NEWS

Dr. James Gervasoni Appointed Chair, Department of Surgery at Saint Peter’s University Hospital and Dr. Siva Jonna Appointed Chair, Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief of The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital New Brunswick, N.J. – June 24, 2025 – Saint Peter’s Healthcare System is proud to announce the appointments of James Gervasoni Jr., PhD, MD, MBA, FACS, as chair of the Department of Surgery at Saint Peter’s University Hospital and Siva Jonna, MD, as chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief of The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. “Both Dr. Gervasoni and Dr. Jonna are well-regarded members of the Saint Peter’s Medical Staff. For decades they have delivered safe and exceptional care to patients and their families, while advancing an environment of innovation in partnership with administrative and medical leadership,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. Joining the Medical Staff in 2006, Dr. Gervasoni first began at Saint Peter’s as chair of the Department of Surgery, a role he held until 2015. He was serving as vice chair of the department before once again being appointed department chair. Dr. Gervasoni’s surgical expertise has contributed to the high-quality patient care and technical expertise for which Saint Peter’s has become known. He was instrumental in launching the robotic surgery program at Saint Peter’s and performed the first robotics general surgery case in December 2011. In addition to performing general surgical procedures, Dr. Gervasoni treats complex tumors and is an expert in cytoreductive surgery/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) at Saint Peter’s. Dr. Gervasoni also serves as the vice president of Saint Peter’s Medical Staff and as the surgical residency site director through Saint Peter’s affiliation with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where he is currently an associate professor of Surgery. Dr. Gervasoni has been an invited lecturer at many professional organizations, enhancing Saint Peter’s mission to deliver superior, research-informed care. He has extensively published book chapters, primary research, and review articles on solid tumors and leukemia, specifically regarding chemotherapy and cancer surgery. His professional memberships include the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the Society of Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, the Society of Clinical Oncology, the Association of Surgical Education, the American Association for Cancer Research, the New Jersey Medical Society, and the New York Academy of Sciences. Dr. Jonna, a highly regarded pediatric critical care physician, has accrued many accomplishments, and has significantly contributed to the success of The Children’s Hospital during his tenure at Saint Peter’s, including the transformation of the Pediatric Extended Care Unit (PECU) into a full Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Under his esteemed leadership, the PICU has gained a distinguished reputation for helping critically ill children throughout the state and is one of the busiest PICUs in New Jersey. The PICU has also been recognized with multiple Beacon Awards for nursing excellence and patient care. For the past 27 years, Dr. Jonna has served as chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s and was appointed vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics in 2016. In 2023, Dr. Jonna was appointed interim chair of the Department of Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital. Dr. Jonna’s commitment to promoting long-term well-being for children and families includes conducting free church clinics in Jamaica, establishing a scholarship for children of sugar industry workers who could not afford a high school education, and participating in medical mission trips to Guatemala through Saint Peter’s. Dr. Jonna studied in Washington, DC. He completed residency at Howard University Hospital and fellowship at Georgetown University Hospital, which provided him with knowledge in pediatric critical care medicine. For additional information about pediatric services at The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, visit saintpetershcs.com/childrenshospital or call 732.565.KIDS [5437]. For information about the Department of Surgery at Saint Peter’s, visit saintpetershcs.com/surgery or call 732.745.8571. About The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital is a state-designated acute care children’s hospital and regional perinatal center sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally renowned Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a dedicated Pediatric Emergency Department, adolescent medicine, cancer care, diabetes, orthopedics, surgery, developmental pediatrics, gastroenterology, allergy and immunology, infectious disease medicine, cardiology, nephrology, neurology, pediatric intensive care, pulmonary/sleep medicine, audiology and physical therapy. Other programs and services include Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine, which counsels, tests and treats children with rare diseases; the Craniofacial and Neurosurgical Center, which offers corrective surgery and multidisciplinary support for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities; the Dorothy B. Hersh Regional Child Protection Center, a state-designated regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center for child abuse prevention; and the Center for Diabetes Self- Management and Education, which diagnoses and treats children with diabetes and other endocrine disorders. Saint Peter’s has received Perinatal Care Advanced Certification and Level IV Maternal Levels of Care Verification from the Joint Commission and the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for its Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care units. The Dorothy B. Hersh Pediatric Emergency Department is the only pediatric emergency department in New Jersey to earn the Lantern Award (2022-2024) from the Emergency Nurses Association. About Saint Peter’s University Hospital Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, is a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Saint Peter’s, which received its sixth consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2020, is also state-designated children’s hospital and a regional perinatal center, and is a regional specialist in diabetes, gastroenterology, head and neck surgery, oncology, orthopedics, and women’s services. Saint Peter’s is the recipient of the Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses for the adult intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, cardiac progressive care unit and the pediatric intensive care unit. The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s University Hospital provides families with access to a full range of pediatric specialties, including a nationally recognized Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, pediatric surgery and orthopedic surgery featuring innovative anterior scoliosis correction. The hospital has the state’s only hospital-based, midwifery-led birth center – the Mary V. O’Shea Birth Center, accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers. Saint Peter’s is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine, and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732.745.8600.