PEHSU Region 2

SHARE

Service area: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands 

The Region 2 PEHSU, founded in 1999, is based in New York City at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and serves New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  

Academic Affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Environmental Medicine

Hospital Affiliation: The Mount Sinai Hospital 

Services
Faculty & Staff
What’s New
Resources
PEHSU region 2 map
For health professionals

Prescriptions for Prevention

Our environmental pediatricians and partners created “Prescriptions for Prevention” for health professionals to provide actionable messages to families on to address common environmental health concerns in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

visit Rx for Prevention to download, print, and share the prescriptions in English and Spanish.
Region 2

Specialties & comprehensive services

The Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) provides evidence-based messages and resources on common environmental exposures where children live, learn, and play. Our PEHSU provides health professionals, families, and communities with information necessary to navigate differing environments in safe and healthy ways.  

Visit our website for more

Faculty & staff

Cassie Bernardi, MPH

Cassie Bernardi, MPH

Program Manager

Charles (Chase) Moon, MD

Charles (Chase) Moon, MD

Environmental Health Fellow

Emma Holland MPH, RN

Emma Holland MPH, RN

Environmental Health Scholar

Gredia Huerta-Montanez, MD

Gredia Huerta-Montanez, MD

Puerto Rico Pediatric Consultant

Hannah Thompson, MD

Hannah Thompson, MD

Childhood Cancer & the Environment Champion

Jennifer Acevedo, MD

Jennifer Acevedo, MD

Data Coordinator

Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH

Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH

Medical Director

Maida Galvez, MD, MPH

Maida Galvez, MD, MPH

Region 2 Co-Director, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Nadya Rivera-Rivera, MPH

Nadya Rivera-Rivera, MPH

Caribbean Coordinator

Perry Sheffield MD, MPH

Perry Sheffield MD, MPH

Region 2 Co-Director, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Childhood Cancer & the Environment Champion

Ronke Akinkugbe, BDS, MPH, PhD

Ronke Akinkugbe, BDS, MPH, PhD

NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar

Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH

Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH

Community Education Lead

Sarah McCuskee, MD, MPhil

Sarah McCuskee, MD, MPhil

NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar

Sofía Curdumí Pendley, PhD, MPH

Sofía Curdumí Pendley, PhD, MPH

Evaluation Lead

Cassie Bernardi, MPH

Cassie Bernardi, MPH

Program Manager

Cassie Bernardi, MPH, is Program Manager of the Region 2 PEHSU at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Department of Environmental Medicine. She has worked with the PEHSU program for 10 years and oversees R2 PEHSU finances, contracts, reporting, and program deliverables. She has an interest in how nutrition influences environmental health and vice versa and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in environmental nutrition.

Charles (Chase) Moon, MD

Charles (Chase) Moon, MD

Environmental Health Fellow

Charles (Chase) Moon, MD, FAAP is an Environmental Health Fellow in the Departments of Environmental Medicine and Pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He is the Co-Chair of AAP District II Chapter 3’s Committee on Environmental Health and Climate Change and Co-Chair of Chapter 3’s Committee on Public Policy and Advocacy. His work focuses on building climate education in graduate medical education settings and general pediatric environmental health in New York City and New York State.

Emma Holland MPH, RN

Emma Holland MPH, RN

Environmental Health Scholar

Emma Holland MPH, RN is an environmental health fellow in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as a NYSCHECK Scholar. Emma manages the Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit consultation service and is learning about science translation and risk communication under Dr. Zajac. Her work focuses on optimizing consult processes, developing website content, and expanding information networks. Emma is also a clinical nurse in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory of New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Gredia Huerta-Montanez, MD

Gredia Huerta-Montanez, MD

Puerto Rico Pediatric Consultant

Gredia Huerta-Montanez, MD, is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is a pediatrician based in Puerto Rico and leads the Region 2 PEHSU’s PR activities and partnerships, including pediatric educational initiatives and community outreach.

Hannah Thompson, MD

Hannah Thompson, MD

Childhood Cancer & the Environment Champion

Hannah Thompson, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine & Climate Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a NYSCHECK Scholar. She works with the Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) consultation service. She is also board certified in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. She is interested in research and has a focus on pediatric and adult cancer and the environment, and she has been working on the PEHSU’s Childhood Cancer and the Environment Initiative.

Jennifer Acevedo, MD

Jennifer Acevedo, MD

Data Coordinator

Jennifer Acevedo, MD is a Project Coordinator for the Department of Environmental Medicine & Climate Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). Her role focuses on quality-improvement in healthcare, leveraging technology to improve patient care and community health, and also registry development. Dr. Acevedo manages the medical electives for Children’s Environmental Health and Addressing the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in the Era of COVID-19 for medical students and visiting residents.

Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH

Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH

Medical Director

Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH is the Medical Director for the Region 2 PEHSU and an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She serves as the Clinical Director for the New York City Children’s Environmental Health Center as part of the NYSCHECK network. She is a pediatrician and Director of Environmental Asthma Program at Mount Sinai. She directs a Children’s Environmental Health clinical elective program and is faculty in the MPH graduate program. Dr. Zajac is the chairperson of the AAP’s Council on Environmental Health and Climate Change (COEHCC).

Maida Galvez, MD, MPH

Maida Galvez, MD, MPH

Region 2 Co-Director, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Maida Galvez, MD, MPH is the Co-Director of the Region 2 PEHSU at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) and Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Galvez is Co-Director of the NYSCHECK Coordinating Center and practices General Pediatrics. She is the Director of Community Engagement for the NIEHS P30 Center for Health and Environment Across the Lifespan at Mount Sinai and is a member of the CDC/APHA National Environmental Health Partnership Council as well as the New York City Board of Health.

Nadya Rivera-Rivera, MPH

Nadya Rivera-Rivera, MPH

Caribbean Coordinator

Nadya Rivera-Rivera, MPH, is the Caribbean Coordinator for the Region 2 PEHSU at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). They are based in Puerto Rico, which allows them to work with PR DOH, EPA and CDC and other non-governmental organizations providing support for their Caribbean initiatives, especially at the community level. They also provide technical assistance and coordination for the Rx for Preventions.

Perry Sheffield MD, MPH

Perry Sheffield MD, MPH

Region 2 Co-Director, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Perry Sheffield MD, MPH is the Co-Director of the Region 2 PEHSU at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) and Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Sheffield is a pediatrician, environmental health researcher, and Co-Director of the NYSCHECK Coordinating Center. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Environmental Health at Mount Sinai.

Ronke Akinkugbe, BDS, MPH, PhD

Ronke Akinkugbe, BDS, MPH, PhD

NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar

Ronke Akinkugbe, BDS, MPH, PhD, is an NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  She is a member of the Mount Sinai Institute for Exposomic Research and its NIEHS-funded Center on Health and Environment Across the LifeSpan (HEALS). Her research explores psychosocial and environmental determinants of poor oral and systemic health outcomes across the lifecourse, including the role of prenatal exposures on children’s oral health.

Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH

Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH

Community Education Lead

Sarah Evans, PhD, MPH is the Community Education Lead for the Region 2 PEHSU and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine and a member of the Institute for Exposomics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Evans’ expertise focuses on the impacts of early life environmental exposures on nervous system development and child behavior. She is a trusted voice on the health effects of toxic chemicals and what individuals can do to protect their own health in their local communities.

Sarah McCuskee, MD, MPhil

Sarah McCuskee, MD, MPhil

NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar

Sarah McCuskee, MD, MPhil, is an NIEHS K12 Pediatric Reproductive Environmental Health Scholar. As a physician-scientist, she is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Global Health & Health Systems Design. She is a member of Mount Sinai’s NIEHS-funded Center on Health and Environment Across the LifeSpan, and her work focuses on climate and environmental events and integration and analysis of routine data. 

Sofía Curdumí Pendley, PhD, MPH

Sofía Curdumí Pendley, PhD, MPH

Evaluation Lead

Sofía Curdumí Pendley, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Pendley is a public health scientist with expertise in disasters and public health emergencies. Her training is in global community health, behavioral science, and evaluation, and serves as the Evaluation Lead for the Region 2 PEHSU. She has extensive experience working directly with diverse communities to implement and evaluate programs with the aim of improving health.

What’s new

08/11/2025

Baby Bottles Compared: Glass Vs. Plastic Vs. Silicone

Babylist

Region 2
Healthy Homes| Microplastics| Phthalates and Bisphenol A
Boy flying kite in field

OPS/OMS/UNICEF/MINSA/CREEH – Salud ambiental infantil

11/27/2025 6:30 PM EST
Region 2
Health Professionals
Tractor spraying pesticide on crops

Plaguicidas y salud humana: resultados de la cohorte de nacimientos Infantes y Salud Ambiental (ISA), Costa Rica con Dra. B. van Wendel de Joode

11/13/2025 6:30 PM EST
Pesticides & Pests
Region 2
Health Professionals

Regional resources

Prescripción para Prevención: Moho

El moho depende de la humedad para crecer. El moho puede provocar asma y alergias.

