Meet Our Event Speakers

Alfred Atanda Jr. is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at the Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where he serves as the Chief of the Center for Sports Medicine is also an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. 

His clinical interests include sports medicine, orthopedic trauma, general pediatric orthopedics, and injury prevention in youth athletes. With his expertise in these areas he is frequently invited to teach and lecture locally, regionally, and nationally.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, he completed residency at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Dr. Atanda also completed fellowships in pediatric orthopedic surgery, at the Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, and in sports medicine surgery, at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University.

His future goals and aspirations are to re-imagine how healthcare is delivered by leveraging digital health solutions to provide an optimal working environment for frontline clinical workers and raise awareness to the many ramifications of professional burnout.  

Dr. David Brousseau is the Pediatrician-in-Chief, Chair of Pediatrics and Director of Research, Delaware Valley at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Brousseau is a graduate of the University of Virginia medical school and completed his pediatric residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and his fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Masters in Epidemiology at Brown University/Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Prior to joining Nemours Children’s Health, Dr. Brousseau was the Section Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin/Children’s Wisconsin. 

Dr. Brousseau’s academic focus centers on the care of people with sickle cell disease (SCD). He has had continuous federal funding for almost two decades, including sickle cell randomized clinical trials and hybrid-implementation trials. He is currently the study PI on an NHLBI U01 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to improve guideline adherence for the care of children presenting to the ED with a painful crisis related to their SCD. Dr. Brousseau is the Chair of the American College of Emergency Physician’s Emergency Department Sickle Cell Care Coalition (EDSC3), whose goal is to improve the care of people with SCD across academic and community emergency departments, both pediatric and general. In addition to his sickle cell work, Dr. Brousseau has been an active member of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) including more than a decade as a member of the steering committee and two terms as Chair of the Feasibility and Budget subcommittee. He has over 130 publications, including first author publications in JAMA and Blood. 

Dr. Brousseau also has an established track record of mentorship, including serving as a mentor on multiple NIH Career Development Awards and serving as the scientific advisor for an NHLBI funded UG3/UH3 for an interventional clinical trial for sickle cell pain. He has mentored many students, trainees and faculty to publications and funding and currently serves as the PI of the SCD COBRE award. 

Dr. Brousseau is married, with a wife and three adult children. They enjoy sports, travelling and playing cards/games.

Loree Jones Brown has served in top leadership positions in the nonprofit, higher education and government sectors, including Managing Director, or chief operating officer, of the City of Philadelphia, chief of staff for Rutgers University—Camden, chief of external affairs for the School District of Philadelphia, and executive director and chief of staff for the Philadelphia School Reform Commission.  She is currently Chief Executive Officer of Philabundance, a hunger relief agency serving nine counties in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. A graduate of Princeton University and Spelman College, she has been recognized for her dedication to public service. Loree has participated in two international fellowships programs:  Eisenhower Fellowships and the British-American Project.

An advocate for nutrition security, she serves on the boards of Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger Free Pennsylvania, is a member of the Feeding America national Policy, Engagement, and Advocacy Committee, and is chair of Feeding America’s Mid-Atlantic Region.  Loree also serves on the boards of Jefferson Health Plans (formerly Health Partners Plans, vice chair), the Independence Foundation, and the Eisenhower Fellowships (executive committee). She currently chairs the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Economic and Community Advisory Council and the City of Philadelphia Office of Community Empowerment & Opportunity Oversight Board.  She served as the board chair of the Philadelphia Health Partnership and as a former board member of a wide range of civic organizations, including Project HOME, the Committee of Seventy, the Police Athletic League (PAL) the World Affairs Council, Operation Understanding, the Philadelphia Planning Commission, and the African American Museum of Philadelphia. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Joanne Craig, Chief Impact Officer, The Foundation for Delaware County. She administers the Foundation’s public health programs - WIC, Healthy Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, HOPE (Housing Opportunities for Equity Program), Doula program, and more. Joanne has lengthy experience working in public health focusing on infant and maternal mortality and morbidity, nonprofit management, and philanthropy. She has spent her career working with underserved communities, vulnerable populations, developing resources, and services to address the SDOH, improve access to care and improve health status. Joanne holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management. Serves on several boards and advisory committees. Joanne is presently a co-chair of the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

Fran Held is the Founder, Executive Director, and President of Mitzvah Circle. She created Mitzvah Circle to provide hope and restore dignity to individuals and families during times of crisis, poverty, homelessness, and serious illness.

Fran cares deeply about people who have fallen through the cracks and strives to remove barriers to provide help and guidance with care and compassion.

Mitzvah Circle has created initiatives that improve day care and school attendance, as well as employment security. It also works to reduce food insecurity via donations of food and provisions like pots, pans, and utensils. On an annual basis, it serves more than 73,000 families, distributing more than four-and-a-half million items. That includes more than 3 million diapers and 800,000 sanitary supplies. The organization works with nearly 300 partner organizations and more than 200 referral agencies. Each year, more than 4,200 different individuals volunteer for the organization. They work with nearly 400 social workers across the Commonwealth.

Dr. Shanique Brown Kilgallon is a Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Clinical Associate Professor at Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, DE, where she has practiced for the past five years. She is deeply committed to advancing clinician well-being and medical education.  At Nemours, Dr. Kilgallon leads initiatives that promote psychologically safe environments for multidisciplinary teams. Her passion for education is reflected in her mentorship of learners across all levels and her dedication to fostering both clinical excellence and human-centered care.  She serves as Vice President of the Delaware Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (DEAAP) and is Program Assistant Director for the Creating a Healthier Futures for Teen Moms and Babies Conference. In this role, she has helped connect pediatric-focused providers to the unique needs of expectant and parenting teenage mothers, helping to shape a program that centers compassion, expertise, and empowerment for young families.

