Surgical Oncology Faculty - Surgery Residency Program

Dr. Nathan Bolton is a surgical oncologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. He specializes in upper gastrointestinal malignancy (gastric, esophageal), hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancy, neuroendocrine tumors, sarcoma, and melanoma, and peritoneal surface malignancy and peritoneal carcinomatosis from GI or ovarian origin (HIPEC). Dr. Bolton received his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed his internship and residency at the Ochsner Medical Center. Upon completing residency, Dr. Bolton traveled to New York and completed a fellowship in complex general surgical oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital before returning to Ochsner to practice.

View Physician Listing

Dr. Russell Brown is a surgical oncologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. He then completed a general surgery residency at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Dr. Brown went on to complete a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Louisville. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.

View Physician Listing

Dr. Andrew Newton received his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After residency, Dr. Newton completed a fellowship in complex general surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He is board certified in General Surgery and Complex General Surgical Oncology by the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Newton's expertise is in hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancies, gastroesophageal malignancies, neuroendocrine tumors, peritoneal surface malignancies including HIPEC, sarcoma, and melanoma.

View Physician Listing

Dr. David Pointer is a surgical oncologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. He earned his medical degree and completed a general surgery residency from Tulane University School of Medicine, which included a research fellowship within the Department of Structural and Cellular Biology. Dr. Pointer completed fellowship training in surgical oncology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, with additional focus on robotic approaches in complex surgical oncology. As a surgical oncologist specializing in the diagnosis and management of complex malignancies, he utilizes a variety of skills and strategies, including minimally invasive techniques and multidisciplinary care, to provide quality personalized treatment for both common and rare malignancies. His clinical interests include gastrointestinal, hepatopancreaticobiliary, skin and soft tissue malignancies with a specific focus on the application of robotic techniques. His research interests include surgical education and outcomes in minimally invasive oncologic surgery. Dr. Pointer is double board certified in Complex General Surgical Oncology and General Surgery. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), and the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA). Dr. Pointer's clinical expertise includes gastric and esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma and sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumors, liver and bile duct cancers, robotic and minimally invasive surgery and peritoneal surface malignancies (HIPEC).

View Physician Listing

Dr. Ashlyn Alongi is a breast surgical oncologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Dr. Alongi graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences and Medicine, Health, and Society. She earned her medical degree as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama. She completed her general surgery residency at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. Dr. Alongi completed specialized surgical training through a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.

Her clinical expertise includes the surgical management of breast cancer, nipple-sparing mastectomy, oncoplastic breast surgery, minimally invasive partial mastectomy (lumpectomy), sentinel lymph node biopsy, axillary lymph node dissection, axillary reverse mapping to minimize lymphedema risk, risk assessment of individuals at high risk for breast cancer and management of benign breast disease.

Dr. Alongi is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is an active member of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and presented at national surgical meetings on topics including metaplastic breast cancer, multidisciplinary care models and high-risk breast lesion management.

View Physician Listing

Dr. Alexa Elder is a surgical oncologist with a focus in breast oncology at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, and medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Following this, she completed her internship and residency in general surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. She completed her fellowship in breast surgical oncology at Atrium Health/Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina.Dr. Elder's specialty is breast surgical oncology and the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Her clinical interests include surgical treatment of breast cancer, mastectomies, nipple-sparing mastectomies, lumpectomies, oncoplastic breast surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsies, axillary node dissections and management of benign breast disease She is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

View Physician Listing

Angelle Gelvin, MD, FACS, is a surgical oncologist with a focus in breast surgical oncology at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her clinical interests focus on the comprehensive surgical management of breast cancer, including mastectomy and nipple-sparing mastectomy, breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy), oncoplastic techniques, sentinel lymph node biopsy, axillary dissection and the treatment of benign breast disease.

Dr. Gelvin earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2009. She then completed general surgery residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans in 2014. She is board-certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery (2014). She spent a decade practicing as a general surgeon in New Orleans before pursuing fellowship training. She completed a Breast Surgical Oncology fellowship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, in 2025. Dr. Gelvin actively participates in the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons and American College of Surgeons to stay updated on medical advancements.

