MVHS Diabetes Fellowship Program
Inaugural Diabetes Conference
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Utica National Building
201 Lafayette St.
8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Join us for our inaugural Diabetes Conference presented by the MVHS Diabetes Fellowship Program.
This conference is brought to you by a partnership between MVHS Diabetes and Endocrine clinic, CNY Diabetes Education program, Bassett Healthcare Network and Slocum-Dickson Medical Group.
This free event, presented by the MVHS Diabetes Fellowship Program, is open to providers at all levels, (MD/DO, NP/PA), residents, medical students, pharmacists, RNs and other allied healthcare professionals. Registration is required and can be accessed at the link below.
RSVP Here
Speakers include:
- Dayal Davis Raja, MD, FACE
- Alexandra Pellecchia, MD
- Domenic Aiello, MD, FACE
- Juan Jose Delgado Hurtado, MD, MPH
- Nay Linn Aung, MD, BC-ADM, DACD
- Karishma Circelli, MD
- Heng Yeh, MD
- Scott Brehaut, MD
- Nandita Rao, MD, FACS, DABOM
- Katherine Warden, PhD, MSCP
- Kristin Luke, MSN, C-NP, CCD
- Megan Coombs, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN
- Caroline Jacobus, MS, RN, CDCES, CFCN
- Jody W. Brouillette, MS, RCEP, CCRP
- Kristen Conway, MS, RD
- Shana Pughe Dean, MA
Program
8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m. Welcome
Section A: Diabetes Management (Moderators: Dayal Davis Raja, MD, FACE and Alexandra Pellecchia, MD)
8:10 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. Hypoglycemia in Diabetes Management (Domenic Aiello, MD, FACE)
8:40 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. Diabetes Management in the setting of cardiovascular disease (Juan Jose Delgado Hurtado, MD, MPH)
9:10 a.m. – 9:40 a.m. Practical Guide on CGM use in Diabetes Management (Nay Linn Aung, MD, BC-ADM, DACD)
9:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m. Q and A
9:55 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. Break
Section B: Complications and comorbidity of Diabetes (Moderators: Karishma Circelli, MD and Heng Yeh, MD)
10:05 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Diabetes and Stroke (Scott Brehaut, MD)
10:35 a.m. – 11:05 a.m. Metabolic Effects of Bariatric Surgery (Nandita Rao, MD, FACS, DABOM)
11:05 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. Psychiatric consideration when treating Diabetes (Katherine Warden, PhD, MSCP)
11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Q and A
11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Lunch break
Section C: Lifestyle modification and Patient Education (Moderators: Kristin Luke, C-NP and Megan Coombs, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN)
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The National Diabetes Prevention Program – An evidence-based risk reduction program (Caroline Jacobus, MS, RN, CDCES, CFCN)
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Prescription for Safe and Effective Exercise with Diabetes (Jody W. Brouillette, MS, RCEP, CCRP)
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Dietary consideration for people with Diabetes (Kristen Conway, MS, RD)
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Lost in Translation: A Language and Cultural Conversation about “Blood Sugar” (Shana Pughe Dean, MA)
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Q and A
2:45 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. Break
Section D: Ask the Experts (Moderator: Nay Linn Aung, MD, BC-ADM, DACD)
2:55 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. Panelists (Domenic Aiello, MD, FACE; Dayal Davis Raja, MD, FACE; Juan Jose Delgado Hurtado, MD, MPH)
3:40 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Break
Section E: Workshop (Moderators: Caroline Jacobus, MS, RN, CDCES, CFCN)
3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Tech workshop
Speaker Bios
Section A Moderators:
Dayal Davis Raja, MD, FACE
Dr. Raja is Board Certified Endocrinologist practicing both Inpatient & Outpatient Endocrinology. He is on the ABIM committee involved with writing endocrine test questions. Dr. Raja completed his fellowship in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA and the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He graduated from the highly competitive Mercer University Internal Medicine program in Georgia where he also served as Chief Resident. He also completed an Internship in Emergency Medicine at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, an affiliate of Albert Einstein University.
Alexandra Pellecchia, MD
Dr. Pellecchia is an Endocrinologist with board certification in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. She grew up in Syracuse, New York, went to Hamilton College and SUNY Upstate Medical University for medical school, Yale for internal medicine and Brown University for endocrinology fellowship. She worked in endocrinology offices in Staten Island and Poughkeepsie and has been working in the Utica area since 2013. Dr. Pellecchia lives with her husband and two children on a hobby farm along with four dogs, four cats, sheep, chickens and pigs.