Dr. Sophie Lanzkron is a Professor of Medicine and Division Director of Hematology at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Lanzkron received her BA from Brandeis University and she graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she was inducted into the AOA honor society.  She did her residency at the University of Maryland and her hematology fellowship at Hopkins.   She is internationally recognized for her pioneering research on the optimal care and management of patients with sickle cell disease.  She has served on the National Institutes of Health, Expert Panel in the Management of Sickle Cell Disease and on the American Society of Hematology’s Sickle Cell Guideline Panel. She is one of the founders and currently serves as the vice-president of the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers. She is the Director of the oldest sickle cell ECHO Telementoring clinic, meeting weekly and educating 50-60 clinicians each week.  Her research focus is on improving the quality of care provided to this historically underserved population and she is considered an expert in health services research in sickle cell disease. She is funded to do work to disseminate the use of infusion clinics across the US, to help meet the urgent need for rapid and appropriate care for acute pain.  Dr. Lanzkron’s research is currently supported through grants from PCORI and HRSA.

Jacqueline Jenkins, RN, MSN, CNOR is a leader in healthcare with 42 years of nursing experience, which includes 40 years in Perioperative Services. Currently, she serves as the Director of Perioperative Services & Sterile Processing at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington Delaware. Beyond her professional achievements, Ms. Jenkins is deeply committed to community service through her involvement with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and other organizations.

Kristen Littleton is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who serves as the Lactation Supervisor at Nemours Children's Health. She is a board member of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Delaware. She has previously served as their chair, working on several community projects to diversify breastfeeding providers in their state and increase access to care. She has been counseling breastfeeding families for 13 years with a passion for combining peer and professional breastfeeding support to improve outcomes and reduce breastfeeding disparities within the community. At Nemours, she coordinates the breastfeeding peer counseling program, embedded in families' medical homes, and coordinates community projects to improve breastfeeding outcomes. 

Tim McDermott is President of the Philadelphia Union and Union Sports & Entertainment and oversees all club business operations for the Philadelphia Union, Philadelphia Union II, Philadelphia Union Academy, as well as the Union’s campus master plan and development project which includes the Union Power Plant, Subaru Park, and the construction of the WSFS Bank Sportsplex.  Since joining the Union in 2016, McDermott’s efforts have been focused on increasing the brand strength, fan base, and revenue opportunities as well as a continued commitment to growing soccer and making a positive impact on the community. 

Dr. Aasta Mehta is the Director of the Division of Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health (ReACH) at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, where she leads efforts to improve reproductive, adolescent, and child health through direct services, data-driven policy, and strategic partnerships. She oversees programs such as Birth Justice Philly, Philly Joy Bank, and Philly Families CAN while advancing policies to ensure equitable care and support for communities across Philadelphia. At the state and national levels, Dr. Mehta serves as Co-Chair of both the Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee and Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative Advisory Group, Treasurer for the Pennsylvania Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Co-Lead for the Policy, Dissemination, and Communication Core of AMETHIST@Penn, an NIH-funded implementation science hub that supports Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence across the country in their efforts to reduce maternal mortality and address racial disparities. In addition to her public health leadership, she is a practicing OB/GYN hospitalist at Pennsylvania Hospital, a part of Penn Medicine, in Philadelphia and an Affiliate Faculty member at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, where she developed and teaches a course on maternal health problem-solving. Dr. Mehta has been with PDPH since 2012, previously serving as the Medical Officer of Reproductive Health for 5 years before assuming her current role. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital and holds a Master of Science in Public Policy from Drexel University, specializing in Health Policy.

Dr. June Elcock-Messam (aka Dr. Messam) is a pediatrician who works in Wallingford, PA. Her personal mission is to improve the lives of as many children as she can. She is Board Certified in General Pediatrics and in Child Abuse Pediatrics and has worked for more than two decades in Delaware County.  Dr. Messam completed her education in Pennsylvania. She graduated from Swarthmore High School, Haverford College and finally, The Medical College of Pennsylvania. In addition to her private practice, Media Pediatrics, she is the immediate past-president of the Delaware County Medical Society and a founding member and current president of Every Child Counts, Inc.  As with all of her ventures, forging positive bonds with other members of the community and collaborating with other organizations that serve children in Delaware County is her priority.  Dr. Messam is supported by loving, supportive family members, colleagues and friends including her husband and their four children."

Melissa Patti is the Director of Maternal and Infant Health Initiatives at the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey March of Dimes where she focuses on supporting families through advocacy, programming, and community engagement.  She came to March of Dimes from Maternity Care Coalition where she developed specialized home visiting programs and led strategic partnership and infrastructure building efforts. Melissa has been supporting families in Pennsylvania for 20 years and is passionate about health equity and improving care access for all moms, pregnant people, and babies. She proudly serves on workgroups such as the Pennsylvania Doula Commission Advisory Board, PA Perinatal Quality Collaborative Advisory Group, The OVA (Organizing Voices for Action), The Pennsylvania Rural Health Assocation, and the Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative.  Melissa co-leads the Midwifery Forward Coalition with her partners at the PA affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, working to modernize midwifery care across Pennsylvania. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and she earned degrees from Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.  In addition to her role at March of Dimes, Melissa is a trained Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator, and a Perinatal Psychotherapist at the Postpartum Stress Center. Melissa is a mother of two and resides with her family in Northwest Philadelphia. 

