Regents Actions in 51 Professional Discipline Cases and 1 Restoration Petition

The Board of Regents announced disciplinary actions resulting in the summary suspension of 1 license, revocation of 2 licenses, surrender of 17 licenses, and 31 other disciplinary actions. The penalty indicated for each case relates solely to the misconduct set forth in that particular case. In addition, the Board acted upon 1 restoration petition. 

I. SUMMARY SUSPENSION

Nursing

Nicole Marie Guilds; Registered Professional Nurse; Webster, NY 14580; Lic. No. 672397; Cal. No. 34049; Application for summary suspension granted.

II. REVOCATIONS & SURRENDERS

Massage Therapy

Adam Borys; Massage Therapist; Brooklyn, NY 11237, Ridgewood, NY 11385, South Salem, NY  10590; Lic. No. 030401; Cal. No. 33613; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.

Nursing

Lynn M. Ritz; Licensed Practical Nurse; Boonville, NY 13309; Lic. No. 269793; Cal. No. 31748; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Revocation.

Stephen G. Ognibene; Registered Professional Nurse; Batavia, NY 14020; Lic. No. 520179; Cal. No. 33654; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Criminal Contempt in the 2^nd Degree, a misdemeanor.

Oskar Victorino Dehitta; Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Professional Nurse; Atlanta, GA 30350-4846; Lic. Nos. 240739, 506818; Cal. Nos. 33800, 33801; Application to surrender licenses granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of, in the State of California, inappropriately touching two patients recovering from back surgery.

Ila Anne Sharko; Licensed Practical Nurse; Medford, NY 11763-1324; Lic. No. 307375; Cal. No. 33854; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to failing to complete continuing education consisting of coursework in medication administration, ethics, patient communication, and empathy/compassion, and failing to answer and submit quarterly questionnaires as requested by the Department, as required by the terms of probation imposed by the Board of Regents in Order No. 32616.

Adam John Boone; Registered Professional Nurse; Byron Center, MI 49315; Lic. No. 792783; Cal. No. 33872; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of misappropriating drugs from an employer or patient in the State of South Carolina, which if committed in New York State, would constitute professional misconduct under New York State Education Law section 6509(2).

Rebecca Friend Osborne; Registered Professional Nurse; Galax, VA 24333-2316; Lic. No. 698627; Cal. No. 33874; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Simple Assault in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Assault in the 3^rd Degree, a class A misdemeanor; having been convicted of Larceny in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony; and having been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated in the State of North Carolina, a misdemeanor, which if committed in New York State, would constitute an unclassified misdemeanor.

Lauren Sheree Lindsey; Registered Professional Nurse; Austin, TX 78745; Lic. No. 695575; Cal. No. 33899; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of having withdrawn narcotics from the medication dispensing system without a valid physician’s order and having failed to properly document the wastage of these withdrawals.

Patrick Wayne McNamara; Registered Professional Nurse; Moravia, NY 13118-0054; Lic. No. 488410; Cal. No. 33904; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of boundary violations.

Nancy Baskerville; Registered Professional Nurse; Detroit, MI 48204; Lic. No. 616900; Cal. No. 33907; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of an Arizona discipline for making a false statement, which if committed in New York State, would constitute professional misconduct under New York Education Law section 6509(9) and section 29.1(b)(6)  of the Rules of the Board of Regents (8 N.Y.C.R.R.).

Ashlea Kay Brannan; Registered Professional Nurse; Gulf Shores, AL 36542; Lic. No. 709000; Cal. No. 33949; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of using illegal substances.

Charnjit Singh Bains; Registered Professional Nurse; New Milford, CT 06776; Lic. No. 790052; Cal. No. 33973; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Unlawful Restraint in the 1^st Degree, a class A misdemeanor, in the state of Connecticut, which if committed in New York State would constitute Unlawful Imprisonment in the 1^st Degree, a class E felony; and Forcible Touching, a class A misdemeanor.

David Harold Crowley; Registered Professional Nurse; Braintree, MA 02184; Lic. No. 655849; Cal. No. 33977; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of using illegal substances.

Tina Maria Sumner; Registered Professional Nurse; Springfield, MO 65802; Lic. No. 750491; Cal. No. 33942; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of, in the State of Missouri, being convicted of two counts of Statutory Rape in the 2^nd Degree, a class D felony, which if committed in New York State, would constitute Rape in the 3^rd Degree, a class E felony.

Michelle Cuffee; Licensed Practical Nurse; Norfolk, VA 23505; Lic. No. 225170; Cal. No. 33985; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of Virginia discipline.

Public Accountancy

Steven Mark Etkind; Certified Public Accountant; New York, NY 10021; Lic. No. 061494; Cal. No. 32373; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee admitted to the charge of having been convicted of Tax Evasion, an unclassified felony.

Mary Elizabeth Ewanechko; Certified Public Accountant; Victor, NY 14564; Lic. No. 068427; Cal. No. 33822; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of failing to comply with the mandatory continuing education requirements.

Scott M. Schecter; Certified Public Accountant; Rye, NY 10580; Lic. No. 042166; Cal. No. 33847; Application to surrender license granted. Summary: Licensee did not contest the charge of willfully failing to timely complete mandatory continuing education requirements.

III. OTHER REGENTS DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Dentistry

Irina Vaiman Kessler; Dentist; New York, NY 10021; Lic. No. 046342; Cal. No. 33547; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Censure and reprimand, 1 year probation, $500 fine.

