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.
Kathleen Ryan, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutrition Supervisor
Kathleen Ryan joined NYP as a Clinical Nutritionist in 2011 at the Columbia Campus. She transitioned to Westchester Behavioral Health Center as a Senior Clinical Nutrition in 2014 and was promoted to Supervisor, Clinical Nutrition Food Services in 2018. In 2022, Kathleen returned to the Columbia Campus as a Clinical Nutrition Supervisor. She received her B.S. in Culinary Nutrition from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, and completed both her Dietetic Internship and M.S. in Nutrition at Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey.
Kimberly De Lillo, MS, RD, CDN, CCTD
Senior Clinical Nutritionist - Transplant
Kimberly De Lillo is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian Nutritionist in the State of New York. She is also a Certified Clinical Transplant Dietitian (CCTD). She graduated with a B.S. in Nutrition from La Salle University, where she completed a coordinated Dietetic Internship program. She subsequently earned an M.S. in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. In her current position, she covers the heart transplant service.
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
Elizabeth Miracle received her Bachelors of Science in Dietetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and obtained her Masters of Science in Human Nutrition from the University of Alabama. Elizabeth completed her Dietetic Internship through ARAMARK Healthcare. She is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) and Certified as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO). She is trained on the use of a Low FODMAP diet by Monash University. Elizabeth specializes in gastrointestinal disease (GI), surgical oncology, and surgical nutrition support. She currently covers a GI/surgical oncology unit and the surgical intensive care unit (SICU).
Alexa Morrison, RD, CDN, CNSC
Senior Clinical Nutritionist
Alexa Morrison is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) who received her B.S. in Dietetics and completed her dietetic internship program through the University of Delaware. Alexa has been a cardiovascular dietitian with NYP for the past five years and currently covers cardiothoracic surgery, LVAD, interventional cardiology and vascular surgery services.
Melissa (Missi) Townsend, MS, RD, CDN
Senior Clinical Nutritionist
Missi Townsend is a Registered Dietitian who received her B.S. in Nutritional Sciences from The Pennsylvania State University. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, she completed a combined Dietetic Internship and Master’s Program at Tufts University and Tufts Medical Center. In her current position, she serves as a staff relief dietitian, primarily covering cardiology units.
Jennifer Cho, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist – Transplant
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 provides care for transplant patients in Liver, Ex-Vivo, Intestinal, Multivisceral programs.
Nina Franke, MPH, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Nina Franke has been with the NYP-Columbia inpatient nutrition team since September 2023. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics degree from Brescia University College/Western University in London, Ontario, Canada and obtained her Master of Public Health in Nutrition and Dietetics degree from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Nina is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) and specializes in critical care nutrition as well as cardiac and vascular disease. She currently covers a cardiology unit and two cardiac intensive care units.
Winterlyn Gamoso, MS, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Winterlyn Grace Gamoso is a Registered Dietitian who received her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition, as well as Masters of Science in Nutrition at Hunter College, City University of New York. She completed her Dietetic Internship through NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, then accepted a Nutrition Fellowship position at Columbia University Irving Medical Center before joining the department full-time. Winterlyn is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) and specializes in the care of oncology patients, as well as patients with gastrointestinal diseases. She currently covers the Bone Marrow Transplant unit (BMT) and a Surgical Stepdown Unit (SDU).
Sarah George MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Sarah is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutrition at Baylor University. She then went on to complete a combined Master of Science in Nutrition Program and Dietetic Internship at Texas Woman’s University. Sarah is currently working as a staff relief dietitian, covering primarily general medicine floors.
Amanda Herron, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist - Transplant
Amanda Herron received her Bachelors of Science in Dietetics at the University of Rhode Island and completed her combined Dietetic Internship and Masters of Science at The College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. She is currently the primary transplant dietitian for the adult kidney and pancreas solid organ transplant programs.
Qiaer (Cherish) Jin, MS RDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Cherish Jin is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. She graduated from Tufts University with dual-master’s degrees in nutrition and public health and completed her Dietetic Internship through Sodexo. She previously worked at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center as an ICU dietitian. Cherish currently serves as a staff relief dietitian at NYP-Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Emily LaFlame, MS, RD
Clinical Nutritionist
Emily joined NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center as a Registered Dietitian in October 2025. Before that, she completed my dietetic internship with the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Dietetic Internship Program in August 2025. Emily holds a Master’s in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Dietetics from Montclair State University and a Bachelor’s in Nutrition Science from Purdue University Global. In her current position, she covers general medicine units. Emily is dedicated to supporting patients in achieving their health goals and improving their quality of life through patient-centered care.
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
Jessica (Jessie) Melendez, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Jessica is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and went on to complete her Master of Science and Dietetic Internship at the University of North Florida. She has worked in both in-patient and out-patient settings, providing evidence-based medical nutrition therapy. At New York Presbyterian, Jessica supports a diverse patient population across the medical surgical units. She is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care that empowers patients to improve their health and well-being.
Nicole O’Brien, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Nicole O’Brien received her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Food Science with a Dietetics concentration from Montclair State University. She then went on to complete a combined Dietetic Internship and Masters of Science Program at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. Nicole joined the Clinical Nutrition department of NYP/Columbia in October of 2018. She is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) and covers a medicine unit and a medical intensive care unit (MICU).
Marissa Paladino, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Marissa Paladino is a Registered Dietitian who received a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition and Food Science with a Dietetics concentration from Montclair State University, where she also completed her Dietetic Internship with clinical training at Hackensack University Medical Center. Marissa currently covers neurology patients and the acute rehabilitation unit.
Rachael Pollak, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Rachael Pollak received her Bachelor of Arts in Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism and her Master of Science in Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University. She then completed her Dietetic Internship at NewYork-Presbyterian. Rachael is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) and currently covers neurology units including the Neurosurgical ICU and Neurosurgical step-down unit.
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 Master of Science in Food Technology from the Academy of Life Sciences in Poland and her Master of Science in Nutrition from Brooklyn College. Monika completed her didactic program in dietetics (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 NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia. Monika is currently working as a staff relief dietitian, covering primarily oncology units.
Siobhan Walsh, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist
Siobhan Walsh received a Master's of Science from Teachers College, Columbia University in Nutrition Education and completed the Dietetic Internship at Stony Brook University. Shortly after finishing the Dietetic Internship, Siobhan began working as an inpatient Clinical Dietitian covering General Medicine and Behavioral Health units. In 2024, she joined the Nutrition team at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center, primarily caring for General Medicine, Behavioral Health, and Oncology patients.
Leonora (Nora) Young, RD, CDN, CNSC
Clinical Nutritionist
Nora joined NYP Columbia University Irving Medical Center in February of 2024, previously working as a clinical nutritionist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. Nora completed her dietetic internship in June of 2005 at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics and had previously completed her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics at Brigham Young University. She is a Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC). Nora has an interest professional interest in nutrition support and critical care as well as inpatient oncology. Currently Nora is in a staff relief role.
Kristyna Zappasodi, MS, RD, CDN
Clinical Nutritionist – Kidney and Liver Transplant
Kristyna Zappasodi received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Nutrition and Food Science with a concentration in Dietetics from Montclair State University. She completed her Dietetic Internship through NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Following her internship, Kristyna accepted a position at Columbia University Irving Medical Center as a Clinical Nutritionist. She currently specializes in Kidney and Liver Transplant, providing comprehensive nutrition care to pre- and post-transplant patients.