Pharmacy director
Michael McDonough, BS, MS
Michael McDonough is the Director of Pharmacy at North Shore University Hospital. He received his BS and MS from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy. His areas of experience are in Pharmacy Administration, Pharmacy Automation and Technology and Pediatrics.
Program director
Michele Graci, BS, PharmD
Dr. Graci is a clinical pharmacy coordinator and is currently the PGY1 residency program director. She received her BS in 1995 and PharmD in 2001 from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and has been with the North Shore University Pharmacy Department since 1999.
Dr. Graci currently is the co-chair of the Committee for Safe Medication Practices and previously served as the residency coordinator since its commencement in 2007. Additionally, she serves as a preceptor for the administration rotation. Dr. Graci is also an active member of the Long Island Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Preceptors
Samrah Ahmad, PharmD, BCPS, CACP, BCOP
Dr. Ahmad is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System.
Prior to joining North Shore University Hospital, Dr. Ahmad was an anticoagulation specialist at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. She currently maintains a clinical pharmacy practice with the Hematopoietic Stem Cell transplant service both inpatient and outpatient. She has an interest in anticoagulation, hematologic malignancies and stem cell transplant.
Svetlana Akbasheva, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Akbasheva is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in internal medicine, with a focus on heart failure/cardiology. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital.
Judith L. Beizer, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF
Dr. Beizer is a tenured clinical professor at St. John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She received her bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and then earned her PharmD from the University of Tennessee.
After pursuing a residency in clinical pharmacy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Beizer completed a fellowship in geriatric pharmacy at Montefiore Medical Center. She is a past president of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and was the 2001 recipient of the ASCP Richard S. Berman service award and the 2016 recipient of the George F. Archambault Award, the highest honor from ASCP. Dr. Beizer currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Geriatrics Society and is a member of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Nadine Breslin, PharmD
Dr. Breslin is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in solid organ transplantation. She received her PharmD from MCPHS University. She completed her PGY1 and PGY2 at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, specializing in solid organ transplantation. At New York-Presbyterian Hospital she practiced with the pediatric solid organ transplant programs (kidney, heart, liver, small bowel and multivisceral). Currently, she practices with the renal and liver transplant programs, managing patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Sebastian Choi, PharmD
Dr. Choi is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in internal medicine and bariatric surgery. He received his PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital and an ASHP-accredited PGY2 geriatrics residency at the LECOM School of Pharmacy/Millcreek Community Hospital. Dr. Choi is also serving as the Secretary for the Long Island Society of Health-System Pharmacists for 2020-2021.
Valerie Demekhin, Pharm.D., BCCCP, BCPS
Dr. Demekhin participates in multidisciplinary patient care rounds and provides pharmacotherapy services in the cardiothoracic critical care unit (CT-ICU). Dr. Demekhin precepts PGY-1 pharmacy residents for the elective rotation, CT-ICU. In addition, she is a member of critical care and heart transplant committees. Dr. Demekhin is an active member within American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP), New York City Society of Health-System Pharmacists (NYSCHP) and Royal Counties Society of Health System Pharmacists (RCHSP). She serves as a journal review for Journal of Pharmacy Practice and has presented on topics such as pulmonary arterial hypertension, management of toxicological emergencies (calcium channel and beta blockers overdose, role of lipids in toxicology world, sulfonylurea overdose, et.al.), management of hypertensive urgencies and emergencies, therapeutic hypothermia, sepsis and stroke.
Dr. Demekhin’s areas of interest include toxicology, sedation, infectious diseases, stroke, and surgery/neurosurgery, heart transplant and cardiology.
Amrita Henneman, PharmD, BCOP
Dr. Henneman is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in oncology. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency and an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in hematology/oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Prior to joining North Shore University Hospital, Dr. Henneman practiced with the stem cell transplant and multiple myeloma programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Currently she practices with the hematology oncology service.
Gregory J. Hughes, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
Dr. Hughes is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Health Professions at St. John’s University. He received his PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
He completed a PGY1 pharmacy residency in the St. Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and served as a Clinical Instructor at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy prior to joining the St. John’s University faculty. Dr. Hughes provides clinical instruction for pharmacy students and residents on a hospitalist-led Internal Medicine service.
