Welcome to the Brain and Spine Institute
Director's Message
It is my privilege to welcome you to the Department of Neurosurgery at Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College. It is our mission to deliver uncompromised, best possible care for each patient, to train the next generation of compassionate and technical competent neurosurgeons, and to advance neurosurgery through cutting edge research. The faculty, residents and staff of our department apply these mission principles every day within the Westchester Health Network to serve all patients within the Hudson Valley region.
The patient is at the center of our mission. Patient Care, Education and Research are delivered in all neurosurgical subspecialties including: Spine Surgery, Neuro-oncology (brain, spine & spinal cord tumors), Skull Base Surgery, Cerebrovascular Services (Stroke, Aneurysms) including Endovascular Surgery, Functional Neurosurgery (Pain, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy), Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Neurotrauma and Neurosurgical Critical Care. In each area, we collaborate with world class clinical and research experts from other closely related specialties like Orthopedics, Otolaryngology, Anesthesia, Radiology, Neurology and Rehabilitation.
Westchester Medical Center is a Level 1 Trauma Center and a Comprehensive Certified Stroke Center, which are staffed by Neurosurgical Traumatologists, dedicated Neurocritical Care Specialists and Endovascular Neurosurgeons. The operating rooms, interventional suites and intensive care units feature the latest and most innovative technologies helping us to take care of the most complex patients. Our youngest patients receive care by fellowship trained, experienced Pediatric Neurosurgeons at the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital. Thus, there is no case or problem too small, too young or too complicated for our team.
On behalf of our faculty, residents and staff, I invite you to take a “glimpse” at our department. You will see why our program is a recognized leader among the academic neurosurgery community.

Chirag D. Gandhi, MD
Director, Neurosurgery
Westchester Medical Center Health Network
Chair and Professor, Neurosurgery
New York Medical College
Chairman, Residency and Fellowship Program Director
Chirag D. Gandhi, MD
Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
Fawaz Al-Mufti, MD
Chirag D. Gandhi, MD
Justin G. Santarelli, MD
Neurosurgical Oncology (Brain and Spine Tumors)
Simon Hanft, MD
Neurocritical Care
Fawaz Al-Mufti, MD
Stephan Mayer, MD
Pediatric Neurosurgery
Carrie R. Muh, MD
Jared M. Pisapia, MD
Avinash L. Mohan, MD
Michael Tobias, MD
General Neurosurgery
Kaushik Das, MD
Virany H. Hillard, MD
Allied Health Practitioners
Rachel Lehrer, PA
Lisha Melathe, PA
Luis Munoz, PA
Brigitte Percival, NP
Angela Mercedes, NP
Elizabeth Frederick, NP
Luis Lopez, NP
Lawren Diaz, NP
Christopher McGovern, NP
Michelle Raimo, NP
Research Faculty
Meena Jhanwar-Uniyal, PhD
As an academic hospital, Westchester Medical Center is home to many Graduate Medical Education Programs, including:
Neurosurgery Residency Program
Neuro-Interventional Surgery Fellowship
Vascular Neurology Fellowship
Neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other physicians at Westchester Medical Center are actively involved in numerous research studies, frequently publishing in many leading journals in the U.S. and around the world. Explore the links below to read some of our published contributions to the fields of neurology and neurosurgery.
Neurology research by Fawaz Al-Mufti, MD and Stephan Mayer, MD: View Publications
Neurosurgery and neuro-oncology research by Simon Hanft, MD: View Publications
Administrative and Academic
Westchester Medical Center
100 Woods Road
Macy Pavilion
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone: 914.493.5098
Fax: 914.493.2424
Office Appointments
Westchester Medical Center APS
19 Bradhurst Avenue, Suite 2900 S
Hawthorne, NY 10532
Phone: 914.493.2363
Fax: 914.493.2505
Residency Program and Medical Students
Christine Loscri
Westchester Medical Center
100 Woods Road
Macy Pavilion
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone: 914.493.8795
Fax: 914.493.2424
Email: Christine.Loscri@wmchealth.org