Allison Gati M.D.
Pediatrician
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jamie Wells N.P.
Nurse Practitioner
ABOUT NURSE JAMIE
Jamie Wells is originally from the high desert of Southern California. She received her bachelor’s degree in health education from San Francisco State University and later went on to receive her master’s degree in nursing from Columbia University. She is currently working on her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Columbia University. Jamie joined MVP in 2021 as an RN and is excited to now be working in the provider role as an NP. Jamie lives in the neighborhood with her partner John, and two cats Lion and Spice. When not in the office she enjoys bike riding, exploring the beautiful parks in NYC, and trying new things. Her favorite children’s book is Clifford, the Big Red Dog.
Jane Hubbard R.N.
Registered Nurse
ABOUT NURSE JANE
Jane Hubbard was born and raised in Detroit and graduated from Utah Valley University (UVU) with her Bachelor’s in Nursing. She moved to Manhattan in the summer of 2023 and already feels at home in what she considers the best city in the world. She’s currently on the hunt for the best bagel place in the city so when you see her feel free to tell her your suggestions! Jane considers herself a kid at heart and whenever given the chance, will still sit at the kids’ table. She believes that kids are the absolute BEST people in the world and is honored to be a small part of your beautiful family. Her favorite children’s book is Love You Forever.
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.
Fanta Kaba
Medical Assistant
ABOUT FANTA
Fanta Kaba is a medical assistant. She says her name is Fanta like the soda. She was born at Mount Sinai Hospital, was raised in Harlem, and moved to the Bronx. She loves soccer. She would love to be a pediatric doctor in the future but for now is busy pursuing her RN degree. Her favorite children’s book is the entire Dr. Seuss series.
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.
Romie Then
Jr. Medical Assistant
ABOUT ROMIE
This is Romie, she’s one of our junior medical assistants here at MVP. Romie has been with us for almost 2 years now. She has a 5yr old daughter and because of her child, Romie has fallen in love with learning and exploring pediatrics. She enjoys watching your children grow and transition from their first few days of life, into their fun and creative toddler years. Her favorite part of working MVP is being part of a supportive team that even through challenging times, they enjoy being surrounded by one another. Romie’s favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Callie Samton
Jr. Medical Assistant
ABOUT CALLIE
Callie Samton is a junior medical assistant. She was born and raised on the Upper West Side, finally leaving NYC to attend college at Washington University in St. Louis. Now that she’s back, she’s happiest to be reunited with a good bagel. Her favorite children’s book is The Missing Piece.
Aida Abreu
Receptionist
ABOUT AIDA
Aida is one of the newest members of our team, she joined MVP in 2020 and is originally from Puerto Rico. Aida loves welcoming patients to our practice and enjoys helping parents navigate the complex visit schedule our children need. She has a 12 year old daughter who she devotes every spare minute to and loves spending time with. Aida is also going to school for medical billing, likes to try new things and wants to grow.
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
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