Leadership Dr. Grace Kajita Program Director Grace Kajita, MD graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine-Primary Care at New York University. She stayed on in the system as a clinician-educator based at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center and was an Associate Program Director in the Internal Medicine Residency. She joined Wakefield as the Program Director in 2014. Samantha Lawson-Butler, BA, C-TAGME Program Administrator Samantha Lawson-Butler graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in English. She started her career as a grants coordinator for a non-profit agency and came to Wakefield in 2004. Her experience includes grants and coordination of medical student and medical fellow training. She became Program Administrator in 2018. Dr. Joseph Hong Associate Program Director Dr. Joseph Hong graduated from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 2013 and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center. He joined the Wakefield program in 2016 as an academic hospitalist; besides his commitment to patient care and house staff training, he is also an enthusiastic supporter of point-of-care ultrasound and has worked on developing a POCUS curriculum for both internal medicine residents and hospitalists at Wakefield. Dr Hong became an associate program director in 2020. Dr. Eva Metalios Associate Program Director Eva Metalios, MD, Medical Director for Internal Medicine at Wakefield Ambulatory Care Center, Associate Program Director for Wakefield Internal Medicine Residency, Associate Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is a clinician educator and primary care physician. She has spent almost three decades at Montefiore providing care, developing programs, and conducting research, specifically with torture survivors and asylum seekers in the United States. Prior to becoming faculty at Einstein, Dr. Metalios received her undergraduate degree in philosophy from Barnard College, and medical degree from New York Medical College. She completed her Primary Care Internal Medicine residency and Chief Residency at Montefiore. Her academic interests include musculoskeletal medicine and women's health. Dr. Olena Slinchenkova Associate Program Director Dr. Olena Slinchenkova completed her medical degree at Dnipropetrovsk State Medical Academy in 2001. After completing her Internal Medicine Residency at Wakefield in 2014 she served as Chief Resident and then was recruited as one of the first teaching hospitalists at Wakefield. Dr. Slinchenkova has taken on increasing levels of responsibility including serving as sub-internship site director and clerkship site director. Most recently, Dr. Slinchenkova became the Director of Medicine services and APD for Internal Medicine Residency at Wakefield. Dr. Kristin Swedish Associate Program Director Kristin Swedish, MD, MPH is a clinician educator at the Wakefield Ambulatory Care Center. She graduated from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she also completed residency in General Preventive Medicine and obtained her MPH. She came to Montefiore for Social Internal Medicine/Primary Care residency and upon its completion in 2014, started at Wakefield. Dr. Swedish joined program leadership in 2016 as the Director for Scholarly Activity and Research and became an APD in 2020. Dr. Santiago Beltran Chief Medical Resident 2025-2026 I was born in Quito, Ecuador, an incredible city at latitude 0°0'0″, right at the center of the world. Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet, which probably explains my love for adventure and nature. My medical journey has taken me across several countries, I completed medical school in Lima, Peru; did clinical rotations in Santiago, Chile; amazing months in São Paulo, Brazil. These experiences taught me that while languages and cultures vary, the human experience of health and illness is remarkably universal. At Montefiore, I’ve found a community that values education, diversity, and service. I’m passionate about medical education and technological advances, and I hope to build a career in academic medicine as a clinician-educator. Outside the hospital, you’ll find me snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, or surfing. Dr. Constangela Matos Noboa Chief Medical Resident 2025-2026 I was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a country on an island in the heart of the Caribbean. Growing up, I was always reminded to “always love and serve,” a motto that has guided both my personal life and my approach to medicine. I attended medical school in the Dominican Republic, where volunteering in underserved communities gave me a deep understanding of the barriers many patients face in accessing care. Coming to Montefiore for residency felt like a natural fit, as it allowed me to continue serving an underserved community while embracing the strong sense of community here and the opportunity to grow as a physician and educator. I am passionate about medical education and mentoring. Outside of medicine, you’ll often find me exploring new restaurants, spending time outdoors, or drawing.
