Anna DePold Hohler, MD, FAAN, a distinguished neurologist, researcher and educator is director of neurology for Northwell’s Westchester Region. In this new role, Dr. Hohler will lead and enhance comprehensive neurology services for two Northwell hospitals, serving as chair of neurology at Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) in Mount Kisco and chief of neurology at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow.
An internationally recognized expert in movement disorders, Dr. Hohler has a particular focus on Parkinson's disease, a chronic condition affecting more than one million Americans. She is a strong proponent of a holistic approach to Parkinson’s care, integrating lifestyle modifications, medication optimization and comprehensive therapies, including physical, occupational and speech therapy, alongside cognitive training, to significantly improve patients' quality of life and overall well-being.
Pat Hall is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer, and teacher whose work draws from African, Caribbean, and contemporary American dance. A recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Choreography, she has choreographed for Urban Bush Women and performed at venues including The Joyce Theater, Carnegie Hall, and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Pat’s performances and teaching have reached audiences across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean, while her research into ritual and ceremonial traditions continues to shape her choreographic vision. She teaches at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, serves as a Teaching Artist for BAM’s DanceAfrica, and leads a long-running community dance class at Mark Morris Dance Center, named one of New York Magazine’s Best of New York.
Cecilia Fontanesi is a dancer, choreographer, performing artist, certified movement analyst, neuroscientist, and dance/movement therapist. She graduated from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, LIMS in New York, and holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from CUNY, The Graduate Center.
Her recent research paper “Beauty That Moves” (2021) has been published in Frontiers in Psychology and investigates the effects of elements intrinsic to dance for Parkinson’s classes, like music, metaphorical language, and art-partaking. Her research explores the intersection of dance performance, neuroscience, movement analysis, neuroaesthetics, improvisation studies, perceptual decision-making, dance, and health.
Teaching credits include the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Marymount Manhattan College, Sarah Lawrence College, CUNY’s City College, and the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies.
Cecilia has been a Parkinson's Foundation community grant recipient since 2020, with the project "Shakespeare for Parkinson's." She is the elected Chair of the Research and Practice Committee of the American Dance Therapy Association. She joined the Barnard faculty in 2022.
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