2025-2026 Departments and Committees
Appointment of Department Directors, Committee Chairpersons and Committee members shall be made by the President. The President shall ensure that there is equitable representation from District Societies on all committees. All appointments are subject to the approval of the Board of Directors at the first meeting following the Annual Meeting. All Department Directors shall be members of the Board of Directors. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees.
If you are a NJAOPS member and are interested in serving in leadership positions, please contact Tajma Kotoric.
The Committee activities of this Association shall be organized under three departments with an officer serving as director of each. The departments shall be (1) Department of Professional Affairs, (2) Department of Public Affairs, (3) Department of Organizational Affairs, Committees shall secure Board approval for projects and programs unless the Board has granted approval and instruction in advance.
Department of Professional Affairs
Jonathan Foster, DO, Director
This Department shall be concerned with all Association activities relating directly to the profession. The Director shall have supervision over all functions under this department and the program for the year. He shall further indicate any specific duties specified by the Board of Directors and/or the House of Delegates. He/she shall report to the Board of Directors and to the House of Delegates about the overall activities of this department during the year, and present a complete report to the House of Delegates at the end of the year. The Director of the Department of Professional Affairs shall organize and supervise the activities of the following committees and see that necessary meetings are held and reports prepared.
The Committee on Ethics shall have supervision over all matters relating to the Code of Ethics and shall act as arbitrator between an individual disagreement and/or misunderstanding and shall be charged with pursuing such matter to a satisfactory and reasonable conclusion.
- Dan DeFeo, DO (ex-officio)
George Scott, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
Alice Alexander, Staff
The New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee is advisory in nature and serves to ensure that the continuing medical education activities sponsored by NJAOPS meet or exceed requirements established by the American Osteopathic Association’s Council on CME as well as the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
- Stephen Scheintal, DO (Chair)
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-oficio)
- Jonathan Foster, DO
- Kevin Overbeck, DO
- Dan DeFeo, DO
- Douglas Hargrave, DO, Vice Chair
- Thomas Cavalieri, DO
- Hetal Patel, DO
- Lee Ann Van Houten-Sauter, DO
- Robert Franks, DO
- Tajma Kotoric, Staff
- George Scott, DO
- Richard Jermyn, DO
- Michael Guma, DO
- Bernadette Bibber, DO
- Thomas Brandeisky, DO
- Matthew Resciniti, DO
- Jonathan Rimmer, DO
- Gabrielle Samuels, DO
- Tanvi Shah, OMS IV
- Arthi Rameshkumar, OMS III
The committee is to help educate the membership on the physical diagnosis, osteopathic techniques and then billing and coding information for osteopathic manipulation to insurance companies. The committee should be consulted by the AROC Committee for the OMT continuing education content and physician instructor choices for the annual AROC seminars. The committee will also review legal testimony and language for state legislation on osteopathic vs. chiropractic language to guarantee our osteopathic uniqueness and practice rights.
Jonathan Torres, DO, Chair and ex-oficio
Lenny Powell, DO
- Dan DeFeo, DO
Alexander King, DO
Richard Tancer, DO
Antonios Tsompanidis, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
This committee is responsible for acting as a liaison between physicians in practice for less than 10 years with the association and the more seasoned physicians of our association. The committee will help organize North and South meetings to join together new physicians to help share similar practice and business concerns and then mentor with experienced physicians to share ideas and prior implementation pros and cons to work practices.
- Hetal Patel, DO, Chair
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-Officio)
- Dan DeFeo, DO
George Scott, DO
Adedoyin Aderinto, DO
Shamik Patel, DO
Adam Hirsch, DO
Jonathan Foster, DO
Gabrielle Samuels,DO
- Matthew Resciniti, DO
- John Rimmer, DO
Bernadette Bibber, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
- Judith Lightfoot, DO, Chair
- Gabrielle Samuels, DO
- Krisha Patel, OMS III
- Madison Grossman, OMS III
- Tajma Kotoric, CEO
- Sheila Griinke, DO
Department of Public Affairs
Judith Lightfoot, DO, Director
This Department shall have general supervision over the promotion, organization and maintenance of proper relationships between the profession and the public and shall distribute to each committee chairman an outline of the work expected in accordance with enactments as recorded in the minutes of the Board of Directors and the House of Delegates.
The Director shall prepare reports covering the overall activities of the department which shall be composed of the reports from the individual committees. The reports shall be presented to the House of Delegates and the Board of Directors at each meeting. The reports shall contain in addition to the regular committee reports, specific answers and explanations of work done in response to the directives and policies laid down the previous year by action of the Board of Directors and the House of Delegates.
The Government Affairs Committee shall have available, on emergency call, individuals either of personal acquaintance or influence with all national legislators from the State of New Jersey. These appointees shall have the duty of individually contacting on as personal a basis as possible their assigned legislator for the purpose of encouraging and soliciting his support for legislative enactment of benefit to the profession.
