Physican/Gastroenterology Division Chief at Albany Medical Center 

Dr. Forando joined our practice just under 5 years ago after obtaining his Doctorate of Medicine from Albany Medical College. Before Medical School Dr. Forando attended the University at Albany, Pre-Medical program where he majored in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr. Forando grew up in the Greater Capital Region, graduating from South Glens Falls Senior High School. After completing medical school, Dr. Forando began his internal medicine residency then his fellowship in Gastroenterology both of which he completed at our practice. Dr. Forando became a Gastroenterologist after having his Crohn's disease active yet undiagnosed for over 3 years. During this time, Dr. Forando became very passionate about becoming a Gastroenterologist to help people who have been through the same process as him. Dr. Forando has special interests in the treatment of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis, GERD, Esophageal Ulcers and Hepatology. He routinely performs diagnostic screenings for these diseases as well as surgeries to limit the patient's chance of remission. Dr. Forando belongs to a number of different gastroenterology associations including:

• The American College of Gastroenterology 

• The American Gastroenterology Association 

• The World Gastroenterology Organization 

• The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation 

• The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 

Physician

Dr. Gilday has been in practice with our office since 1997 and has been a board-certified gastroenterologist for over 20 years.

As a native of Boston, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and chemistry at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she graduated a Massachusetts Commonwealth Scholar.

Dr. Gilday then received her medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She completed her internship and residency at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital where she was awarded the Intern of the Year.

In pursuit of her interest in the field of gastroenterology, Dr. Gilday received advanced training at the Lahey Clinic. There she awarded the position of being Chief Administrative Gastroenterology Fellow.

In 2018, Dr. Gilday had the honor of being recognized as Physician of the Year by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Dr. Gilday is a member of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, the Medical Society of the State of New York, Albany County Medical Society, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Dr. Gilday resides in Loudonville with her two children. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and spending time with her family in Boston and Cape Cod.

Physician

Dr. Volk completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Hanover, NH. He subsequently served as Chief Medical Resident at Dartmouth. Following the completion of his training in internal medicine, he remained at Dartmouth for his fellowship training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology where he published papers on inflammatory bowel disease, cirrhosis, polypectomy techniques and disorders of the small intestine.

Dr. Volk is a member of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association. Dr. Volk practices all aspects of general gastroenterology and has a specialized interest in inflammatory bowel disease and cirrhosis of the liver.

Physician

Dr. Reena Patel MD, is a gastroenterologist specializing in interventional endoscopy. 

Dr. Patel joined our practice in 2020 and has been a practicing gastroenterologist in private practice since 2016.  Her training includes fellowships in both gastroenterology/hepatology and advanced endoscopy.

Raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Purdue Univerisity in West Lafayette, Indiana, in sports science with a minor in pre-medical studies and Spanish, along with a Master of Science degree in biological sciences. After obtaining her medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine, on the beautiful island of Grenada, West Indies, she completed an internal medicine residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Her gastroenterology/hepatology fellowship was completed through the St. John Health System in Michigan through Michigan State University.  She completed her interventional endoscopy training with AMC Gastroenterolgy Group. 

Therapeutic endoscopic procedures Dr. Patel performs include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with the removal of stones and stenting of tumors to relieve obstruction in both the bile and pancreatic ducts, drainage of pancreatic cysts, nerve block for pain related to pancreatic cancer, endoscopic ultrasound(EUS) used to diagnose and manage a wide range of gastrointestinal cancers and precancerous lesions including pancreatic tumors. She has also completed training in radiofrequency ablation of Barrett’s esophagus, endoscopic suturing, endoscopic full-thickness resection (FTRD), and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of large polyps or small tumors in the GI tract.

Dr. Patel believes in a patient-centered approach to medical care. Collaboratively with her patients, Dr. Patel discusses medicines, diet, and lifestyle modifications as a holistic strategy to treat her patients.

Dr. Patel is a member of Women in Endoscopy, American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology, and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Striving to grow her skillset alongside an ever-evolving healthcare field, her future interests include bariatric endoscopy and device development.

In her spare time, you will find Dr. Patel weightlifting, hiking, traveling, volunteering, and most often exploring local Capitol district eateries, museums, and attractions.  She is an avid sports fan and enjoys spending her weekends cheering for her beloved Boilermakers and Colts.

***Joining Practice on March 1st, 2023***

Dr. Warndorf was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at Wittenberg University in 2002, with a major in biology and a minor in English literature. He then moved to Washington DC and earned his Master’s degree in biology at American University in 2004. He also worked at the Naval Medical Research Center, as a member of a research team evaluating the efficacy of an “artificial blood” product in trauma models.

He returned to the Buckeye state in 2005 to earn his medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University. He graduated from medical school in 2009 and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He then completed his internal medicine training at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in 2012. He went on to complete his gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2015 where he served as chief fellow. With an interest in pancreaticobiliary disorders and therapeutic endoscopy, Dr. Warndorf then completed an advanced interventional endoscopy fellowship at Maine Medical Center in 2016.

Following his advanced training, Dr. Warndorf joined Albany Gastroenterology Consultants in 2016. He will be joining our practice on March 1st, 2023. Although he has particular interests in pancreaticobiliary disorders and therapeutic endoscopy, he has a wide clinical practice including general gastroenterology and hepatology. He performs a wide variety of procedures including diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound, ERCP including cholangiopancreatoscopy, EGD and colonoscopy, endoscopic mucosal resection, radiofrequency ablation of dysplastic Barrett’s, luminal stenting, and single balloon enteroscopy.

In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and doing anything in the great outdoors.

***Joining us on March 31st, 2023.***

Dr. Strader, is a native of Queensbury and a graduate of Union College where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with honors.

She received her medical degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University where she participated in the Rural Medical Scholars Program. She completed her Internal Medicine internship and residency at Albany Medical Center. During her Internal Medicine residency training she served as Chief Medical Resident. She subsequently completed her fellowship in Gastroenterology at Albany Medical Center.

Dr. Strader has special interest in gastrointestinal motility disorders, colorectal cancer screening and prevention as well as inflammatory bowel disease. She is an active member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association.

***Dr. Ahlawat will begin seeing patients in our office on April 2nd, 2023***

Dr. Rajni Ahlawat is a pediatric gastroenterologist with special interest in celiac disease, nutrition, eosinophilic esophagitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Prior to her arrival at Albany Med, Dr. Ahlawat was a clinical adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also treated patients as an attending physician at Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wis.

She completed a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., and a post-doctoral research fellowship in neonatology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Dr. Ahlawat also completed her residency in pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center and held her internship in pediatrics at the University of Kansas in Wichita. She received her medical degree from Lady Hardinge Medical College at the University of Delhi, India.

She has published several articles and peer-reviewed manuscripts and co-authored poster presentations on celiac and inflammatory bowel disease, including a poster presentation at the World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology. She serves as gastroenterology and nutrition section editor at Frontiers in Pediatrics Journal and editor at Journal of Clinical Pediatrics.

Dr. Ahlawat is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Gastroenterology. Her memberships include the American Gastroenterological Association, the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of American and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

She and her husband, Dr. Akshay Lakra, and their three children reside in Glenmont.