Our Medical Team

 

Sandra L. Hollander, MD, FACP : Nora D. Hogan, MSN, RN, APN-C, AOCNP

Carolyn Ruef, RN, BSN,OCN, HCN, APN-C
Laura Freire, RN, BSN, OCN : Bobbi Pedrick, RN, CHTP-I, CMS

 

Sandra L. Hollander, MD, FACP, is Medical Director of Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group.  Board certified in both hematology and oncology, she was formerly Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Hollander also served as the Director for the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Atlantic City Medical Center.  Named as one of New Jersey’s Top Doctors by New Jersey Monthly in 2001, she has been listed in Guide to America’s Top Physicians (Consumer Research Council of America) for the last several years. 
Dr. Hollander is the daughter of Dr. Maxwell Gordon, developer of the major cancer drug Cis-Platinum for Bristol Myers. With him, she co-authored a paper that appeared in the Journal of Medicine.  That paper, as well as her latest case report published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, are displayed on the practice walls.  Her varied publications in hematology and oncology, combined with her dedication to academic activity and community service while continuing to practice clinical medicine, earned her the award of Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Hollander completed a master’s degree program in pathology which included research on blood clotting mechanisms in association with malignancy.  This work, along with her training in hematology, has contributed to her expertise in treating anemias, clotting problems and other hematological diseases.  Dr. Hollander also provides intravenous (IV) infusion therapies for patients with many other conditions and for patients whose physicians do not offer those services.
Above all, Dr Hollander is dedicated to her family of patients and focuses on what is best for each individual.  Many times she can be found consulting and collaborating with world renowned physicians at university medical centers around the country for second opinions . She implements state of the art chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and/or monoclonal antibody therapy protocols which she tailors for each cancer patient.  Dr Hollander is constantly vigilant on the newest treatments available and works closely within the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. 
By transforming her practice of clinical oncology into an integrative oncology practice, Dr. Hollander helps to address patients’ total mind, body, and spirit needs. She has orchestrated the hiring of clinical staff who treat the whole patient, and her team includes many complementary practitioners dedicated to giving the best quality of life to her patient family. Dr Hollander was closely involved with the holistic, patient-centric design and decoration of the entire medical center, from choosing the calming blue wall colors to actually creating most of the original artwork on them.
Besides being a loving and supportive wife, Dr. Hollander also enjoys being an artist, creating crafts, swimming, dancing and learning foreign languages.

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Nora D. Hogan, MSN, RN, APN-C, AOCNP is Board-certified as an Advanced Practice Nurse and an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner. She has worked in the oncology field since 2001, having served previously as a surgical nurse for 11 years in Danbury, Connecticut, where she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies.  Nora is active in the local South Jersey Shore Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) chapter, and regularly attends their annual conferences to keep on the cutting edge of today’s cancer care.  She also embraces the integrative approch to patient treatment and recently attended the First International Conference of Integrative Oncology.  Her prescription for a balanced life includes surfing --the waters, the highway (motorcycle) and the internet.

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Carolyn Ruef, RN, BSN,OCN, HCN, APN-C is Board-certified as an Advanced Practice Nurse, an Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner and the originator of integrative services for Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group. She is also certified in holistic nursing and massage therapy.  With her vast background in oncology nursing, her insatiable thirst for knowledge, and her focus on incorporating complementary therapies into clinical oncology, Carolyn is an indispensable part of the AHOG team.
Past President of the local Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) chapter, Carolyn has worked as head nurse of outpatient oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia and has trained at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in pain and palliative care under the supervision of department chair Dr. Ann Berger.  She is also certified as a Cancer Guide with the Center for Mind Body Medicine, under the supervision of Dr James Gordon.  Trained in Reiki and Raindrop Therapy, Carolyn regularly assists patients with these modalities.

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Our Clinical Team

Laura Freire, RN, BSN, OCN : Bobbi Pedrick, RN, CHTP-I, CMS

 

Nurses

Laura Freire, RN, BSN, OCN is highly skilled as an Oncology Certified Nurse with experience treating patients in both the United Kingdom and the United States.  An active member of the Oncology Nursing Society and President of its South Jersey Shore Chapter, she has attended many comprehensive cancer care conferences.  Laura was a past speaker at Main Line Health’s cancer course, Oncologic Emergencies.  She is also certified as a healing touch practitioner and trained in aromatherapy.

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Bobbi Pedrick, RN, CHTP-I, CMS, a Registered Nurse since 1961, has many years of experience in a variety of areas including operating room, behavioral health and home care. She is a charter member of Healing Touch International, through which she has been a certified Healing Touch Practitioner and Instructor since 1996.  She utilizes Healing Touch in her practice and has found it useful in virtually all settings including the hospital, nursing homes, and home care. A Certified Meditation Specialist, she is also certified in Interactive Imagery, which she incorporates into her day-to-day care giving. She is a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association.  Prior to joining Atlantic Hematoloy Oncology in 2003, she spent 16 years as an operating room nurse and 12 years in hospital psychiatric units.  A wonderfully holistic nurse who has been doing energy healing work since 1988, she attended classes in healing energy at the Findhorn spiritual community in Scotland. 

