John Petrillo, DO - Family Medicine and Osteopathic Program Director

Dr. Petrillo sees the students, residents, and patients as “his greatest teachers.” He completed his bachelor’s degree in biology at Loyola College in Baltimore, MD and subsequently worked for a year thereafter on HLA typing for the National Bone Marrow Registry. He then matriculated at what was then the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM) where he received his Doctor of Osteopathy in 2003. At NYCOM, he also completed an undergraduate clinical and teaching fellowship in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. He graduated from the St. Clare's Family Medicine Residency Program in July 2006 and began his academic and teaching career at both his former residency program and through what was once the Capital Care Medical Group in Charlton, NY.

In 2023, Dr. Petrillo was honored with the New York State Academy of Family Physician’s “Family Physician of the Year” award. He has had the honor of holding a position with St. Clare’s, and what is now the Ellis Medicine Family Medicine residency since 2006.

Christopher Murphy, MD - Faculty Member

Dr. Chris Murphy is a graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his family practice residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in the South Bronx. His Bachelors is in English and Philosophy from Cathedral College in New York and he has a Masters Degree in Nursing from Pace University. He was in private practice for ten years before coming to St. Clare's Hospital, which is now operated by Ellis Hospital.

Nancy C. Sapio, MD - Faculty Member & Geriatric Coordinator

Dr. Nancy Sapio is a graduate of Albany Medical College. She completed her family practice residency at St. Clare's Hospital in 1988. She coordinates geriatric education for the residency program. Her interests include women's health care and geriatrics.

Mineke Etienne, MD - Associate Program Director, Family Health Center and Faculty Member

Dr. Mineke Etienne is a graduate of Albany Medical College. She completed her Family Medicine Residency at St. Clare's Hospital in 2004.

Kristin Crouse, DO- Faculty Member

Dr. Kristin Crouse earned her DO degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She then completed her family medicine residency at Ellis Hospital. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in biology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

Azuka Itabor, MD - Faculty Member

Dr. Azuka Itabor is a graduate of the University of Benin College of Medicine, Benin City, Nigeria. He completed his residency at Ellis Medicine in 2015 and went on to complete an additional year of Obstetrics Surgical Fellowship at Bellevue Women’s Hospital.

Claire Nadler, DO - OB Fellowship Director & Faculty Member

Dr. Claire Nadler is a graduate of Binghamton University and earned her medical degree at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her family medicine training through Ellis Hospital in 2016, and then completed an additional year as the Family Medicine/Obstetrics Fellow at Bellevue Women’s Hospital. She continues to have privileges for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries at Bellevue and is currently the Director for the Ellis/Bellevue Family Medicine Surgical Obstetrics Fellowship Program. Dr. Nadler is dual board certified with the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and the American Board of Family Physicians.

Melissa Roberts, DO - Faculty Member

Dr. Melissa Roberts is a graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at Ellis Hospital in 2017. She is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. In addition to her role as core faculty at the Ellis Family Medicine Residency program, she is also the HIV Clinical Program Director and the Medical Student Clerkship Director for the program.

Melissa Foye-Petrillo, DO

Dr. Melissa Foye-Petrillo is a graduate of the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury. She completed her internship, residency and fellowship at Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY. She is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

William I. Anyaegbunam, MD

Dr. William Anyaegbunam is a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He completed his residency at the Royal Liverpool Hospital in England and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Liverpool Women's Hospital. He is a faculty member with the Ob/Gyn Department. His interests include reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Robert J. Dachs, MD, FAAFP

Dr. Robert Dachs is a graduate of New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY. He served his internship in General Surgery at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA and completed his family practice residency at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, Connecticut. He has worked full-time in emergency medicine since completion of his residency. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and serves as chair of the AAFP CME course, "Emergency and Urgent Care for Family Physicians". His interests include teaching and research and has given numerous lectures across the country on emergency and urgent care topics.

Brian A. McDonald, MD

Dr. Brian McDonald and his colleagues at Schenectady Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates are the intensivists on faculty at the Ellis Medicine Family Residency.

Dr. McDonald is the Vice Chair of Ellis Medicine’s medical staff and a member of Ellis Medicine's Board of Trustees.

Dr. McDonald is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the subspecialties of Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease. He earned his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City, completed his residency training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, and a Fellowship also at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He is a partner at Schenectady Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates and cares for the most critically ill patients at Ellis Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit.

Peter Weinberg, MD

Dr. Peter Weinberg is a graduate of the New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. He completed his internship and residency at Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY. He completed his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, CA. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

James Ansel, PhD - Behavioral Science Coordinator

Dr. James Ansel is a graduate of Bucknell University and a 1983 graduate of the University of Florida. He served his internships at Norfolk Regional Center in Nebraska, and Northern Nebraska Comprehensive Mental Health Center. In addition to his experience in private practice, he has served as a consulting psychologist with several local agencies.

Theresa Desantos - Program Coordinator

Ali Fox - Program Manager

Ali Fox is originally from the Pacific Northwest. After serving six years in the United States Army, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in human development followed by a Master of Arts in management from American Military University. She is enthusiastic about graduate medical education and has been with the residency program since 2022. Ali is passionate about the full cycle of residency. She finds great fulfillment in being part of the transformation of eager medical school graduates to confident family medicine physicians. She takes immense pride in having a role in the growth and development of the residents that come through the program.

Marisa Morell - Residency Coordinator

Marisa Morell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in community and human services from SUNY Empire State University. She later continued her education at Southern New Hampshire University earning a Master of Science degree in organizational leadership and a Graduate Certificate in human resource management. She has been with the residency program since early 2024. Marisa is enthusiastic about supporting medical students and residents in achieving their professional goals.