Behind every “I do” lies the possibility that love can cost you your practice, your assets, and your future. In this episode, “Super Lawyer” Jill Blomberg sits down with the co-hosts to break down the essentials of matrimonial law for breast surgeons. From safeguarding assets to navigating divorce, she offers clear, practical advice that every surgeon should understand.    As referenced in the episode, the American Academy of Matriomonial Lawyers website is https://www.aaml.org/   SPECIAL GUEST

Jill Blomberg’s passion for family law is deeply ingrained in her upbringing. With her mother and grandfather both serving as Supreme Court Judges, she grew up with a desire to help families navigate complex legal issues. From a young age, she learned the art of negotiation at the breakfast table and gained a genuine appreciation for justice, which she applies to every case.

Throughout her 25+ years of practice, she has built a strong reputation for being empathetic and understanding of her clients’ needs. A client recently shared, “Jill is my lawyer, cheerleader and friend, making me a stronger, better version of myself. She’s a total rockstar.” Jill’s incredible credentials speak for themselves – she is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Jill is a member of several legal organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Fairfield County Bar Association.

In addition to her legal work, Jill is also committed to giving back to the community.

She is a past President of the Connecticut Chapter of the Fordham University School of Law Alumni Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Fordham University School of Law Alumni Association. Attorney Blomberg is also involved with Casa Verde, Home of Hope, in Medellin, Colombia, and is a past board member for Rockrimmon Country Club.

With a personal touch and an impressive track record of success, Jill is a trusted advisor and advocate for her clients in Fairfield County and beyond. Above all, she cherishes her roles as wife, mom, and dog-mom, which keep her grounded and remind her of the importance of family in everything she does.

MEET THE CO-HOSTS

Michael Berry, MD is a breast surgical oncologist at the West Cancer Center in Germantown, TN. After practicing general surgery for 6 years, he completed a breast surgical oncology fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas in 2002. Upon leaving Texas, he moved to the Memphis, TN area where he was the first fellowship trained breast surgeon in the region; and this is where he remains today. Dr. Berry has long taught breast ultrasound diagnosis, intervention and ablation. However, his particular interest is in education, as he currently serves on the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Committee, which oversees the fellowship programs in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Berry is currently the president-elect of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and will begin his term as president in May of 2025.

Susan K. Boolbol, MD, FACS is the system chief of breast surgical oncology and breast program at Nuvance Health. She is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast surgeon and performs a variety of breast cancer surgeries including lumpectomies and mastectomies. She has a special interest in oncoplastic surgery and nipple-sparing mastectomy; she is also a Hidden Scar certified surgeon. Dr. Boolbol’s personal mission is to diagnose and successfully treat breast cancer and breast conditions while caring for the whole patient – emotionally and physically – every step of the way. Dr. Boolbol is the immediate Past President of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. She joined Nuvance Health after serving as chief of breast surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center. She completed her breast surgery fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center after her residency in general surgery at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center. Dr. Boolbol earned her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine.

Carla Fisher, MD, MBA, FACS is the Division Chief of Breast Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine and an Associate Professor of Surgery. Dr. Fisher is also the director of the IU Dept of of Surgery Breast Surgical Oncology fellowship. She earned her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed her residency in general surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina and her fellowship as a surgical fellow in breast oncology at Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Fisher is a certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncologists and the Association of Academic Surgeons.

Susie Hagen, MD, FACS received her medical degree from the University of South Carolina. She completed her residency in General Surgery at the University of Iowa.   In addition, Dr. Hagen earned her Master of Science in Public Health from the University of South Carolina and a Master in Medical Education from the University of Iowa. Her special interests are benign and malignant breast disease, complex wound, and robotic surgeries.  Dr. Hagen obtained a certification in the Advanced Trauma Operative Management Course and she is an Advanced Trauma Life Support Instructor. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Colorado Medical Society and the Boulder County Medical Society.  She has received the following national awards; the American Medical Association Leadership Award, Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, and the American College of Surgeons Excellence in Teaching Award.  Dr. Hagen is the medical director of surgical services at Boulder Community Health, a level 2 trauma center.  While she does not claim to be a runner, she has almost completed 1000 days of running consecutively. 

Ellie Kraft, MD, FACS is a fellowship-trained breast surgeon at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA. Before pursuing medicine, she worked briefly in finance. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kansas and completed her general surgery residency at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Dr. Kraft then performed her breast surgical oncology and oncoplastic surgery fellowship at the University of Southern California and Hoag Hospital, training under Dr. Mel Silverstein, the “father of oncoplastic surgery.” She is a founding faculty member of Hoag’s first stand-alone Oncoplastic Fellowship, which began in July 2024, and was recently inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She lives in Laguna Beach with her husband Patrick and their two Labrador Retrievers, Dr. Kraft has a passion for learning new things in her free time, especially non-surgical topics like personal development, entrepreneurship, nutrition, and mindfulness and has a daily movement/ meditation practice. 

CONTENT DISCLAIMER:  The content within The Next Breast Thing Podcast represents the views, thoughts, and opinions of the co-hosts and may not reflect the views, thoughts, and opinions of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.