Splot.
Julia Emanuel M.D.
Pediatrician
ABOUT DR. EMANUEL
Julia Emanuel M.D. grew up in New York City, Indianapolis, and New Jersey and has lived on the Upper West Side since 2014. She went to undergrad at Yale University and medical school at The George Washington University School of Medicine before completing her pediatric residency at Columbia New York-Presbyterian, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. Prior to medical school, Dr. Emanuel earned her Master’s in Global Public Health from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and worked for the international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders advocating for expanded access to medicines in developing countries and other health policy initiatives. Dr. Emanuel joined MVP in 2022 from another independent pediatric practice. Dr. Emanuel recognizes the unique and important role that a pediatrician plays in helping children and their parents thrive in all aspects of their lives and communities. She aims to provide the same compassion and commitment to her patients and their families as she would want from her own kids’ doctors. When not in the office, Dr. Emanuel can be found chasing her daughter and son around Hippo or Safari playgrounds, seeking out delicious baked goods at local bakeries, or jogging around Central Park with a running stroller in tow. One of her favorite children’s books is The Gruffalo.
Jamie Wells D.N.P.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
ABOUT NURSE PRACTITIONER JAMIE
Jamie Wells, a native of the high desert in Southern California, holds a bachelor’s degree in health education and holistic health from San Francisco State University. After gaining valuable experience in clinical research and health education, she pursued advanced degrees at Columbia University School of Nursing, earning both her master’s (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees to specialize as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Since 2021, Jamie has been a dedicated member of MVP, finding great fulfillment in witnessing the growth of her patients. Residing in the neighborhood with her partner John and two feline companions, Lion and Spice, Jamie finds joy in exploring the beautiful parks of NYC, engaging in bike rides, and embracing new experiences. Outside of her professional endeavors, she has a soft spot for the timeless children’s book, Clifford, the Big Red Dog.
Jessica Walthall N.P.
Nurse Practitioner
ABOUT NURSE JESSICA
Jessica Walthall grew up in Maryland and has spent her adult years moving up and down the East Coast. She attended Duke University where she learned to love Carolina BBQ and sleeping in a tent for basketball tickets. After graduating with a degree in Biology, she moved back to the Northeast. She worked for a few years as a preschool teacher and in developmental research, then completed the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at Yale University School of Nursing. Jessica is passionate about working with children and families to promote health and wellness and takes pride in helping children and teens feel comfortable, safe, and listened to. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and new baby. Her current favorite children’s book is The Napping House.
Rebecca Corbin N.P.
Nurse Practitioner
ABOUT NURSE Rebecca
Rebecca Corbin was born in Staten Island and grew up in New Jersey, before heading to Boston for her education and early career. She received her undergraduate degree at Northeastern University, followed by her graduate degree at Boston College. Since moving back to NYC, she’s worked in pediatric urgent care and the neonatal ICU, and is more than happy to have found a permanent home at MVP. Her goal as a provider is to always make her patients feel cared for, and to address and ease any worries there may be. Rebecca lives in the neighborhood with her husband, Mac, and dog, Walker.
Her favorite children’s book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Anna Civitano R.N., CPN
Registered Nurse
ABOUT NURSE ANNA
Anna Civitano, RN, CPN grew up in Minneapolis, and has lived in Tuckahoe in lower Westchester County since 2007. She earned her BSN degree from Hartwick College and worked in a variety of acute care settings, including Adult ICU & Acute Dialysis before finding her calling in Pediatric Primary Care. As a Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Anna has specialized nursing expertise in caring for children and takes joy in providing advice and reassurance to help families feel confident and supported through every stage of their child’s development. Being a mom of three gives Anna a real understanding of the joys and challenges of parenting, helping her to provide care that is empathetic, practical, and effective. She likes to joke that her home is her own little pediatric unit, which has only sharpened her skills in providing calm, compassionate care in the office! Anna is known for her green thumb and loves spending time tending to her plants, trying out new recipes, and visiting her neighborhood public library with her kids. Her favorite children’s books include: Horton Hatches the Egg, The Wild Robot, and Anne of Green Gables. Anna is thrilled to be part of the MVP team and looks forward to building lasting relationships with the families she serves.
Prantik Saha M.D.
Pediatrician
ABOUT DR. SAHA
Prantik Saha MD MPH is Canadian by birth, South Asian by blood, nomadic during his youth, and has called NYC his home for more than 20 years. After graduating from Case Western Reserve University medical school, finishing residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and spending his first two years in practice in rural Ohio, he came to NYC in 1998 and spent 13 years as full time faculty in the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center, balancing residency teaching, an urban primary care practice, and obtaining a Master’s degree in Public Health, as well as a short stint as a DJ in the early 2000’s. Dr. Saha joined the practice in 2011 and continues his teaching endeavors at Columbia University and beyond while seeing patients at MVP. He lives in the upper west side with his wife and 10 year old daughter, and his all time favorite children’s book is The Story of Ferdinand.
