The Faculty at the Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState Medical Center oversees a groundbreaking program that offers residents training for the future of family medicine. They are experienced in building successful family medicine practices and have been published in respected journals, including the Swanson Family Medicine Review.
Maria F. Ciminelli, MD, FAAFP
- Program Director, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Cornell University, 1992
- Graduate of UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, 1996
- Co-Chief Resident, UMDNJ-RWJMS Family Medicine Residency Program, completed 1999
- Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine since 1999
- Secretary, New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, 2015-2016
- New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians Family Physician of the Year, 2016
- Treasurer, New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, 2016-2017
- Vice President, New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, 2017-2018
- President, New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, 2019-2021
- Board Chair, New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians, 2021-2023
- Chair, CentraState Medical Center Credentials Committee, 2012-present
- Vice Chair, Rutgers Health/RWJMS Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, 2021-present
Special Interests: Evidence-Based Medicine, Adolescent Medicine, Pediatrics, and curriculum development
“One of the things I always like to tell people is how much I really love my job. I love everything that I’m able to do in a day, between taking care of patients and teaching residents and modeling what a fulfilling career family medicine can be for someone,” said Maria F. Ciminelli, MD, FAAFP.
Learn more about Dr. Ciminelli by reading the featured article in “Robert Wood Johnson Medicine.”
Hammad Abdelquader, MD, FAAFP
- Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Rutgers University, 2009
- Graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine, 2016
- Co-Chief Resident, Rutgers RWJMS Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState, 2018-2019
- Board Certified in Family Medicine, 2019
Special Interests: Prevention and wellness, academic medicine, simulation training, POCUS, culinary medicine
Nicole Castro, MD
- Instructor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Providence College, 2010
- Graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, 2018
- Residency, Rutgers RWJMS Family Medicine Residency at CentraState, completed 2021
- Board Certified in Family Medicine, 2021
Special Interests: Medical Acupuncture, Aesthetic Medicine, Prevention and Wellness
Carol C. Christofilis, PsyD, ABPP
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Director of Behavioral Health, Family Medicine, RWJMS
- Graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans, 1991
- Graduated with PsyD from Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 2001
- Clinical Internship at Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, West Brentwood, NY, 2000
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist in NJ and PA
- Board Certified in Clinical Psychology since 2022
Special Interests: Cognitive behavioral therapy use in primary care setting and physician well-being.
Alicia Dermer, MD, FABM, IBCLC
- Clinical Associate Professor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1977
- Residency, University of Toronto, 1977-80; UMDNJ-RWJMS 1983-85
- Board certified in family medicine 1985; recertified 1991, 1998, 2005
- Certified, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners 1995; recertified 2005
- Fellow of Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, 2003
- Clinical associate professor, Department of Family Medicine, UMDNJ-RWJMS
- Past president of New Jersey Breastfeeding Task Force
Special Interests: Prevention and wellness, breastfeeding, human lactation
Zeeshan Khan, MD, FAAFP, CMD
- Associate Professor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Chair, Department of Family Medicine, CentraState Medical Center, 2023-present
- Graduate of Rutgers University, 2007
- Graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, 2013
- Residency, Rutgers RWJMS Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState, completed 2016
- Fellow in geriatric medicine, CentraState Medical Center, 2016-2017
- Board Certified in Family Medicine since 2016
Special Interests: Geriatrics, long-term care, complementary and alternative medicine
Joshua J. Raymond, MD, MPH, CMD, FAAFP
- Director, Geriatric Fellowship Program, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Medical Director, The Manor Health and Rehabilitation Center, 2007-Present
- Chair, Department of Family Medicine, CentraState Medical Center 2019-2023
- Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine, CentraState Medical Center, 2017-2019
- Graduate of Jefferson Medical College, 1996
- Fellow in geriatric medicine, UMDNJ-RWJMS, 1999-2000
- Professor of medicine, Rutgers Health/RWJMS, since 2022
- Associate professor of medicine, UMDNJ-RWJMS, 2018-2022
- Assistant professor of medicine, UMDNJ-RWJMS, 2001-2018
- Certificate of added qualification in geriatrics, 2000
- Certified medical director, American Medical Directors Association, 2004
- Master of Public Health, Tulane University School of Public Health, 1991
- Board Certified in family medicine, geriatric medicine, and palliative care
Special Interests: Long-term care, healthcare policy
Lynn Schwenzer, MHSA
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University, 1981
- Graduate of George Washington University, School of Government and Business, 1985
Special Interests: Practice management, health policy, healthcare delivery and systems, physician competence in business and finance, program development
Anand Shah, MD
- Instructor, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Drew University, 2009
- Graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine, 2017
- Residency, Rutgers RWJMS Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState, completed 2021
- Co-Chief Resident, Rutgers RWJMS Family Medicine Residency Program at CentraState, 2020-2021
- Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine, Rutgers RWJMS at CentraState, completed 2022
- Board Certified in Family Medicine, 2021
Special Interests: Geriatric medicine, MAT therapy, prevention and wellness
Taru Sinha, MD, FAAFP
- Associate Program Director, Family Medicine, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Associate Professor, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of Delhi Public School, RK Puram, New Delhi, 1986
- Graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College, University of Delhi, 1991
- Residency in family medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, JFK Medical Center, 1998
- Fellowship in Faculty Development, Medical College of Wisconsin, 2001
- Course Director for Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics program
- Only family physician with dual accreditation in the Departments of Family Medicine/Internal Medicine and Obstetrics
- Board Certified in Family Medicine
Special Interests: Maternity care
Steve Weintraub, DO
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Rutgers Health/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
- Graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, 1985
- Graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1989
- Residency in family medicine, UMDNJ – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1993
- Fellowship in sports medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1995
- Board Certified in Family Medicine
- Certificate of added qualifications in Sports Medicine
Special Interests: Sports medicine
Liz Donahue, RN, BSN
- Residency Clinical Care Coordinator
- Graduate of Ann May School of Nursing, 1989
- Graduate of Seton Hall University, 2002
- Management roles in med-surg, orthopedics, diabetes, and wound care/hyperbaric therapy, Meridian Health System
- Experience in oncology nursing and hospice
- National certification, Oncology Nursing Society, 1990
Christine Easton, C-TAGME
- Family Medicine Residency and Geriatric Fellowship Program Coordinator
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, Connecticut College
- TAGME certified 2017