Elaine graduated from Cornell University in 2000 with a degree in nutrition. After completing a clinical dietetic internship in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Elaine returned to the east coast to begin her formal career. She worked for 2 years as a clinical in-patient dietitian at St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, then decided to make a career change and become a physician assistant. Elaine entered the Yale Physician Associate Program in the fall of 2003 and graduated 2 years later, eager to start practicing. It was actually her experiences with bariatric patients during her years as a clinical dietitian that led to a position with the bariatric surgical team, where Elaine found the perfect combination of her love of nutrition and an opportunity to perform surgery with three of Connecticut's top bariatric surgeons.

Elaine's role with Bariatric Surgery patients is multi-faceted. She assists the surgeons in the operating room and cares for and monitors patients during their in-patient stay at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, where she has hospital privileges. In addition to her hospital duties Elaine also sees patients in the out-patient office, along with fellow PA Danielle Demarco. The two see patients pre-operatively, perform lap-banding adjustments, respond to patient problems and see to all aspects of post-op patients care.