CNSO - Key Persons
He graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a bachelor's degree in Biology. He received his medical degree from the NYU School of Medicine, where he graduated near the top of his class. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society for academic and clinical excellence. He went on to complete residency training at the prestigious NYU/Hospital for Joint Diseases. During that time, he also served as a physician for the New York Mets and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. He completed subspecialty training at the world renowned Leatherman Spine Fellowship in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Oh is fluent in Spanish and Korean.
He is an avid runner, and in his free time, he enjoys photography and traveling with his family.
Job Titles:
- Interventional Pain Management Doctor and Physiatrist
Douglas Nowacki, MD is a board certified, orthopedic surgeon, Fellowship trained in Spine Surgery. A New Jersey native, Dr. Nowacki graduated from Rutgers University School of Engineering with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Nowacki then continued his education at UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Following medical school, Dr. Nowacki completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at The Mount Sinai Hospital and St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan. He then completed a Spine Surgery Fellowship at the University of California Davis Medical Center before returning to New Jersey.
Dr. Nowacki specializes in the treatment of spinal disorders including degenerative spinal conditions, scoliosis, and spinal trauma. In addition to traditional open spine surgery, he is trained in minimally invasive techniques, i.e., Microdiscectomy and Lateral lumbar Interbody Fusion (XLIF), as well as motion sparing procedures such as cervical laminoplasty and disc replacement. Dr. Nowacki believes in thoroughly educating patients about their condition and available treatment options. He is dedicated to providing this information to you, and answering your questions, so you can take an active role in your care decisions.
Job Titles:
- Board Certified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Dr. Kelly Tripi graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2002 with a Master of Physical Therapy, and then returned to school and obtained her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Regis University in 2009. Kelly is passionate about treating and educating patients and has pursued advanced studies in orthopedic therapy. She utilizes a multitude of manual therapy techniques in conjunction with exercise programs designed specifically for each patient. Dr. Tripi has extensive experience in all orthopedic and neurological diagnoses in the adult and pediatric population as well as post-surgical patients and has been in the outpatient field for over 20 years. Dr. Tripi lives in Wayne with her husband, 2 children, and many animals.
Michael Umanoff MD is a physician for over 30 years in New Jersey, board-certified in Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. Dr. Umanoff has served as the Director of Pain Medicine at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center for many years and has successfully treated thousands of patients with a variety of painful conditions. Having vast experience in dealing with complex pain involving the spine as well as other areas of the body, he strives to provide treatments that bridge the gap between injections and major surgery. His approach includes utilizing various minimally invasive techniques such as indirect spinal decompression for spinal stenosis and sacroiliac joint fusion for sacroiliac joint dysfunction. He has also been at the forefront of neuromodulation for the treatment of spinal neuropathic pain, CRPS, and peripheral neuropathies. Treating his patients with time, patience, and attention, as well as the utmost respect and compassion is integral to the comprehensive care that Dr.
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Interventional Pain Management Doctor and Physiatrist
Dr. Monte Haber, a board-certified Physiatrist of 12 years, sub-specialized in Pain Medicine, Physical Musculoskeletal Medicine and Orthopedic Rehabilitation. He is well versed in EMG / nerve conduction studies and utilizes acupuncture. Dr. Haber is very knowledgeable about minimally invasive interventional pain medicine options and employs them only when the patient most likely will improve from such a procedure. He is also very adept at headache management.
A graduate from Union College in New York, Dr. Haber attended medical school at Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel. He then completed his internship in internal medicine and residency at the Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation in Manhattan. Afterwards, Dr. Haber completed his fellowship training in Pain Medicine in Marietta, Georgia, then completed training in Sports Medicine and Electrodiagnostic Medicine while serving as a team physician at Michigan State University.
Dr. Haber is a fellow member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and both the International Spinal Injection Society and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Karen Pollak graduated from the University of Maryland-College Park with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from top ranked Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Karen Pollak PT, DPT, OCS has been working as a physical therapist for 15 years. Karen has loved working in the orthopedic field treating patients of all ages and skill levels ranging from children to geriatrics. Her experience working with a wide variety of conditions and injuries include work-related, sports (from recreational to professional), spinal, motor vehicle, post-operative, and daily aches and pains led her to become an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. As a result of working with Centers of Neurosurgery, Spine and Orthopedics she has gained additional expertise to treat spine related injuries (acute, chronic, degenerative, and post-operative) beyond that of a general orthopedic physical therapist. Karen works with each of her patients to develop a plan that addresses their pain and functional limitations while working to correct any movement dysfunction and imbalances in the body to minimize risk of re-injury and help the patient to achieve their goals. Karen was born and raised in Wayne, NJ and has returned to raise her children and give back to the local community.
Mary Albright is a Nurse Practitioner, having completed her doctoral studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2020. She received her Master's Degree in Nursing from the University of Medicine and Dentistry and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University. Mary Albright served 34 years at St. Joseph University Medical Center in Paterson, where she spent 2 years as a floor nurse, 26 years as a critical care nurse, and 6 years as the Neurosurgical Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Surgery. As a critical care nurse in the Surgical ICU, she trained many new nurses that have had long careers in critical care. She has extensive experience with traumatic brain injury patients at St Joseph's Level II trauma center. During her tenure as Nurse Practitioner, she led the Concussion Clinic. Mary Albright joined the Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine and Orthopedics in 2014 where she continues to offer her expertise and care. She is now educating our spine surgery patients before surgery on the risks of taking opioids and how to manage their pain and minimize opioid use following surgery.
Dr. Zajac graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and then received his Master of Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He is Certified in the McKenzie Method (a biopsychosocial system of musculoskeletal care emphasizing patient empowerment and self-treatment) and has pursued advanced studies in orthopedic manual therapy with an emphasis on spinal rehabilitation. Dr. Zajac believes in the individualized treatment of each patient and utilizes a blend of hands-on techniques and customized therapeutic exercises specifically designed to meet each patient's specific needs. Additionally, he is experienced in the rehabilitation of post-operative joint replacement including shoulders, knees and hips.