Thao-Ly Phan, MD, MPH is the Medical Director of the Nemours Healthy Weight and Wellness Clinic and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University. She leads a team providing comprehensive obesity care to nearly 4,000 children across the Delaware Valley. A Senior Research Scientist at the Nemours Center for Healthcare Delivery Science, Dr. Phan has received continuous NIH funding for over a decade. Her research focuses on psychosocial factors contributing to disparities in childhood obesity, using community-engaged and technology-enhanced methods. She serves as Co-Chair of the national Obesity Working Group for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network and National Healthy Weight Interest Group for PEDSnet.  Dr. Phan currently represents Nemours on the Delaware Governor's Food is Medicine Committee and has spoken nationally on the subject at events hosted by the Children's Hospital Association and MyPlate.

Yvette Santiago currently serves as the Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact for Nemours Children’s Health in the DE Valley. Yvette has held various leadership positions at Nemours for over 20 years, which has enabled her to lead numerous engagement efforts statewide to bring about systematic changes at the local community level and advocacy for legislative and policy changes at the state level to improve health outcomes in children, vulnerable communities, and disparate populations. Yvette’s career spans over 30 years of advocacy, leadership, and partnership collaboration with local communities to address health, educational and social justice issues.  Yvette earned her undergraduate degree from Wilmington College and graduate degree from Northeastern University. 

As House Majority Whip, Mike Schlossberg is responsible for working with his colleagues to make the House of Representatives deliver for all Pennsylvanians. He is committed to a strong and vibrant Pennsylvania serving the best interests of people, not special interests and knows what we all know: Pennsylvania works best when workers are paid a fair wage, have good health care, live in a safe and affordable home, and can save some money for education and a secure retirement.

Representative Schlossberg’s wife, Brenna Schlossberg, is a teacher in the Allentown School District. They have a son and daughter in middle school. The family is complete with rescue dogs, Lexi and Chrissy. Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Representative Schlossberg moved to Allentown to attend Muhlenberg College. Before being elected to the House of Representatives in 2012, he worked for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, helping small businesses with technology and social media. He also served as a member of Allentown City Council.

Tracy Tucker is a dedicated community leader and Councilwoman for Trainer Borough, Pennsylvania. She serves as President of Rho Chi Community UPLIFT, Inc. and Stork’s Nest Coordinator for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Rho Chi Zeta Chapter, leading programs that provide prenatal education, connect families to resources, and strengthen community partnerships. Tracy also works as HR & Administrative Supervisor at The Foundation for Delaware County, supporting initiatives that promote health equity across the region.

Meghan Walls, PsyD, is the Associate Vice President of External Affairs for Delaware Valley and a licensed psychologist with the Division of Behavioral Health at Nemours Children’s Health. As AVP of External Affairs, Dr. Walls guides and implements policy and advocacy work for Nemours in the Delaware Valley, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. She also oversees Community Engagement partnership and sponsorship.  Dr. Walls is a thought leader in pediatric healthcare, especially related to mental health, often coordinating with federal and state leaders and community members. She has been featured in national, local, and popular media, recently recording a series on Resilient Kids with Michael Phelps. 

Dr. Walls has received several awards for her clinical and policy work.  In 2019, Dr. Walls was selected for the Nemours Physician Excellence in Community Award as well as the award for NAMI Delaware Healthcare Professional of the Year. Walls also received the Delaware KidsCOUNT 2020 professional leader and volunteer award for advocating for Delaware’s children and was selected as a Delaware Business Times 40 under 40. She was a fellow in the Leadership Delaware class of 2020 as well. Dr. Walls holds Gubernatorial appointments to the Delaware Early Childhood Council and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Use and Mental Health. Dr. Walls lives in Delaware with her husband, two daughters, and two rescue dogs. 

Dr. Ashley Wilkerson is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and experienced OBGYN hospitalist currently practicing at Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware, and at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Easton, Pennsylvania. With over two decades of clinical experience, she specializes in the inpatient management of high-risk pregnancies and complex deliveries. A graduate of Duke University with honors, Dr. Wilkerson earned her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and holds active medical licenses in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Wilkerson is a dedicated advocate for reproductive healthcare. She serves in multiple leadership roles, including Secretary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Board of Trustees and at-large member of the Advisory Council for the Pennsylvania Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Her advocacy efforts focus on legislative engagement, health equity, medical education, and safeguarding the integrity of the patient-physician relationship.

State Representative Gina H. Curry, elected in 2021, serves Pennsylvania’s 164th Legislative District in Delaware County and holds leadership roles including Chair of the Delaware County House Delegation and Vice-Chair of the Southeast Delegation. With over 20 years of experience in education, youth advocacy, and behavioral health, she chairs the K-12 Subcommittee of the PA House Education Committee and co-founded the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, advocating for MOMNIBUS legislation. Curry is a former Upper Darby School Board Vice President, owner of Coach Your Vision LLC, and holds degrees in Criminal Justice from St. Joseph’s University. She is also active in community and civic leadership, residing in Upper Darby with her three children and dog.

Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton was first elected in 2015 to serve communities in west and southwest Philadelphia, as well as Yeadon and Darby in Delaware County.

