Meet Our Team

Abigail S. Beard, MD
Assistant Professor, Breast Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Dr. Abigail Beard is on the medical staff at Tampa General Hospital and an assistant professor of breast surgery at the University of South Florida School of Medicine. Her areas of interest include benign and malignant disorders of the breast, high risk breast cancer screening, and breast conservation and oncoplastic surgery, about which Dr. Beard has given several presentations and published studies. She is the vice chair of the Committee on Cancer and has served on the Radiation Oncology Chair Search Committee, both at Tampa General Hospital. Dr. Beard’s awards and honors include clerkships in pediatrics, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry, and letters of commendation in surgery, internal medicine, and neurology. She was also named to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key Honor Society in the National Scholastic Honor Society.

Peggy Duggan, MD, FACS
Chief Medical Officer, Tampa General Hospital
Breast Surgeon, TGH Cancer Institute

Renowned breast cancer surgeon Peggy Duggan, MD, FACS, is the executive vice president and chief medical officer (CMO) at Tampa General Hospital. In her role, she oversees the functions related to physicians and patient care, including medical staff services, patient satisfaction and quality of care measures. Prior to joining Tampa General in January 2021, Dr. Duggan spent more than 15 years in the Mass General Brigham Health System (formerly Partners Healthcare). During that time, she served as a breast surgeon and medical director of the breast center, and ultimately became the CMO for Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH) in Boston, Mass. She held several leadership positions throughout her tenure with BWFH, including medical director of credentialing and president of the medical staff.

Angela Keleher, MD, FACS
Director of Breast Surgery, Tampa General Hospital
Assistant Professor, Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine 

Dr. Angela J. Keleher is a breast surgical oncologist and the Director of Breast Surgery at Tampa General Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Keleher is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of South Florida. Before joining TGH, Dr. Keleher served as the Director of Breast Surgery and Breast Fellowship Program Director at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, leading a team of fellowship-trained breast and general surgeons. Earlier in her career, Dr. Keleher worked in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., as the Director of Breast Surgery and Director of the Dyson Breast Center. There, she led the growth of the center to a leading comprehensive breast center, providing patients with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic options, from biopsy and surgery to clinical trials.Dr. Keleher has earned several awards throughout her career, including being named a “Top Doc of the Hudson Valley,” a “Top Doc of Pittsburgh” and receiving the Golden Apple Teaching Award given by medical students. She has professional memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Society of Surgical Oncology.

Meira M. Pernicone, MD, FACS
FACS Assistant Professor, Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Dr. Meira Pernicone is on the medical staff at Tampa General Hospital and is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of South Florida (USF) Morsani College of Medicine’s Breast Health Program. As a general surgery resident and chief resident in surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., she taught students in the Mayo Medical School and Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, then, as a practicing surgeon, Dr. Pernicone taught and spoke at various conferences, workshops, and courses. Her international conference presentations, lectures, and publications have included a variety of breast related topics, including male breast cancer, image-guided intervention and biopsies, and breast ultrasound. Dr. Pernicone has particular interest in using acupuncture and Eastern Medicine as complements to her surgical oncology practice, which often help to further relieve patients’ suffering. She is certified in the NADA Protocol for Auriculotherapy, which uses ear acupuncture for treating addictions, PTSD, and other conditions. Dr. Pernicone also is certified in Battlefield Acupuncture for managing acute pain conditions.

Tracie Patel, PA-C
Physician Assistant

Tracie Patel is a certified physician assistant (PA-C) who specializes in breast surgery and prides herself on delivering world-class, compassionate care. She cares for benign breast disease and patients who have an increased risk for development of breast cancer due to family history, previous atypical biopsies, or genetics. She is happy to help patients better understand their breast imaging and to provide insight into ways to help prevent development of breast cancer. She has been working as a Physician Assistant in surgery for 20 years at Tampa General Hospital. She was also the chair of the TGH Advanced Practice Council from 2015 to 2017. Tracie earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. Prior to that, she received her Master of Arts in Anthropology from Brigham Young University. She has also received several awards including Physician Assistant of the Year, Provider of Month and was selected as a Cancer Committee APP member in 2021. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Marlee White, PA-C
Physician Assistant

