Faculty
Neil C. Mitnick, D.O. F.A.A.F.P., Professor, Alice E. Fruehan Chair, and Residency Program Director, is one of the longest serving family medicine residency program directors in NYS and even nationally. In 2006 he was selected by the ACGME to receive the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award. He is the first DO and only the 6th family medicine residency program director to ever receive this national recognition. His reputation of caring and being committed to quality education and patient care follows him where ever he goes. He serves as a role model for residents, always available to them for both personal and professional guidance. His enthusiasm, sense of humor, and love of life make coming to work each day enjoyable and worthwhile. Residents, faculty, and local and national colleagues have nominated Neil for various teaching awards including best preceptor, educator of the year from the NYS Academy of Family Physicians and the CDPHP Physicians Academy. He oversees all residency and departmental teaching and clinical activities. He also can tell you all you need to know about caring for dogs and fish.
Jeffrey Brewer, Pharm.D., BCPS, is currently Associate Professor at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with a practice site at the Albany Family Practice Group. The last 9 years of his career were spent with The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Community Physicians in Baltimore, MD as the Director of the PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency and a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. He is passionate about pharmacists’ role in direct patient care and trains many students and residents in his physician office based practice.
Jeffrey graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy with a Doctor of Pharmacy in 1998 and subsequently completed a General Pharmacy Practice Residency and a Primary Care Specialty Residency. In 2004 Jeffrey earned his Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy.
Raymond J. Carrelle, Jr., M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, received his medical training at the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his family medicine residency training hare at AMC. Upon completion, he joined the Latham Medical Family Medicine Group which is part of Community Care Physicians. Soon after his starting in private practice he was recognized for his leadership abilities and very quickly became active in the administration of the practice. He is particularly interested in office efficiency and evidence-based medicine. He continues to stay involved in academia by precepting on a regular basis in our Albany Family Practice Group. He serves as a role model for our residents in demonstrating how one can balance personal and professional life after training and in a clinical practice.
Holly Krick Cleney, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, received her MD degree from SUNY Upstate Medical College at Syracuse, NY and completed her family residency training here in Albany in our program. During her residency, she was particularly active on the Patient Education Committee. She joined the Latham Medical Group, a large family medicine group in our community which is also part of Community Care Physicians. She continues to keep her hand in teaching by precepting weekly in the Albany Family Practice Group. She has a particular interest in practice management and is taking a leadership role in her practice on this committee. When not working, she and her family are avid sports enthusiasts.
Mary Johnston, M.B.Ch.B., Clinical Associate Professor, is one of the more sought after preceptors due to her ability to teach and guide using her quick wit and her great sense of humor. She also serves as a positive role model for women in medicine, knowing how to manage her time and maintain her priorities. Dr. Johnston has a large patient following consisting mostly of the baby boomers and their families.
Hamish Kerr M.B.Ch.B., M.D., specializes in sports medicine and exercise physiology. He currently serves as the Program Director of the Sports Medicine fellowship, here at Albany Medical Center. Originally from Scotland, Dr. Kerr is an expert in the management of sports injuries, especially concussions. He is certified to use ImPACT, a research-based neuropsychological testing program that helps clinicians evaluate sports-related head injuries and is a standard tool for professional and college athletic teams across the country. From college athletes to weekend warriors, Dr. Kerr prides himself on his thorough and empathetic approach to care. “My patients appreciate the time I spend with them listening to their concerns,” he says. In addition to treating sports-related injuries, Dr. Kerr provides athletes advice and plans on reaching a heightened level of performance during sports and exercise.
Dr. Kerr is board certified in internal medicine, sports medicine, and pediatrics. He serves as team physician for all men and women sports at Siena College and the Scottish Football Association (girls under 17 National Soccer team). After graduating from the University of Glasgow, Dr. Kerr completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Albany Medical Center, and received fellowship training in primary care sports medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Kimberly Kilby, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, is a graduate of Albany Medical College and completed her family medicine residency at University of Vermont, after which she returned to the Capital Region and completed the New York State Preventive Medicine Residency program. She obtained her MPH degree from the University at Albany School of Public Health. For the past several years, she has been practicing public health, most recently serving as the Director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control for the New York State Department of Health where she was responsible for overseeing the control and prevention of communicable diseases across New York State. During that time, she led the statewide surveillance for the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. While in public health, Dr. Kilby maintained involvement in academic medicine through teaching and serving as Family Medicine Clerkship Director. She is very excited to return full time to academia and clinical practice and bring the tenets of public health and preventive medicine to students, colleagues, and especially to her patients. Kim is also a musician, songwriter, tri-athlete, and she loves to garden.
Brigid Mack, M.D., Assistant Professor, has returned home to Albany after almost a decade away. She obtained her MD degree from SUNY Buffalo, completed her Family Medicine residency at UNC-Chapel Hill and Maternal Child Health Fellowship at University of Rochester. She is excited to work with Drs. Elguero, Stetzer and Rosenbaum on the OB curriculum. She has a passion for women's health and for working with medical students and residents. Brigid spends her free-time with her husband and young daughter, and is eagerly anticipating the arrival of a second child this winter.
Appleton A. Mason III, M.D., Associate Professor and Geriatric Coordinator, came to the residency program and academia as a faculty member after having more than a 20 year history of private practice in Nashua, NH. Dr. Mason brings the unique ability to bridge the two worlds of practice and teaching. He has a particular interest in medical ethics, family genograms, and end of life issues. He serves as medical director of Community Hospice and has his CAQ in Geriatrics. Dr. Mason is the proud father of Cloe, his Labrador therapy dog, who he brings to the patient's bedside, much to the delight of everyone. If you are among the more fortunate, you may even be invited to go for a sail on the Hudson with Tony. 
