Columbia University Irving Medical Center Nutrition Staff

Kelly Krikhely, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutrition Manager
Kelly Krikhely joined NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center as Clinical Nutrition Supervisor in 2020, and was promoted to her current role of Clinical Nutrition Manager in 2021. Prior to joining NYP, she worked at Mount Sinai Hospital for many years, in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, strengthening her clinical skillset and developing a specialty in gastrointestinal disorders. Kelly also currently serves as an adjunct professor teaching Clinical Nutrition at New York University. She holds an MS in Nutrition and Dietetics from New York University, and completed her clinical training at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Jeong Ho, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Senior Clinical Nutritionist
Jeong Ho is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Korea and completed a combined Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition and AP4 field experience program at New York University, Beth Israel Medical Center, and Manhattan VA Medical Center. She joined Columbia University Iriving Medical Center in 1993 and has provided nutritional care for various patient populations including medicine, cardiac, oncology, ICU, transplant (inpatient & outpatient), and rehabilitation. She currently covers a medicine unit, medical intensive care unit (MICU), and indirect calorimetry consults.

Elizabeth Miracle, MS, RD, CSO, CDN, CNSC
Senior Clinical Nutritionist

Megan O’Neill, MA, RD, CSP, CDN
Senior Clinical Nutritionist
Megan O’Neill has been a dietitian for over 8 years. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Coordinated Dietetic Internship Program at La Salle University in 2012. Megan graduated with a Master of Arts in Nutrition Education and Counseling from Immaculata University in 2017. Before joining the staff, Megan worked as a Pediatric dietitian for 7 years at Nemours/AI DuPont Hospital for Children and currently is a Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition (CSP). Megan is currently working as a staff relief dietitian in cardiology.

Kimberly Stein, MS, RD, CDN, CCTD
Senior Clinical Nutritionist - Transplant
Kimberly Stein is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian Nutritionist in the State of New York. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition from La Salle University, where she completed a coordinated Dietetic Internship program. She also has a Master of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. She is currently a Certified Clinical Transplant Dietitian (CCTD). In her current position, she covers the heart transplant service and the living kidney/liver donor program.

Emily Bunyon, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Emily Bunyon received her Bachelors of Science in Integrative Neuroscience at the State University of New York at Binghamton with a minor in Health and Wellness. After completing her undergraduate degree, she went on to pursue her Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition at New York University. Emily completed her Dietetic Internship through Northwell Health while completing final coursework for her Masters degree. Emily joined NYP/Columbia in August 2020 and currently covers general medicine and inpatient psychiatric units.

Gina Campanella, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Gina Campanella is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist in the State of New York. Gina earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University and went on to complete her DPD coursework at Lehman College. Gina completed her Dietetic Internship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and then went on to a fellowship program with a focus in Oncology and Nutrition Support before joining the team at NYP/Columbia.

Jennifer Cho, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Jennifer Cho is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Sciences and Biology at Cornell University and a combined Dietetic Internship and Masters Program at Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center. At NYP/Columbia, she currently covers the Cardiac Thoracic ICU, LVAD and Vascular services.

Kelsey Downey, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Kelsey Downey is a Registered Dietitian who earned a bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales University, majoring in Culinary Nutrition, with concentrations in Clinical Dietetics and Food Science. She then completed her Dietetic Internship at Tulane University. At NYP/Columbia, Kelsey currently covers in-patient Neurology and Acute Rehabilitation.

Tara Duggan, MS, RD, CSO, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Tara Duggan is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist in the State of New York. She received her Bachelors of Science in Dietetics from The State University of New York at Oneonta and went on to complete a combined Dietetic Internship and Masters of Science in Nutrition Program at The College of Saint Elizabeth. At NYP/Columbia, Tara currently covers a medical oncology and surgical step-down unit.

Alexa Favorito, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Alexa Favorito is a Registered Dietitian who received her Bachelors of Science in Dietetics from The University of Delaware and completed her Dietetic Internship through the University of Delaware’s distance learning program. Alexa is currently covering a Cardiac Care ICU and the Interventional Cardiology unit at NYP/Columbia.

Sarah Francolino, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Sarah Francolino is a Registered Dietitian who graduated from Drexel University. She completed her dietetic internship at Montclair State University in 2016. She is currently taking classes to obtain her Master’s degree in Human Nutrition with The University of Alabama distance learning program. She currently covers the surgical oncology floor.

Amanda Januszanis, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist - Transplant

Brenda Klein, MS, RD, CDN, CDE
Clinical Nutritionist - Transplant
Brenda Klein has provided nutrition care to several patient populations over the course of her tenure with the Clinical Nutrition Department at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital but most recently has covered the Transplant program. She received her Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University, and then completed her Dietetic Internship program at New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston. Brenda enjoys providing education to patients, which has been enhanced by becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator

Nicole Kuerzi, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Nicole Kuerzi received her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition with a concentration in Dietetics from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Nicole completed her Dietetic Internship through NewYork- Presbyterian Hospital and was selected to complete a fellowship in Medicine and Nutrition Support at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Nicole chose to end her fellowship early to accept a position at NYP/Columbia as a Clinical Nutritionist. She currently covers the Neurosurgical ICU and a Neurosurgical step-down unit.

Nicole O’Brien, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist

Margarita Radoulova, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Margarita Radoulova is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist in State of New York. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, Foods and Nutrition at Herbert H. Lehman College - City University of New York, where she also completed her combined Masters of Science and Dietetic Internship Program. At NYP/Columbia Margarita is currently covering Cardiology units and a Cardiac Care ICU.

Monika Tess, MS, RDN, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Monika Tess received her Masters of Science in Food Technology from Academy of Life Sciences in Poland and her second Masters of Science in Nutrition from Brooklyn College. Monika completed her DPD coursework at Hunter College before completing her Dietetic Internship through NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. After graduating, she completed an Adult Nutrition Support Nutrition Fellowship at NYP/Columbia. Monika is currently working as a staff relief dietitian on medicine units.

Melissa (Missi) Townsend, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Missi Townsend is a Registered Dietitian who received her Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University. Following completion of her undergraduate degree, she completed a combined Dietetic Internship and Masters Program at Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center. At NYP/Columbia she primarily covers a cardiology units and a cardiothoracic ICU.

Lindsay Wengler, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Lindsay Wengler is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist in State of New York. She originally received her Bachelor of Arts from the Evergreen State College where she focused her studies on business management and then returned to school to study nutrition and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Dietetics from San Francisco State University. She most recently obtained her Master of Science Degree in Clinical Nutrition. Lindsay completed her Dietetic Internship and Fellowship with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Lindsay currently primarily covers Oncology units.