Cancer Genetics Team
At NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, our High-Risk Cancer Genetics Program team works together to determine a person’s risk for developing cancer, help to facilitate genetic testing, and provide personalized management recommendations for cancer detection and care.
Meenakshi Sigireddi, MD | Director
Dr. Sigireddi is the director of the High-Risk Cancer Genetics program and has expertise in clinical and cancer genetics. Her goal is to provide care to those with a genetic predisposition to both cancer and non-cancer syndromes.
Through genetic counseling, risk-assessment, and data-driven strategies, Dr. Sigireddi and her team of genetic counselors help families better understand their risk of developing cancer. They also provide risk-reduction and surveillance strategies to better manage this risk.
Dr. Sigireddi is an assistant professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Deanna Gerber, MD
Dr. Gerber is a gynecologic oncologist and specializes in cancers of the reproductive tract, including endometrial, ovarian, cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. She has a special interest in the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary cancers and genetic mutations.
Yael Simons, MD
Dr. Simons is a breast medical oncologist at Perlmutter Cancer Center and clinical assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Her interests include cancer genetics, risk assessment and reduction, and developing individualized cancer treatment and prevention strategies for those with predisposing mutations.
Yuliya Dekhtyar, PA
Mrs. Dekhtyar is a high-risk oncology physician assistant at Perlmutter Cancer Center. She holds a bachelor of arts in biological sciences from Hunter College and a physician assistant degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Previously, Yuliya served as a clinical care coordinator for the Beatrice W. Welters Breast Health Outreach and Navigation Program and managed the Cancer Screening Clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, providing breast, cervical, and colorectal screenings for uninsured patients.
Yuliya is committed to screening, prevention, and risk mitigation strategies. With a keen interest in clinical and cancer genetics, her goal is to evaluate high-risk patients and those with genetic predispositions, offering risk-reduction and surveillance strategies for improved management.
Rachelle Chambers, MS, CGC | Manager, Genetic Counselor
Ms. Chambers is a board-certified genetic counselor and manager for the High-Risk Cancer Genetics Program. She leads a team of genetic counselors who provide hereditary cancer risk assessment at multiple clinical sites across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island. With more than 15 years of experience in clinical and cancer research genetics, Ms. Chambers holds a master’s degree in human genetics.
She is also the lead genetic counselor working on NYU Langone’s Cancer Moonshot study funded by the National Cancer Institute and in collaboration with the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Ms. Chambers has co-authored multiple papers on service delivery models in genetic counseling. Her professional and research interests include alternate service delivery models for genetic counseling services; expanding access to genetic counseling and testing services, universal tumor screening for Lynch syndrome; hereditary gastrointestinal cancer and related conditions; and psychosocial counseling for families who are at high risk for cancer.
Elizabeth Manderski Lewis, MS, CGC | Supervisor, Genetic Counselor
Ms. Manderski Lewis is a board-certified cancer genetic counselor with a master’s degree in human genetics. Elizabeth provides care for families with various hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. She serves as a supervisor for the team of genetic counseling assistants and assists in other program-wide endeavors.
Her clinical interests include the overlap between germline and somatic results. She is committed to improving access to genetic counseling and testing services and diligently strives to enhance the patient experience at NYU Langone. She is an active participant in various community outreach projects and serves as a genetics educator both within NYU Langone and in the greater New York City area.
Lauren Costantin, MS, CGC
Ms. Costantin is a board-certified genetic counselor who completed a bachelor of arts degree in biological sciences from the University of Delaware and master of science degree in human genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in 2020. Previously, Ms. Costantin worked at Rhode Island Hospital, providing genetic counseling services in cancer, adult, and pediatric genetics. Additionally, she oversaw the High-Risk Cancer Genetics Clinic for people with hereditary cancer syndromes, providing genetic counseling follow-up and management guidelines. Her professional and research interests include hereditary gynecologic cancers and alternate service delivery models for genetic counseling services.
Lee Ann Daly, MS, CGC
Ms. Daly is a board-certified genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. With a master of science degree in genetic counseling, Ms. Daly’s professional and research interests include hereditary breast cancer, colorectal cancer syndromes, and cancer susceptibility in rare genetic syndromes. She is also involved in promoting awareness of hereditary cancer indications to healthcare providers and psychosocial counseling for families at high risk of cancer.
Shenin Dettwyler, MS, CGC
Ms. Dettwyler is a board-certified genetic counselor who holds a master’s degree in genetic counseling. She is a guest lecturer and mentor of second-year genetic counseling students at Columbia University. Her professional and research interests include pancreatic cancer, with a focus on underlying hereditary causes and the improvement of early detection and prevention strategies.
