Urology Residency Faculty
Dr. Holoch received his medical degree from the University of Vermont. He completed his internship in Surgery, his Urology residency and Male Infertility Fellowship from the University of Iowa. Dr. Holoch's research interests include the effect of low-dose clomiphene citrate on spermatogenesis in the rat as well as the effects of opioids on spermatogenesis. Dr. Holoch is the Program Director and plays an active role in residency teaching. Dr. Holoch specializes in infertility, erectile dysfunction, and reconstructive urology. He is a member of the American Urological Association, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Dr. Cleveland received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his internship in Surgery and residency in Urology at the University of Vermont. Dr. Cleveland primarily practices in Plattsburgh, NY through the Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, and he also regularly treats patients at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He is interested in expanding access to urologic care in upstate New York. Dr. Cleveland is a general urologist, and his clinical interests include prostate cancer, men’s health, and robotic surgery. He enjoys participating in medical student and resident education. He is a member of the American Urological Association and Gold Humanism Honor Society.
Dr. Grunert is an attending physician in the Division of Urology at the
University of Vermont Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Surgery at
the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine. He earned his medical degree
from Rush Medical College in Chicago, completed residency training in
urology at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals, and was awarded
Fellowship of the European College of Sexual Medicine in Amsterdam. His
clinical career has emphasized expanding access to contemporary urologic
care, beginning with more than three decades of service to rural
communities in Franklin County, Vermont. His academic interests span
general urology, sexual medicine, urologic oncology, endourology, outcomes
research, and global health.
Dr. Grunert’s scholarship focuses on translating clinical problems into
practical solutions. His international work has included development of
harmonized Kinyarwanda and Arabic patient-reported outcome instruments
for sexual medicine and prostate cancer, including the Arabic EPIC-CP.
More recently, he has collaborated with the University of Vermont College
of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences on technologies for
decentralized production and recycling of surgical fluid, resulting in
patented technology and ongoing translational development. Education and
mentorship are central to his academic work: he teaches medical students
and urology residents and founded a multidisciplinary student research
program that has generated a sustained stream of research presented at
regional, national, and international scientific meetings and published in
peer-reviewed journals. His broader goal is to help trainees identify
meaningful clinical problems, investigate them rigorously, and develop
solutions that improve patient care.
Dr. Irwin received his medical degree from the University of Vermont. He completed his internship in Surgery at Indiana University, his residency at the University of Connecticut, and a Minimally Invasive/Endourology Fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dr. Irwin's research interests include the impact of decipher prostate cancer classifier (primary prostatectomy tumor 22 genomic pattern) on Physician and Patient Treatment Consideration and Decisions following Radical Prostatectomy (PRO-IMPACT), the treatment choices of men with “good-risk” prostate cancer: an exploratory pilot study, and the Men's Eating and Living (MEAL) Study: A Randomized Trial of Diet to Alter Disease Progression in Prostate Cancer Patients on Active Surveillance. Dr. Irwin plays an active role in residency teaching. He is a member of the American Urological Association, Socioeconomic Committee for the New England Section of the American Urological Association, and the Vermont Representative to the Board of Directors for the New England Section of the American Urological Association.
Benjamin King, MD received his medical degree from the University of Vermont, where he also completed his Surgery internship and Urology residency. He specializes in urologic oncology, with particular clinical interests in prostate and kidney cancer, and has extensive experience in robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgical
techniques.
Dr. King is actively involved in clinical and translational research focused on advancing the treatment of prostate cancer, including the development of novel minimally invasive approaches to focal therapy. In addition to his work at the University of Vermont, he collaborates internationally with colleagues at the University of Southern Denmark on research initiatives aimed at expanding innovation in urologic care.
As an educator and mentor, Dr. King is committed to resident and medical student education. He enjoys working closely with trainees in both the operating room and clinical settings, helping to foster surgical skill development, clinical judgment, and academic growth. He is actively involved in regional and national meetings and is a member of the American Urological Association and the New England Section of the American Urological Association.
Outside of medicine, Dr. King enjoys pursuing outdoor adventures, including backcountry split boarding, running, and mountain biking.
Dr. Kowalik received her medical degree from the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her internship in Surgery and residency training in Urology at the University of Vermont and fellowship in Genitourinary Reconstructive-Cancer Survivorship at Duke University. Dr. Kowalik’s clinical interests include reconstructive urology, including urethral and ureteral structure disease; male urinary incontinence, neurourology and radiation cystitis. Above all else, her goal is to develop a relationship with her patients, where they can establish care goals and work together to improve quality of life as well as develop an understanding of the urologic issues they are experiencing. She is actively involved in teaching and a member of the American Urological Association.
Dr. Mahoney received his medical degree from the University of Colorado. He did a transitional year at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Mahoney completed his internship in Surgery and his residency in Urology at Georgetown University. Dr. Mahoney primarily practices general urology at University of Vermont Health in Middlebury and at Porter Medical Center. He also sees patients at the University of Vermont Medical Center Fanny Allen campus twice a month. His clinical focus has been BPH, including UroLift, and prostate cancer, including cryotherapy and focal treatment. He is board certified and a member of the American Urological Association. Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, mountain and gravel biking, skiing and travel.