Robert J. Paeglow, M.D., Associate Professor and Associate Pre-doctoral Director, brings to the department a unique perspective on life and medicine. In 2006 he was awarded the AAMC Humanitarian Award for his dedication to medical school teaching and inspirational role modeling of being a caring physician. His passion and interests center on care for the underserved, international health, teaching residents, medical students and rural health care. He has traveled extensively in the developing world performing medical missions. Dr. Paeglow is the founding director of Compassion in Action / Koinonia Primary Care which is housed in a 24 hour prayer and healing center in the inner city of Albany, providing family medicine health care for all who chose to enter, regardless of their ability to pay. He is an ordained minister as well as a family physician. He is nationally sought after as an inspirational speaker and is the recipient of numerous local and national awards. Recently he was featured in both People Magazine and Good Morning America.
Inez Pagnotta, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, is a graduate of Albany Medical College. Dr. Pagnotta has experience in inner city medicine while serving as Chief Resident at Downstate Medical Center. She then practiced solo in an underserved rural area through the US Public Health Service. She has practiced for over ten years in a staff model HMO setting. Her enthusiasm for teaching and for medicine is contagious.
Sean P. Roche, M.D., Associate Residency Director and Associate Professor, has a CAQ in Adolescent Medicine. He was among the first family physician in NYS to obtain this certification. Dr. Roche has taken the lead in selecting and overseeing the implementation of the EHR for the practice making our residency and faculty medicine office a premier teaching and provider of quality health care facility. Almost every year since 1999, Dr. Roche has been selected as the Teacher of the Year, or best preceptor or some other award from the residents for his teaching abilities and commitment to education. He is the "organized one" on the faculty, sometimes putting the unorganized ones to shame but more impressive is his quick wit, his ability to be satirical, and his uncanny way of coming up with the "Top Ten List" on almost any topic. He can put David Letterman's writers out of business. When he is not working in the office, he is manicuring his lawn, training for his next marathon (completed the one in Philly last year!), or working on his family genealogy.
Elena Rosenbaum, M.D., Assistant Professor, a family medicine faculty member is starting with us on a part time basis in the summer of 2008 and will be going full time soon thereafter. She is no stranger to the Albany area having lived her for a few years doing summer research at the Wadsworth Center in Albany. She completed her family medicine residency at Lawrence Family Medicine in Lawrence, MA. where she also completed an Integrative Medicine Fellowship. She brings with her skills and expertise in acupuncture, hypnosis, OMT, and group visits. Being fluent in Spanish, she will be our liaison with the medical missions in Guatemala for students and residents interested in such an experience. Her other interests are in OB GYN and women’s health and will be working with our other family medicine OB faculty to oversee the OB curriculum. When not working, she can be found on the tennis courts either playing herself or teaching others the pearls of tennis.
Ann E. Rutter, MD, MS, joined our department in August, 2011. She was part of the Leadership in Medicine Program with Union College and a Graduate College of Union University before obtaining her medical degree from Albany Medical College. She then completed her Family Medicine Residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she served as Chief Resident in her third year. It was the full spectrum opportunities in Family Medicine that drew Annie toward primary care. She has particular interests in primary care obstetrics and women's health, but is very excited to continue to practice all aspects of Family Medicine, including inpatient care and outpatient procedures. She is enthusiastic about teaching residents and students, and is looking forward to the opportunity to work with them here in Albany.
Mary F. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW-R, Professor, Vice-Chair, Behavioral Science Coordinator and Director of Academic Programs, is an experienced Family Medicine educator, social work clinician, and researcher. Being an Albanian, she has a unique knowledge of the community and its resources and needs. She often describes herself as being the "old timer" in the department having been with AMC Family Medicine since its inception in 1977. She serves on various college and institutional committees and functions as the link between AMC and CCP. When not working, writing grants and history books, or maintaining a small private counseling practice, Dr. Smith travels and runs an international B& B. However, most people still do question: "just what does Mary do here?" Her answer is always, "I'll never tell!"
Becky Stetzer, MD earned her medical degree at Emory University, and completed residency training at Atlanta Medical Center's Family Medicine Residency Program, where she served as chief resident. Dr. Stetzer came to the Albany area with her husband, Lee, and she was in private practice for 6 years before joining the faculty at Albany Medical Center's Family Medicine program. Dr. Stetzer is keeps very busy with her two young daughters, and serves as the Chair for the Board of Directors of Support One Family supportonefamily.org) and is an active member of the Albany Running Mamas and Capital District Triathlon Club.
Lee Stetzer, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor and a faculty member, started in July 2008 comes to the area after attending Emory University for both his MPH and MD degrees. He recently completed his family medicine residency training in our program and he and his wife (a family medicine physician also) and children, much to our delight, have decided to settle in the area. Lee has a particular interest in primary care OB, is our in house expert on contraception, and is looking forward to working with Drs. Elguero and Rosenbaum to oversee the family medicine OB teaching and modeling of patient care. When not in the office or playing with his daughters and his dog, he and his family love the outdoors, hiking/biking/ and backpacking.
Katherine Wagner, M.D., Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Community Outreach, is a graduate of Albany Medical College and also of our Family Medicine Residency program, has joined the department to assist in overseeing the newly planned Division of Community Outreach. She too is serving as one of the Assistant Directors of the Predoc Office. Kate has extensive experience working with community agencies, working with medical students, and has a special interest in health literacy. She has served for several years as the liaison between the Siena College and AMC early Admissions Program. In addition to her community outreach interests, Kate also has a special interest in international family medicine training. She is a mentor and role model to our residents interested in community outreach activities When not working with us or the community agencies, she is kept super busy with her twin girls.