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Our Medical Assistants

 

Simone Boragine, MA : Chrissy Spizzica, CMAPT

 

Simone Boragine, MA, has been a Medical Assistant and phlebotomist with Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group since 2005.  She comes from a long line of healers (starting with her great grandmother, who specialized in Brazilian herbal therapy), and most of her family members are oncologists or other medical specialists.  After spending 16 years in business management, Simone became interested in integrative medicine when acupuncture treatments helped her recover from injuries sustained in an auto accident.  With five years experience as an acupuncture assistant, Simone is also a massage therapist, a third level Reiki Master, and a certified neuroacoustic therapist. Simone is passionate about energy healing, and all of her holistic experience translates into the way she works with each individual patient as an advocate and supporter.  Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, she interprets for the Spanish-speaking patients in the practice.  The beautiful coral reef and salt water fish tank in the waiting room are gifts from Simone.

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Chrissy Spizzica, CMAPT, is Front Desk Team Leader, as well as a Certified Medical Assistant and phlebotomy technician. She draws blood in the laboratory, does all patient insurance precertifications, assists the nurse practitioners, and schedules patient testing: “I’m everywhere!” She has worked in the medical field since 2000, previously in a private practice in Vineland, New Jersey, before joining Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group in 2002.  She is a mother of three, including Abigail, the practice mascot, who offers “baby therapy” to all clients free of charge.

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Our Integrative Team

 

Barbara Coloe, LCSW : Janine Hum, CMT, NCBTMB
Bobbi Pedrick, RN, CHTP-I, CMS
Susan Silberstein, PhD : Diana Eskridge, CMT

 

Simone Boragine (see Clinical Team above)

 

Barbara Coloe, LCSW, a Licensed Social Worker, completed two years training at Women’s Health Consortium of the University of California at Berkeley in 1978 and received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Temple University in 1980.  For nine years until 2007, she served as Assistant Professor of Human Services at Atlantic Cape Community College.  Certified in clinical hypnotherapy and Jungian dream analysis, Ms. Coloe is studying Neuro-Linguistic Programming.  A psychotherapist in private clinical practice since 1980, she has worked at Atlantic Hematology Oncology since 2006, mostly helping patients with guided imagery.

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Janine Hum, CMT, NCBTMB, is a Certified Massage Therapist. A member of the American Massage Therapy Association, she is also Certified by the National Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.   A 2006 graduate of the Seashore Healing Arts Center in Somers Point, New Jersey, she has been working at Atlantic Hematology Oncology since 2007 and is a specialist in cancer and mastectomy massage.  When not working, Jen enjoys jazz, reading, folk art, and culinary arts.

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Bobbi Pedrick, RN, CHTP-I, CMS (see Clinical Team above)

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Susan Silberstein, PhD, is Founder of the Center for Advancement in Cancer Education and has served as its Executive Director since 1977.  An international speaker on nutrition, cancer prevention, and complementary and alternative medicine, she lectures frequently for medical and nursing schools, oncology nursing continuing education programs, patient groups, hospitals, and other organizations.
Former Director of the Integrative Program for Cancer Prevention at the Newtown Medical Center in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Silberstein has also served as Educational Advisor to the National Foundation for Alternative Medicine, as trainer for Ultimate Health Group, and as consultant for various other clinical and educational facilities. A frequent contributing writer and interviewee for numerous health publications, she is featured in Evaluating Alternative Cancer Therapies (Rutgers University Press), Potentiating Health/The Crisis of the Immune System (Plenum Publishing) and in Cancer Report: The Latest Research in Psychoneuroimmunology (Change Your World Press).
Silberstein is the author of the recipe book Hungry for Health, creator of the video Breast Cancer: The Diet Connection, and editor of Immune Perspectives magazine.  She has coordinated scores of health conferences, has appeared on hundreds of radio and television talk shows, and has coached more than 20,000 cancer patients.  A Phi Beta Kappa and Fulbright scholar, she is the recipient of numerous awards for her continuing work in cancer education.

Since 2003, Dr. Silberstein has shared her educational and consulting expertise with Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group, where she provides diet and lifestyle counseling for patient support during and after treatment.

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Diana Eskridge, CMT is a New Jersey State Certified Massage Therapist. A 2007 graduate of the Atlantic County Healing Arts Institute in Mays Landing, New Jersey, she is certified in Swedish, Therapeutic, Hot Stone and Deep Tissue massage modalities. Diana is a member of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. She has performed over 100 hours of Swedish/chair massage and has pursued continuing education in acupressure, pre-natal massage and aromatherapy.