Sumeet Jain, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Jain is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in infectious diseases. He received his PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, then went on to complete a PGY2 pharmacy residency specializing in infectious diseases at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
Nicholas Jandovitz, PharmD
Dr. Jandovitz is the supervising pharmacist for solid organ transplant. He received his PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital and an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in solid organ transplant at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. At NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital he practiced for a year with the pediatric solid organ transplant programs (kidney, heart, liver and small bowel) and a year with the adult renal/pancreas transplant program. Currently he practices with the renal and liver transplant programs and oversees the heart transplant program.
Rubiya Kabir, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Kabir is the Assistant Director for Clinical Pharmacy Services & Education and the PGY2 Pharmacotherapy residency Program Director. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital.
After completing her training, Dr. Kabir practiced in the medical and surgical intensive care units for eight years prior to her current role. Additionally, she has been involved in developing the antimicrobial stewardship and the pharmacy technician driven medication history programs in the hospital.
Dr. Kabir is also an active member of the Long Island Society of Health-system Pharmacists and a past president.
Chung-Shien Lee, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCOP
Dr. Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Health Professions at St. John’s University. He received his PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital and an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in oncology at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Lee currently provides clinical pharmacy services at Monter Cancer Center.
Susan Lee, PharmD, BCPS, CDE
Dr. Lee is a specialist pharmacist practicing in hepatology. She received her PharmD from St. John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at North Shore University Hospital.
She currently maintains a clinical pharmacy practice in the ambulatory care setting in hepatology.
Amanda Lin, PharmD, BCPS, BCCP
Dr. Lin is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in the neurosurgical critical care unit (NSCU). She received her PharmD from the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at LIU. She completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, as well as a PGY2 internal medicine residency at University Pittsburgh Medical Center, Presbyterian Shadyside.
Evelyn Luo, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Dr. Luo is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in critical care. She received her BS in pharmacy from Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Long Island University and PharmD from St .John’s University College of Pharmacy. She completed an ASHP-accredited PGY1 pharmacy at Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center and an ASHP-accredited PGY2 critical care residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.
She currently maintains a clinical pharmacy practice in the medical and surgical intensive care units.
Nissa Mazzola, PharmD, CDE
Dr. Mazzola is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Health Professions at St. John’s University. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in medical education before joining St. John's as an instructor in the pharmacy practice laboratory.
Dr. Mazzola later transitioned to a faculty position with a practice site at the General Internal Medicine Ambulatory Clinic at North Shore University Hospital, where she maintains clinical pharmacy practice in internal medicine, specializing in managing and educating patients with diabetes.
Loyce Mol, PharmD, AAHIVP, BCACP
Dr. Mol is a Pharmacy specialist in Ambulatory care/HIV in the Infectious Disease outpatient clinic. She obtained both her BS and Pharm D from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy in Houston Texas. She went on to complete a PGY-1 residency at Brookdale University hospital medical center in Brooklyn NY focusing on am care and administrative management.
Dr. Mol’s work is focused on medication adherence and collaboration of healthcare between physicians, patients and pharmacy utilizing her CDTM agreement with the 17 physicians who provide service in the clinic.
Michele Pisano, PharmD, BCGP, CDE
Dr. Pisano is an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Health Professions at St. John’s University. She received her PharmD from St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Ortho-Biotech, a Johnson & Johnson company. She stayed in industry as a medical science liaison in the cardiometabolic arena before transitioning to an ambulatory care role at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.
Dr. Pisano later moved to a faculty position with a practice site at Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic at North Shore University Hospital, where she sees complex patients alongside an interdisciplinary team.
Patricia Saunders-Hao, PharmD, BCPS (AQ-ID)
Dr. Saunders-Hao is a clinical pharmacy coordinator practicing in the area of infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship. She received her PharmD from the University of Florida. She completed an ASHP-accredited PGY-1 pharmacy residency at Hartford Hospital and an ASHP-accredited PGY-2 infectious diseases residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Prior to joining North Shore University Hospital, Dr. Saunders-Hao was an infectious diseases clinical pharmacist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY and was the residency program director for the Touro College of Pharmacy/Mount Sinai Hospital PGY-2 infectious diseases residency. Currently, she is involved in antimicrobial stewardship initiatives throughout the hospital and is a member of the system Antimicrobial Stewardship Task Force Committee.
