Meet the Team

Surgeon

Kfir Ben-David, MD, FACS

Chairman of Surgery
General Surgery Program Director

Dr. Kfir Ben-David is Mount Sinai’s Chairman of the Department of Surgery. An expert in gastrointestinal surgery, Dr. Ben-David is board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery and specializes in the minimally invasive treatment of a variety of gastroesophageal conditions. As the former Director of Bariatric Surgery at UF Health Shands Hospital, he has extensive experience in bariatric surgery, having performed more than 1,000 minimally invasive bariatric procedures since 2006. Dr. Ben-David is an active researcher in the area of gastrointestinal surgery, esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, and bariatric care. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 15 book chapters, and has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a co-investigator on a prestigious RO1 research grant regarding bariatric surgery. He serves on the editorial board of two well-respected surgical journals and has been invited all over the country and world to lecture on his surgical experience.

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Support Staff

Melissa Petersen, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Melissa Petersen is a bilingual physician assistant specializing in bariatric surgery and surgical GI oncology. She assisted in developing the outpatient infrastructure for the bariatric program at Mount Sinai and serves as a patient advocate. Melissa completed her undergraduate bachelor’s degree in dietetic and nutrition from Florida International University, earned her degree in physician assistant studies from Miami Dade College, and holds a Master’s degree in medical science. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) and is a member of various professional organizations, such as Florida Association of Physician Assistants, Association of Physician Assistant in Oncology, American Academy of Physician Assistant, and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. She is dedicated to your weight loss journey and the resolution of your related medical problems.

Marlene Rodriguez

Scheduler and Coordinator

A Mount Sinai Medical Center employee for more than a decade, Marlene Rodriguez is the scheduler and coordinator for the Bariatric Weight Loss Program. She obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant License in nursing from Concorde Career College, and she has been honored with the Customer Service Award and been named the Patient Care Technician of the Month for her contributions in nursing at Mount Sinai. Her professional goals include impeccable customer service, patient satisfaction, efficiency, and organization. Marlene is devoted to creating an easy and patient-centric experience during this very important evaluation process. She works hard to ensure that you have a wonderful and positive experience during your visits.