As a state lawmaker she has made history three times! First in 2018 when she became the first woman and first African American to be elected as House Democratic Caucus Chair, and again in 2020, when she was the first woman elected House Democratic Leader in the institution’s 244-year history. In 2023, McClinton was elected Speaker of the Pennsylvania House – the first woman to serve in that position in the nation’s oldest legislature.

Speaker McClinton has earned several distinctions for her commitment to public service including City and State PA's 40 Under 40, Power of Diversity: Black 100, and Above & Beyond lists, the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia's Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year award, Fun Time Magazine's Women of Influence Award, the PRE-K for PA Champion award, the Lucien E. Blackwell Guiding Light Community award, the Black Gala Women of Excellence, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics’ Elsie Hillman Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Public Service. She was named to Politico Recast’s Power List 2022, and as a NewDeal Rising Leader in 2023.  

Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, was appointed to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Governor Josh Shapiro on January 17, 2023 and Dr. Arkoosh officially became Secretary on June 29, 2023. 

Prior to this role, Secretary Arkoosh served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners since January 2015, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Commission. Arkoosh won election to a full four-year term in November 2015 and served as Commission Vice Chair until her election as Commission Chair in November 2016. She was the first woman ever to serve in this role. 

Prior to stepping into public service, Secretary Arkoosh was Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. Arkoosh is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and received a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in Anesthesiology with a special focus in Obstetrics. She has an undergraduate degree in economics from Northwestern University. 

Secretary Arkoosh lives in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, with her husband and their three children.

Dr. Debra L. Bogen is the Secretary of Health. Prior to joining the Commonwealth, Dr. Bogen was the Director of the Allegheny County Health Department, where she and her staff stayed on top of the pandemic and provided consistent, measured and common-sense information to the public while working closely with many stakeholders in the county. 

Prior to that appointment, Dr. Bogen was a member of the Pittsburgh region medical and research community for more than two decades. She held a primary academic appointment as Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, and secondary appointments in psychiatry and clinical and translational science. Dr. Bogen also served as the Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She dedicated her career as a pediatrician to caring for children and families impacted by social inequities. Her clinical research focused on the impact of mental health and substance use on families.   

Dr. Bogen earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed both her pediatric residency and general academic pediatrics fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was one of the founders of the Mid-Atlantic Mothers' Milk Bank and served as the organization's Volunteer Medical Director until assuming her role at the state.  

Dr. Latika D. Davis-Jones is the Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Over the past 25 years, Latika’s work has focused on the physical and behavioral health needs of vulnerable populations. In her current role, she is responsible for the administration of control, prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery supports, rehabilitation, research, education, and training activities within the department as well as across state agencies. Her department serves a critical role in coordinating efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. In addition to programmatic efforts geared toward substance use, DDAP also implements a program to address compulsive and problem gambling.

Prior to working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, she provided leadership and administrative oversight of Highmark Wholecare’s behavioral health program and oversaw program development including the development of operations within new markets/business initiatives and the implementation and evaluation of utilization management, case management, and disease/condition management programs impacting the health of its members. Latika also worked at the Allegheny County Department of Human Services where she was responsible for the organization, implementation, coordination and evaluation of drug and alcohol services (i.e., prevention, intervention, and treatment) for residents in Allegheny County. 

Latika earned her undergraduate degree from Central State University and her graduate degrees (MSW, MPH, and PhD) from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to being a public health leader she is a wife, a mother of two, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  

Michael Humphreys was named Insurance Commissioner on February 28, 2022, and confirmed unanimously on June 27, 2023. As commissioner, Humphreys is charged with the responsibility of regulating the Commonwealth's insurance marketplace, overseeing licensed agents and insurance professionals, monitoring the financial landscape of companies doing business in Pennsylvania, educating consumers, and ensuring residents are treated fairly.

In his role, under the direction of Governor Shapiro, Humphreys has taken immediate steps to make mental health and substance use disorder parity a reality in the Commonwealth. Under Humphreys’ leadership, the Insurance Department has strengthened its review of mental health and substance use disorder coverage in 2024 health plans and launched a new round of market conduct examinations targeting insurer compliance with parity laws. These actions are intended to hold insurers accountable so that benefits are covered fairly. Humphreys also co-chaired the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health, which recommended to the legislature how best to spend $100 million on adult behavioral health needs.

Humphreys has a Master's in Public Administration from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University at Buffalo.

Danilo Burgos was elected to serve his first term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2018, representing neighborhoods in north Philadelphia including Kensington, Hunting Park, Glenwood and Feltonville. He is the first Dominican elected to serve in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

He currently serves as chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Minority Business Development Authority and PA Interscholastic E-Sports Association, and serves as Director of Latino Vote at the National Hispanic Caucus State Legislators.

As a father, Danilo’s children are his prime motivators and drive his passion to continue to improve and build a better, safer and stronger city of Philadelphia. He aims to give his constituents a light of hope, along with the tools they need to succeed. He wants to break the stereotypes associated with north Philadelphia by fostering mutual understanding between the 197th Legislative District and other districts throughout Pennsylvania.

La Toya Renee is a birthing and postpartum dancing for birth, hypnosis, perinatal doula and birthing educator, peanut/birthing ball and safe sleep ambassador, child maternity healthcare worker, lactation counselor, youth and adult mental health first aider, and mom of an autistic and medically fragile child. She’s the Founder of “Voices Within U, LLC”; a certified perinatal safe spot/birthing educational brand that aims to bridge the gap in maternity healthcare to mothers in the BIPOC community, birthing people, survivors of sexual assault, medically fragile families and individuals, autistic and mental health communities, well as women in general; experiencing adversity on their journey to motherhood. Proclaiming the motto “Birth Your Way; Rejoice Your Voice/Speak Your Truth”.

