Our Team
Upstate’s Adult Kidney, Pediatric Kidney, and Pancreas Transplant Programs are comprised of a multidisciplinary team of specialists who manage their patients' care throughout the entire transplantation process. Their goal is to provide the highest quality of care, so that patients can quickly return to their daily routines, while maintaining a healthy balanced life.

Reza Saidi, MD, FACS, FICS,
Division Chief

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Internal Medicine; Nephrology
Education: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Transplant
Education: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Histocompatibility
Education: Israel Institute of Technology
Associations/Memberships: European Federation for Immunogenetics; American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Pediatrics; Pediatric Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Congenital Genitourinary Tract Abnormalities; Hypertension; Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones); more

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Acute Renal Insufficiency; Chronic Kidney Disease; Chronic Kidney Failure; Hypertension; more
Education: Dartmouth Medical School
Outcome of therapeutic decisions in dialysis and transplantation

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Immunocompromised Patient and Surgery; Renal Failure; Renal Transplant
Associations/Memberships: American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Medicine; Pediatrics; Nephrology; Transplant; Hypertension; Immune Abnormalities; more
Education: University of Michigan Medical School
Cardiovascular disease in patients with end stage renal and chronic kidney disease

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Surgery; Transplant; Bile Duct Cancer; Bile Duct Injuries; Diabetes; Gallbladder Cancer; more
Ischemia reperfusion injury
Transplant outcomes
Solid Organ Transplantation (Liver, Kidney, Pancreas)
Hepatobiliary Surgery
General Surgery

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Pediatric Nephrology; Pediatric Nephrology; Nephrology; Acute Kidney Failure; Chronic Kidney Disease; Hypertension; more
Education: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Associations/Memberships: American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Transplant; Acute Pancreatitis; Bile Duct Cancer; Bile Duct Injuries; Bile Duct Stricture; Chronic Pancreatitis; more
Transplant immunology, clinical outcome studies in abdominal solid organ transplantation, islet cell transplantation research
Application of minimal invasive techniques in transplant and hepatobiliary surgery
Kidney, pancreas, islet and liver tranplant surgery
Hepato pancreato biliary sugery
Total pancreatectomy and auto islet transplantation

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Diseases/Specialties/Treatments: Transplant; Renal Transplant; Kidney Transplantation; Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation
Associations/Memberships: American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP); Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI)
Transplant Administrator:

Janine Morris, RN, BSN, MPH
Donor Advocate:
- Caitlin Zimmerman, LMSW
Financial Coordinators:
- Nyellka Brown, CPC
- Lisa Donovan, BPS
HLA Laboratory:
- Reut Hod Dvorai, PhD, D(ABHI)
Medical Assistant:
- Annette Birch, CMA
- Tosha Cuadra, CMA
- Michele Wanamaker, CMA
Nurse Manager:
- Pamela Haines, MS, RN
Clinic Nurse:
-
Jeannette Jackson, RN
Office Manager:
- Amanda Demperio
Receptionist:
- Darleen Rex
- Zaquia Stanley
Secretary:
- Tammy Fetcie
Transplant Administrative Assistant:
- Terra Lawler
Transplant Coordinators:
- Lavell Jones, MSN, RN, CCTC, Living Donor Coordinator
- Galina Rivera, BSN, RN, CCTC, Pre-Transplant Coordinator
- Heidi Smileuske, BSN, RN, CCTC, Post-Transplant Coordinator
- Ashley Ryan, BSN, RN, Pre-Transplant Coordinator
- Tanya Mercurio, MSN, RN, Post-Transplant Coordinator
Transplant Data Coordinators:
- Alexis Rodriguez
Transplant Interim Patient Care Services Manager:
- Pamela Haines, MS, RN
Transplant Nutritionist:
- Terry Podolak, RD
Transplant Pharmacist:
- Christine Yang, PharmD, BCPS, BCTXP
- Zachary Hayes, PharmD, BCPS
Transplant Quality Assurance Supervisor:
- Angela Ball, MHA, CPHQ
Transplant Social Worker:
- Megan Mcpeak, LMSW