Region 2
Mold

Pesticidas seguros para controlar plagas

CÓMO ELEGIR UN PESTICIDA SEGURO PARA CONTROLAR PLAGAS

Region 2
Healthy Homes| Healthy Schools| Pesticides & Pests

Cenizas de carbón y salud de la niñez

Region 2
Air Quality| Healthy Homes| Healthy Schools

Humo y La Salud de Su Familia (para las Islas Vírgenes EEUU)

Region 2
Air Quality| Extreme Weather| Wildfires

Regresando a la Escuela y a los Centros de Cuidado Infantil Después de un Huracán de Forma Segura

Region 2
Extreme Weather| Healthy Schools

Cuestionario Sobre Posibles Exposiciones Ambientales

Region 2
Testing for Environmental Exposures
crack from earthquake

Durante un terremoto

Region 2
crack from earthquake

Antes de un terremoto

Region 2
dust from sand

Tormentas de Polvo

Region 2
Air Quality| Extreme Weather
Hurricane in Florida on the beach

Clima Extremo

El cambio climático aumenta la intensidad y frecuencia de las tormentas tropicales, los huracanes y las olas de calor. Estos eventos climáticos ext…

Region 2
Extreme Weather

Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para niños

Cuando hace calor, los niños tienen mayor riesgo de deshidratarse que los adultos.

Region 2
Extreme Weather
boy running on grass

Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para atletas

Region 2
Extreme Weather
pregnant woman holding fruit basket

Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo durante el embarazo

Sobrecalentarse, especialmente en el primer trimestre, pueden tener efectos sobre la salud del bebé.

Region 2
Extreme Weather| Reproductive Health

Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para bebés

Cuando hace calor, los niños tienen mayor riesgo de deshidratarse que los adultos.

Region 2
Extreme Weather

Agua de Pozos Privados 

Region 2
Water Quality

Metales pesados en los alimentos para bebés

Region 2
Food Safety| Lead
Cans of paint

Pintura a Base de Plomo

Region 2
Healthy Homes| Lead

Outdoor Air Quality Prescription for Prevention

Region 2
Air Quality

Protección Solar

Region 2
Extreme Weather

Sun Safety

Region 2
Extreme Weather

Rx for Prevention: Safer Pest Control

Region 2
Cleaning and Sanitizing| Healthy Homes| Pesticides & Pests

Rx for Prevention: Mold

Region 2
Mold

Rx for Prevention: Lead Paint

Lead paint dust in older homes is the main way children are exposed to lead. Even low levels of lead can affect a child’s learning and behavi…

Region 2
Lead
Extreme Heat Safety for athletes (Español Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para atletas)

Extreme Heat Safety for Athletes

View the full resource by clicking on View Resource to the right.

Region 2
Extreme Weather

Extreme Heat Safety during Pregnancy

It is harder for pregnant women to stay cool during hot days. Overheating – especially during the first trimester – can have health eff…

Region 2
Extreme Weather
Extreme Heat Safety for children (Español Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para niños)

Extreme Heat Safety for Children

Extreme heat days are becoming more common. When it’s hot, children are more in danger than adults of becoming dehydrated.

Region 2
Extreme Weather
Extreme Heat Safety for babies (Español Cuidados en los Días de Calor Extremo para bebés)

Extreme Heat Safety for Babies

Extreme heat days are becoming more common. When it’s hot, babies are more in danger than adults of becoming dehydrated. View the full resource by …

Region 2
Extreme Weather
Cans of paint

Lead paint factsheet (Rx for Prevention)

Lead-contaminated paint dust is the most common source of childhood lead exposure. There is no safe level of lead in our bodies. Lead can affect yo…

Region 2
Lead
Vape

Vaping & E-Cigarettes: Prescription for Prevention

Region 2
Air Quality
Child breaking cigarette

Smoking: Prescription for Prevention

Region 2
Air Quality
Cigarettes in ashtray

Secondhand Smoke: Prescription for Prevention

Region 2
Air Quality
Kitchen

Prescription for Prevention on Indoor Air Pollution

Did you know…People spend about 90% of their time indoors where the air is usually 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air.

Region 2
Air Quality
Child eating at high chair

Heavy metals in baby foods and fruit juices

Reports of heavy metals in baby foods and fruit juices have been featured in news headlines across the United States, leaving families concerned ab…

Region 2
Heavy Metals| Lead
Cigarette with smoke

Tabaquismo

Region 2
Air Quality
Asbestos factsheet (Prescription for Prevention)

Asbestos factsheet (Prescription for Prevention)

Region 2
Healthy Schools| Testing for Environmental Exposures