Faculty
![]() |
John E. Harris M.D., PhD http://profiles.umassmed.edu/profiles/ProfileDetails.aspx?From=SE&Person=53 John Harris, MD, is the chair of dermatology and director of the Vitiligo Clinic and Research Center at UMass Medical School. He is a dermatologist and physician-scientist, caring for patients in a vitiligo specialty clinic and running a large research laboratory focused on understanding disease pathogenesis and developing new treatments. His group integrates basic, translational and clinical research strategies to accomplish this. As a result, early clinical trials in vitiligo have shown success, and more are being developed. Finally, Dr. Harris founded Villaris Therapeutics, whose entire focus is to develop an effective, long-lasting treatment for vitiligo. |
![]() |
Karen Wiss, M.D. Karen Wiss, MD, has lived in Massachusetts since finishing residency but you might still pick up a bit of her Texas drawl. She has worked as a pediatric dermatologist at UMMS since 1992. Her main interests within dermatology include epidermolysis bullosa, genetic skin disease, vascular anomalies, midline developmental defects and childhood exanthems. She loves mentoring medical students, residents and fellows and has been passionate about organizing AAD Camp Discovery Connecticut, a week-long camp experience for children with disabling skin diseases. She has two young adult children and a husband who is also a dermatologist. Outside of work, Karen enjoys traveling, barre class, riding her Peloton and baking. |
Dermatology Faculty |
|
![]() |
Amanda Auerbach, M.D. Amanda Auerbach, MD, is originally from Buffalo, N.Y., but came to UMass Medical School for her medical training. She completed her residency and fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery at UMMS in 2015. She then stayed on to practice surgical dermatology. She has a special interest in melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer treatment and prevention. She enjoys teaching medical students, residents and fellows. Outside of work, Dr. Auerbach loves to travel, cook, and spend time with her three young children and husband. |
![]() |
Julia Baltz, M.D. Julia Baltz, MD, originally from Virginia, has lived all over the country but returned to New England for residency and fellowship training. While in her fellowship she developed an affinity for nail disorders and performs Mohs surgery at UMass Memorial alongside her nail clinic. As a UMass Medical School dermatology graduate, she loves the chance to teach residents and mentor medical students. When not at work she spends her time outdoors hiking, biking, trail running or skiing. |
![]() |
Leah Belazarian, M.D. Leah Belazarian, MD, is originally from Worcester and loves that she practices dermatology where she grew up. She spends half of her time practicing adult medical dermatology and the other half practicing pediatric dermatology. Her main clinical interests are psoriasis, medical education, genodermatoses, inpatient dermatology, and complex medical and pediatric dermatology. She cherishes the time she spends with the residents and medical students. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her four young children and husband, who is a cardiologist. She enjoys riding her Peloton, running, reading, game nights, fashion and interior decorating. |
![]() |
Elizabeth Gingras, N.P. |
![]() |
Dori Goldberg, M.D. Dori Goldberg, MD, grew up in Massachusetts and has been at UMass Medical School since starting medical school in ’98. After completing her dermatology residency and Mohs surgery fellowship, she joined the faculty to stay a part of the UMMS dermatology family. Her interests in dermatology include Mohs surgery, pediatric procedures, transplant dermatology, surgical education and volunteerism. She looks forward to Camp Discovery every summer which she helps coordinate with Dr. Wiss. Outside of dermatology, Dori enjoys time with her three young daughters and husband, which includes lots of singing and dance parties, cooking/baking and taking on home improvement projects (or just watching them on HGTV). |
![]() |
Lindsey Jolley, P.A. |
![]() |
Nikki Levin, M.D., PhD Nikki Levin, MD, PhD has interests within dermatology that run the gamut from acanthosis nigricans to zoonoses, with particular interest in acne, fungal diseases, hidradenitis, psoriasis and skin cancer. She loves working at UMass Medical School because of the outstanding medical students, residents and fellow faculty members. When she is not at work, she enjoys running, gardening, playing soccer, doing crossword puzzles with her son, going for long walks with her daughter and baking bread with her husband. |