Dr. Stephanie Howe Guarino, MD, MSHP, FAAP, FACP, is a lifespan hematologist/oncologist and a nationally recognized leader in adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology and sickle cell disease care. She currently serves as the Medical Director of Adolescent/Young Adult Oncology at the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware, and as Medical Director for Sickle Cell and Transformative Therapies at the Center for Special Health care needs at ChristianaCare.

Dr. Guarino earned her BA from Baylor University with concentrations in Art History and Neuroscience, followed by her MD from Baylor College of Medicine, where she participated in the Care of the Underserved Track. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine–Pediatrics at ChristianaCare/Nemours and her fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Nemours Children’s Hospital. She also holds a Master of Science in Health Policy from Jefferson College of Population Health.

Her clinical and research work focuses on improving care delivery and health outcomes for adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease and cancer. 

A passionate advocate for health policy and systems change, Dr. Guarino has held numerous leadership roles in professional societies. She currently serves on the Committee on Government Affairs for the American Society of Hematology, the Delaware Rare Disease Advisory Council and the Delaware Cancer Consortium. Dr. Guarino’s work bridges clinical care, research, education, and advocacy, with a mission to improve the lives of underserved and medically complex populations. Her leadership in AYA oncology and sickle cell disease continues to shape the future of equitable, patient-centered care. She and her family live in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Christine Perez holds a Ph.D. in Public Health, specializing in Community Health and Education, and is a Registered Nurse with 30 years of experience working in Maternal and Child Health. Dr. Perez serves as the National Maternal Health Clinical Lead for the maternal health venture at Philips. In this role, she offers public health and clinical insights and collaborates with interprofessional teams and organizations to develop innovative technology solutions, quality improvement initiatives, and health policies aimed at increasing access to high-quality perinatal care and health literacy to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Dr. Perez has presented internationally and nationally on various topics in maternal-child health, published neonatal and public health research, and serves as a member of the Perinatal Equity Advisory Council for the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC). She is passionate about improving Maternal and Child Health through promoting preventive health, innovations, quality initiatives, public health policies, and strategic partnerships.

Theresa Pettaway is the founder and executive director of the Pettaway Pursuit Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to maternal wellness, birth equity, and family empowerment. A mother of three premature children, a wife, and a minister, Theresa’s personal journey inspired the creation of PPF and drives her passion for improving maternal and infant outcomes. She is state-certified, a former founding mother of the Pennsylvania Doula Commission, and has led multiple managed care organization (MCO) agreements across five counties in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, expanding access to coordinated perinatal care and comprehensive doula support across prenatal, labor, and postpartum care. 

Senator Maria Collett represents the 12th Senatorial District across parts of Montgomery County, stretching from Lower Moreland in the east to Salford Township in the west.

Sen. Collett is a lifelong advocate for working families. Following a successful career as a Deputy Attorney General in Camden County, New Jersey advocating for the rights of children, Sen. Collett pursued her passion for healthcare by transitioning to nursing. After graduating from nursing school, she found tremendous purpose and pride caring for patients at the bedside, working as a Level I trauma nurse, in pediatric home health, and in long-term care with aging adults. With the goal of serving her community on an even larger scale, Sen. Collett successfully ran for office in 2018, becoming the first Democrat elected to the seat.

In 2024, Sen. Collett’s colleagues elected her to serve as the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Chair. In her new role, she leads caucus meetings during session days, keeps her fellow members up to date on bill activities in committee, and facilitates discussions around legislative strategy. Sen. Collett is also the Minority Chair of the Aging & Youth Committee and serves on the Health & Human Services, Institutional Sustainability & Innovation, Judiciary, and Rules & Executive Nominations Committees.

Sen. Collett has a BA in English Literature from the University of Maryland at College Park, a JD from Rutgers University School of Law, and a BSN from Drexel University. Sen. Collett and her husband Len, an attorney, reside in Lower Gwynedd Township with their son August and two dogs, Foster and Otis. She is an avid reader, muscle car enthusiast and movie buff.

Rachel J. Thornton, MD, PhD is Vice President and Chief Health Opportunities and Outcomes Officer at Nemours Children’s Health where she leads work on health equity strategy to support the organization’s vision to create the healthiest generations of children. With hospitals in the Delaware Valley and Central Florida, Nemours Children’s Health is one of the largest integrated pediatric health systems in the United States. Dr. Thornton has committed her career to health equity research and practice, including organizational transformation. 

Prior to joining Nemours Children’s, Dr. Thornton was Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Inaugural Executive Director for Clinical Services in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Office of Population Health where she led population health management services and community health. A practicing primary care pediatrician, Dr. Thornton served as a Health Policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2011-2013. As a nationally recognized innovator in health equity research and practice, she served as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine study committee on Shaping Summertime Experiences, Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth and as a member of the Strategy Group on COVID and Rental Evictions.

Dr. Thornton received a B.A. from New York University, an M.D. from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a PhD in Health Policy and Management from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. After residency, she completed fellowship training in general academic pediatrics. 

Dr. Sudha Raman is a neonatologist with Nemours Children’s Health and Medical Director of the Specialty Care Network in the Delaware Valley. She has been practicing in the greater Philadelphia region for over 20 years. A resident of Delaware County, Dr. Raman is passionate about whole child health and initiatives that improve maternal and infant outcomes Well Beyond Medicine. This includes addressing important health-related social needs in the community.

