Steven Pietrofesa received his Bachelor of Science degree from Wagner College and the Staten Island University Hospital Physician Assistant Program. Prior to his employment at the Orthopaedic Spine Institute, he gained experience in the field working at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn and Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. Steven is licensed as a Physician Assistant. This Brooklyn native was raised in Staten Island but is now proud to call New Jersey home.

Nicole received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Rutgers University in 2008. She then went on to receive her Master of Science degree and became a certified Physician Assistant after graduating from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2011. Nicole started her Physician Assistant career at Princeton Orthopedic Associates and worked with the chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Princeton Medical Center, specializing in hip and knee replacements as well as complicated revision surgeries. She was privileged to be a founding member of the Board that developed the Center of Excellence for Joint Replacement Surgery at Princeton Medical Center. After moving to the Jersey Shore, Nicole joined Orthopedic Institute of Central Jersey in 2017, and currently works in sports medicine, as well as in hip, knee and shoulder replacement surgery.

Laura joined Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey as a physician assistant in September 2008. She was born and raised in South Jersey, and currently lives in Central Jersey. Laura attended Oakcrest High School and graduated in 2000. She then went on to do her undergraduate work at Rutgers University in New Brunswick where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Sports Studies and minored in sociology. Laura went to Rutgers on an athletic scholarship for gymnastics. She then worked as a pharmacy technician for a year, and then went to Seton Hall University, where she earned her master’s degree in Physician Assistant in 2008. Laura chose to pursue orthopedics/sports medicine due to the fact she has been around injuries so often, being an athlete. Laura enjoys watching football, baseball, and gymnastics, playing with her dog, and spending time with family and friends.

Gregory Switaj joined Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey as a physician assistant in February 2009. He is a native of Ridgewood, NJ and currently residing in Central Jersey. Greg attended Ridgewood High School where he spent most of his time competing in athletics and hanging out in the training room. After graduating in 2000, he attended Springfield College in Massachusetts majoring in Athletic Training. Greg was a four-year starter on the Springfield College football team earning First Team All America honors as a placekicker in 2003. After graduating from Springfield, Greg spent a year working with the Athletics programs at Seton Hall University. He later went on to attend Seton Hall University graduating in 2008 with a Masters of Physician Assistant.

Kayce Lustrino started with the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey in September of 2017. Kayce primarily works in Sports Medicine. Her interest in orthopedics and sports medicine began at Manasquan High School in the student athletic training program and continued at Hofstra University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training. She completed her education graduating from the Physician Assistant Program at Monmouth University.

C.J. joined the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey in 2015 after graduating from Rutgers University (formerly UMDNJ) Physician Asst. Program. He completed his education throughout various NJ Hospitals and is trained in multiple sub specialties.

Today, C.J. specializes in Sports Medicine, assisting Dr. Sclafani to help get their patients back in the game.

Seth Amster received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the College of Staten Island and simultaneously earned the Bayley Seton Physician Assistant Program Certificate. Prior to his employment at the Orthopaedic Spine Institute in 2008, he worked in a variety of medical settings where he was responsible for patient care in orthopedics. Seth is licensed as a Physician Assistant in both New Jersey and New York.

Joseph Simone’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Monmouth University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Harden-Simmons University, Masters of Science in Nursing from Samford University and a Doctorate from New York Chiropractic College.
Joseph Simone presently holds an active RN license and Nurse Practitioner license in New Jersey as well as Chiropractic licenses in New Jersey and New York. He is AANP (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners) National Board Certified as a Nurse Practitioner and is a National Board Certified Chiropractic Doctor. His broad clinical rotation experience and training range from primary health care to geriatrics, pediatrics and Ob/Gyn. He also obtained surgical experience and has been a part of many different OR procedures. Joseph Simone is Board Certified in Interventional Pain Management Procedures and Electro-diagnostics by the American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM). He continues to further his education to be able to provide his patients with the latest state-of-the-art treatments that are available today.
His professional affiliations include the American Nurses Association (ANA), New Jersey State Nurses Association (NJSNA), Forum of Nurses in Advanced Practice (FNAP), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM), Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC) and the New Jersey State PBA Physicians Association.
Joseph Simone is currently a Nurse Practitioner at Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey. He triages patients, manages patient care and performs neurological and orthopedic exams. His focus is non-surgical techniques and proper rehabilitation. He’s skilled at utilizing advanced diagnostic imaging studies (X-ray, MRI, CT-Scan) to help guide patient care. He has numerous AAOPM board certifications including: spinal injections, inter-articular joint injections, arthocentesis, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections and bursa injections.
Joseph Simone worked as a Clinical Site Supervisor for Monmouth University, where he served as a liaison between clinical preceptors and the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing Nurse Practitioner education program.

Amy graduated from the University of Delaware where she received a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in sports science and exercise physiology. She then went on to the Physician Assistant program at Touro College in Manhattan where she was the president of her class and graduated in 2003.

Amy started her career working in Manhattan alongside an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in upper extremity conditions and sports trauma. In 2004, Amy joined Orthopaedic Institute. She has worked with our spine surgeons, sports surgeons, pain management physician and currently works in joint replacement with Dr. Tozzi. She has also spent several years working in our after-hours OUCH clinic.

Amy grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, but currently resides in Oceanport with her three young sons. She enjoys watching her sons play sports and treating their injuries, traveling, working out and spending time at the beach.

Kim received her master of science degree and became a physician assistant after graduating from the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey in 2000. She started her Physician Assistant career In orthopedics in October 2000 out in Colorado. She has worked in multiple specialties within Orthopaedics since then. She moved back to New Jersey in March 2008 and joined a multi-specialty orthopedic group, Orthocenter, out of Red Bank. She became head PA for that group. She joined Orthopedic Institute of Central New Jersey as a physician assistant in July 2015 and is now the hand surgery specialty PA.

Heather is a native of New Jersey, having grown up in Hillsborough. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Rider University in Lawrenceville, where she swam all four years on a Division I scholarship. She then went on to obtain a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in 2018. Heather joined Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey in 2019 and currently works in joint replacement and musculoskeletal oncology with Dr. Francis Cyran. In her free time, Heather enjoys swimming, surfing, skiing, and traveling.