Searching for Summaries
Summary information of disciplinary actions taken against licensees, professional practice business entities, and pharmacy establishments by the Board of Regents in New York State since January 1, 1994, can be searched below by year, month, and profession. You may also search for an individual’s, entity’s or establishment’s status, and any applicable enforcement actions, with our Online Verification Search. Applicable disciplinary information will be listed under the Enforcement Actions tab within the search results.
In New York State, professional misconduct in all the professions (except that by physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants, which is investigated and prosecuted by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) of the Department of Health) is investigated and prosecuted by the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions. The Board of Regents, which also has responsibility for licensure in all the professions, is responsible for the final disposition of all disciplinary matters except those handled by OPMC.
Information on pre-1994 Regents Actions is available by phone: 518-474-3817, ext. 330; fax: 518-473-0578; e-mail: dplsdsu@nysed.gov, or by writing to the Office of the Professions.
By reviewing this material, the user accepts the terms, conditions and limitations under which this information is supplied.
March 2023
Nursing
GUSTINA M CASTELLO (A/K/A COSTELLO GUSTINA M, DENNIS GUSTINA); FREEPORT NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 236487; Cal. No. 33248
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to charges of failing to adequately document a patient's injury in the patient record, and inaccurately indicating in the patient record that she personally performed said patient's injury assessment.
JOHN FRANCIS GARGAN III; NEW YORK NY
Profession: Nurse Practitioner In Family Health; Cert. No. 334335; Cal. No. 32550
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of professional misconduct for having been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics, a felony.
JOHN FRANCIS GARGAN III; NEW YORK NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 548322; Cal. No. 32549
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of professional misconduct for having been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics, a felony.
KAYLEIGH G MORRIS (A/K/A MORRIS KAYLEIGH); BALLSTON SPA NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 300891; Cal. No. 33316
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having been convicted of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree, and Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs, both misdemeanors.
KIMBERLEE JO RONAN (A/K/A HUOTARI KIMBERLEE JO); S RICHMOND HILL NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 246608; Cal. No. 33408
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of Iowa, striking a patient in the face with her hand.
DIANA CATHERINE RUSAKOVICH; COHOES NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 683870; Cal. No. 33393
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of medication administration errors.
LENA M SMITH (A/K/A MCKENZIE-SMITH LENA); LITHONIA GA
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 317292; Cal. No. 33261
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 months actual suspension, 22 months stayed suspension, upon return to practice in New York State, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failing to submit and complete a plan of continuing education in recordkeeping and ethics, and failing to answer and submit quarterly questionnaires as requested by the department, as required by the terms of probation imposed by the Board of Regents in Order No. 30290.
Pharmacy
MICHAEL D VISCONTI; CONSTANTIA NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 051036; Cal. No. 33304
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of delegating the professional responsibility of administering vaccines to pharmacy technicians.
JIWON YERN; GLEN OAKS NY
Profession: Pharmacist; Lic. No. 050033; Cal. No. 33190
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 3 years stayed suspension, 3 years probation, $10,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of dispensing the wrong medication to a patient.
Psychology
JENNIFER NOEL DUFFY; CENTERPORT NY
Profession: Psychologist; Lic. No. 012248; Cal. No. 33235
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Partial actual suspension in the area of forensic psychology, upon return to full practice, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of failing to perform a forensic examination on a father when visitation was an issue, and failing to maintain records which accurately reflect evaluation and treatment of patient.
Public Accountancy
MARLA PACHTER MANOWITZ; WESTBURY NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 067146; Cal. No. 33135
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Partial actual suspension in the area of auditing for no less than 9 months, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having voluntarily consented to a denial of the privilege of appearing or practicing before the United States Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), after a disciplinary action was commenced by the SEC, for Failing to disclose material facts in a financial statement, Failing to obtain sufficient information to warrant the expression of an opinion and Failing to meet generally accepted auditing standards under federal law.
JULIUS S REICH; SCARSDALE NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 044341; Cal. No. 33411
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Manslaughter in the 1st Degree, a class B felony.
STEPHEN ROBERT SCHMITZ; ROCHESTER NY
Profession: Certified Public Accountant; Lic. No. 053540; Cal. No. 33191
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Partial actual suspension in the area of auditing for no less than 1 month, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of failure to state that there was a failure to test plan contributions and a failure to obtain a legal claims letter.
Respiratory Therapy
JOHNSON VAZHAPPALLIL MATHEW; ELMONT NY
Profession: Respiratory Therapy Technician; Lic. No. 004391; Cal. No. 33306
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Promoting Gambling in the 1st Degree, a class E felony.