Marlee White is a certified physician assistant (PA-C) who specializes in breast surgery. She has special clinical interests in breast cancer, cancer survivors, breast diseases, and women at high risk for breast cancer with or without genetic mutations. She is highly experienced in an operating room setting and has served as a first assistant to surgeons for numerous years. Marlee has assisted in several medical procedures that include lumpectomies, mastectomies, sentinel node biopsies, axillary node dissections, and the removal of axillary accessory tissue. She can also perform in-office procedures such as punch biopsies. She has a passion for educating patients and families about health and illness prevention, diagnoses, risks and benefits, post-operative care, and treatment plan instructions. Before joining Tampa General, Marlee served as a surgical physician assistant in the Surgical Services Department at Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She initially began her medical career as a breast surgery physician assistant in the Division of Breast Surgery with Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, Pa. Marlee earned her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Gannon University in Erie, Pa., where she also received her Bachelor of Health Science and graduated with honors. She is certified by the National Commission on Certifications of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Jason M. Hechtman, MD
FACS Assistant Professor, Breast Surgery, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

Dr. Jason Hechtman is on the medical staff at Tampa General Hospital and is an assistant professor of breast surgery at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. He specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and breast diseases, blending cutting edge treatment options with advanced surgical interventions to ensure patients not only receive the best medical care possible, but also feel beautiful and confident. With more than 16 years of experience, Dr. Hechtman is an expert in breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided breast biopsy and localization procedures, breast brachytherapy catheter placement and treatment, breast oncoplastic interventions, hidden scar breast surgical interventions and other minimally invasive breast interventions that maximize aesthetic outcomes.

Jamie E. McKenzie, MD
Hematologist-Oncologist

Dr. Jamie McKenzie is a hematologist-oncologist at Tampa General Hospital who specializes in breast cancer. She is a compassionate physician who utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to providing patients with comprehensive care and rehabilitation before and throughout the treatment process. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. McKenzie has followed her passion for educating patients and instructing future professionals around the world throughout her medical career.

Victoria Rizk, MD
Medical Oncologist

Dr. Victoria Rizk is a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in the care and treatment of patients with breast cancer. Prior to joining Tampa General, Dr. Rizk worked as a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where she provided comprehensive care, support and education for patients with breast cancer. Additionally, she was as an instructor in medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, where she taught and mentored medical students. Aspiring to become an oncologist from a young age, Dr. Rizk graduated from an accelerated, six-year B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. She then completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the University of South Florida/Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Catherine Cartwright, PA-C
Physician Assistant

Kelly Foster, MD
Medical Oncologist

Kelly Foster, MD, is a former medical oncologist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, where she provided quality care to patients with all types of cancer. Dr. Foster completed her internal medicine residency and her medical oncology and palliative medicine fellowship training all at Northwestern University. She received her undergraduate degree at UCLA and completed medical school at Loyola University Chicago.

Dr. Foster is board certified in medical oncology, internal medicine and palliative medicine. She is currently seeing patients with all types of cancer, with a focus on breast and gastrointestinal cancers (gastric, esophageal, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, colon, anal). She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Talya Schwarzberg, MD
Medical Oncologist

Talya Schwarzberg, MD, is a former clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital’s department of medical oncology. She received her medical oncology and hematology training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and her internal medicine training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, both in Boston.

Dr. Schwarzberg is currently seeing patients with different types of cancers, with a focus on breast and gynecologic cancers. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Richard Tuli, MD
Medical Director, Radiation Oncology, Tampa General Hospital
Deputy Director, TGH Cancer Institute 

Richard Tuli, MD, PhD, is the director of radiation oncology at Tampa General Hospital as well as a professor and chair of radiation oncology at USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Prior to joining TGH, he served as associate attending and director of developmental therapeutics at the NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and associate professor and clinical director of radiation oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. As a leader in advancing the field of radiation oncology, Dr. Tuli focuses on providing a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and personalized experience for patients through a combination of cutting-edge technology, novel treatments and developing a connection between the patient and provider.

John David, MD
Director of Brachytherapy Services, Tampa General Hospital

Dr. John David is a board-certified radiation oncologist with Tampa General Hospital. He serves as the Director of Brachytherapy Services and Lead Physician of Radiopharmaceuticals. He has advanced sub-specialized training in brachytherapy and extensive expert training in radiopharmaceuticals. His other interests include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy/stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SBRT/SABR). Prior to joining Tampa General Hospital, Dr. David was fortunate to visit and work with physicians at the New York Proton Center, gaining experience in one of the most contemporary radiation treatment modalities – proton therapy.

Brian T. Collins, MD
Director of Brachytherapy Services, Tampa General Hospital

Dr. Brian T. Collins is a board-certified radiation oncologist with significant clinical experience in treating breast and lung cancers. Regarded as a world-renowned expert in CyberKnife® radiotherapy technology, Dr. Collins specializes in cutting-edge radiation oncology techniques and tools.

Prior to joining Tampa General, Dr. Collins served as the medical director of the Department of Radiation Medicine and clinical director of the Proton Therapy Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He has a particular interest in treating central nervous system (CNS) tumors and previously led the Department of Radiation Medicine’s CNS program for more than 20 years. He also was an associate professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine.