Meet Our Staff​

Leeza Romanoff​

Chief Operating Officer

Leeza started with Hudson Dermatology in 2021 and came to us with over 13 years of experience in healthcare. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from Hunter College, New York. Leeza continued her education and obtained a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Management degree from John Hopkins Carey Business School.

Besides her fusion of excellent clinical, administrative, and managerial skills, she brings passion and energy to our team. With this invaluable set of leadership skills, we look forward to working with her on bringing this practice to places we dreamed of.

“I am unique, humble, and passionate about life. Medicine has been a dream of mine for over a decade when I came to the United States from Belarus. During my college years, I volunteered at Weill Cornell Community Clinic H2H, and my life has never been the same since then. Nothing else in life brings me more joy than helping patients and making a difference while being a part of a team who always strives for perfection. Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery is definitely my kind of team, and I look forward to our growth together. I love my family and my English Cocker Spaniel, Shepherd, who is named after Dr. Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy. I enjoy pilates, yoga, a healthy diet, and skiing. I am collecting globes and dream of visiting 150+ countries of our beautiful world.” – Leeza”I am unique, humble, and passionate about life. Medicine has been a dream of mine for over a decade when I came to the United States from Belarus. During my college years, I volunteered at Weill Cornell Community Clinic H2H, and my life has never been the same since then.

Nothing else in life brings me more joy than helping patients and making a difference while being a part of a team who always strives for perfection. Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery is definitely my kind of team, and I look forward to our growth together.

I love my family and my English Cocker Spaniel, Shepherd, who is named after Dr. Shepherd from Grey’s Anatomy. I enjoy pilates, yoga, a healthy diet, and skiing. I am collecting globes and dream of visiting 150+ countries of our beautiful world.” – Leeza

Christina Pagan​

Administrative Coordinator/ Assistant Manager

Christina has over 10 years of experience in dermatology and we are excited to have her be a part of the Hudson Derm Family!

“I’m from the Bronx, New York and I started working in dermatology in 2013. I’ve always enjoyed the business aspect of it, but throughout the years, I’ve learned a lot about skincare through my own experiences and others.

Patient care is my top priority. I try as best as I can to make all patients feel as welcome and as comfortable as possible. I love to make others feel good. Outside of the derm life, I enjoy cooking, spending time with family, and finding new adventures!” – Christina

Luzinete Ripardu ​

NYS Certified Aesthetician

I am originally from Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil where I discovered my passion for skin care. My mother always took great care of her skin using natural ingredients such as coffee, arnica, and other fruits, herbs, and substances.

Growing up in a large family in Brazil I had a great childhood and my parents were my role models, so I followed in my mother’s footsteps and incorporated her skin care routine into my daily routine. I grew up in a tropical area where it was always sunny, so I was very cautious about taking care of my skin from a young age. Since my teenage years, I was always very careful about making sure I had sunscreen on to protect my skin. I always wanted to go to medical school, however this was difficult being that I had so many siblings and my parents did not have the means to send us all to school.

I started working young in order to get myself into school. During this time I decided to move to New York City without any of my family where my dreams of medical school became even more difficult to achieve.

I worked hard and was able to put myself into beauty school where I became even more interested in skin care. After my studies at Christine Valmy, I taught esthetics there to students whose first language was Portuguese or Spanish, preparing them for the State Board Exam.

Luzinete Ripardu

Afterwards, I realized I enjoyed working with doctors as patients can explain their concerns to the doctor, and the doctor and I can work together to figure out the best plan of action to help patients reach their goals.

I have been an aesthetician for twenty years and it is my passion. I love helping patients feel more comfortable in their skin and see their skin improving. Since I have been an esthetician for so long, and esthetics is an ever changing field, I constantly keep up with all the new skin techniques.