Section A Speakers:
Domenic Aiello, MD, FACE
Dr. Aiello is board certified in Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes. He attended the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara for medical school and a Fifth Pathway at SUNY Buffalo. He completed his internal medicine residency in Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York and an Endocrine Fellowship at Hershey Medical Center. He has been in private practice in Utica/New Hartford since 1989 and has been actively involved in teaching medical students and residents. He joined MVHS in November 2025.
Juan Jose Delgado Hurtado, MD, MPH
Dr. Delgado Hurtado is an endocrinologist and public health physician. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Geisinger Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and a residency in Preventive Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He also earned a Master of Public Health from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. He currently serves as Division Chief of Endocrinology at Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, New York.
Nay Linn Aung, MD, BC-ADM, DACD
Dr. Aung is a board certified diabetologist working at MVHS diabetes and endocrine clinic. He is the director of diabetes sub-track in the MVHS Family Medicine Residency Program and program director of MVHS Diabetes Fellowship Program. He volunteers in diabetes projects and gives lectures on diabetes in local and national organizations such as American Diabetes Association (ADA), American College of Diabetology (ACD), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and New York State Academy of Family Physicians (NYSAFP).
Section B Moderators:
Karishma Circelli, MD
Dr. Circelli has been a Family Medicine provider at MVHS for 10 years, providing primary care to all ages. She went to medical school at University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, New York. She is currently the medical director for primary care services at MVHS.
Heng Yeh, MD
Dr. Yeh is an internal medicine physician with passion for endocrinology and improving patient outcomes through evidence and guideline-based care and education.
Section B Speakers:
Scott Brehaut, MD
Dr. Brehaut is a board certified physician in neurocritical care and medical director of neurocritical care at MVHS. He received his medical degree from Cebu Doctors College of Medicine (Cebu, Philippines). He completed a fellowship in Geriatrics at University of Rochester (Rochester, New York). He has obtained significant post-graduate education in cerebrovascular disease and stroke. As medical director of the Stroke Center at MVHS since 2006, Dr. Brehaut is instrumental in building and maintaining a cutting-edge, evidence-based program for the Stroke Center.
Nandita Rao, MD, FACS, DABOM
Dr. Rao is bariatric and metabolic surgeon who currently practices at the Wynn Hospital in Utica, New York. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgery, the American Board of Obesity Medicine and fellowship trained in Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Rao graduated from East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine for medical school, then moved to East Tennessee State University for general surgery residency. She was inaugurated into Alpha Omega Alpha prior to graduation and completed a 1-year fellowship program in metabolic and bariatric surgery at the University of Missouri. Dr. Rao is dedicated to performing safe, effective surgery that is individualized for each patient. She performs minimally invasive and robotic bariatric procedures including the roux-en-y bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy, emergent and revisional bariatric surgery, as well as minimally invasive general surgery on patients afflicted with super morbid obesity. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).
Katherine Warden, PhD, MSCP
Dr. Warden is a licensed clinical psychologist in Utica, New York. She is the assistant program director for the MVHS Psychiatry Residency Program, specializing in psychotherapy, psychological assessments, forensics and pediatrics. She has worked closely with the MVHS Family Medicine Residency Program on curriculum development and resident education in behavioral medicine. She graduated with a BS in Psychology from SUNY Cortland and then completed a PhD in Clinical Forensic Psychology from Alliant International University. She obtained a post-doctoral masters in Clinical Psychopharmacology from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Section C Moderators:
Kristin Luke MSN, C-NP, CCD
Kristin Luke MSN, FNP-C, CCD is a board certified nurse practitioner and has been working in endocrine clinic since 2010. She is a graduate of SUNY IT family nurse practitioner program.
Megan Coombs, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN
Megan Coombs, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, CCRN is the Senior Manager for Clinical Education at Mohawk Valley Health System, where she leads initiatives to equip clinical staff with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to deliver high-quality care. She is passionate about leveraging technology to improve clinical practice, streamline workflows, and enhance patient outcomes. A champion of healthcare innovation, she leverages technology to strengthen clinical practice and deliver meaningful change. Her focus is on implementing practical, scalable, and evidence-based solutions that streamline workflows, improve clinical efficiency, and empower both patients and clinicians. Megan is scheduled to defend her Doctor of Nursing Practice project, Optimizing Inpatient Diabetes Care: A Quality Improvement Project Leveraging CGM Technology, in early November, focusing on the optimization of inpatient diabetes care through CGM policy, education and patient engagement strategies. She leads with a strategic and authentic style, emphasizing evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary learning and the effective use of resources to drive meaningful change.
