A former Brooklyn College student has filed a lawsuit alleging that a physician assistant at the school’s health clinic inappropriately touched female students, and that complaints about his conduct were dismissed by a supervisor.
Regina Patino, a former CUNY film student, says she felt violated and uneasy during multiple visits with Gary Giardina at the Brooklyn College clinic between 2022 and 2024, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
In the complaint, Patino alleges that Giardina guided her into his office with his hand on her lower back, moved his hand up her thigh and pressed his cheek against hers during examinations she described as uncomfortable.
Patino, 26, eventually asked to be seen by a female medical provider instead of Giardina, prompting the clinic’s then-director, Ilene Tannenbaum, to pull her aside and ask why, the suit claims.
Patino told Tannenbaum that Giardina, 78, had been “excessively warm” toward her, and Tannenbaum allegedly responded that Patino was not the only student to have raised similar concerns.
ALSO READ: Baby Jasy Viral Yandex: Viral Twitter Video Trending Online
Despite that, Tannenbaum allegedly downplayed the complaints, saying they were not an issue because “he is an older man and has no interest in young girls like you,” according to the lawsuit.
Patino, who has since graduated from Brooklyn College, is seeking unspecified damages.
Tannenbaum, a nurse practitioner, retired from the clinic at the end of the 2024 school year after three decades there, according to The Brooklyn College Vanguard. Giardina remains employed at the clinic.
“Brooklyn College takes all reports and allegations of misconduct seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive environment. Because this is a pending legal matter, the college is unable to comment further,” a college spokesperson told The Post.
CUNY, Giardina and Tannenbaum did not return requests for comment.
