MEDICAL STAFF
All physicians at Pediatric Associates are board certified in pediatrics and fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We are affiliated with all Syracuse area hospitals including the Golisano Children’s Hospital. Pediatric Associates strives to build strong relationships with our patients and their families and provide the highest standard of pediatric care.
Thomas Abbamont, MD, FAAP
Dr. Abbamont is originally from Mount Vernon, NY. He graduated from Fordham University summa cum laude with a BS in biology. He attended New York Medical College. Dr. Abbamont completed his residency training in pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University and joined Pediatric Associates in 1988. Outside of the office, Dr. Abbamont and his wife spend most of their time with their two children.
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Steven Nicolais, MD, FAAP
Dr. Nicolais grew up in Rochester, NY. He graduated from LeMoyne College, and completed medical school and pediatric residency training at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Nicolais joined Pediatric Associates in 1989. In 1994 he was elected “Pediatrician of the Year” by the Upstate Pediatric Residency Staff. Dr. Nicolais has four children. He is active in youth athletics and enjoys camping and hiking with his family.
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Cynthia Bright, MD, FAAP
Dr. Bright is a Pennsylvania native. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in biology. She attended medical school at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond and completed pediatric residency training at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Bright joined Pediatric Associates in 1990. In 1995, she received the Outstanding Community Physician Award from the Onondaga County Medical Society. Her areas of interest are adolescent medicine and medicine in developing countries. Dr. Bright is married and has four adult children. Her outside interests include tennis, triathlons and skiing.
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Coreena Weaver, MD, FAAP
Dr. Weaver is originally from Geneseo, NY. She graduated from Houghton College with a BS in biology and attended Oral Roberts University School of Medicine. Dr. Weaver completed her residency training in pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She practiced pediatrics in Rome, NY for three years before joining Pediatric Associates in 1995.
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Kathleen Rovall, MD, FAAP
Dr. Rovall is a Syracuse native and graduated from LeMoyne College summa cum laude with a BS in biology. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, then returned to Syracuse to become chief resident in pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University before joining Pediatric Associates in 1996. In her free time, Dr. Rovall enjoys traveling with her husband, entertaining family and friends, gardening and playing with her Malipoo, Nico.
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Daniel Saarie, MD, FAAP
Dr. Saarie is a Central New York native and attended Syracuse University. He received his medical degree from the College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and completed his residency training in pediatrics at the University of Vermont in Burlington. He and his family then returned to the Syracuse area where he joined Pediatric Associates in 1998. Dr. Saarie is happily married and has three children.
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Wayne Leavitt, MD, FAAP
Dr. Leavitt is originally from Fair Lawn, NJ. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in mathematics. He then joined the United States Peace Corps where he taught math in Africa for three years. After teaching for seven years, he decided to become a pediatrician and continue his work with children. He attended the University of California School of Medicine at Davis and completed his pediatric residency on Long Island at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY. Dr. Leavitt joined Pediatric Associates in 2002. He is married and has three children.
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Jennifer Rufa, MD, FAAP
Dr. Rufa is originally from Brooklyn, NY. She graduated from Binghamton University with a BS in biology, then attended both medical school and completed her pediatric residency training at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Rufa joined Pediatric Associates in 2004. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three children.
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Esther Livingstone, MD, FAAP
Dr. Livingstone graduated from Cornell University, magna cum laude, with a B.S. in biology. She attended medical school and completed her pediatric residency training at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Livingstone joined Pediatric Associates in 2011. She is married, and she and her husband like to spend time outdoors, including hiking, cross-country skiing, and gardening.
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Emily Smith, MD, FAAP
Dr. Smith is originally from Potsdam, NY. She completed her undergraduate studies at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, earning a BS in Biology and Biotechnology. Dr. Smith later attended New York Medical College, going on to complete her residency training in pediatrics at SUNY Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, NY. She practiced traditional medicine since 2016, before joining Pediatric Associates in 2018. Married with two young children, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and being outdoors.
Susan Pinkowski, Practice Administrator
Susan is originally from Camillus but has lived in Marcellus since 1999. She graduated from Marist College with a BS in Business Administration and Marketing. She has enjoyed working for Pediatric Associates since 1988 in a variety of positions but now has a key roll directing the operations. She has been married for 28 years, has 2 grown daughters and a 13 year old dog named Max. She enjoys reading, gardening and spending time with her family.
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Cheryl Cook, PNP
Cheryl is a board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who is a North Syracuse native. She graduated with a Masters of Science from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Cheryl has seven years of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology nursing experience at Golisano Children’s Hospital. In 2007, she began to care for children in primary care. Cheryl is a marathoner and a two time Ironman triathlete. She enjoys swimming, cycling, and running, as well as snowshoeing.
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Megan Boyles, NP
Megan is a board certified pediatric nurse practitioner. A Pennsylvania native, she obtained her bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, and worked as a pediatric hematology-oncology nurse for five years. In 2009, she completed her Master’s Degree in nursing at SUNY Upstate Medical University and began working in primary care. Megan and her family are active members of their church where she coordinates the youth fellowship. In her free time she enjoys spending time with husband and two children, reading, camping, watching Penn State football, and traveling.
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Meet the Nurses:
Gretchin Jaworski, LPN, Nursing Supervisor
Gretchin began working at Pediatric Associates in 2011. In addition to being a nurse, she is a certified EMT. She has 5 children, one of whom is a United States Marine. She has 15 years of experience as a registered family day care provider.
Donna Lewis, LPN
Donna has been in nursing since 1975, and working in pediatrics since 1990. She has been at Pediatric Associates since 2008, and is the proud mother of 2 sons, both serving in the military.
Cheryl Melfi, RN
Cheryl joined our practice in January 2014 after 17 years experience as a staff nurse at Allergy/Asthma Associates. She has two sons and a grandson.
Shannon Bott, RN
Shannon joined our office in January 2015, previously working as a RN at St. Joseph’s Hospital. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Niagra University and nursing degree from Crouse Hospital College of Nursing.
Chelsey Scheel, RN
Chelsey graduated from St. Joseph’s College of Nursing in 2010 and has been working in pediatrics ever since. She enjoys spending time with her husband and puppy.
Stephanie Bledsoe, RN, BSN
Stephanie has been a nurse since 2005. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Kaplan University. She loves spending time with her three children.
Britawnie Dickerson, LPN
Britawnie joined the practice in June 2018. She has been working in pediatrics since 2013. She has three children.
Rhiannon Case, LPN
Rhiannon started with Pediatric Associates in 2011. She is happily married with two young children. She enjoys family time, running, and biking.