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Our Administrative Team

 

Mal Hollander : Anne E. Broadbent, CPC, CCP-P : Jamie Sohda
Deborah Eilenberg : Nina (Margaret Mary) Riggio : Carol Senecal
Chrissy Spizzica
 

Mal Hollander is our Practice Administrator, orchestrating its various departments, policies and programs. He brings to Atlantic Hematology Oncology and to the medical community at large a vision of a truly integrative oncology practice, as well as a broad range of experience with medical systems and innovative clinical programs. He has attended many conferences on Integrative Cancer Care and completed an observership at the NIH department of pain and palliative care.
Mr. Hollander’s advocacy on the part of patients and the medical care system in general has helped to make a beneficial difference in the care of our patients.
Enthusiastic about incorporating the vast benefits of Neuroacoustic Science to our practice, Mr. Hollander has also recently become Chief Financial Officer of the Center for Neuroacoustic Research. He is a founding Board Member and Development Committee Chair of the Electronic Medical Record Xchange – South Jersey (EMRX-SJ), a new non-profit organization formed to design and implement a southern New Jersey Regional Health Information Organization
He was Founding Trustee, past Treasurer, and former Board of Directors member of the New Jersey Society of Oncology Managers, and has been very active with the Medical Society of New Jersey for many years.  He has served in capacities from being a Board Member of the Society and President of the state and county alliance, to Chairman of the Medical Practice Managers Section.  He is also active in the national American Medical Association Alliance (AMAA), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) Capitol Clubs.
Hollander served on several legislative and bioethics committees at the state level.   Past President of the At1antic Cape Chapter of The Professional Association of Hea1th Care Office Management (PAHCOM), he was a member of their Ethics and Legislative Committees on the national level.  He is also very active in the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) and their Administrators in Hematology Oncology Association (AHOA).  He was a founding member of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a group that is fighting to preserve the quality and funding of Cancer Care Delivery in Medicare. 
Mr. Hollander has over 20 years of experience as an executive in the specialty chemical and materials industry serving the pharmaceutical, electronic, optical and military sectors.  His outside interests include international trade of specialty chemicals, bulk pharmaceuticals and high tech materials; photography, and flying. He welcomes feedback on the various programs offered at the practice and values patient comments and suggestions. 

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Anne E. Broadbent, CPC, CCP-P, is a Certified Professional Coder and Certified Compliance Professional Provider.  She codes charts for level of service, procedures, and diagnoses.  She is also trained to oversee compliance with HIPAA (the national Health Insurance Provider Accountability Act) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).  Recently relocated back to New Jersey from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, she loves reading and walking. 

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Jamie Sohda serves as Administrative Assistant to the Practice Administrator and Patient Account Representative.   She coordinates the functions and duties of the front desk and clinical staff and makes sure that charges are adequately reimbursed to the practice.  She has been active in health care for over 20 years, first as a nurse and later as a healthcare  administrator. She has found her time at Atlantic Hematology Oncology Group to be very challenging and rewarding and takes great pleasure in meeting the widely diverse needs of our patients and staff.

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Deborah Eilenberg is a Patient Account Representative and is highly skilled in assisting our patients in all issues involving their insurance.  A billing department specialist, Deb has 20 years of experience in working with health insurance.  She worked for Prudential Healthcare for nine years as a Claims Examiner and Customer Services Representative specializing in chemotherapy and Medicare cases.  Her expertise is in providing assistance with problems often encountered when dealing with insurance companies or when insurance is lacking.  This experience is rounded out with her intensive experience in the medical setting.  At the Cooper Cancer Institute, she worked closely with doctors, nurses, pharmacists and patients to insure that insurance issues were properly addressed.  Deb balances her life with raising her two sons and participating actively in her church.  She is skilled in photography and baking and is proud to be the office chocoholic. 

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Nina (Margaret Mary) Riggio is our Billing Coordinator.  She manages and oversees all commercial insurance accounts receivable as well as patient accounts.  Before joining Atlantic Hematology Oncology in 2006, she worked as a legal secretary for workmen’s compensation and managed various medical facilities for over 20 years.  To offset her “type A” personality, she loves cooking, baking, reading, church-going, and being Grandmom to nine.

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Carol Senecal, our Receptionist, managed a private psychiatric office for five years prior to joining Atlantic Hematology Oncology. Here, her job is to schedule patient appointments with our practitioners, schedule laboratory work and testing, handle all referrals, and check patients out of the office after their appointments.   Outside of the office, her hobbies include breeding and showing her dogs as well as her seven grandchildren.

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Chrissy Spizzica (see Clinical Team above)

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