Meet Our Team

Brian Michaels

Physician Assistant

Brian Michaels, PABrian Michaels is a native New Yorker who attended Long Island University (LIU) for his Bachelor of Science in Biology, and he was a member of Phi Sigma, The National Biological Sciences Honor Society. He continued on at LIU to graduate with his Bachelor of Health Science/Physician Certificate in 2003 and has worked in orthopaedics his entire professional career. Brian has worked at the Hospital for Special Surgery since 2004 and during that time has been a mentor to both PAs and medical students rotating at the hospital, as well as PAs who are new to orthopaedics.

Brian completed his Masters of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Nebraska in 2008 and has worked privately with Dr. David Mayman since May 2009. Brian works closely with Dr. Mayman in all aspects of patient care, including office consults and follow-ups, preoperative planning, and first assisting in the OR.


Richard Murphy

Physician Assistant

Richard Murphy, PA Richard Murphy is a physician assistant specializing in orthopaedics. He has been with the Hospital for Special Surgery since 2012 and has been working with Dr. Mayman since 2015. Richard comes to us from Long Island, New York, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Physician Assistant studies at Touro University. Throughout his didactic years, he was a Dean’s List student and later led his student body as class president until graduation in 2012.

Prior to his career as a physician assistant, Richard was a sergeant in the United States Air Force where he served seven years as a medic. Richard is a decorated veteran who supported Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2001 to 2009, where he coordinated patient care as an EMS medic, flight medic, and as a facility manager. Later, he supervised and instructed a series of poly-trauma combat casualty care programs for both the army and the Air Force. Richard remains active in the veteran community and continues to instruct EMS in the private sector. Today Richard works closely with Dr. Mayman and his team in all aspects of patient care.


Heather Woodward

Practice Manager

Veronica Sanchez

Medical Secretary

Elizabeth Alvarez

Medical Secretary

Semona Shlayan

Surgical Coordinator

Krissa Cetner

Nurse Practitioner