Faculty and Staff

Michelle Gerwin Carlson, MD
CHArm Director
Dr. Carlson, the founder of the CHArm Center, is an Orthopaedic Surgeon at HSS and Assistant Professor at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and she is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery and holds a certificate of added qualification in hand surgery. She applies her general training in orthopedic surgery and specialized training in hand surgery to patients with cerebral palsy and neurological diseases as well as pediatric patients in need of hand surgery. In 1994, Dr. Carlson created the CPNUE service in order to address the needs of hand patients with Cerebral Palsy and patients with neurological upper extremity disorders. Her research interests and dedication to the community drove her decision to start a children's hand center. 

Tracy Klein, MSW
CHArm Administrative Manager
Tracy Klein oversees the operations of the CHArm Center and works with the medical and rehabilitation staff to ensure that CHArm patients receive the best possible care. Tracy evaluates the needs of the CHArm Center patient population and develops methods to make certain patients receive expedited care.

Michelle Patterson, MS, OTR/L
CHArm Clinical Therapist
Michelle has been working in the pediatric rehabilitation department at HSS since May 2006. In 2007, she joined the CHArm Center to ensure that patients' surgical procedures are complimented by appropriate rehabilitation techniques. Michelle collaborates with pediatric orthopedic surgeons and hand surgeons to determine the most effective treatment plans for patients.

Laura Spincola, MS, CHES
CHArm Research Director
Laura Spincola is responsible for coordinating each of the CHArm research projects and guiding them through the IRB process. The focus of many CHArm Center's research is clinical. The Center's other projects examine the psychological aspects of illness.

Michael Palma
CHArm Research Assistant
Michael Palma works with our research director Laura Spincola on the various CHArm research projects. Michael manages the CHArm Patient Registry.

CHArm Physicians:
Edward A. Athanasian, MD
Aaron Daluiski, MD 
Rebecca Anne Demorest, MD
Daniel W. Green, MD
Brian C. Halpern, MD
Robert N. Hotchkiss, MD
Jordan D. Metzl, MD
Leon Root, MD
S. Robert Rozbruch, MD
David M. Scher, MD
Andrew J. Weiland, MD
Roger F. Widmann, MD
Scott W. Wolfe, MD