Memorial Health - Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute

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Meet Our Team

Blaire L. Baisden, M.D. Dr. Baisden specializes in anatomical and clinical pathology and practices at Savannah Pathology Services. Baisden received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. She earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. She completed her internship and her residency in anatomical and clinical pathology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Baisden is board certified in anatomical and clinical pathology.

Steven Brower, M.D. Dr. Brower is the associate director of the Cancer Institute and professor and chairman of the department of surgery for Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah Campus. He earned his medical degree at the State University of New York and completed a general surgery residency at the Lahey Clinic and the Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Brower completed a fellowship in surgical oncology and the laboratory of biochemistry at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. He came to Memorial Health from Mount Sinai in New York City and is a recognized expert in minimally invasive surgery for gastrointestinal, esophageal, hepatic, pancreatic, and adrenal disorders. Dr. Brower is also a Distinguished Cancer Clinician and Scientist for the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

James Burke, M.D. Dr. Burke is a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia. He performed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University in Chicago. Following that, he completed fellowship training in gynecologic oncology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He currently practices at Savannah Gynecologic Oncology.

Steven Carpenter, M.D. Dr. Carpenter specializes in internal medicine and gastrointestinal disorders. He graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in mathematics. Carpenter then went to medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at Emory University in Atlanta. Currently, he is practicing with The Center for Digestive and Liver Health in Savannah.

William E. Check, M.D. Dr. Check specializes in pathology and practices at Savannah Pathology Services. Check earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his medical degree from Wayne State University. He completed his internship and residency in pathology at the Medical College of Georgia. He is board certified in anatomical and clinical pathology.

Jennifer Currin, LMSW, OSW-C Jennifer Currin is the manager of oncology support services. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from North Carolina State University in Raleigh and her master's in social work from the University of Georgia. Her career interests include home health, hospice care, pediatric and adult oncology, cancer survivorship, and psychosocial oncology.

Paula DeNitto, M.D. Dr. DeNitto specializes in general surgery and breast disease. She attended college at the University of Georgia -- Athens, Georgia, and earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. She then completed her internship and residency training in general surgery at Memorial Health University Medical Center. She has been practicing for 14 years and co-founded the Memorial Health University Physicians Center for Breast Care, the only facility in the region that specializes in the treatment of breast conditions.

John Duttenhaver, M.D. Dr. Duttenhaver specializes in radiation oncology. He studied zoology at the University of Georgia -- Athens, Georgia, and then attended medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He completed an internship at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver before going on to do his residency training in radiation therapy at Harvard Medical School. He currently practices in the Radiation Oncology Department at the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial Health University Medical Center.

Donald Gallup, M.D. Dr. Gallup is an honor graduate of Clemson College and received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. He trained as a resident in obstetrics and gynecology at the Naval Hospital in San Diego and then completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Michigan Medical Center. He currently practices at Savannah Gynecologic Oncology.

James Garber, M.D. Dr. Garber is a fellowship-trained surgical oncologist at Surgical Associates. Garber attended he Medical College of Georgia and completed his surgery residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center. He did his fellowship in surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Garber specializes in all aspects of cancer surgery and the multidisciplinary approach to solid tumors.

Cynthia Gonzales, M.D. Dr. Gonzales is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Backus Children's Hospital at Memorial Health University Medical Center. In addition to her work in hematology and oncology, she has clinical interests in bleeding disorders and cancer genetics. Dr. Gonzales attended the University of the Phillippines and the University of the Phillippines College of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Cook County Children's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Gonzales is a member of the Children's Oncology Group and is a registered investigator with the National Cancer Institute. She speaks English, Tagalog, and Chinese.

Richard Greco, M.D. Dr. Greco specializes in plastic surgery. He completed his undergraduate education at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and attended medical school at Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Greco then went on to complete an internship in general surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Next, he worked as a resident in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Greco practices at The Georgia Institute for Plastic Surgery in Savannah.

Patricia Green, R.N., MSN, MHSA, CCRN Pat Green is the director of our clinical research program. She holds master's degrees in nursing administration and health services administration from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah. Green has national certification in critical care and is a member of numerous professional nursing organizations. She has more than 20 years of experience in nursing.

Christopher Haberman, M.D. Dr. Haberman is a Savannah native. He graduated from Savannah Country Day School in 1987 and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of Charleston. He then earned a master’s in renal physiology from the University of Georgia before attending Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Ga. Haberman completed his residency training in internal medicine at Baptist Health System in Birmingham, Ala., and a medical oncology fellowship at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He is board certified in internal medicine. Haberman is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology. He practices at Summit Cancer Care.

