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Alena Otero, PA-C, is a certified physician assistant practicing at Kessel Dermatology located in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. She has been a valued member of the Kessel Dermatology team for five years and enjoys caring for the dermatological needs of individuals living in and around Mercer County. 

Alena enjoys practicing both medical and surgical dermatology. she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers College at Rutgers University in 2002 and obtained her Master of Science in Physician Assistant studies at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is a member of the Society for Dermatology Physician Assistants and the American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants. She is board-certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is licensed to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

To request an appointment with Alena and the Kessel Dermatology team, call the office or request an appointment online today. 

Joseph White, MMS, PA-C, is a board-certified physician assistant at Kessel Dermatology located in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. He joined Kessel Dermatology in 2008 and has enjoyed caring for the communities in and around Mercer County ever since. 

Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Joseph attended Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a Master of Medical Sciences degree in physician assistant studies. While enrolled at Arcadia University, Joseph completed an emergency medicine rotation abroad at Zacapa Regional Hospital in Guatemala. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts, where he graduated magna cum laude and twice received the Academic Achievement Award in the Biology Department. 

To stay up to date with the latest advances in his field, Joseph maintains membership with the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. 

To request an appointment with Joseph and the team at Kessel Dermatology, call the office or request an appointment online today. 

Melissa Przemieniecki, MSN, APN, FNP-BC, is a credentialed and board-certified family nurse practitioner at Kessel Dermatology in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. Her mission is to provide high-quality dermatology services to individuals living in and around Mercer County. 

Melissa boasts a degree in family practice. She comes to Kessel Dermatology with a decade of experience treating patients across the lifespan, ranging from infants to adults. Melissa graduated from The College of New Jersey with honors and went on to practice emergency medicine after graduating. She has an extensive medical background and brings a unique skill set to the team at Kessel Dermatology. 

Born and raised in Hamilton, New Jersey, Melissa is passionate about serving her hometown community. In her free time outside of the office, Melissa enjoys hiking, fishing, and spending time outdoors with her family.

To schedule an appointment with Melissa and the exceptional team at Kessel Dermatology, call the office or request an appointment online today.

Marc Zac Handler, MD, is an acclaimed lecturer and a board-certified academic dermatologist at Kessel Dermatology in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Dr. Handler is also an assistant clinical professor in dermatology at Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School. 

He served as a Fellow in the United States House of Representatives and crafted cost-neutral legislation to combat HIV infection. He has received the Congressional Recognition Award three times from bipartisan House members for his work on health care policy and was named a Nebraska Admiral, by the Governor of the State of Nebraska, in recognition of service to the community. He has experience with medical news production, having worked with Sanjay Gupta, MD, at CNN’s medical unit, assisting with medical programming. Additionally, he has been a medical contributor for the Discovery Health program, “Dr. G: Medical Examiner.”

Dr. Handler is a recipient of the prestigious Tatotsu Imaeda, MD, PhD, Academic Scholar Award for his extensive academic work, which includes greater than 30 peer-reviewed publications and five book chapters. Dr. Handler is the only person to be the first author of back-to-back cover articles in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the leading American journal specializing in dermatology.

Focused on improving health care access both locally and abroad, Dr. Handler has provided volunteer medical care with Project MediShare in earthquake-stricken Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His experience in Haiti led to an invitation to assist the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in Washington, DC, on USAID expenditures. He has since been a volunteer physician at the HIV hospital in Accra, Ghana, and a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Hoboken, New Jersey. 

Dr. Handler has been an invited guest lecturer around the globe, including Montenegro, New York, Miami, Kuwait, Iran, and Jordan. Dr. Handler holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California, San Diego, and received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Nebraska. Dr. Handler completed a research fellowship in pediatric dermatology at the University of Miami with department chairman Dr. Lawrence Schachner, author of Pediatric Dermatology. He completed his residency in dermatology at Rutgers University with Dr. Robert A. Schwartz, providing needed care for the underserved patients of Newark, New Jersey, and military veterans at the East Orange Veterans hospital. He was selected to serve as the program’s Chief Resident during his senior year. He completed a Mohs micrographic surgery and procedural dermatology fellowship at Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of NY and NJ under the direction of Dr. David J. Goldberg.

