Meet Our Weight Loss Surgeons and Staff

William A. Graber, MD, PC consists of a talented team of healthcare professionals.  Our surgeons have completed more than 4,000 weight loss surgeries at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare in Utica, NY and St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center in Syracuse, NY.

Throughout your weight loss surgery journey you will work not only with your surgeon but our entire team of caring, helpful, and dedicated weight loss surgery professionals.  This includes our physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, regsitered dietitian, administrative staff and insurance specialists. Your primary care physician is also considered a key member of our team.
 

Our Surgeons

William A. Graber, MD, FACS, Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. Graber holds a bachelor's degree from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and a medical doctorate from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He completed his residency at Boston University.

Gregory Dalencourt, MD, Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. Dalencourt earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, and Doctor of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. He completed an internship and residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania, an internship at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and a fellowship in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to joining our office, Dr. Dalencourt was a surgeon for the Peconic Bay Medical Center Multi Specialty Organization and Twin Forks Surgical Associates, PC, both in Riverhead, New York. Dr. Dalencourt is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Medical Society of New York and American Medical Association.

January Hill, MD, Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. Hill earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana, and her Doctor of Medicine from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Lubbock, Texas. She completed an internship and residency in Surgery at SUNY Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, and a fellowship in Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. Dr. Hill is board certified in Surgery and is a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

Vladan Obradovic, MD, Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. Obradovic earned his degree in Nursing in Krusevac, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He received his medical degree and postgraduate master’s degree from the University of Belgrade School of Medicine in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He completed a fellowship in Digestive System Surgery at the Institute for Digestive Diseases, First Surgical Clinic University, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade in Yugoslavia, where he also became a staff surgeon at the Clinical Department for Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery. Dr. Obradovic completed a residency and fellowship in Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania.

Physician Assistants

Laura Buschmann, RPA-C, Surgical Assistant Laura is a surgical assistant for Dr. Graber. She assists in the OR, and sees patients post-operatively, during hospital rounds, and for follow-up visits in our office. Laura also helps with patient education prior to and following surgery. A graduate of Hamilton College and the Physician Assistant Program at LeMoyne College, Laura has worked in the medical field since 1991. Contact Laura: (315) 624-4740

Sarah M. Evans, MPAS, RPA-C, Physician Assistant Sarah assists Dr. Graber in the operating room, while also helping to perform daily hospital rounds, and to review discharge instructions and post-operative diets with patients. In our office, she sees patients for post-op appointments, which involves examining the patients and their incisions, reviewing diet and exercise regimens, reviewing lab work, and monitoring medications, making adjustments as needed. A graduate of Kings College-Wilkes-Barre, Sarah is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and has worked in the bariatric surgery field since 2003. Contact Sarah: (315) 624-4740

Nurse Practitioners

Christeen Verchot, PhD, FNP, GNP, CWHNP Christeen is a nurse practitioner who has been with our practice for over one year. She provides clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of postoperative patients. Her expertise as an adjunct professor with Utica College finds her interested in researching quality of life aspects associated with Bariatric surgery. Christeen received her Doctoral Degree in Nursing and her Masters Degree in Gerontological Nurse Practitioner from Binghamton University; a Post Masters Family Nurse Practitioner from SUNIYIT; and her Womens’ Health Nurse Practitioner from the Military School of Health Sciences. Has enjoyed working as a nurse since 1973; twenty-two of those years in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps. Presently applying for membership to American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

Clinical Staff

Lisa Taurisano, RN, CBN, Patient Education Lisa is the clinical manager responsible for overseeing the nursing staff in the practice. She is an allied member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She received her certification in bariatric nursing in 2008. Lisa works to help educate our patients prior to and following surgery. She also assists with appointment scheduling, phone triage, and organizing all paperwork for our patients who are headed to the hospital for surgery. She has worked in healthcare since 1992, and has been with Dr. Graber's office since 2004. Lisa earned her LPN from BOCES in 1990, and her RN from MVCC in 1995. She has also completed coursework toward her bachelor's degree at SUNY.

Evelyn Mariani, MS, RD, Registered Dietitian Evelyn provides nutrition counseling to our patients undergoing weight-loss surgery. She strives to find creative ways to help each individual adapt to the lifestyle changes needed after the operation. Her professional experience includes weight management, cardiovascular health, renal disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, nutrition in the elderly, eating disorders, and food allergies. Evelyn holds a master's degree from New York University and a bachelor's from Marymount College of Fordham University. She completed a dietetic internship at the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and is certified in childhood and adolescent weight management by the American Dietetic Association. Contact Evelyn: (315) 624-4740

Administrative Staff

Theresa Sullivan, Office Administrator and Billing Manager She has 11 years of professional experience and joined Dr. Graber's practice in 1999. Terry was educated at Utica School of Commerce. Contact Terry: tsulliva@mvnhealth.com

Patricia Purdy, Insurance Specialist Trisha helps patients navigate an important part of the bariatric surgery process: health insurance pre-certification. She has over 20 years experience working in healthcare, focusing on insurance. Trisha joined our office in 2005 Contact Trisha: (315) 624-4762 ppurdy@mvnhealth.com