Meet the Doctors

William A. Cassidy, M.D., Emeritus
Dr. Cassidy graduated from Fordham University in New York City; he received his medical degree from the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. He served his internship at Memorial Hospital in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after which he served two years as a general medical officer in the Navy. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine on the Georgetown Service at D.C. General Hospital and completed a fellowship in Gastroenterology/Hepatology at the VA Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Cassidy has written and lectured nationally and internationally on topics in Gastroenterology. He lives in south county with his wife and children. He is the senior partner of Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates, P.A., having opened his office here in Annapolis in July, 1976.
Dr. Cassidy retired on August 11, 2011 after 35 years of excellence in the Practice of Medicine.

James M. Blake, M.D.
Dr. Blake was born and raised in South Carolina where much of his family still lives. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1968 and received his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston 1972. Dr. Blake received Internship and Residency training at the V.A. Hospital in Washington, D.C. and George Washington University Hospital. His Gastroenterology Fellowship was served at the VA. Hospital. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. In July 1977, Dr. Blake joined Dr. Cassidy and has since practiced Gastroenterology in Annapolis. Dr. Blake lives with his wife and two children in Davidsonville.

Anthony J. Calabrese, M.D., FACG
Dr. Calabrese received his medical degree cum laude from Jefferson Medical College, where he was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. He completed his postgraduate medical training at Temple University and Jefferson Medical College, after which he served in the U.S. Air Force as Chief of Gastroenterology at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. Dr. Calabrese is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. He has served as president of the medical staff at AAMC. He resides in Arnold with his wife and has two sons. He enjoys playing his sax and clarinet with a big band and is an avid fisherman and cook.

Michael N. Peters, M.D., FACG
Dr. Peters graduated cum laude from Baylor College of Medicine in three years and was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society. After postgraduate studies in Rochester, New York and Dallas, Texas he earned Board Certification in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He is a Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. A former instructor in Gastroenterology at the University of Maryland, Dr. Peters has published in medical journals and has developed special interests in problems of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and biliary tract. He strives to provide each individual with personal, thorough care. He resides in Severna Park with his wife, daughter and son. He enjoys reading, tennis and the Orioles.

John L. Newman, M.D., FACG
Dr. Newman received his undergraduate degree cum laude from Washington and Lee University and attended graduate and medical school at the University of Maryland. He continued his specialty training in Internal Medicine at West Virginia University, and completed a Fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Maryland. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. Dr. Newman has a special interest in practicing preventive medicine, particularly for colon cancer, in a caring manner. Dr. Newman is a  native Marylander and enjoys sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and Golfing.  Dr. Newman resides in Arnold, MD with his wife and two daughters.

Suzanne L. Sankey, M.D.
Dr. Sankey attended Gettysburg College for her undergraduate studies and received her medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania, where she also completed her residency training in Internal Medicine and then served as Chief Resident. She performed her Fellowship training at Thomas Jefferson University, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. Dr. Sankey is a compassionate, sensitive physician dedicated to promoting women’s health issues in the field of Gastroenterology. Dr. Sankey resides in Crofton with her husband and two children.

Douglas D. Dykman, M.D., FACG
Dr. Dykman completed a combined Bachelor’s Master’s degree at the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Engineering and Hygiene and Public Health. He received his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis. His internships and residency training were obtained at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis at Washington University. In 1989 he completed his Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center and the New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. After completing his training, Dr. Dykman held an academic appointment at Harvard Medical School and the Brockton/West Roxbury VAMC. He has published several scientific papers and continues to both publish and lecture in the field of Digestive and Liver Disease. Dr. Dykman lives in Arnold with wife and two children. His avocations include cycling, water skiing, and sailing.

Christopher F. Schultz, M.D.
Dr. Schultz completed his undergraduate studies at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society. He received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. His residency training in internal medicine was obtained at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Schultz then completed his fellowship training in gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, Dr. Schultz joined the Department of Medicine faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and served as Assistant Professor of Medicine until joining Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates, P. A. Dr. Schultz holds board certification in gastroenterology. He has authored scientific papers, lectured extensively and conducted research in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology. His special interests include general gastroenterology and diseases of the liver. Dr. Schultz resides in Baltimore.