![]() |
Bassel Mahmoud, M.D., PhD, FAAD Bassel Mahmoud, MD, PhD, FAAD, is a Mohs surgeon and the director of teledermatology at UMass. His main clinical interests are treatment of skin cancers and laser procedures. He is one of the very few dermatologists in the U.S. performing the Melanocyte-Keratinocyte Transplantation Procedure (MKTP); which has proven to be an effective treatment for patients with arriston vitiligo who do not respond to other treatment options. Dr. Mahmoud is an editorial reviewer for multiple research journals, both national and international. He has three kids and his hobbies and interests outside dermatology are sailing, biking, swimming and travelling. |
![]() |
Mary E. Maloney, M.D. Mary Maloney, MD, stepped down as department chair in January 2021, but you won’t be free of her yet. She is a Mohs surgeon who loves teaching and operating and will remain at UMMS doing both. She is also passionate about leadership development and will be working in that arena too. She grew up in Vermont and gets back there whenever possible to hike, bike, kayak and waterski among other crazy hobbies. She has three children (a pediatrician, a CPA, and a lawyer) and three grandchildren who she spoils shamelessly. |
![]() |
Riley McLean-Mandell, M.D. Riley McLean, MD, is originally from southeastern Massachusetts but has been living and working in Worcester for more than a decade. As a Mohs surgeon, her clinical interests are primarily surgical and include AFX tumors, lentigo maligna and environmentalism within the field of Mohs surgery. Dr. McLean feels very strongly about environmental sustainability in the clinic and in her personal life, even biking to work on occasion! She has three small children and a loveable mutt at home who keep her busy. In her spare time, she likes to read, hike and ski. |
![]() |
Melissa Michelon, M.D., FAAD Melissa Michelon, MD, is originally from Michigan, but has lived in the Worcester area since college. She completed her residency training at UMass Medical School and stayed on as faculty after graduation. She enjoys teaching residents and medical students. Dr. Michelon practices general dermatology with a special interest in laser and cosmetic procedures. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her four young children. |
![]() |
Patrick Mulvaney, M.D. Patrick Mulvaney, MD, MPH is originally from upstate New York and migrated east for his adult education and medical training. After graduating from medical school at Brown University, he completed dermatology residency at the Harvard Combined Residency Training Program followed by a fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute where he received an M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health. Along with surgical dermatology, Dr. Mulvaney has a particular interest in caring for patients with solid organ transplants who are at increased risk for skin cancer, and is dedicated to the professional development and education of his medical student, resident and fellow colleagues at UMass and beyond. Outside of the clinic, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs, exercising, exploring New England's culinary offerings, and watching documentary films. |
![]() |
Mehdi Rashighi, M.D. Mendi Rashighi, MD, is originally from Iran. He graduated from medical school in 2004 and spent several years doing clinical research before joining Dr. Harris's vitiligo research lab in 2011. During his residency training at UMass Medical School, he became interested in autoimmune connective tissue diseases (CTD) and, upon graduation, established a new CTD specialty clinic and research center. In addition to seeing patients in the clinic, he runs a lab dedicated to translational research on inflammatory skin diseases, namely dermatomyositis, lupus and morphea. Mehdi is married and has two children. Outside of work, he enjoys playing soccer and painting. |
![]() |
Jillian Richmond, PhD Assistant Professor of Dermatology Interests: Autoimmunity, Immunology, Fibrosis, Translational Research, Lupus |
![]() |
Mark J. Scharf, M.D. |
![]() |
Jessica St. John, M.D., MPH, MBA |
Dermatopathology Faculty |
|
![]() |
April Deng, M.D., PhD |
![]() |
Zendee Elaba, M.D. |
![]() |
Patrick O'Donnell, D.O. |