Dr. Eric Paul Bergh, MD is a specialist in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Fetal Surgery at Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley. He is recognized for his expertise in fetal diagnosis, prenatal management of complex congenital anomalies, and in-utero surgical interventions, including open, fetoscopic, and percutaneous procedures. His clinical focus includes conditions such as twin-twin transfusion syndrome, spina bifida, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and alloimmunization in pregnancy.

Dr. Bergh earned his medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2011. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Fetal Intervention at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Bergh is passionate about fetal imaging, device innovation, and the intersection of computer programming and healthcare. He is committed to improving outcomes for mothers and their unborn children through advanced prenatal care and surgical techniques.

Before Children First, Inella Ray served as the Director of School Operations at KIPP Lanning Square and has also worked across the education space, ranging from out-of-school time programming to teacher recruitment and youth development. Inella holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Temple University’s Fox School of Business with a concentration in economics and a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in education leadership. In addition, she proudly serves on the board of Lift Every Voice Philly and the Philadelphia Orchard Project. She is a West Philadelphia native and resident, and strives to live her life with the joy it deserves! 

A surgeon, scientist, and trailblazer, Dr. Katherine J. Deans is the Surgeon-in-Chief of Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley. In her role as Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. Deans serves on the Delaware Valley Executive Cabinet and is responsible for the strategy and partnership with hospital leadership and medical staff to advance critical components of the Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley strategy in achieving Clinical and Academic Preeminence. Additionally, she is focused on building a nationally and internationally recognized surgical program among the major pediatric institutions in the world. 

Prior to joining Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley, Dr. Deans was a professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University. She served as their first Chief Clinical Research Officer and was the co-founder and co-director of Nationwide’s Center for Surgical Outcomes Research. During her tenure in the role, she created a centralized resource for the Department of Surgery that supports the development, implementation, analysis and reporting of clinical research within pediatric surgical subspecialties. She is a prolific researcher whose primary academic interests highlight the importance of patient and family input in designing and executing clinical trials. Her portfolio of work has decreased patient morbidity, reduced costs, and increased patient satisfaction. She has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, and has received over $10 million in research funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). 

Dr. Deans is a practicing pediatric surgeon who has developed expertise in complex hepatobiliary surgery and in the general surgical management of complex congenital heart disease patients. She is board certified in general surgery, surgical critical care, and pediatric surgery. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College, her Doctorate in Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School, and her Master of Health Science degree from the Duke University School of Medicine. She completed her general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, her pediatric surgery fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and her research training and critical care fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. 

Dr. Deans is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Surgery. She is a member of the Society of University Surgeons, the American Surgical Association, the International Pediatric Endo-surgery Group, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and the Pediatric Trauma Society. She is an ad hoc reviewer for nearly a dozen prestigious publications.

Morgan Cephas was elected to serve her first term in the PA House of Representatives in November 2016. Entering her fifth term as State Representative, she was re-elected to serve as the Chairwoman of the Philadelphia House Delegation for the 2025-2026 Legislative Session. 

She currently serves as Majority Chair of the Government Oversight Committee and sits on the Commerce, Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities, Housing & Community Development, and Insurance Committees. Cephas is Chairwoman of the Philadelphia House Delegation. In October 2023 she co-founded the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus where she currently serves as Co-chair. 

Currently, Morgan serves on the Pennsylvania Workforce Development board, the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) board of directors, Lankenau Hospitals President’s Advisory Council, and the Community College of Philadelphia Board of Trustees. She previously served as a member of the Governor’s Commission for Women and as a board member of the African American Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Settlement Music School, Wynnefield Branch, and the Village of Champions Youth Inc. Morgan is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta and a member of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Links Incorporated. 

State Representative Dr. Dan Williams has been a pastor and community leader in Coatesville for more than 30 years.  Elected to the Pennsylvania State House in 2018, Rep. Williams is committed to transforming and uplifting the community.  He is one of the founding members of the House PA Black Maternal Health Caucus and champions maternal health support as an essential issue.

Caryn Long Earl is the Director of the Bureau of Food Assistance at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. In this role, she administers more than $230 million dollars’ worth of food and federal and state funds which annually provide nutrition assistance to school children, older adults, and the more than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who are at risk of food insecurity. Prior to joining PDA in 2015, Caryn spent 15 years working on policy issues related to food safety and food security. This includes previous public service roles with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Senate, and Feeding America. Caryn also served as the first Executive Director of Feeding Pennsylvania, the state association of Feeding America food banks. Caryn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications from Shippensburg University and a Master of Science degree in Management and Marketing from the University of Maryland.

Meg Frizzola, DO, FAAP, is Chief Medical Officer, Nemours Children's Health, Delaware Valley (NCHDV). As a member of the Delaware Valley Executive Leadership team, Dr. Frizzola has significant influence on the organization’s direction. Dr. Frizzola reports to the president of NCHDV.

Dr. Frizzola is an innovative, strategic, and collaborative physician executive who has earned the respect of her colleagues through her commitment to excellence and the clinical and academic preeminence work of Nemours Children's. She possesses a wealth of educational, institutional and leadership knowledge and experience.

As Chief Medical Officer, Meg manages the physician workforce, from recruitment to development, engagement, and retention. She establishes physician performance targets, and creates and leads the clinical direction, strategy, and growth of NCHDV.

