Our Team

Our professional team makes every effort to provide a concierge service. They will make all the necessary appointments including making sure you receive the necessary services indicated for your specific illness. They will assist you with all aspects of surgical scheduling, appointments including consultative services (cardiology, pain management and neurology) and referrals to physical therapy and for spinal imaging. In addition, we have dedicated professionals who will deal with your insurance provider. Our experienced team is here to help alleviate the stresses of dealing with a medical illness.

Cheryl Conwell, DNP

Nurse Practitioner

Cheryl has over 20 years of experience as a nurse practitioner.  She received her BSN and MSN at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, NY.  In 2009, she went back to school to obtain her Doctorate of Nursing Practice at The University of Medicine and Dentistry. In 2016, she started working for Dr. Girardi. Since her addition, she has contributed enormously to the continued success of the practice. Cheryl is licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida. When Cheryl is not assisting patients she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Andrea Botting

Surgical Scheduler

Andrea has been with Dr. Girardi since 2014. She came to us after working as a coordinator for sports medicine at HSS. She has more than 10 years as a surgical coordinator. Her job is to schedule your surgical procedure and work with you to ensure your pre-op process is stress free. In her free time she loves spending time with her husband and 4-year-old son.

Ebony Martin

Administrative Assistant

Ebony has been with Dr. Girardi since 2014. Her role is to act as the liaison between patients and their insurers. In addition, she assists with setting up your medical procedures from diagnostics to laboratory testing. On her time off she enjoys spending time with family, exercising, and sports.

Elisa Morrone

Practice Manager

Elisa Morrone has been Dr. Girardi’s office manager since 2015. Before coming to Hospital for Special Surgery, she managed a Pediatric Neurology practice here in New York City. Prior to switching to managing medical practices, Elisa worked as a flight attendant and that led to several managerial roles in the airline industry. Elisa loves making Dr. Girardi’s office an enjoyable experience for patients and staff alike.  She enjoys spending time with her dogs and traveling.

Fanula

Clinical Nurse Assistant

Fanula has over 5 years of experience as a clinical nurse assistant working in the emergency department at Boston Children’s Hospital and at HSS. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2018 and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She started working in Dr. Girardi’s office in May 2022 and works as a part of his team to ensure patients feel supported during their recovery process. During her free time, Fanula enjoys traveling, studying architecture and design, and going to museums.

Gregory Stein

Physician Assistant

Greg has been a physician assistant in orthopedics since 2006. He joined HSS in 2011 and soon after specialized in spine surgical first assistance. He started working for Dr. Girardi in 2017 and is an integral part of his cohesive team.  Greg started his career in healthcare as a registered dietitian in Texas after earning a BS and MS in nutrition.  After 2 years of clinical work, he relocated to New York to complete his physician assistant education at SUNY Stony Brook.  For leisure Greg enjoys exercise and family life with his wife and two young boys.

Christian Soundias

Certified Surgical Technologist

Christian has been a Certified Surgical Technologist since 2012. He specialized in neurosurgery for three years at North Shore University Hospital in Long Island before joining Dr. Girardi’s team at HSS in 2015 in the operating room. After practicing as a Surgical Technologist for over a decade, Christian has decided to continue his education and is pursuing a his Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In his spare time, he enjoys going on medical missions and spending time with his new puppy.