Sarah Gerrard, MS, CGC
Ms. Gerrard is a board-certified cancer genetic counselor with a master’s degree in human genetics. She was instrumental in launching the program’s online group webinar and genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes. Her research interests include alternative service delivery models for genetic counseling and the evolving field of testing for hereditary cancer risk.
Jessica Martineau, MS, CGC
Ms. Martineau is a board-certified genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. She holds a master’s degree in human genetics. She is co-lead clinical supervisor for genetic counseling students at Sarah Lawrence College. Her professional and research interests include hereditary gynecologic cancers, cancer susceptibility in rare genetic syndromes, and psychosocial counseling for those who have family history of cancer.
Melanie McDermet, MS, CGC
Ms. McDermet is a genetic counselor at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, specializing in cancer genetics. She has lectured on cancer and genetics to diverse audiences, including obstetrics and pediatric physicians; prenatal and pediatric patients; other genetic counselors; and high school, college, nursing, and physician groups. Ms. McDermet holds a master’s degree in human genetics from the University of Michigan and is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
Melanie Roberts, MS, CGC
Ms. Roberts is a board-certified cancer genetic counselor with a master’s degree in genetic counseling. Before joining NYU Langone, Ms. Roberts established cancer genetic counseling programs at other medical centers. She has a clinical interest in gastrointestinal cancer genetic syndromes, helping to identify patients at risk. Additionally, she has interests in the psychosocial impact of genetic information on individuals and families.
Forum Shah, MS, CGC
Ms. Shah is a board-certified genetic counselor who established the high-risk cancer genetics program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. She holds a master’s degree in genetic counseling. She is working to extend the program to provide cancer genetic counseling services at other NYC Health + Hospitals where those services are not available. She also co-hosts support group meetings for men and women with inherited cancer syndromes. Her research interests center on racial disparities in genetic counseling services and cancer genetic testing.
Danielle Temares, MS, GC
Ms. Temares is a genetic counselor with a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from Yale University and a master of science degree in genetic counseling from Columbia University. Her professional and research interests include alternative service delivery models of genetic counseling services, and the psychosocial impact of genetic information on individuals and families.
Jaime Vásquez, MS, CGC
Ms. Vásquez is a board-certified genetic counselor who specializes in cancer genetics. She holds a master’s degree in genetic counseling and a master’s degree in genomics. She previously worked at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island providing genetic counseling services in cancer, adult, pediatric, and prenatal genetics. Her clinical interests include helping support individuals and their families that are navigating the medical, psychological, and familial effects of hereditary cancer syndromes.
Simone Weinmann, MS, CGC
Ms. Weinmann is a board-certified genetic counselor with a master of science degree in genetic counseling. She specializes in adult and pediatric cancer genetics and has clinical interest in neuroendocrine cancers and hematologic malignancies. She is involved in clinical supervision for genetic counseling students at Sarah Lawrence College and provides mentorship for prospective students across the country.
Collaborating Physicians
Tamas A. Gonda, MD
Dr. Gonda is the co-director of NYU Langone’s Multidisciplinary Pancreas Center and the director of the pancreas screening and cyst program. His clinical practice is focused on therapeutic endoscopy with a primary interest in treatment and prevention of pancreatobiliary diseases and a specific focus on therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound for the diagnosis, palliation, and treatment of pancreatic diseases. He has lead investigator-initiated and collaborative clinical trials in the treatment, early detection, and prevention of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis and use of novel endoscopic technologies or therapies in these diseases. His translational research lab is also focused on biomarker development and validation as well as epigenetic approaches to pancreatic cancer treatment.
Kathie-Ann Joseph, MD, MPH
Dr. Joseph is a surgical oncologist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center and co-director of the Beatrice W. Welters Breast Health Outreach and Navigation Program, where she works to identify and educate women who could benefit from breast cancer screening through outreach in their community.
John Pappas, MD
Dr. Pappas is a clinical geneticist and associate professor of pediatrics at NYU Langone. He directs clinical genetics services for NYU Langone’s Department of Pediatrics. He studies the characteristics and genetics of hereditary syndromes and provides evaluations for genetic diagnosis and treatments for children and adults, believing that detailed phenotyping and genotyping can improve our understanding of genetic factors in disease and lead to the development of new treatments.
Julia A. Smith, MD
Dr. Smith is a medical oncologist at Perlmutter Cancer Center and clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She sees people who are at high risk for developing cancer.