Patrick Hammen, M.D. Dr. Hammen is a surgeon specializing in colon and rectal surgery. He attended college at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and earned his medical degree at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Hammen completed an internship and residency in general surgery at Memorial Health University Medical Center, and a residency in colon and rectal surgery at the University of Texas in Houston. He practices at Savannah Colon and Rectal Surgery.

C. Shai Huffard-King, M.S. C. Shai Huffard-King, M.S., CGC, came to Savannah from New York City, where she was a prenatal and preconception genetic counselor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. She earned her bachelor's degree in biology from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and her master's degree in human genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y. During her training, Huffard-King completed many clinical rotations, including a cytogenetics laboratory rotation and pediatric genetics rotations in New York City. She also completed a cancer genetics rotation at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick. Huffard-King is board certified in genetic counseling (CGC) and works in the ACI's Center for Cancer Genetics.

Robert E. Jones, M.D. Dr. Jones earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Mississippi and his medical degree at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He completed his residency in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Virginia. Dr. Jones then completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at the Brigham & Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery and chairs the department of cardiovascular medicine and surgery at Memorial Health.

Leigh Kersey, CHES Leigh Kersey is a certified health education specialist (CHES). She earned her bachelor's of health science degree from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Kersey performed her senior internship at the ACI prior to her graduation. She is currently working toward a master's of public health degree at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Krystyna Kiel, M.D. Dr. Kiel attended medical school at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed her residency training in radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She served as an associate professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School if Medicine in Chicago for 20 years before coming to Savannah in 2008. Dr. Kiel is a nationally recognized breast cancer specialist and works in the Radiation Oncology Department at the Anderson Cancer Institute.

Harvey Lebos, M.D. Dr. Lebos graduated from Duke University in Durham, N.C., and attended the University of Miami School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Wake Forest University-Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., and his fellowship training in hematology at the University of Miami School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital and Clinics. Lebos is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology and was a founding partner of Summit Cancer Care. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Barry Luskey, M.D. Dr. Luskey graduated from Stanford University and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He completed fellowships in hematology and oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School in Boston. During his fellowship, he pursued basic research in gene therapy at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Children's Hospital in Boston. Luskey worked at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and in private practice with the nation’s largest oncology partnership, Texas Oncology, before joining Summit Cancer Care in 2000. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology. Luskey is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society of Hematology.

Nasser Maleki, Ph.D. Dr. Maleki received his Ph.D. in theoretical atomic physics from the University of Nebraska in 1981. He also finished a medical physics residency at Harvard's Joint Center for Radiation Therapy in Boston. Dr. Maleki has a broad career working as a Medical Physicist for the last 25 years. He started his career as medical physicist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He is the director of medical physics at Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he has been active in the implementation of new programs such as stereotactic radiosurgery, intensity modulated radiotherapy, image guided radiotherapy and MammoSite Therapy.

Edward Meister, Ph.D. Dr. Meister is a clinical cancer epidemiologist. He earned his Ph.D. from Oregon State University, Public Health Department. Dr. Meister studies the control and spread of cancer in specific populations. He is particularly interested in epidemiological and biostatistical analysis of complex data sources; optimal cut-point analysis for assessment of prognostic factors; Cox proportional hazards modeling with time dependent variables; and optimal log-scale transformations of non-normal data. Dr. Meister is a member of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics, and the International Epidemiological Association.

Lisa Morgan, R.N., OCN Lisa Morgan specializes in cancer screening, prevention, and research. She earned her nursing degree from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah and works as a research coordinator.

Stephen Morris, M.D. Dr. Morris specializes in pulmonary care. He completed his undergraduate degree at Emory University and earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at The Jewish Hospital of St. Louis and did a fellowship in pulmonary/critical care medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Morris has been practicing for 20 years and is currently with Savannah Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

O. George Negrea, M.D. Dr. Negrea specializes in hematology and oncology. He attended college at the National College Dragos Voda in Sighet, Romania. Negrea then went to medical school at Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago in the Dominican Republic. He completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at Mt. Vernon Hospital in Mount Vernon, New York. Negrea currently practices at Coastal Hematology and Oncology, P.C. in Savannah. Negrea is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Romanian.

Kitty O'Neil, R.N. Kitty O'Neil is a radiation oncology nurse. She earned her BSN degree at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah in conjunction with the Memorial Medical Center School of Nursing. O'Neil has been practicing for 28 years.