View Physician Listing

Dr. Amy Rivere is a surgical oncologist with a focus in breast surgical oncology at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was born and raised in Napoleonville, Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana State University and earned her Doctor of Medicine from LSU Medical School in Shreveport, Louisiana. She then completed general surgery residency at Ochsner Clinic New Orleans and a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Rivere recently returned home to Ochsner as a breast surgical oncologist at the Lieselotte Tansey Breast Center in New Orleans.Her specialty is breast surgical oncology and the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Clinical interests include surgical treatment of breast cancer, nipple-sparing mastectomies, ultrasound guided lumpectomies, oncoplastic breast surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsies and axillary node dissections, axillary reverse mapping to minimize lymphedema risk and management of benign breast disease. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology, American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

View Physician Listing

Dr. W. Forrest Johnston is a colon and rectal surgeon at Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans and Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Johnston has expertise in minimally invasive treatments, including laparoscopic and robotic approaches. He offers comprehensive care for colon and rectal cancer treatment as well as benign diseases, including diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, incisional hernias, constipation and anorectal disorders. Dr. Johnston grew up in Galveston, Texas, before attending college at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He graduated summa cum laude with a double major in religion and chemistry. He returned to Texas for medical school at Baylor College of Medicine where he graduated with honors. He trained in general surgery at the University of Virginia and completed a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. Dr. Johnston joined the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ochsner in 2017. He is board-certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. Dr. Johnston is interested in and treats all aspects of colon and rectal diseases, including colon and rectal cancer, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease and anorectal disorders. Dr. Johnston is involved with teaching and serves as the program director for the colorectal fellowship training program. His approach to patient care is based on compassion and honesty.

View Physician Listing

Brian R. Kann, MD, is the chair of the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans, where he also serves as the program director for the Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency Program. He received his medical degree from Hahnemann University (now Drexel University College of Medicine) in Philadelphia, following which he completed his general surgery residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey / Robert Wood Johnson Medical School / Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. He then completed his residency in colon and rectal Surgery at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans. Following his training, worked at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey, and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, before returning to New Orleans in 2015 to join the Department of Colon & Rectal Surgery at Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans. He is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School, is chair of the Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Operating Room Block and Scheduling Committee, and is surgical director for the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program. He is a member of the Continuing Certification Committee of the American Board of Colon & Rectal Surgery and serves as an associate examiner for the Board. He currently is serving as the vice chair of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons Residents Committee and is an at-large member of the Association of Program Directors in Colon and Rectal Surgery Board of Directors. His clinical interests focus on the care of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and re-operative colorectal surgery.

View Physician Listing

Danielle Kay, MD, FACS, FASCRS, is a surgical oncologist with a focus in colon and rectal surgery at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Kay is a native of New Orleans. She attended Benjamin Franklin High School. She received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Los Angeles. She received her medical degree at Tulane University. Dr. Kay completed her General Surgery residency at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. She went on to complete her fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She moved back to New Orleans and joined Ochsner in 2021. Dr. Kay is board-certified in general surgery and colon and rectal surgery. She specializes in robotic surgery.

View Physician Listing

Dr. William Kethman is a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center. He was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and raised in Houston. He earned his undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering and medical doctorate from Tulane University in New Orleans. He completed his general surgery residency at Stanford University and a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center - Case Western Reserve University. He completed a research fellowship at the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign, an organization dedicated to educating and empowering health technology innovators and leading the transition to a value-driven innovation ecosystem. He joined the staff at Ochsner Health in August 2020. Dr. Kethman's professional interests are in leveraging technology to improve the care provided to patients. He has founded several medical technology companies and developed software and mobile applications focused on his goal of improving healthcare through innovation. Dr. Kethman is committed to treating all colorectal disorders, with particular clinical interests in complex re-operative surgery, minimally invasive management of colon and rectal cancers and inflammatory bowel disease. He is a member of many professional organizations, including the American College of Surgeons and American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and is the director of The Commission on Cancer and Colorectal Surgery Quality Lead for Ochsner Health.

View Physician Listing

Dr Paruch earned her medical degree from the University of Michigan and completed her General Surgery Residency at the University of Chicago. While there, she earned an award for excellence in teaching from the junior residents. She completed her fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center. Dr Paruch is board certified in general surgery and colon and rectal surgery. She has been an instructor for several advanced endoscopy courses for residents and fellows.

View Physician Listing

Matthew Zelhart, MD, is the vice chair of the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Ochsner Health. He received his medical degree at Rush University Medical School in Chicago, before completing his surgery residency at Tulane University in New Orleans. He then went on to complete his fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He worked in private practice and with Tulane University Medical School before joining Ochsner Health in 2025. He specializes in the robotic and minimally invasive treatment of colon and rectal diseases, including cancers. His primary research interests include development of surgical technologies and detection of early oncological conditions.

View Physician Listing