Naveen Ballem, MD – Medical Director, Bariatric Surgery
 Naveen Ballem, MD, completed his General Surgery residency in New York City at the Harlem Hospital Center at Columbia University. He completed his Fellowship training in Endocrine and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center. He also served as a Clinical Instructor at the Cleveland Clinic's Medical School. He has extensively researched, published, and presented at both national and international conferences on morbid obesity and the benefits of Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Ballem is certified by the American Board of Surgery.
Dawn Bibbo, RN, MSN, ONC – Manager of the Bariatric Service Line
 Dawn Bibbo oversees all functions of The Weight Loss Institute of New Jersey at Clara Maass Medical Center. She works closely with Dr. Ballem and the rest of the team to ensure that patients receive the best care and guidance throughout all stages of their weight loss journey.
Dawn received her BS in Psychology and Biology from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, and her degree in Nursing from Rutgers College of Nursing, Newark, NJ. She completed her MS in Nursing at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.
In addition to her role with The Weight Loss Institute of New Jersey at CMMC, Dawn manages the Orthopedic and Spine service lines. Prior to CMMC, Dawn served as a Nurse Manager of Orthopedics and Telemetry at the General Hospital Center at Passaic.
Katie Szymona, MPH, RD – Bariatric Navigator
 Bariatric Navigator, Katie Szymona, joined the bariatric program to oversee the daily functions of the Weight Loss Institute of New Jersey at Clara Maass Medical Center. Also a registered dietitian, Katie guides patients who are interested in weight-loss surgery throughout their individual journey to better health.
Katie received her BS in Dietetics from James Madison University, VA and a Master’s in Public Health from the School of Public Health, at UMDNJ. She also completed an extensive internship program at the School of Health Related Professions at UMDNJ.
Prior to her role as Bariatric Navigator, Katie served as Clinical Nutrition Manager at Clara Maass Medical Center since 2006 and a Clinical Dietitian at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, the New Jersey Dietetic Association and the Greater NJ Society of Healthcare Food Service Administrators. She is also ServSafe certified.
Kathrine Berdebes, MS, RD – Clinical Dietitian
At The Weight Loss Institute of New Jersey at Clara Maass Medical Center, Kathrine Berdebes provides nutrition assessments and counseling for all bariatric patients both prior to and after surgery. Kathrine also speaks about nutrition at the monthly informational seminars “Weight Loss Options” and leads the support group for post-bariatric surgery patients.
Kathrine received her BA in Family, Nutrition, and Exercises Sciences from Queens College, Flushing, NY, where she was nominated for the Outstanding Dietetics Student Award for New York State. She received her MS in Dietetics and Nutrition from Florida International University, Miami, FL.
Prior to her role at Clara Maass, Kathrine served as Nutrition Coordinator at Food for Life Network in Miami, FL. She has also served as a Clinical Dietitian at South Miami Hospital, FL, and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, NJ. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the New Jersey Dietetic Association. Kathrine is fluent in English and Spanish and can speak conversational Greek. |