I travel to Europe, Brazil, and around the United States to take courses, such as in permanent makeup, to make sure my skills are always up to date. In Brazil there are many professionals that make various advancements in the field and I constantly go there to learn from my mentor, Dr. Izilda Penteado, who worked closely with Dr. Ivo Pitanguy. In my free time, I have come across people in my neighborhood and in Brazil suffering with acne and other skin issues and have treated them for free when they do not have the means to see an esthetician.

I also love to spend time with my family – my husband, my two kids, and my dog. I also love to cook, garden, and paint. To see more about the work I have done, I have been featured in various magazines, such as Vogue, W, Elle, People magazine and more.

Alyssa Ajodha

Lead Medical Assistant​

Alyssa was born and raised in Queens, New York. She started her career as a medical assistant in 2013 with internal medicine. She was blessed with the opportunity of working part-time with a dermatologist where she fell in love with the field and all its subspecialties including medical dermatology, surgical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and aesthetics.

Over the past 10 years, her love for dermatology and patient care has only increased with time and experience. She truly loves taking care of her patients whether it is making them feel better or comfortable undergoing a medical procedure or being a part of their journey when it comes to helping them gain their confidence back with cosmetic procedures. She also loves being able to share her knowledge with patients whether it is about skincare, the aging process, new treatments, aesthetics, etc.

Alyssa loves working alongside physicians in performing treatments and helping patients feel like their best selves.

“I am beyond thrilled to contribute my experience and talents to HDLS. I am so excited and honored to be a part of such an amazing team and to work alongside such amazing physicians!

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and loved ones, baking, reading, and being outdoors.”

Mayte Terrero​

Medical Assistant​

Mayte is our amazing full-time Medical Assistant. She was born in the Bronx and raised in the Dominican Republic. Her passion for medicine started when she was very little, helping her parents in medical service working for the Lions Club, and then watching her older sister pursue her degree as an MD.

Mayte graduated from Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago, MD (Medicine Doctor degree, Cum laude). Four years ago, she moved back to NY where she had the opportunity to start working in Dermatology, which was love at first sight. Since then, she has started her pathway in this beautiful medical field.

Mayte also has extensive experience as a research coordinator in Plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic. She is bilingual in Spanish and English. She is currently on her path to continue her education to get her US degree at the University of Mount Saint Vincent.

Outside of work and school, Mayte enjoys spending time with her fur baby dog, Milo, who has been a source of energy and infinite love for the last two years.

She enjoys outdoor activities, spending time with her family, and loves fashion and meditation. Her compassion, love for medicine, and knowledge are very valuable for our patients and our clinical team.

Sierra Byrne​

Medical Assistant​

Sierra recently joined Hudson Dermatology and Laser Surgery to launch her career in New York City. Born and raised in New Jersey, she graduated from the University of Vermont in May 2024 with a B.S. in Health Sciences and was eager to make New York City her new home.

Although new to HDLS, Sierra brings valuable experience in radiology and previously worked as a medical assistant at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Her passion for healthcare extends globally; she volunteered as a medical intern in the Dominican Republic, assisting hundreds of residents in the Jarabacoa region with limited access to healthcare. Sierra firmly believes in the power of collective action, stating, “When individuals come together with a shared passion, there are no limits to what can be achieved in helping those in need.”

An avid learner and deeply committed to the medical field, Sierra is pursuing a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies and is thrilled at the prospect of becoming a provider in the future.

Outside of work and academics, she enjoys exploring new places—both near and far—spending quality time with family and friends, and tackling challenging puzzles. For Sierra, “The harder the puzzle, the greater the challenge!”

“New York City has always been my favorite place, and having the opportunity to further my career at HDLS is truly a dream come true.

I feel incredibly honored to work alongside the dedicated Physicians advancing the field of Dermatology and the exceptional team members who make this practice thrive.”

cosmetic treatments in new york city

Medical & Cosmetic dermatology in Hudson Yards

From advanced medical treatments to cutting-edge cosmetic procedures, Hudson Derm offers comprehensive care tailored to your skin’s needs—all in the heart of Hudson Yards.