- Otto Sabando, DO (Chair)
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-oficio)
- Daniel DeFeo, DO
- Shamik Patel, DO
- Gabrielle Samuels, DO
- Jonathan Foster, DO
- Shamik Patel, DO
- Judith Lightfoot, DO
- Matthew Resciniti, DO
George Scott, DO
- Shaan Mody, OMS I
- Krisha Patel, OMS III
Tajma Kotoric
Laurie Clark, Advisor
Specialty Advisory Committee
- Thomas Cavalieri, DO, Geriatric Medicine
- Richard Jermyn, DO, Pain Management
- Stephen Scheinthal, DO, Psychiatry
The purpose of this Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the overall role and use of technology in executing the NJAOPS business strategy including, but not limited to, major technology investment, technology strategy, operational performance and technology trends that impacts our members.
- Jonathan Torres, DO, Chair (ex-oficio)
- Dan DeFeo, DO
- Jonathan Foster, DO
- Todd Schachter, DO
- George Scott, DO,
- Jennifer Kheill, DO
- Judith Lightfoot, DO
- Tajma Kotoric, Staff
Department of Organizational Affairs
Shamik Patel, DO
The Benevolence Committee shall develop a program to be available for any members of the Association who, because of age, illness or financial difficulty, find themselves without funds and need assistance. Other programs relating to a member and his retirement years may also be recommended by this committee.
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-officio)
- Dan DeFeo, DO
Otto Sabando, DO, Chair
Judith Lightfoot, DO
Jonathan Foster, DO
George Scott, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
The committee shall consist of the Secretary, a Past-President, and three additional members appointed by the President, and shall safeguard the form and language of amendments and maintain the clarity and integrity of the Bylaws.
It shall have the supervision of all members pertaining to proposed changes of the Association's Constitution and Bylaws. It shall be responsible for reviewing all proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and shall make its recommendations to the Board of Directors and to the House of Delegates and shall be responsible for the proper publication of such proposed amendments as constitutionally required; shall have the duty of taking any necessary steps to amend the charter of the Association at the directive of the Association and have general supervision of charters.
This committee shall, upon instruction by the Board, give assistance in obtaining a charter for any subsidiary organization of the profession in the state, which is in good standing, upon the request of such organization's bona fide authority. This Committee shall act as liaison between the Association and any ethical organization seeking affiliate status with the Association.
Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-officio)
- Daniel DeFeo, DO
- Jonathan Foster, DO
- Judith Lightfoot, DO
- Shamik Patel, DO
- Gabriel Samuels, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
Shall consist of the Vice President, Secretary and three additional members elected by the House of Delegates, one each year for three year terms. The Membership Committee shall promote membership in this Association and the AOA and shall evaluate all applications for membership in this Association and report their general conclusion on each application to the Board of Directions without revealing detailed confidential information.
A strong Membership Campaign shall be inaugurated annually to enroll non-members in the state and national organizations. This campaign shall be carried on via mail, telephone, personal contact and through local contacts in the District Societies and the Hospitals. The Chairman shall see that such an active campaign is started by October each year.
- Douglas Hargrave, DO (’20) Vice Chair
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-oficio)
- Dan DeFeo, DO
- Hetal Patel, DO
- George Scott, DO
- Stephen Scheinthal, DO
- Thomas Cavalieri, DO
- John LaRatta, DO
- Gabrielle Samuels, DO
- Tanvi Shah, OMS IV
- Arthi Rameshkumar, OMS, IV
- Tajma Kotoric, Staff
- Pat McNamara, Staff
- Shaan Mody, OMS I
The Awards Committee shall, after careful consideration, select the Physician of the Year award made by NJAOPS at the Annual Convention and any other special awards. This Committee is made up of Past Presidents who remain active with the association and due to their familiarity with the membership and hard work of the recipients, two Members-at-Large and one Member of the Board of Directors. A ballot vote will be taken for the award winners.
- Jonathan Torres, DO- Chair
- Dan DeFeo, DO
George Scott, DO
Stephen Scheinthal, DO
Hetal Patel, DO
David Bollard, DO
Otto Sabando, DO
Elliot Ames, DO
Alan Carr, DO
Ron Cohen, DO
Charles Kastenberg, DO
Kathy Lambert, DO
John LaRatta, DO
Martin Levine, DO
Harry Manser Jr., DO
Ira Monka, DO
Paul Morris, DO
Robert Sawicki, DO
Martin Scott, DO
Albert Talone, DO
Richard Tancer, DO
Antonios Tsompanidis, DO
Lee Ann Van Houten-Sauter, DO
Sue Volpicella-Levy, DO
Tajma Kotoric, Staff
Free-standing Committees
- A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President prior to December 1 of each year and shall consist of the Executive & Finance Committe, the Dean of the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, and two (2) at large active members in good standing. The Nominating Committee shall make nominations for President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, three Directors, A Senior Director, Three Resident Directors, Three (3) Student Directors (one (1)Proposed By The Dean Of Rowan-Virtua School Of Osteopathic Medicine and two (2) Proposed Via Election By The Rowan-Virtua Som NJAOPS Student Organization) Speaker, two (2) Ethics Committee members, a Membership Committee member, the delegates to the American Osteopathic Association in accordance with these Bylaws and four (4)Trustees of the New Jersey Osteopathic Education Foundation to be elected annually for three-year terms.
- The report of the Nominating Committee shall be published annually to all members by February 1st.
- Jonathan Torres, DO (ex-officio)
- Tajma Kotoric, Staff