People in the News

The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) announced that it has named Troy Oechsner as its new Executive Vice President. Oechsner is a veteran of state government who served as lead regulator of commercial health insurance at the Department of Financial Services as well as prosecutor of illegal and deceptive healthcare business practices with the New York State Attorney General. Most recently, Oechsner has been a partner at the consulting firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips.

“We are thrilled to have Troy on board at MSSNY. He brings proven ability to effectively advocate for positive reforms that will protect the rights of doctors and their patients to affordable, accessible quality health care,” says Bonnie Litvack, MD, MSSNY President. “Troy has a track record of effective management and leadership, and the ability to build coalitions among a broad section of healthcare professionals and consumers.”

“The Medical Society has worked successfully with Troy for decades,” says Andrew Kleinman, MD, Chair of the MSSNY Board of Trustees. “He brings passion, knowledge and skill to the job that will help further the cause of physicians and patients. Troy is a welcome addition to the important work of the Society.”

Oechsner succeeds Philip Schuh, CPA, who is retiring from MSSNY after a 35-year career at the Medical Society.


Richard Rattotti, MD

Saint Joseph’s Medical Center has announced that Richard Rattotti, MD, has joined Saint Joseph’s Medical Practice, PC., providing patient care related to all aspects of Primary Care Medicine at 1620 Crosby Avenue, Bronx, NY.

Dr. Rattotti’s clinical responsibilities include providing the essentials of primary care medicine, which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs. His medical practice also provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office, managing both common and complex illness of adults and the elderly which includes the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, infections and diseases affecting the heart, blood, kidneys and joints, and the digestive, respiratory and vascular systems.

Dr. Rattotti has been in private practice as a primary care physician since 1989. He is affiliated with Saint Joseph’s Medical Center and Montefiore Medical Center.


The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) announced the appointment of two members of its senior leadership team to new positions.

Anthony Costello has been named Executive Vice President at WMCHealth. In this role, Costello serves as Chief Operating Officer for WMCHealth’s Valhalla (Westchester Medical Center, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and Behavioral Health Center) and Poughkeepsie (MidHudson Regional Hospital) campuses, as well as HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley campuses in Kingston and Margaretville.

Costello is responsible for professional and ancillary services, clinical service lines, supply chain, support services, design and architecture, construction, capital planning, real estate and Advanced Physician Services, for WMCHealth’s 600-member physician practice. Costello has a 25-year career at Westchester Medical Center and WMCHealth, and has held a number of critical operational positions during that time.

Joshua Ratner has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at WMCHealth. In this role, Ratner is responsible for developing clinical and corporate strategies and for identifying and disseminating new healthcare innovation, as well as overseeing WMCHealth’s affiliate and provider relationships, behavioral health operations and government relations.

Ratner also serves on the boards of the WMCHealth’s Bon Secours Charity Health System and HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley hospitals and leads the Hudson Valley Region Hub of New York State’s Regional COVID-19 Vaccine Network. Ratner joined WMCHealth leadership in 2016.


Sean F.X. Dugan

Senior Partner Sean F.X. Dugan, Member and Past President of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), moderated the CLE program “How to Effectively use a Neurosurgeon in the Courtroom” on Thursday, November 12, 2020. The New York City Chapter of the ABOTA and The Defense Association of New York proudly co-sponsored this program.


Kenneth A. Goldstein, MD

Vascular surgeon Kenneth A. Goldstein, MD, and longtime volunteer Melissa Welch have been named to the voluntary board of directors of the Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) Foundation.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Goldstein and Ms. Welch to the NWH Foundation,” says Keeva Young-Wright, President of the Foundation. “Both Dr. Goldstein and Ms. Welch have a longstanding relationship with the hospital, and a firm commitment to advancing the health and well-being of our community.”

For the past five years, Dr. Goldstein has served as Chief of Vascular Surgery at NWH; Program Director, Vascular Surgery at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow; and, Chief, Vascular Surgery, Northwell Health, Westchester Division.

Prior to that, Dr. Goldstein spent a decade as the Chief, Endovascular Surgery Weiler Division, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Dr. Goldstein served as a fellow in vascular surgery at New York University Medical Center. He did his residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, where he also served as Chief Resident of General Surgery.

Melissa Welch

Welch spent eight years as a litigation attorney in New York City before making the decision to stay at home to raise her children, both of whom were born at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Her local volunteerism began with the Junior League of Northern Westchester, where she managed several committees and eventually joined the board as secretary. During a four-year stint living in California, she became involved with the local PTA, eventually becoming its Vice President of Fundraising. There, she ran a capital campaign and auction that raised over $200,000. Since moving back to Westchester in 2017, she has been active in the local schools.

In 2018, Welch was diagnosed with a rare blood condition called POEMS Syndrome, and underwent several months of chemotherapy under the care of Jonathan Goldberg, MD, at NWH. Her experience with the hospital’s oncologists, nurses and emergency room staff inspired her to join the NWH Foundation Board.


Roshni Rao, MD

NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital has announced the addition of two NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center breast surgeons to its breast care team: Roshni Rao, MD, and Stacy K. Ugras, MD.

Dr. Rao is the Chief of the Breast, Melanoma, and Soft Tissue Surgery Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Surgery. She is a skilled surgeon with expertise in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer. Her groundbreaking research has reported on the positive effects of exercise for patients with breast cancer preparing for surgery and the impact of ethnicity on the risk of triple-negative disease. Dr. Rao received her MD degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and completed a general surgery residency at Baystate Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Rao will join the NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley team this spring.

Stacy K. Ugras, MD

Dr. Ugras, assistant professor of surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, is a fellowship-trained breast surgeon with expertise in treating all aspects of benign and malignant breast disease. Dr. Ugras received her MD degree from Weill Cornell Medicine and completed her residency in general surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. During her residency, she also completed a two-year research fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, followed by a clinical fellowship in breast surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She has authored several publications that have contributed to the understanding of breast cancer pathogenesis. She performs all types of breast surgery, including breast conservation, mastectomy, nipple-sparing mastectomy and axillary lymph node procedures.


Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP congratulates our Partners Peter T. CreanKenneth R. LarywonAnthony M. SolaBruce G. HabianSean F.X. Dugan and Michael A. Sonkin for being selected once again by their peers for inclusion in the New York City edition of The Best Lawyers in America 2021.

This year, the firm is proud to congratulate Michael F. Madden for his first time being awarded this special recognition. The listing was published in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. These seven Partners represent the breadth and depth of the legal experience at MCB.


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Source: MD News April/May 2021, Lower Hudson/Bronx Edition