Joshua Freedman, MD, MS, is a nationally recognized innovator in the field of dermatology and a board-certified dermatologist at Kessel Dermatology in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. He is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatological Surgeons, American Contact Dermatitis Society, and Florida Society of Dermatological Surgeons. He is a licensed physician in surgery and medicine in New Jersey and Florida.

Dr. Freedman trained as a dermatologist at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, in the prestigious department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, which is ranked among the Nation’s Top Ten Programs (US News & World Report 2015). During his training, he received numerous institutional and national awards for his inventions and innovations in cutting-edge dermatological technology for early skin cancer detection. Dr. Freedman completed his Medical education at Rush University Medical College and his internal medicine internship training at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital. While at Rush University, he served as the president of the Medical Student Surgery Group and researched at the Craniofacial Center for Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Freedman graduated from Drexel University with dual master’s degrees in electrical and biomedical engineering and continues to explore new ways to utilize technology to enhance dermatological care.

Dr. Freedman greatly enjoys and continues to seek out volunteer opportunities to give back to his community. He has received grants from the American Academy of Dermatology to support volunteer work in Native American Health Services on reservations in Chinle and Tsaile, Arizona. Dr. Freedman has provided volunteer service for Florida Keys Health Fairs and Camillus House Homeless Shelter. Dr. Freedman served as a student director for the Community Health Clinic in Chicago, which provided weekly free clinical care to the uninsured, and founded a new clinic that continues to serve uninsured Chicagoans today.

Dr. Freedman is originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and is happy to return to and serve this area’s medical and surgical dermatological needs.

Michelle W. Ma, MD, FAAD is a Board Certified Dermatologist who completed her residency through the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in June 2017. We're very excited to have her as a full-time provider at MDCS Dermatology: Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, located in Plainview, Commack, Manhattan, Upper East Side and Hampton Bays, New York. In her professional and educational work, Dr. Ma has:

• Completed multiple postdoctoral programs
• Published articles in a variety of professional journals
• Participated in presentations across the nation

Dr. Ma graduated from Cornell University with a degree in biological sciences. She then:

• Pursed her Doctor of Medicine at the New York University School of Medicine
• Served as an intern at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts
• Began and continues her dermatology residency at MDCS

She has completed two postdoctoral fellowships. Dr. Ma was a Dermatopharmacology Fellow at the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in Bronx, New York. She was also a Melanoma Translational Research Fellow at the Department of Dermatology at New York University.

Dr. Ma has also been the recipient of numerous awards. These include:

• The Maurice Husik Prize for the best paper written by a dermatology resident/fellow
• The Todd Nagel Research Grant Award from The Skin Cancer Foundation
• The Medicine Clerkship Award for outstanding essay in medical science
• Merrill Presidential Scholar
• The William T. Keeton Prize for academic excellence in introductory biology

Regina Yavel, MD, FACMS, FAAD is a board certified and fellowship trained Mohs Surgeon, is a graduate of Brown University and SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Yavel is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatology Foundation Leaders Society, American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and American College of Mohs Surgery.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kalee Shah to MDCS Dermatology! Dr. Shah is double
board-certified in Dermatology and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery by the American
Board of Dermatology

She grew up in Southern California and graduated as a Presidential and Renaissance
scholar from the University of Southern California. She subsequently moved to New
York to earn her medical degree at Weill Cornell Medical College. During medical school,
she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and a recipient of the
Glasgow-Rubin Memorial Achievement Award honoring select women for academic
achievement.

Dr. Shah completed her internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and
her dermatology residency at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. In her
final year, she served as Chief Resident. Following residency, she completed
subspecialty fellowship training in Mohs micrographic surgery, cutaneous oncology, and
reconstructive surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell
Medicine. She then became Director of Mohs Micrographic Surgery at
Northwell-Lenox Hill Hospital.

Dr. Shah's primary clinical focus is the management of skin cancers including
squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, early-stage melanoma, and rare
cutaneous tumors. She additionally provides medical, cosmetic, and laser dermatology
services. Dr. Shah lives in New York City with her husband and miniature dachshund, Gus.

Board certifications:

• Dermatology - American Board of Dermatology
• Academic titles
• Assistant Professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at
  Hofstra/Northwell

Education:

• Weill Cornell Medical College

Residencies:

• New York Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center

Fellowships:

• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center