Melina Baez
Front Desk Manager
ABOUT MELINA
Melina Baez was born in the Dominican Republic. She has been with MVP for over 12 years now and she wouldn’t change it for anything. Her favorite part of working at MVP is having the ability to watch the MVP children grow, and of course, giving out stickers!!! Melina is also the proud mom to her daughter Baylee. Her favorite childhood book is A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
Katrina Davila
Medical Assistant Manager
ABOUT KATRINA
Katrina Davila is the Medical Assistant Manager for MVP. Katrina has been a part of the MVP team for over 16 years. Katrina lives in Queens with her husband and 4 children: Mariana, Gabriel, Nathaniel, Lilliana, and a dog named Charlie. Katrina chose to work in a pediatric office because she loves to see the growth and progression that babies experience as they grow into their own individual selves. Katrina provides assistance to the doctors with vital signs, screening, and blood draws. She also ensures that the back office operates smoothly.
Gersan Knights
Sr. Medical Assistant
ABOUT GERSAN
Gersan Knights, you may know her as Gee, is a senior medical assistant here at MVP. She has lots of enthusiasm and a love for helping kids. Gee feels that being a part of the MVP team gives her a sense of community where we treat and respect each other and the patients like family. Her favorite childhood book is Anansi the Spider Man by Phi.
Yvette Montoyo
Sr. Medical Assistant
ABOUT YVETTE
Yvette Montoyo is a senior medical assistant here at Manhattan Valley Pediatrics. She is the mother of one and has been in the medical field for over 4 years. She dedicates herself to instilling a positive health experience in children and is honored to be part of a team that embraces community and dedicates itself to serving others everyday. Her favorite children’s book is The Rainbow Fish.
Valbona Demaliaj
Medical Assistant
ABOUT VALBONA
Hi! My name is Val. I am a mother of 3 children, and I come from a small beautiful country called Albania. I love to watch children grow and go through milestones in their lives as I watched mine over the years. I like working with kids because back in my country, I used to work with children in a local daycare center. When I came to the United States, pursuing the dream of freedom and opportunities, I wanted to work as a caretaker because I love taking care of children- and I thought, what better place to take care of children than in a Pediatric office? I love many children’s books, but the one I love the most is The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.
Kiarah Denson Thompson
Medical Assistant
ABOUT KIARAH
Hi All! My name is Kiarah. I’m originally from Queens but I live on the upper west side of Manhattan. I’m a 2023 graduate from Plaza College obtaining my associates in Applied Science and I’m a proud boy dog mom. Being able to watch and take care of children who grow up to be their best selves has motivated me to work in pediatrics. Working at MVP has shown the family orientation focus that I strived to support and be a part of. There’s so many children’s books I love, but my absolute favorite book is Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
Gabrielle Singh
Jr. Medical Assistant
ABOUT GABRIELLE
Gabrielle Singh is a junior medical assistant born and raised in NYC. She loves working with children and providing care and assistance to all the families who come into MVP. Her favorite children’s book is The Giving Tree.
Erika
Receptionist
ABOUT ERIKA
I am a Certified Medical Assistant with over 13 years of experience in the medical field. Making others feel comfortable within the healthcare industry is my strength and also my motivation within this field. I was born and raised in Manhattan, Washington Heights. My parents are from the Dominican Republic. I have two wonderful children, Eric and Kayla. We love doing fun activities as a family, especially spending the day at Sloomoo Institute where we get to play with slime. We love to keep our traditions, such as my favorite kids’ book Goodnight Moon by Margarete Wise Brown.
Tanasja Nixon
Receptionist
ABOUT TANASJA
My name is Tanasja Nixon. I was born in Queens but raised in Harlem NY. I love spending quality time with my family and friends. I have nephew who is like my son that I love very dearly. My family is what keeps me going. I’ve always had a passion for working in the medical field. I chose to work at a pediatrics office to gain more knowledge in the field and also because children are so full of life and it’s always great to see how fast they grow over time. My favorite childhood book is Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham.
Alma Leal
Receptionist
ABOUT ALMA
Growing up in Queens, there is diversity in every corner. I am the coolest aunt to 3 nieces and one nephew. Being there for them is the most rewarding feeling, and I love seeing them grow each day. I enjoy working with our pediatricians and team because we care for their well-being and express their full potential. My favorite children’s book is If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff.
Kimberly Garcia
Receptionist
ABOUT KIMBERLY
My name is Kimberly but I go by ‘Kimmy’ here at the office. I joined the MVP team in December of 2022. I was born and raised in New York however I am Dominican. I also LOVE kids, I think they are so funny, warm, and just so amazing to see them grow! I have lots of laughs here with our MVP kids. I truly enjoy being part of the MVP team! I work the front desk welcoming our families. My favorite children’s book is The Bad Case Of Stripes by Davin Shannon
Miriam Lucero
Receptionist
ABOUT MIRIAM
My name is Miriam, I was born in the Bronx but raised in East Harlem. I have always been interested in working in the medical field, having this great opportunity working here at MVP has been really amazing, everyone is so welcoming. Caring for the families here has been very rewarding. I have a 6-years old baby boy myself and he is my entire life, so I know the importance on feeling comfortable and building a relationship with your child’s entire care team at your pediatrician office. I am so excited to work here and continuing to build connections with our MVP family!
My favorite kids book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
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