Dr. Cohen is a research/program evaluation and program development consultant, and has more than 30 years experience both as a practicing clinician and applied researcher in the health services field. Dr. Cohen received a Ph.D. in human behavior/ clinical research psychology from the Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies at AdelphiUniversity. She went on for advanced clinical training and received a certificate from New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. In her work at the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter, Dr. Cohen assists in program and fund development, as well as research and program evaluation.
Dr. DiRocco is Chief of the Divison of Movement Disorders, the Director of the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter and Professor of Neurolgy at the NYU School of Medicine. Dr. DiRocco's main academic interest is in developing more effective treatments for Parkinson's disease and its motor, cognitive, and neuropsychological complications.
Rodica Draghici
Administrative Associate
Ms. Draghici is the Administrative Associate for the Center. She has been with the NYUMedicalCenter since 2000 and has been with the Center since its inception. Her experience, organizational skills and dedication to the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter are essential components in accomplishing our mission of excellence in patient care.
Dr. Ghilardi, a researcher and a neurologist by training, and her group is studying motor control and brain plasticity. In particular, their studies are focused on how the brain produces movements in normal human subjects and in patients with Parkinson and other neurological disorders. They have been investigating the interaction of non-motor processes with the motor system; how the memories that are relevant to movement execution are formed, preserved and destroyed and how they could be enhanced. They have found that sleep, in particular slow wave activity, plays an important role in the enhancement and disruption of these memories. Major goals of their research are: to define the specific mechanisms through which sleep enhances motor memories; to enhance motor memories by inducing slow wave activity sleep.
Dr. Gilbert recently joined the NYU Langone Parkinson and Movement Disorders Center as a Movement Disorders physician. She received her medical degree from Weill Medical College of Cornell University and also received a PhD in Cell Biology and Genetics at the Sloan Kettering Institute. She completed her residency in Neurology as well as a fellowship in Movement Disorders at ColumbiaUniversityMedicalCenter.
Director of Academic and Community-based Partnerships
Gladys González-Ramos, Ph.D., is Associate Professor at the NYU Silver School of Social Work and Adjunct Associate Professor of Neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. She received her Masters and Doctoral degrees in Social Work from NYU and holds certificates in psychotherapy. She has over 25 years of experience with a specialty in mental health and community-based care.Dr. González-Ramos has been part of the program development team since the inception of the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter. She also serves as a consultant with the National Parkinson Foundation on national educational and outreach programs. A recent publication with E. Cohen and R. Hagestuen is HealthConnect: A guide to community outreach.
Ruth Hagestuen, RN MA
Director
Ruth Hagestuen’s work with Parkinson’s disease began in 1987 where she worked as nurse and program director at the Methodist Hospital Parkinson’s Center which was renamed the the Struthers Parkinson’s Center in 1995.In July, 2000, Ruth joined the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) staff as National Program Director and remained with the Foundation as director of programs until July, 2009. Two signature programs initiated under her leadership are the Allied Team Training for Parkinson’s (ATTP) and the National Parkinson Care Network (NPCN). She continues as director of these two programs and consultant to the NPF. Ruth’s work with the NYU Parkinson’s and MovementDisordersCenter began in August, 2009
Dr. Hirsch is a graduate of the New York University School of Medicine. He also completed the double-board residency in neurology and psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. Dr. Hirsch is a Clinical Instructor of Neurology and Psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. He is particularly interested in understanding and treating mood and anxiety symptoms associated with Parkinson Disease, Tourette Disorder, and Alzheimer Disease. He provides individualized pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in combination with traditional neurological treatment. Dr. Hirsch also serves as Unit Chief of the Outpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at BellevueHospital. Current research includes investigating the effects of S-Adeonsyl-methionine in Parkinson’s Disease, including its use as an antidepressant.
Ms. Lemen is the Social Worker and Center Coordinator of the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter. She holds a master degree in social work from the NYU Silver School of Social Work and specializes in neurological conditions. Ms. Lemen is also the coordinator of the NYU/JCC Parkinson's Wellness Program and has developed fitness, educational and creativity programs for persons with Parkinson's and their families in partnership with the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.
Margaret M. Reilly, RN,BSN,MSN,APRN,BC
Nurse Practitioner
Ms. Reilly is a Nurse Practitioner at NYU Parkinson and Movement Disorders Center. She has over twenty five years of nursing experience with a diverse background including medicine, surgery, case management, clinical educator, research and oncology.She has a Master of Science in Nursing degree from St. Peter’s College in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Prior to joining the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter, Ms. Reilly was a nurse practitioner specializing in genitourinary cancers including prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancer at NYULangoneClinicalCancerCenter.She has published articles in Oncology Nursing Journals on Osteonecrosis of the Jaw and has been a presenter at National Conferences
Jenna L. Newham
Faculty Group Practice Assistant
Jenna Newham is the Faculty Group Practice Administrative Assistant for the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter. She has been working for the Center since the summer of 2009. Jenna enjoys interacting with our patients and is the person who communicates with them directly to help with any of their daily needs or questions. She is always happy to help in any way she can.
Edward C. Nunziato
Research Coordinator
Edward Nunziato graduated from New YorkUniversity with a concentration in medicine and culture. He has worked for the NYU School of Medicine since 2008. He joined the Parkinson’s and MovementDisordersCenter as a Research Coordinator in August 2009 after working as a Research Assistant for the director of the ComprehensiveStrokeCenter in the Department of Neurology. His research interests lie in neurological disorders and brain plasticity. He is currently working towards a Masters Degree in Biology at NYU.
Dr. Rice is a Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Physiology and Neuroscience at New York University School of Medicine. She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Kansas, with a focus on neurochemistry. Her NIH-funded laboratory studies factors that regulate the release of dopamine, the primary neurotransmitter system compromised in Parkinson Disease, as well as regulation of the electrophysiological activity of midbrain dopamine neurons and other neurons in the basal ganglia. Dr. Rice is affiliated with the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter through the NYU Center of Excellence on Aging and Dementia.
Dr. Rossi is a Clinical Instructor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the NYU/Rusk Institute of Rehabilitative Medicine and serves as the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter staff Physiatry consultant for outpatient and community Rehabilitative services. Dr. Rossi is a graduate of the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York University/The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation where he serves as clinical instructor. He is Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the RobertWoodJohnsonMedicalSchool. Dr. Rossi is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Sports Medicine. Among his areas of interest include Neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Musculoskeletal Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Integrative Medicine.
Dr. Varanese is a graduate of ChietiUniversity in Italy. She is completing the residency in the Department of Neurology in Chieti, where she was involved in the clinical care of patients with different types of Movement Disorders, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Bodies Disease, Multiple System Atrophy, Supranuclear Progressive Palsy, Cortico-basal Degeneration, Huntington’s Disease, dystonia and dementia. She was also involved as sub-investigator in several trials on new drugs for Parkinson’s disease. Her research interest is focused on the cognitive and electrophysiological disturbances in parkinsonism. She is now attending the NYU Parkinson and MovementDisordersCenter as an Assistant Research Scientist.
