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The Northwest Hospital Bariatric Program specialists are dedicated to providing each patient with comprehensive and personalized care. The highly skilled multi-disciplinary team is led by Dr. Joseph Chebli, a renowned bariatric surgeon. The team includes a registered dietician, a physical therapist, a behavioral therapist, a clinical nurse specialist and other clinicians from a variety of areas to appropriately address the specific needs of bariatric patients.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Joseph E. Chebli, MD, FACS
Medical Director, Northwest Hospital Bariatric Surgery Program

Joseph E. Chebli, M.D., F.A.C.S was born in Canton, OH and grew up in Staten Island, N.Y. Dr. Chebli graduated from Georgetown University in 1991. He received his medical degree in 1995 from State University of New York at Stony Brook. Dr. Chebli then completed his surgical internship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, earning the organization’s prestigious humanitarian award. He took his surgical residency at Georgetown University Hospital in 2001, and became board certified in general surgery in 2002. He was named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 2004.

While at Georgetown, Dr. Chebli received the outstanding grand rounds award and the outstanding resident teacher award. It was also at Georgetown that Dr. Chebli began his laparoscopic bariatric training with Dr. Michael Schweitzer, now at Johns Hopkins University hospital.

Dr. Chebli went into private practice in Fairfax, Virginia in 2001. He obtained additional training in laparoscopic bariatric surgery under nationally regarded Dr. Hazem Elariny and became part of a high-volume bariatric center at Fair Oaks Hospital. His associate, Dr. William E. Roll, was a pioneer bariatric surgeon and was one of the original two hundred members of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

In 2005, Dr. Chebli relocated to Seattle. His wife, Dr. Caroline Chebli, an orthopaedic surgeon, completed her shoulder and elbow fellowship at the University of Washington and is now a staff surgeon at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center and The Sports Medicine Clinic.

Dr. Chebli is the medical director of the bariatric surgery program at Northwest Hospital. He offers patients laparoscopic gastric bypass, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, and laparoscopic revisional bariatric surgery. He has been named a "Top Doctor" in field of bariatric surgery by Seattle magazine every year from 2007 - 2009. He was also featured on "Evening Magazine," on Seattle’s KING 5 TV in 2007.

Dr. Chebli is a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, King County Medical Society, Seattle Surgical Society, the Washington State Medical Association, and the Snohomish County Medical Society.

Dr. Chebli enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. They are expecting their third daughter in October. He is an avid sports fan, and loves hiking, running, and swimming.

Nicole White, MD

Dr. Nicole White is a board certified general surgeon specializing in laparoscopic esophageal and weight loss surgery, including the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band and open gastric bypass procedures.

Dr. White graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and completed her residency in categorical general surgery at the Montefiore Medical Center-Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y. Dr. White completed her fellowship in minimally invasive foregut/non-cardiac thoracic surgery at the Ryan Hill Foundation at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. More recently, Dr. White served as an assistant professor of surgery at the New York University School of Medicine. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons.

Peter S. Billing, MD

Dr. Billing specializes in advanced laparoscopic procedures, and has been doing bariatric surgery for 9 years. Dr. Billing believes that excellent results come from teamwork and a passion for state-of-the-art laparoscopic surgery. He received training at The University of Minnesota and completed his surgical residency at The Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota.

He received his undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of California, Los Angeles. A 1993 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis School of Medicine, he completed his surgical residency in 2000 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Billing also spent two years researching diabetes and islet cell transplantation at the Mayo Clinician-Investigator Training Program.

Dr. Billing is Board Certified in General Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery as well as the Society of American Gastrointestinal endoscopic surgery. His special interests in medicine include advanced laparoscopic procedures. He also enjoys overseas medical missions work and has completed several missions in Kenya and Haiti. In his leisure time he enjoys camping, hiking, reading, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Robert W. Landerholm, MD FACS

Dr. Landerholm is the Medical Director of Puget Sound Surgical Center. He has practiced in Edmonds, Washington and has been at the forefront of minimally invasive surgery since its inception. As an expert in the field and an innovator in surgical technique, he has been performed thousands of laparoscopic operations and carries an impeccable reputation. His joy in being a surgeon is in the opportunity to care for and know his wonderful patients and their families.

He has been a part of the Edmonds medical community for the past sixteen years. A graduate of the University of Washington, School of Medicine in 1986, he completed his surgical residency training at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington.

Dr. Landerholm is Board Certified in General Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has served on the governing boards of ACS-Washington Chapter and the Seattle Surgical Society and serves as campus advisor for Christian Medical Association students at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Interests include writing, music, medical ethics, medical mission work and spending time with his family. It is a privilege for him to provide surgical care to the Edmonds community.

Carmela Pontillo, RN, MSN, CBN

Carmela Pontillo received her master’s degree in nursing from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She is the program coordinator for Northwest Hospital’s Bariatric Surgery Program. She is an allied health member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and is a certified bariatric nurse. Carmela has been in nursing for almost 25 years.

Tricia Clement, RD, CD, CDE

Tricia Clement received her degree in clinical dietetics from the University of Washington. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a dietician at Northwest Hospital, working with both inpatients and outpatients. Tricia is a certified diabetes educator, co-teaches the "Living Well Diabetes" classes at the hospital, and frequently participates in community events to promote wellness. She is also an active member of the Weight Management Practice Group of the American Diabetes Association.

Mark Nelson, PT, MS

Mark Nelson has been a staff physical therapist at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center since 1994. He obtained his master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Puget Sound in 1993. At Northwest Hospital, Mark provides direct patient care for both inpatients and outpatients with various acute cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, orthopedic and medical diagnoses. He is also a clinical instructor and guest lecturer at the University of Washington’s physical therapy program.

Randy Brandeis, MSW, CSW

Randy Brandeis is a board-certified clinical social worker who obtained his masters in social work from the University of Illinois in 1976. He has been a consultant with the Northwest Clinical Nutrition Center for the last 16 years. The focus of his practice is on the cognitive and behavioral treatment of both obesity and addictive/compulsive behavior patterns. In addition, he frequently leads courses on eating disorders, the psychology of facilitating lifestyle adjustments and the psychology of sport and exercise.

Michele Owen, ADN, MPH

Michele Owen has an associate degree in nursing, a bachelor’s degree in healthcare services administration from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA, and a master’s degree in public health from the University of San Francisco. She has been a nurse for more than 23 years, mostly treating surgical patients. At Northwest Hospital, she has been the nurse manager of the hospital’s surgical unit since 2002.

Theresa F. Malijan RN, BSN, CNOR

Theresa Malijan is manager of surgical services at Northwest Hospital. She graduated from the University of Santo Thomas in the Philippines in 1975 and has been with Northwest since 1984. In 1992, she received certification in operating room nursing. She is an active member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses and has been a member of the bariatric surgery team since the program’s inception.