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
U-CHENG LEONG; FAIRPORT NY
Profession: Audiologist; Lic. No. 002059; Cal. No. 33357
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having performed an audiology examination on a patient while experiencing the acute onset of a mental health crisis.
Veterinary Medicine
PAUL D FISH; MERRICK NY
Profession: Veterinarian; Lic. No. 004473; Cal. No. 33372
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of failing to document in a patient's medical record the strength of the DSS (dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate) enema given and the type of subcutaneous fluid given to said patient.
February 2023
Dentistry
TATYANA BERMAN; BROOKLYN NY
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 047499; Cal. No. 32493
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $2,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of failure to completely excavate caries on a patient's tooth before preparing for crown placement.
JOANN FRANCES KANIA (A/K/A KANIAI JOANN FRANCES); COPIAGUE NY
Profession: Dental Hygienist; Lic. No. 017343; Cal. No. 33422
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 1 year and until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Vehicular Assault in the 1st Degree, a class D felony; Assault in the 2nd Degree, a class D felony; and Driving While Intoxicated, a class E felony.
EDWARD FREDERICK OLLI; BRADENTON FL
Profession: Dentist; Lic. No. 040861; Cal. No. 29880
Action: Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation, $10,000 fine.
Summary: Licensee was found guilty of professional misconduct for charges of abandoning or neglecting a patient under an in need of immediate professional care, without making reasonable arrangements for the continuation of such care; and failing to make available to a patient, upon request, copies of documents in the possession or under the control of the licensee which have been prepared for and paid for by the patient.
Massage Therapy
PAUL ANTHONY WHITE; HARTFORD NY
Profession: Massage Therapist; Lic. No. 030259; Cal. No. 32562
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest charges of inappropriate sexual contact; and having been convicted of Forcible Touching.
Nursing
TIMOTHY ALLEN ALDRICH; JERSEY CITY NJ
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 536677; Cal. No. 33218
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of permitting a registered professional nurse to inject Botox and/or dermal fillers into patients, without a valid order and/or without an adequate examination.
TIMOTHY ALLEN ALDRICH; JERSEY CITY NJ
Profession: Nurse Practitioner In Acute Care; Cert. No. 431391; Cal. No. 33219
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of permitting a registered professional nurse to inject Botox and/or dermal fillers into patients, without a valid order and/or without an adequate examination.
JOSEPH PARKER AYCOCK; NEW YORK NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 397452; Cal. No. 33376
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of being habitually drunk, or being dependent on, or a habitual user of alcohol and controlled substances.
LISA FAYE BROWNING; MCCORMICK SC
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 730282; Cal. No. 33384
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of Ohio, diverting the controlled substances Percocet and Vicodin for her own personal use on approximately ten occasions and documenting that she administered said controlled substances to patients when she had administered acetaminophen instead.
SUSAN LEE CECH; NEW CITY NY
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 429058; Cal. No. 33216
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of permitting a registered professional nurse to inject Botox and/or dermal fillers into patients, without a valid order and/or without an adequate examination.
SUSAN LEE CECH; NEW CITY NY
Profession: Nurse Practitioner In Adult Health; Cert. No. 301690; Cal. No. 33217
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of permitting a registered professional nurse to inject Botox and/or dermal fillers into patients, without a valid order and/or without an adequate examination.
SUSAN LEE CECH; NEW YORK NY
Profession: Licensed Practical Nurse; Lic. No. 207167; Cal. No. 33215
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $2,500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of permitting a registered professional nurse to inject Botox and/or dermal fillers into patients, without a valid order and/or without an adequate examination.
HALEY MAUREEN CURRAN (A/K/A CURRAN HALEY); PLANTATION FL
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 708390; Cal. No. 33353
Action: Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 months stayed suspension, upon return to practice in New York State, 2 years probation, $500 fine.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having accepted an assignment to perform calculations to change the drip rate of infusion of a medication without having the proper competency.
CAROL LYNN CVIJANOVIC; CHARDON OH
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 487549; Cal. No. 33282
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been found guilty of professional misconduct in the State of Ohio, where the conduct if committed in New York State would constitute practicing the profession of nursing with gross negligence on a particular occasion.
MELINDA JO DICKINSON; BRENTWOOD TN
Profession: Registered Professional Nurse; Lic. No. 548306; Cal. No. 33397
Action: Application to surrender license granted.
Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of Oklahoma, forging a patient's signature on a home visit note to reflect that she performed said visit, when in fact she did not.