Section C Speakers:
Caroline Jacobus MS, RN, CDCES, CFCN
Caroline Jacobus is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and a Certified Foot Care Nurse. She has over 30 years of experience working with patients in the field of diabetes education and has been with MVHS since 1989. She received her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Pace University, Westchester Campus. She has been a Certified Lifestyle Coach for the National Diabetes Prevention Program for the last 15 years, and a certified Basic Life Support instructor for 32 years.
Kristen Conway MS, RD
Kristen Conway, MS, RD is a registered Dietitian, by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, since 2015. Kristen works as both a diabetes educator and a bariatric dietitian. Kristen counsels patients on weight loss and diabetes management, educates and prepares patients for bariatric surgery, monitors the nutrition status of patients after bariatric surgery and teaches pre-operative education classes. She also facilitates National Diabetes Prevention Program sessions and bariatric support groups on nutrition topics and participates in a multidisciplinary team.
Jody W. Brouillette, MS, RCEP, CCRP
Jody Barnes-Brouillette is a certified Exercise Physiologist from American College of Sport Medicine and AACVPR. She works at Cardiac Rehab at MVHS and MovnHealth as Exercise Physiologist/Care Manager. She is also an adjunct instructor at Utica University Exercise Science program. She received her Bachelor degree in Health Science from Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and master degree in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Science from East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Shana Pughe Dean, MA
Shana Pughe Dean has over 20 years of experience working with immigrant and refugee populations. In her role as Associated Director of Social enterprise she oversees Tone – the translation department at The Center – as well as cultural training and consulting. Mrs. Pughe Dean started her career with The Center as an administrative assistant, quickly advancing into roles involving training, strategic initiatives, events and public relations. From 2010 – 2014 she managed Compass Interpreters at The Center. She has been delivering Cultural Competency programs for over 15 years and has presented at national conferences. Shana holds a B.A. in International Relations from Utica College with a concentration in Spanish and Human Rights, and an M.A. from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, focusing on international organizations and foreign policy.
Section D: Ask the Experts Moderator:
Nay Linn Aung, MD, BC-ADM, DACD
Dr. Aung is a board certified diabetologist working at MVHS diabetes and endocrine clinic. He is the director of diabetes sub-track in the MVHS Family Medicine Residency Program and program director of MVHS Diabetes Fellowship Program. He volunteers in diabetes projects and gives lectures on diabetes in local and national organizations such as American Diabetes Association (ADA), American College of Diabetology (ACD), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and New York State Academy of Family Physicians (NYSAFP).
Section D: Ask the Experts Panelists:
Dayal Davis Raja, MD, FACE
Dr. Raja is Board Certified Endocrinologist practicing both Inpatient & Outpatient Endocrinology. He is on the ABIM committee involved with writing endocrine test questions. Dr. Raja completed his fellowship in Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA and the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He graduated from the highly competitive Mercer University Internal Medicine program in Georgia where he also served as Chief Resident. He also completed an Internship in Emergency Medicine at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, an affiliate of Albert Einstein University.
Domenic Aiello, MD, FACE
Dr. Aiello is board certified in Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes. He attended the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara for medical school and a Fifth Pathway at SUNY Buffalo. He completed his internal medicine residency in Highland Hospital in Rochester, New York and an Endocrine Fellowship at Hershey Medical Center. He has been in private practice in Utica/New Hartford since 1989 and has been actively involved in teaching medical students and residents. He joined MVHS in November 2025.
Juan Jose Delgado Hurtado, MD MPH
Dr. Delgado Hurtado is an endocrinologist and public health physician. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Geisinger Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and a residency in Preventive Medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He also earned a Master of Public Health from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. He currently serves as Division Chief of Endocrinology at Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, New York.
Section E Moderator:
Caroline Jacobus MS, RN, CDCES, CFCN
Caroline Jacobus is a Registered Nurse, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and a Certified Foot Care Nurse. She has over 30 years of experience working with patients in the field of diabetes education and has been with MVHS since 1991.
