Melissa Ferrara, MS, FNP-BC, Associate Medical Director
Melissa Ferrara is a nationally board certified Family Nurse Practitioner. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Siena College and received a bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from Pace University. She has been practicing women’s health for more than 15 years and specializes as a female sexual dysfunction clinician.
Melissa’s passion is caring for women, utilizing a holistic approach and developing new and innovative treatments for all areas of sexual dysfunction, including desire, arousal, orgasm and pain. She integrates culturally competent care to help produce optimal outcomes for her patients. She has presented on the topic of Female Sexual Dysfunction at numerous conferences and has been an investigator on several clinical trials for medications for female sexual dysfunction. Additionally, Melissa is a clinical preceptor for Nurse Practitioner students at Pace University.
Helen Leff, LCSW, Sexuality Counselor, Psychotherapist
Helen Leff, LCSW, holds a Master Degree in Social Work with over 25 years of experience. She earned a BS in Special Education from City College of the City University of N.Y. and studied at Tel Aviv University in Israel. Helen received her Master’s degree in social work from New York University. She attended the Advanced Training Program in Psychotherapy at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health.
Helen has devoted many years providing counseling and advocacy services to families of children with developmental disabilities both at the Shield Institute as well as the Hebrew Academy for Special Children (HASC). She has extensive experience working with single mothers and has always been passionate about championing women and committed to issues promoting women’s health and welfare. She believes that “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Throughout her career as a mental health professional, Helen has endeavored to take a holistic view in understanding the needs of individuals as well as incorporating the larger family and social dynamics effecting them. A tireless advocate, Helen’s greatest professional satisfaction comes from helping those in need to develop self-empowerment skills to take greater control of their situations and to become their own best ally, adviser, and advocate.
Cathleen Kneidl, Physician Assistant, Certified Menopause Practitioner
Cathleen Kneidl is a Physician Assistant who has worked in health care for the past 30 years. She received a BA in social sciences from Stony Brook University and went on to study at Albany Medical College/Hudson Valley PA Program. She has worked in Family Practice Surgery, Women’s Healthcare, and more recently has specialized in Obesity Medicine.
Cathleen is also a Certified Menopause Practitioner. She is passionate about taking a wholistic approach to Menopause Management and the many ways to treat women going through peri-menopause and/or menopause. She has also worked as a volunteer EMT in her community. Cathleen is looking forward to working with patients to help them achieve their overall health and wellness goals.
Alla Khamermesh, Nurse Practitioner
Alla is dedicated to improving the quality of care for women by creating a relationship with her patients based on trust and dignity. By listening, educating and providing individualized care, she hopes to foster the growth of a new type of patient culture. A culture that is populated by women who take an active role in their own care.
For Alla, a job in women’s healthcare is much more than just one career option among many. It is rather a lifestyle that has led her to pursue midwifery, fertility, obstetrics & gynecology and women’s sexual health. She has a passion to empower women through education and support. She believes that women should know their options and, with support and advice, to aid them to make the best possible choices.
Alla has over 20 years of clinical nursing experience, more than 12 of it as Nurse Practitioner in various setting such as OB/ GYN practice and various Fertility Clinics. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Hunter College and her Master of Science from New York University. She holds Women Health Nurse Practitioner License as well as Certified Nurse Midwife License. She has been Board Certified by AMCB since 2010.
Rachel Spangenthal, PMHNP-BC, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Rachel Spangenthal is an ANCC board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Neuropsychology from Yeshiva University, and both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing from Columbia University.
Rachel is deeply passionate about holistic care for individuals who are navigating struggles with mental health and approaches all difficulties with a biopsychosocial model. She utilizes a combination of therapeutic techniques including psychodynamic therapy, somatic experiencing therapy, and medication management. She currently works part time in private practice, and has years of experience serving with the underserved, providing mental health care to New York’s homeless population.
Her areas of expertise include treatment of depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. Rachel believes that mental health care is an intimate partnership, and holds that each person deserves to be seen as the unique, dynamic, person that s/he is.
Erin Veloso, BSN, RN
Erin Franco is a registered nurse at Maze. She received her Associates Degree in Nursing in May 2020 from Rockland Community College. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Washington College and received her LPN diploma at Lincoln Technical Institute. Erin joined the Maze team in 2016.
After receiving her phlebotomy and EKG certifications, she became a Medical Assistant for Maze Labs, where she performed blood draws, as well as ordered labs and therapeutic phlebotomies.
Since receiving her LPN license in 2018, Erin now works with Maze Women’s Health nurse practitioners as a Pre-op and Post-op nurse. She assists the nurse practitioners, taking vitals and providing support to patients during and after various medical procedures.
michael A. WErner, md, facs, founder & medical director
Although Dr. Werner does not generally see patients, he reviews all evaluations and lab results, oversees all treatment, and follows all patient care. He performs the Vaginismus Botox Treatment Under Anesthesia procedure, along with his team of women’s sexual health experts. Upon request, he is always available for consultation after the initial evaluation.
Dr. Werner is a board-certified urologist who received his specialized fellowship training in male infertility and surgery, and male sexual dysfunction at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Werner completed his urology residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan and received his medical school training at the University of California at San Francisco. He holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from Harvard College.
Dr. Werner’s private practice, Maze Men’s Health, is limited to male infertility and male sexual dysfunction. He lectures and writes extensively on these topics in medical journals and books. More importantly, his concentration in these areas means he practices the latest and most advanced treatments and surgical techniques, ensuring the greatest likelihood of success for his patients.
“You don’t have to suffer with ED if you deal with a specialist in the field; not strictly a urologist, but someone who’s trained and practiced for years in this area. Dr. Werner was a totally upbeat guy and easy to talk to. He was that specialist for me.”
— Jim, 49
As the Medical Director of Maze Health, Dr. Werner diagnoses and treats erectile dysfunction, Low T, Peyronie’s Disease, premature or delayed ejaculation, and the many causes of male infertility. The practice is founded on the belief that patients should have a complete understanding of the medical options available to them, and that the patient and physician should decide, together, on the course of treatment that makes the most medical and personal sense.