Dr. Frizzola graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2003 and went on to complete her pediatric residency and critical care fellowship at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware (NCHDE). She advanced to the position of staff intensivist in 2009, and to several leadership roles in rapid succession, including: Division Chief of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (2016); Department Chair, Pediatrics at Jefferson Health Northeast (2017); Vice Chair of Pediatrics, Jefferson Health (2018); President, NCHDE Medical Executive Committee (2019); and Interim Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, NCHDE and the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University (2019) — where she was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics later that year.

A graduate of the prestigious Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program at Drexel University, Dr. Frizzola is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics with sub-board certifications in pediatric critical care and pediatric hospice and palliative medicine. She is licensed in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She has also completed the Leadership Academy at the Thomas Jefferson University, the Physician Leadership Development Program at Nemours, and the Physician & Hospital Leadership Seminar with the Medical Executive Committee Institute. Her scholarly work includes involvement in multiple IRB studies and quality improvement projects.

Representative Liz Hanbidge serves Pennsylvania’s 61st Legislative District in Montgomery County and has been a steadfast advocate for children, families, and seniors since her election in 2018. She holds leadership roles as Vice Chair of both the House Children & Youth Committee and the Southeastern Pennsylvania House Delegation. Her committee assignments include Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Judiciary, Children & Youth, the Committee on Committees, Health, and Local Government.

With a background in family law and child advocacy, Rep. Hanbidge was appointed by the governor to Pennsylvania’s State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC), where she works to strengthen early intervention services for infants and toddlers. She also serves on the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Juvenile Justice Task Force and was named a NCSL Youth Justice Fellow in recognition of her leadership in juvenile justice reform. In 2022, she was selected as a Toll Fellow by the Council of State Governments, one of the nation’s premier leadership development programs for state officials. 

 A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with advanced degrees from Oxford, Harvard, and the University of Wisconsin, Rep. Hanbidge brings expertise in child psychology and law, along with a tireless commitment to serving the people of Pennsylvania.

La Toya Renee Martin is a birthing and postpartum dancing for birth, hypnosis, perinatal doula and birthing educator, peanut/birthing ball and safe sleep ambassador, child maternity healthcare worker, lactation counselor, youth and adult mental health first aider, and mom of an autistic and medically fragile child. She’s the Founder of “Voices Within U, LLC”; a certified perinatal safe spot/birthing educational brand that aims to bridge the gap in maternity healthcare to mothers in the BIPOC community, birthing people, survivors of sexual assault, medically fragile families and individuals, autistic and mental health communities, well as women in general; experiencing adversity on their journey to motherhood. Proclaiming the motto “Birth Your Way; Rejoice Your Voice/Speak Your Truth”.

Kimberly Seals Allers is an award-winning journalist, five-time author, international speaker and strategist for maternal and infant health. A former senior editor at ESSENCE and writer at FORTUNE magazine, Kimberly is a leading voice on birth, breastfeeding, and motherhood at the intersection of race, class, and policy. 

She is the executive director of Narrative Nation, the only Black woman-led technology non-profit that creates narrative-centered products to address racial disparities in maternal and infant health. She is the creator and founder of Irth, (as in Birth but without the B for bias), the first-of-its-kind “Yelp-like” review and rating app for Black and brown women and birthing people to leave and find reviews of Ob/GYNs, hospitals, and pediatricians as a digital tool to address bias and racism in care and to drive transparency and accountability in the medical system. Irth was a winner in the 2021 MIT Solve Global Challenge in the Anti-Racist Technology category. 

Representative Tim Briggs was first elected in 2008 to serve as state representative for the 149th Legislative District, which consists of Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport and West Conshohocken boroughs, and parts of Lower Merion and West Norriton townships. A native of Montgomery County, Briggs currently resides in King of Prussia with his wife, Robyn, and their four children, Emily, Jack, Alexandra and Morrison.

He has been recognized as Public Official of the Year by the King of Prussia Business District, and he serves as the vice chairman of the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. As chair of the House Life Sciences Caucus, he works to support the life science and biotechnology industries that play a critical role in both the local and state economies, and his efforts have twice earned him recognition as State Official of the Year from Life Sciences Pennsylvania.

He is the House Democratic appointee to the Board of Governors to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board. Briggs serves as the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He previously served as chairman of the House Health Committee and vice-chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

In May of 2016 David Saunders joined the Pennsylvania Department of Health as the Director of Health Equity. In addition to more than 30 years of non-profit management experience, David brings with him extensive knowledge in the fields of education, public health, disparities and youth development. He has collaborated on health disparity reduction initiatives, developed cutting edge programs targeting underserved communities, and established state training institutes; collaborating with state, county and local officials. 

He has a Bachelor of Science degree from THE Lincoln University and a Master’s in Education from the Pennsylvania State University. He comes to the Commonwealth after serving as School Health Education consultant with the California Department of Education and having held leadership positions at the American Cancer Society, YMCA. 

In April 2020 David took on the massive task of developing a collective response to COVID 19 and the implications of the pandemic on vulnerable populations in the Commonwealth. 15 population groups were explored from a variety of angles using 12 stakeholder groups with an eclectic membership including government, academia, non-profit, and healthcare. 60 recommendations were developed that seek to mitigate the effects of the pandemic both now and in the future. 

He is married and has two children. In his spare time, he engages in community service activities through his fraternity (Alpha Phi Alpha), and church. For fun, he roots for New York sports teams, walks and hikes, and collects R&B and soul albums from the era of music from 1970-85.

