Meet Our Team

William A. Graber, MD, PC consists of a talented team of healthcare professionals.  Our surgeons have completed more than 4,000 weight loss surgeries at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare in Utica, NY and St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center of Syracuse, NY.

Throughout your weight loss surgery journey, you will work not only with your surgeon, but our entire team of caring, helpful and dedicated weight loss surgery professionals.  This includes our physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, regsitered dietitian, administrative staff and insurance specialists. Your primary care physician is also considered a key member of our team.

Our Surgeons

William A. Graber, MD Dr. Graber holds a bachelor's degree from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and a medical doctorate from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He completed his residency at Boston University. Contact Dr. Graber

Matthew A. Fitzer, MD Dr. Fitzer holds a bachelor's degree from Christopher Newport University in Virginia and completed medical school at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. He completed his residency at the Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia, and performed a fellowship in laparoscopic weight-loss surgery at the University of Missouri. Contact Dr. Fitzer: (315) 624-4740

Dmitri V. Baranov, MD, PhD Dr. Baranov received his medical degree from Saratov State Medical University in Russia and his PhD from Russian State Medical University. From 1994 to 1999, Dr. Baranov was a staff surgeon at City Hospital #54 in Moscow, Russia. After coming to the United States, he completed a general surgery residency at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York, and a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Boston University Medical Center. Dr. Baranov is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American Medical Association. He has published numerous articles and abstracts.

Physician Assistants

Laura Buschmann, RPA-C, Surgical Assistant Laura is a surgical assistant for both Dr. Graber and Dr. Fitzer. She assists in the OR, and sees patients post-operatively, during hospital rounds, and for follow-up visits in our office. Laura also helps with patient education prior to and following surgery. A graduate of Hamilton College and the Physician Assistant Program at LeMoyne College, Laura has worked in the medical field since 1991. Contact Laura: (315) 624-4740

Sarah M. Evans, MPAS, RPA-C, Physician Assistant Sarah assists both Dr. Graber and Dr. Fitzer in the operating room, while also helping to perform daily hospital rounds, and to review discharge instructions and post-operative diets with patients. In our office, she sees patients for post-op appointments, which involves examining the patients and their incisions, reviewing diet and exercise regimens, reviewing lab work, and monitoring medications, making adjustments as needed. A graduate of Kings College-Wilkes-Barre, Sarah is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and has worked in the bariatric surgery field since 2003. Contact Sarah: (315) 624-4740

Nurse Practitioners

Angela M. Soja, RN, MS, FNP-C, CBN Angela is a Nurse Practitioner who sees follow up patients in the office. This involves physical examination, review of laboratory studies, monitoring medications, and making changes as needed. Diet and exercise are reviewed, post operative education is her main focus. Graduate of SUNY IT. Where she received her Masters Degree, Family Nurse Practitioner. She received her national certification in Bariatric Nursing in 2007. She is a member of Academy Nurse Practitioners, American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, and National Association of Bariatric Nurses. She has been in the healthcare field since 1982.

Christeen Verchot, PhD, FNP, GNP, CWHNP Christeen is a nurse practitioner who has been with our practice for over one year. She provides clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of postoperative patients. Her expertise as an adjunct professor with Utica College finds her interested in researching quality of life aspects associated with Bariatric surgery. Christeen received her Doctoral Degree in Nursing and her Masters Degree in Gerontological Nurse Practitioner from Binghamton University; a Post Masters Family Nurse Practitioner from SUNIYIT; and her Womens’ Health Nurse Practitioner from the Military School of Health Sciences. Has enjoyed working as a nurse since 1973; twenty-two of those years in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps. Presently applying for membership to American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

Clinical Staff

Lisa Taurisano, RN, CBN, Patient Education Lisa is the clinical manager responsible for overseeing the nursing staff in the practice. She is an allied member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She received her certification in bariatric nursing in 2008. Lisa works to help educate our patients prior to and following surgery. She also assists with appointment scheduling, phone triage, and organizing all paperwork for our patients who are headed to the hospital for surgery. She has worked in healthcare since 1992, and has been with Dr. Graber and Dr. Fitzer's office since 2004. Lisa earned her LPN from BOCES in 1990, and her RN from MVCC in 1995. She has also completed coursework toward her bachelor's degree at SUNY.

Michelle Weaver, LPN, Patient Education Michelle works as Dr. Fitzer's nurse, and educates patients about the bariatric surgery program, the surgeries our office offers, post-op care, and the importance of follow-up. She schedules pre-op appointments and takes patients' calls and questions. Michelle graduated at the top of her nursing class and, committed to continuing her education, she is pursuing her associates degree in nursing at MVCC. Before joining Dr. Graber's office in 2007, she worked as a charge nurse in a 40-bed long-term skilled care facility.

Evelyn Mariani, MS, RD, Registered Dietitian Evelyn provides nutrition counseling to our patients undergoing weight-loss surgery. She strives to find creative ways to help each individual adapt to the lifestyle changes needed after the operation. Her professional experience includes weight management, cardiovascular health, renal disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, nutrition in the elderly, eating disorders, and food allergies. Evelyn holds a master's degree from New York University and a bachelor's from Marymount College of Fordham University. She completed a dietetic internship at the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and is certified in childhood and adolescent weight management by the American Dietetic Association. Contact Evelyn: (315) 624-4740

Administrative Staff

Theresa Sullivan, Office Administrator and Billing Manager She has eight years of professional experience and joined Dr. Graber's practice in 1999. Terry was educated at Utica School of Commerce. Contact Terry: tsulliva@mvnhealth.com

Patricia Purdy, Insurance Specialist Trisha helps patients navigate an important part of the bariatric surgery process: health insurance pre-certification. She has over 20 years experience working in healthcare, focusing on insurance. Trisha joined our office in 2005 Contact Trisha: (315) 624-4762 ppurdy@mvnhealth.com

Administrative Assistants: Casandra Ramirez, Andrew Stopchick

Front Desk Coordinators: Brandy Hough, Michelle Lamanna,
Carrie Howard - Team Leader, Cheryl Fischer

Billing Department: Trisha Purdy - Insurance Specialist, Regina Blum - Medical Biller
& Tammy Brown - Medical Biller


Nurses: Katie Baker, LPN, Kayla Meininger, RN, Lisa Taurisano, RN, CBN - Clinical Manager,
Michelle Weaver, LPN, & Karen Salvatore, LPN