Charles J. Cattano, M.D., FACG
Dr. Cattano received his Bachelors with Honors from State University of New York in Binghamton where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. After postgraduate studies in Cell Biology at State University of New York in Stony Brook, he obtained his medical degree with distinction from Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. He trained in Internal Medicine at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, followed by fellowships in Gastrointestinal Diseases at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Metabolic Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is Board-certified in Gastroenterology. Dr. Cattano has held faculty appointments at Duke University Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and James Madison University. He has authored scientific papers, lectured extensively and is a long-standing member of Mensa. Dr. Cattano participates actively in clinical research through universities and pharmaceutical companies in offering our region state-of-the-art treatment of liver and GI tract diseases. Dr. Cattano provides gastroenterology services to both children and adults. Dr. Cattano lives in Arnold with his wife and two children.

Melanie L. Jackson, MD
Dr. Jackson is a native of Philadelphia, PA and graduated with cum laude honors from Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Jackson received her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington D.C. and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She served her residency in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York where she was a finalist for the APGF Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award. Her Gastroenterology fellowship was served at Washington Hospital Center in Washington D.C. Postgraduate training included a hepatology research program at National Institutes of Health in Maryland. Dr. Jackson is affiliated with the American Gastroenterology Association, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American College of Gastroenterology, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the National Medical Association. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. She has published several papers regarding digestive care. Dr. Jackson’s has a special interest in diseases of the liver. She enjoys exercising, cooking, traveling, and playing the piano.

Praveena G. Velamati, MD
Dr Velamati completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD where she served as the chief fellow during her final year and received the Service Excellence award for outstanding patient care and compassion. While there she also published scientific papers in the fields of digestive diseases and hepatology. She is a native of Yorktown, VA where she completed an accelerated Bachelors and Medical degree program at Eastern Virginia Medical School prior to completing her Internal Medicine Residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. She specializes in general gastroenterology and hepatology with a focus on women’s health issues. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and son.

Ahmet Aybar, MD, FAAP
Dr. Aybar is a native of Istanbul, Turkey and graduated with honors from University of Istanbul where he received his Medical degree. He served his internship in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Foundation Children’s Hospital followed by his residency and Chief Residency in Pediatrics at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Prior to starting Fellowship training in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Dr. Aybar worked as a Pediatric Hospitalist and Pediatric Emergency Attending in several Baltimore Metropolitan Area hospitals.

Dr. Aybar completed his Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Fellowship at University of Maryland Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Baltimore, MD. During his Fellowship Dr. Aybar also published a book chapter on Celiac Disease and did presentations in National meetings on Pediatric Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases. His area of interest is Eosinophilic Esophagitis, failure to thrive and various feeding problems in early infancy as well as inflammatory bowel diseases in children and adolescents.

Dr. Aybar is board certified in General Pediatrics and active member of North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and American College of Gastroenterology.

Dr. Aybar lives in Arnold with his wife and two children. His avocations include cycling, soccer and basketball.

Christopher A. Olenec, M.D.
Dr. Olenec graduated from Northwestern University and The University of Notre Dame Law School.  After law school, he worked in Washington DC in Health Care Policy prior to attending Medical School at Rush University Medical School in Chicago, IL.  After medical school, Dr. Olenec completed his internship and residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.  He returned to Rush University Medical Center for his Gastroenterology Fellowship where he received specialized training in interventional procedures including Endoscopic Ultrasound.    Dr. Olenec then worked as an instructor at the University of Wisconsin and in private practice at Sarasota Memorial Hospital prior to joining Anne Arundel Gastroenterology Associates.   His areas of interest include gastrointestinal malignancies and advanced endoscopic procedures including Endoscopic Ultrasound, ERCP, and endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s Esophagus.  Dr. Olenec is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.  Dr. Olenec played water polo in college, has competed in marathons and has completed an ironman.  Dr. Olenec lives in Crofton with his wife and their three children.

Amanda Era, CRNP
Mrs. Era graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master of Science in nursing with a focus in Adult Primary Care. Amanda received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Salisbury University. Amanda is a former clinical instructor for the undergraduate nursing students at the University of Maryland and taught fundamental nursing theory and clinical skill. As an RN, she participated in a nursing fellowship at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Her interests include diet related gastrointestinal disorders. Mrs. Era is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland.