At Chestnut Hill Hospital, the faculty has been carefully selected for their academic excellence, medical expertise and ability to enrich the professional experiences of our residents.
Faculty members have diverse interests and special strengths in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, women's health issues, sports medicine, substance abuse and behavioral science. Our faculty members are all members of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. We have an active faculty development program to maintain the highest clinical teaching skills. The part-time faculty is equally dedicated to their academic responsibilities. Part-time faculty includes specialists in obstetrics, gynecology, marital and family counseling and surgery.
Marc W. McKenna, M.D.
Marc McKenna, M.D., has been the director of the Family Practice Residency Program since January, 1994. A graduate of Georgetown School of Medicine, Dr. McKenna completed his family practice residency at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina and the faculty development program in family medicine at Jefferson Medical College. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Previously, he was associate director of the Montgomery Hospital family practice residency program for 13 years. Dr. McKenna was appointed clinical associate professor of family practice and community medicine in the associated faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and is chief of the division of family practice in Chestnut Hill Hospital's department of medicine.
His areas of special medical interest include sports medicine - for which he holds a Certificate of Added Qualification from the American Board of Family Practice - procedural skills and community outreach. Dr. McKenna is the primary care sports medicine physician for LaSalle University and a medical consultant for Arcadia University. He has been named on many Top Doctor lists.
He can be reached at [email protected].
Russell S. Breish, M.D.
Russell Breish, M.D. graduated in 1978 from Temple University and received his M.D. from Jefferson in 1982. After a residency in family practice at Chestnut Hill Hospital, Dr. Breish joined the faculty in 1985 and is actively involved in all areas of clinical teaching. He is past president of the medical staff at Chestnut Hill Hospital. He is a clinical assistant professor of family practice and community medicine in the associated faculty of the University Of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He holds the Certificate for Added Qualifications in Geriatrics and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is a medical director for Wissahickon Hospice and Wyndmoor Hills Nursing Home. As an associate director of the Residency Program, Dr. Breish is responsible for providing leadership and support for residents and faculty in their research projects.
He can be reached at [email protected].
Valerie P. Pendley, M.D.
Valerie Pendley, M.D., is assistant director at Chestnut Hill Familiy Practice since 1985. Dr. Pendley graduated from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and then received her medical degree from Ohio State University. She completed her Family Practice residency at Grant Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. After a year in a rural practice, Dr. Pendley returned to Grant as assistant director for 4 years.
Dr. Pendley is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She received her certificate for added Oval in Geriatrics in 1993. In addition to geriatrics, Dr. Pendley has a special interest in women's health and college health, being Arcadia University campus physician for the last several years.
Dr. Pendley can be reached at [email protected].
Anne Hunter, D.O.
Anne Hunter, D.O., graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1994. She completed an osteopathic internship at Suburban General Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania and then transferred into the Chestnut Hill Hospital Family Practice Residency Program as a second-year resident in 1995. Dr. Hunter served as chief resident during her third year and was awarded an Excellence in Teaching certificate by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine at the end of that year. She joined the faculty in 1997 as a full-time assistant director of the residency program. Dr. Hunter is board-certified in family practice and was appointed clinical assistant professor of family practice and community medicine in the associated faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Dr. Hunter is the current clinic director, which involves interfacing with the office manager and keeping all physicians current with office policies and all electronic medical record updates. She spearheaded the process for the practice becoming a Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home. Dr. Hunter is the faculty representative to the Pennsylvania Family Practice Residency Research Collaborative - IPIP. She is actively involved in clinical teaching, providing guidance and support for our interns as well as upper level residents.
In addition, she is a member of the Chestnut Hill Hospital credentials committee and president elect of the Chestnut Hill Hospital medical staff.
Dr. Hunter can be reached at [email protected].
Wakengo Mahaniah, M.D.
Originally from Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, Wakengo Mahaniah, M.D., left a troubled country to complete his senior year of high school in the Midwest. He graduated in 1996 from Haverford College. After two years as a high school science teacher, Dr. Mahaniah returned to school and received his M.D. from Temple University in 2003. Dr. Mahaniah joined the faculty in 2008, having completed his residency in family practice at Chestnut Hill Hospital. His interests include playing soccer, running, and evidence based medicine.
Dr. Mahaniah can be reached at [email protected].
Arati Karnik, M.D
Arati Karnik, M.D., joined the faculty at Chestnut Hill Family Practice in August 2010. She attended medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia and then went on to complete her training in the Bronx at Montefiore Medical Center’s Department of Family and Social Medicine. After her Family Medicine residency she stayed on at Montefiore to complete a Faculty Development Fellowship. Her educational interests include evidence-based medicine, clinical teaching, and enhancing ambulatory medicine curricula. Clinically she wants to continue caring for the underserved and addressing the health disparities that continue to exist.
Dr. Karnik can be reached at [email protected].
Andrew Berta, M.D.
Andrew Berta, M.D. joined the faculty in 2014 after graduating the residency program as chief resident. Originally from Lancaster, PA, Dr. Berta has been living in Philadelphia since 2002 during which time he attended St. Joseph's University for his undergraduate degree, completed a year of service in the Philadelphia Health Corps and got his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Berta first came to Chestnut Hill Family Practice as a medical student where he formed his interest in family medicine and his love for patient care. His wife works in the Chestnut Hill Emergency Room and also shares his love of the Chestnut Hill community.
Amanda Zavodnick, MSW, LCSW
Amanda Zavodnick received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Amanda coordinates our behavioral science curriculum and helps our residents integrate behavioral science and family systems theory into the practice of family medicine. In addition, Amanda supervises residents and faculty in Balint discussions, facilitates support groups for residents and conducts co-therapy sessions with patients using family physicians as the co-therapist. Amanda completed her Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship with the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in 2012. Amanda has just completed her 200 hour training and is now a registered Yoga Teacher and is excited to bring a new element of wellness to the curriculum. When not at work, Amanda loves spending time with her family, helping her husband chase around their two children, and their crazy dog.
Amanda can be reached at [email protected].