Boards and Committees

The IPRO Board of Directors, ESRD Divisional Board, Medical Review Board, Network Council, and their subcommittees direct and support Network operations. The role and purpose of these governing bodies are annually reassessed to ensure that they meet CMS requirements and Network needs. Board and committee members include representatives from dialysis and transplant facilities, ESRD Stakeholders, and patients in each Network service area.

The involvement of patient representatives is vital to the success of Network activities and to improving the quality of care and life for ESRD patients. Therefore, all boards and committees include at least two patient representatives.

For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering to serve as a board or committee member, please contact the Network by sending an e-mail to info@nw2.esrd.net or calling (516) 209-5578.

ESRD Boards – Duties and Responsibilities

The ESRD Divisional Boards and Medical Review Boards for each Network are composed of renal professionals and patients qualified to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of care delivered to ESRD patients. Members of the Boards represent the diverse geographic areas and the multiple professional disciplines of the Network service area. This includes nephrologists, nurses, social workers, dietitians, technicians, and at least two ESRD patients.

Members are elected for a three-year term, with staggered expiration dates to accommodate rotation of new and retiring members.

Board members meet at a minimum of four (4) times per year (combination of virtual and face-to-face meetings). Attendance at 75% of meetings is mandatory to retain Board status.

Each member is required to sign a Conflict of Interest statement and Affirmation of Agreement with IPRO’s Confidentiality, Privacy and Security Policy on an annual basis.

Patient Advisory Committee (PAC)

If you are a dialysis patient, transplant recipient, family member, or care partner and are interested in becoming a PAC member, speak with your dialysis facility social worker or contact the Network of New York. For more information on the PAC and their activities please see our PAC webpage.

ESRD Divisional Board (EDB)

The Network has an ESRD Divisional Board (EDB) that is responsible for the oversight and management of the Network. The EDB serves as an expert panel that analyzes and advises the IPRO Board of Director on quality improvement activities and policies and procedures for the ESRD Network Program.

The EDB shall perform the following functions in regard to the delivery of ESRD care:

    1. Review and recommend to the IPRO Board of Directors policies and procedures;
    2. Interface with CMS and other regulatory agencies;
    3. Encouraging patient participation, providers of services, and ESRD facilities in vocational rehabilitation programs;
    4. Developing criteria and standards relating to the quality and appropriateness of patient care and Network goals;
    5. Implementing procedures for evaluation and resolution of patient grievances by the Medical Review Board.
    6. Identifying facilities consistently not meeting Network goals, assisting facilities in developing appropriate plans for correction, and submitting recommendations to the Medical Review Board regarding facilities and providers that are not providing appropriate medical care; and
    7. Supporting activities of the Medical Review Board and the Patient Advisory Committee.

ESRD Divisional Board (EDB)

Bylaws state 3 year term. Chair term does not apply. No compensation provided for members.
Percent of Member Terms Ending by Year: 2018 (27%), 2019 (33%), 2020 (40%)

MemberTitle/CommitteeLocationYear AppointedYear Term EndsAffiliatePosition
Barbara BreckenridgePatient Advisory CommitteeBuffalo, NY20172020N/APatient Subject Matter Expert
Brian MurrayESRD Divisional Board ChairBuffalo, NY20162018Erie County Medical CenterNephrologist
Cecil LewisUniondale, NY20172020Nassau University Medical Center RN/Administrator
David FoxNew York, NY20172020Fox Vein CareVascular Surgeon
George CoritisidisQueens, NY20162018Elmhurst HospitalNephrologist
Jarena BarkinsSyracuse, NY20162019University Dialysis Inc.RN Nurse Manager
John WagnerBrooklyn, NY20162018Kings County Hospital CenterNephrologist
Kirsa AnisBronx, NY20162019Jacobi Medical CenterNephrologist
Maria ArgentinaGrievance Committee ChairBronx, NY20162019Bronx Dialysis CenterSocial Worker
Lenore BrunoQueens, NY20172020Northwell HealthQuality Nurse Manager
Maria Elena SicilianoMineola,NY20172020NYU Winthrop Hospital, Outpatient DialysisDietitian
Neal MittmanBronx, NY20172020Kidney Care of Brooklyn & Queens, PLLCNephrologist
Stephanie DixonPatient Advisory Committee Chair/Subject Matter ExpertBrooklyn, NY20162018N/AConsumer Representative
Subodh SaggiBrooklyn, NY20162019SUNY Downstate Medical CenterNephrologist
Vaughn FolkertBronx, NY20162019FMS - Morris Park DialysisNephrologist

Medical Review Board (MRB)

Bylaws state 3 year term. Chair term does not apply. No compensation provided for members.
Percent of Member Terms Ending by Year: 2018 (23%), 2019 (18%), 2020 (59%)

MemberTitle/CommitteeLocationYear AppointedYear Term EndsAffiliatePosition
Brian MurrayESRD Divisional Board ChairBuffalo, NY20162018Erie County Medical CenterNephrologist
David FoxNew York,NY20172020Fox Vein CareNephrologist
Steven FishbaneGreat Neck, NY20172020Northwell HealthNephrologist
George CortisidisQueens, NY20092020Elmhurst HospitalNephrologist
Helen DankoQueens Village, NY20172020Northwell HealthRN/Administrator
John Wagner*Brooklyn, NY2006EmeritusKings County Hospital CenterNephrologist
Kenneth TeasleyPatient Advisory Committee Chair/Subject Matter ExpertBronx, NY20172020N/APatient Subject Matter Expert
Larry KunstadtJamaica, NY20162019N/APatient Subject Matter Expert
Lisa GutekunstEast Aurora, NY20172020Davita Inc.Dietitian
Matthew MerendinaMineola, NY20162019Winthrop University HospitalBio Technician
Pradeep Aora Buffalo, NY20172020VAMC/Associate ProfessorNephrologist
Ritesh RaichoudhuryFlushing, NY20172020NYPQ Dept of NephrologyNephrologist
Steven FishbaneGreatneck, NY20172020Northwell HealthNephrologist
Subodh SaggiBrooklyn, NY20162019SUNY Downstate Medical CenterNephrologist
Suzanne JohncoxNewark, NY20172020Fresenius Kidney CareSocial Worker
Vaughn FolkertBronx, NY20162019FMS - Morris Park DialysisNephrologist
Vijay LapsiaNew York, NY20172020The Mount Sinai HospitalNephrologist

Grievance Committee

Bylaws state Chair term is 5 year term. No compensation provided for members.
Appointment by year (%): 2016 (0%), 2017 (0%), 2018 (30%), 2019 (0%), 2020 (70%)

MemberTitle/CommitteeLocationYear AppointedYear Term EndsAffiliatePosition
Judy Ammar,LMSWQueens, NY2018N/AAvantus Upper Eastside Dialysis CenterRenal Social Worker
Ellen De Marco, RNBrooklyn, NY2011N/ARogosin Institute RN Admin
Jarena Barkins, RNSyracuse, NY2014N/ADCI University DialysisRN Admin
Nelson NunezManhattan, NY2018N/APAC Co- Chair, ManhattanPatient Representative
Maria Argentina, LCSW-R, NSW-CGrievance Committee ChairBronx, NY2016N/ABronx Dialysis CenterRenal Social Worker
Ashdean Daruwalla, MDQueens, NY2016N/AAtlantic DialysisNephrologist
Minesh Khatri, MDNew York, NY2016N/ANYP Columbia DialysisNephrologist
Dominique EdwardsJamaica, NY2016N/AQueens Dialysis at the Pavilion, LLCAdmin Assistant
Evelyn Ayala, LPNLynbrook, NY2016N/ADaVita Lynbrook DialysisLPN
Pat Denny, RDBuffalo, NY2018N/AErie County Medical Center Dialysis