Dr. Mohaghegh earned undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of Saskatchewan before completing a research fellowship in telemedicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He completed his residency in Urology at the University of Manitoba, followed by a two-year fellowship in Endourology and Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Mohaghegh specializes in the surgical and medical management of urinary stone disease and benign prostatic hyperplasia. His clinical expertise includes Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), Supine Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (Mini-PCNL), ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal surgery, Endoscopic Combined Intrarenal Surgery (ECIRS), ambulatory PCNL, and advanced endourologic techniques. He performed the first HoLEP procedure in Vermont.
His research focuses on reducing ionizing radiation exposure during urologic surgery, preventing perioperative infectious complications, evaluating regional and national practice patterns in urology, developing and assessing novel surgical technologies, and understanding bias in medical education and clinical practice. As Director of Urologic Research, Dr. Mohaghegh works closely with students, residents, and faculty to foster a collaborative and productive research environment.
Dr. Mohaghegh is a member of the American Urological Association, the Endourological Society, the New England Section of the American Urological Association, and the Canadian Urological Association. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC). Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and cooking.
Dr. Mingin received his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He completed his internship in Surgery and his residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and his Pediatric Urology fellowship at the University of California. Dr. Mingin's research interests include social stress-induced voiding dysfunction and serves as the Principal Investigator for a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Dr. Mingin is the Director of Pediatric Urology at Vermont Children's Hospital at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Dr. Mingin is a member of the American Urological Association, American Association of Pediatric Urology and is a Specialty Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Mark K. Plante, MD, FRCS(C), FACS is the Chief of Urology at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He is a Tenured Professor of Surgery. A Flight Surgeon from 1993 to 1996 for Skyservice, he completed his medical degree and surgical training at McGill University in Montreal, Canada and received several awards during his residencies in General Surgery and Urologic Surgery. Dr. Plante has co-authored over 60 abstract presentations, over 35 peer reviewed publications and four review publications and chapters. Dr. Plante has served as both Treasurer and President of the New England Section of the American Urological Association (AUA) and was a graduate of the inaugural leadership class of the AUA. Dr. Plante has been an invited speaker/presenter/visiting surgeon at conferences and universities throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. He has been primary to the successful broad integration efforts for urologic patient care for numerous counties in both Vermont and Upstate New York, with all urologic care in the UVM Health Network provided by his team of urologists. In addition, his other administrative responsibilities include co-medical directorship for all operative services at UVMMC as well as chairing the UVM Health Network Medical Group Finance Committee.
Mark’s outside interests include time with family and friends, playing ice hockey and tennis, and learning to play piano.
Dr. Plochocki grew up in a first-generation Polish immigrant household in Connecticut. He majored in German Studies and Biochemistry at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. He completed his Master of Public Health degree at St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies. While there, he obtained his certification as a PADI Rescue SCUBA Diver. He returned to Connecticut to attend the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University. Dr. Plochocki completed his urology residency training at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He stayed on as an attending urologist, working at UVMMC and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), which is just across Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York. As a general urologist, he performs open, endourologic, robotic, and hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures. He believes education is one of the hardest components of healthcare, and he prioritizes patient education in his clinical practice. Additionally, Dr. Plochocki is active in teaching medical students and residents.
In his free time, you can find Dr. Plochocki homesteading at his home in the Champlain Islands, raising chickens, and playing guitar. He attempts to take advantage of all the seasons with skiing and snowboarding in winter, kayaking and gardening in summer, and finding time to hike in the sun and snow.
Dr. Winebaum obtained her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine. She then went on to Urology residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston followed by a two year Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.
Her clinical interests include the surgical management of bladder and upper tract urothelial cancer, testis cancer, kidney masses and prostate cancer. She utilizes open, cystoscopic, and robotic (minimally invasive) techniques, tailoring treatment choices to individual patients.
Her research interests include intravesical treatments for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, patient experience with bladder cancer including survivorship in patients with both muscle invasive and non-muscle invasive disease, and improving access to treatment for patients across Vermont and Upstate New York. Dr. Winebaum is a member of the American Urological Association (AUA), The Society of Urologic Oncology, New England AUA, as well as an affiliate of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM.
In her free time, she loves to cook, ski, trail run, and travel.
Physician Assistants
Elizabeth Fuccillo, PA-C is a Physician Assistant with the Division of Urology. Elizabeth received her Environmental Science degree from University of Vermont before attending Franklin Pierce University in West Lebanon, New Hampshire for Physician Assistant training. She has previously worked in orthopedic surgery, primary care, and is excited to be working in urology. Elizabeth works very closely with the urology residents to deliver care to the service’s inpatients. Elizabeth is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Physician Assistant Academy of Vermont, and the American Urologic Association.
Emily Sleeper, PA-C is a Physician Assistant with the Division of Urology. Emily received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Plattsburgh State University before attending LeMoyne College in Syracuse, NY for Physician Assistant training. Having discovered her interest in urology during PA school, she pursued a position at UVMMC Urology. Emily works alongside the Urology residents on the inpatient team and is first assist for robotic cases in the OR. Outside of work, Emily loves spending time outdoors with her husband, 2 dogs, and her twins!