Cristina V. Masso; Dentist; Peekskill, NY 10566; Lic. No. 046792; Cal. No. 33708; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.

Melissa Linda Gee; Dental Hygienist; Staten Island, NY 10312-3416; Lic. No. 026714; Cal. No. 33831; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Nursing

Susan V. Osborn; Registered Professional Nurse; Horseheads, NY 14845; Lic. No. 453396; Cal. No. 32057; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, 100 hours public service.

Ryan D. Kinnally; Registered Professional Nurse; Rush, NY 14543; Lic. No. 626384; Cal. No. 32062; Found guilty of professional misconduct; Penalty: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 6 months and until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.

Francine Paulette Francioli a/k/a Francine P. Whittaker; Licensed Practical Nurse; Wilson, NY 14172-9697; Lic. No. 289365; Cal. No. 32321; Found guilty of violation of probation; Penalty: Indefinite actual suspension for no less than 2 months and until completion of coursework in ethics, 2 years probation.

Valerie Ismael; Registered Professional Nurse; Farmingdale, NY 11735; Lic. No. 709249; Cal. No. 33184; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $500 fine.

Laura Gabrielle Simons; Licensed Practical Nurse; Livonia, NY 14487; Lic. No. 317374; Cal. No. 33512; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 months actual suspension, 22 months stayed suspension, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Heidi Hitchman-Harmann; Licensed Practical Nurse; Hermon, NY 13652; Lic. No. 286214; Cal. No. 33680; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Tatiana C. Portela a/k/a Tatiana Portela; Registered Professional Nurse, Nurse Practitioner (Adult Health); Frisco, TX 75035; Lic. No. 577095, Cert. No. 307045; Cal. Nos. 33762, 33763; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.

Sarah Ann Rene Preston; Licensed Practical Nurse; Hornell, NY 14843; Lic. No. 329523; Cal. No. 33780; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Donna E. Hasil; Registered Professional Nurse; Astoria, NY 11106; Lic. No. 324887; Cal. No. 33840; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 3 months actual suspension, 21 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Victoria Lynn Adams; Licensed Practical Nurse; Rochester, NY 14620; Lic. No. 337487; Cal. No. 33913; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Cory Bloom Burns; Registered Professional Nurse; Hamburg, NY 14075; Lic. No. 663418; Cal. No. 33927; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Indefinite actual suspension until fit to practice, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.

Taj Uddin Ahmad; Registered Professional Nurse; Staten Island, NY 10314-0000; Lic. No. 713203; Cal. No. 33929; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $500 fine.

Sashanna Christina De Freitas; Licensed Practical Nurse; Brooklyn, NY 11207; Lic. No. 327358; Cal. No. 33930; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 month actual suspension, 23 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation.

Pharmacy

Rapid Drugs Inc., Pharmacy; Pharmacy; Woodside, NY 11377; Reg. No. 038327; Cal. No. 33684; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: $5,000 fine.

Psychology

Edward Harrison Dewey; Psychologist; Washington, DC 20016; Lic. No. 016405; Cal. No. 33520; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: Censure and reprimand, $2,500 fine.

Public Accountancy

Steven H. Ballin a/k/a Steven Ballin; Certified Public Accountant; Valley Stream, NY 11580; Lic. No. 038609; Cal. No. 33307; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 months actual suspension, 18 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $5,000 fine.

Andrea Ruth Doane; Certified Public Accountant; Clermont, FL 34711; Lic. No. 092384; Cal. No. 33543; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $1,000 fine.

Ken Erdheim CPA PC; Professional Service Corporation; Woodmere, NY 11598; Cal. No. 33570; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $2,500 fine.

Alison Gould Yablonowitz; Certified Public Accountant; Scotch Plains, NJ 07076; Lic. No. 081347; Cal. No. 33824; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $3,000 fine.

Shawn C. Rogers; Certified Public Accountant; Robbinsville, NJ 08690; Lic. No. 092690; Cal. No. 33825; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $1,000 fine.

Social Work

Gregory James Mahoney; Licensed Master Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Bay Shore, NY 11706; Lic. Nos. 080921, 083249; Cal. Nos. 33788, 33789; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 6 months actual suspension, 18 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.

Veterinary Medicine

Patrick Saeyoon Kim; Veterinarian; Little Neck, NY 11362; Lic. No. 008911; Cal. No. 33475; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year stayed suspension, 1 year probation, $1,000 fine.

Michael R. Miller; Veterinary Technician, Veterinarian; Oneida, NY 13421; Lic. Nos. 004271, 011726; Cal. Nos. 33652, 33653; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 1 year actual suspension, 1 year stayed suspension, upon return to practice, 2 years probation.

Lynn McGreevy; Veterinary Technician; Malvern, NY 11565; Lic. No. 010627; Cal. No. 33911; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 3 months actual suspension, 21 months stayed suspension, 2 years probation.

Jeffrey Richard Hess; Veterinarian; Elma, NY 14059; Lic. No. 015807; Cal. No. 33944; Application for consent order granted; Penalty agreed upon: 2 years stayed suspension, 2 years probation, $1,000 fine.

IV. RESTORATION

The Board of Regents voted on January 9, 2024 to deny the application for restoration of the registered professional nurse license of Mellissa L. Thompson, Poughkeepsie, NY 12605.  Ms. Thompson’s was revoked on November 16, 2010.