Lorraine E. Pare, M.D. Dr. Pare specializes in anatomical and clinical pathology. She practices at Savannah Pathology Services. Pare received her undergraduate degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She earned her medical degree from Emory University in Atlanta, where she also completed her internship in internal medicine and her residency in anatomical and clinical pathology. Pare is board certified in anatomical and clinical pathology.

Brandy Payne, RNC, MSN Brandy Payne earned her bachelor's degree at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. She received a master's degree in 1998 from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. Payne is breast cancer and gynecologic cancer nurse navigator and has been part of the Memorial Health team for more than 10 years.

Ranjan J. Perera, Ph.D. Dr. Perera is the director of genomics and the Research and Development Laboratory at the Hoskins Center. He received his Doctor of Philosophy in molecular genetics from Moscow State University in Russia. Perera came to Savannah from the Burnham Institute in La Jolla, Calif., where he was an adjunct faculty member. Perera holds many national and international patents. Perera has published many peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and abstracts. He also reviews articles for several prestigious scientific journals.


James E. Ramage, Jr., M.D. Dr. Ramage specializes in pulmonary care. He attended Stanford University and then earned a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine. Ramage completed his residency training at Emory University Hospital before training as a fellow in pulmonary, critical care, and respiratory medicine at Duke University Medical Center. He has been practicing for more than 15 years and is currently with Savannah Center for Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

L.E. "Bud" Robertson, M.D. Dr. Robertson came to Savannah in 1995 from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He is a graduate of Baylor University and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He then completed a fellowship in medical oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a hematology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology. Robertson is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He practices at Summit Cancer Care.

Ray Rudolph, M.D. Dr. Rudolph specializes in treating breast cancer. He earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of South Dakota. After graduation, Rudolph completed an internship and residency training in surgery at Memorial Health University Medical Center. He is the co-founder of the Memorial Health University Physicians Center for Breast Care, the only facility in the region that specializes in the treatment of breast conditions. Rudolph holds a master’s degree in public health from Armstrong Atlantic State University.”

Scott Schnaible, P.A. Scott Schnaible earned his undergraduate degree at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. He then trained as a physician's assistant at South University in Savannah. Schnaible specializes in radiation oncology.

Mary Lou Schwalb, LCSW, OSW-C Mary Lou Schwalb is a licensed clinical social worker with a master's degree in social work. She completed her undergraduate and graduate education at Wayne State University.

Christopher Senkowski, M.D. Dr. Senkowski earned a bachelor's of science degree from the University of Michigan and attended Harvard Medical School. He completed his surgical training at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Senkowski received advanced fellowship training at the University of Miami in surgical critical care and trauma. He is recognized nationally for his expertise in advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques. Senkowski's interests include pancreatic, hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal diseases. He has participated in and advises the humanitarian relief organization Doctors without Borders and represents the American College of Surgeons on issues of healthcare policy. He is a member of ACI -- Surgical Associates.

Jeremy W. Sibiski, MBA, MHA, FACHE Jeremy W. Sibiski is the director of radiation oncology. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in health services administration from the University of Central Florida, and his MBA and MHA from the University of Florida. Sibiski, a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) has been an active member since 1999.

Mark Taylor, M.D. Dr. Taylor is a graduate of Lehigh University and Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Emory University Medical Center in Atlanta and completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology, Dr. Taylor is a member of the American Oncology Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He joined Summit Cancer Care in 2002.

Patricia Thornton, RN, BSN, B.C. Patricia G. Thornton is the nurse navigator for the thoracic and upper gastrointestinal disease management teams. She earned her BSN from Armstrong State College and is currently working on her MSN at Armstrong Atlantic State University. She is a board certified ANCC medical-surgical nurse.

Oliver Whipple, M.D. Dr. Whipple joined Memorial Health University Physicians -- Savannah Colon and Rectal Surgery. He received his medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon. Dr. Whipple completed his internship and residency in surgery at Memorial Health University Medical Center and did a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida.

Cindy Yee, Ph.D. Dr. Yee specializes in cancer genetics and molecular diagnostics. Yee received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and her Doctor of Philosophy degree in cellular and molecular pathology at Vanderbilt University. She came to Savannah to supervise and direct the day-to-day operation of the Clinical Genetics Laboratory and to certify genetic test results. Yee has published 18 peer-reviewed manuscripts and several abstracts. She is working with colleague Ranjan Perera, Ph.D., to develop new molecular diagnostic tests and to improve current tests.