Sarah Lawver is Senior Director of State Advocacy at The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, where she works to advance policy solutions that strengthen health care throughout the Commonwealth. Her background includes leading advocacy efforts with the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, along with work in violence prevention. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Shippensburg University.

State Rep. Greg Scott was elected in November 2022 for the newly created 54th Legislative District in Montgomery County. This seat represents the communities of Conshohocken, Plymouth Township and Norristown in Harrisburg. 

Greg has degrees from Chestnut Hill College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Greg also taught a “Liberty and Law” class as part of the civic program for Eisenhower Middle School, where he attended, so students could learn how the government can, and should, work to better our lives. Greg continues to be a high school mentor to many students in the Norristown School District. 

In 2015, Greg ran and was elected as a Magisterial District Judge. Upon his commission, he became the first Black District Judge in Montgomery County history and the youngest sitting judge in Pennsylvania. Greg’s life is guided by his faith and values of putting community first. He is a volunteer firefighter, EMT, mentor, recent Trailblazer Award recipient and public servant. 

Jordan A. Harris, a dedicated advocate and seasoned legislator, serves the Commonwealth as the House Majority Appropriations Chairman, and serves his community in the 186th Legislative District of South and Southwest Philadelphia since his election in 2012. Rising through the ranks, his career includes two historic milestones: being elected Democratic Caucus Whip in 2018 and, several years later, Democratic Appropriations Chair for the 2023-24 session, making him the first African American in Pennsylvania history to hold both prestigious positions. Today, as Chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, he plays a pivotal role in negotiating the state budget and determining how taxpayer dollars are invested across the Commonwealth, further solidifying his influence in shaping Pennsylvania’s future.

Harris, a native of South Philadelphia, earned his bachelor’s degree in Government and Political Affairs from Millersville University, a master's degree in Education from Cabrini College, and pursued a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Neumann University. Before his political career, he dedicated himself to the advancement of children and youth in the Philadelphia School District as an educator and led Philadelphia's Youth Commission as Executive Director.

Beyond his legislative duties, Harris remains actively involved in community organizations, serving on various boards. A proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Nu Sigma Chapter, and Cephas Lodge #98 of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Harris exemplifies dedication to public service and commitment to improving the lives of others.

Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay is a mom, an attorney, an advocate, a former State Senator, and Delaware’s 27th Lieutenant Governor. She ran for office to help Delaware working families thrive. 

She began her professional career as a deputy attorney general in the Delaware Department of Justice before clerking in the Delaware Superior Court. She worked in private practice representing clients in Delaware’s business courts and representing children in foster care pro bono. Lt. Governor Gay is a long-standing advocate for equity and justice — helping pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the First State, leading a Period Equity Initiative as President of the Junior League of Wilmington, and working to expand access to legal services as the Chair of the Delaware Bar Foundation.

Her commitment to public service continued when she was elected in 2020 to the Delaware General Assembly, representing the Fifth Senate District. As a State Senator, she prioritized early education, voting rights, reproductive healthcare, criminal justice reform, and protecting vulnerable populations. 

Lt. Governor Gay carries these experiences into her current role. In addition to carrying out her constitutional duties, she chairs the Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium, the Delaware Food is Medicine Committee, and the Interagency Resource Management Committee. She hosts monthly forums, engaging with community leaders and advocates to help shape policies that reflect the diverse experiences of Delawareans.

As Lt. Governor, she is focused on improving the early education system, growing Delaware’s workforce, expanding reproductive healthcare access, and increasing resources for veterans and first responders. 

She enjoys hiking, baking, and cheering on the Philadelphia Union with her husband and two daughters.

Laura Kowal serves as the Interim President, Delaware Valley, and Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Nemours Children’s. Laura is responsible for all legal matters that impact Nemours, including corporate issues, transactional matters and litigation. As the Corporate Secretary, she advises on substantive governance issues. Laura oversees the legal department across the enterprise and the Office of Contract Administration.

Prior to joining Nemours, Laura practiced law in the health law group of the Business and Finance practice at Ballard Spahr LLP, an Am Law 100 firm, with a focus on complex corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, as well as fraud, abuse and regulatory matters. She is a member of the American Health Law Association (AHLA) and assisted in the development of the AHLA Health Law Curriculum Manual.

Laura graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law with a certification in health law. Before becoming an attorney, Laura received a Master of Physical Therapy degree from Drexel University and worked as a physical therapist and certified wound care specialist for 12 years in hospital and post-acute care settings. She has an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in Spanish literature and is fluent in Spanish. Laura served as a member and Chair of the Board of Directors of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer.

I joined Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley in January 2025. Previously I worked at the University of Utah, Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery starting in 2012. I completed my general surgery training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2009 and then completed my cardiothoracic surgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. I stayed in Philadelphia and completed my fellowship in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2012. I am board certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery subspecialty Congenital Cardiac Surgery. My clinical interests are focused on caring for all patients from neonates to adults, with congenital heart defects. I have a special interest in pediatric aortic valve disease (Ross procedure) and pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collaterals. This has been a very exciting time for our group as we have collaborated with several other centers to develop expertise in these areas and have worked diligently to strengthen our local programs. I have also developed an academic interest in quality and safety within our specialty and serve as a surgical member of the Quality Improvement Team for the Heart Center at Nemours. I will be helping to lead the development of a new multispecialty Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery program here at Nemours to continue all the great work we started in Utah. I have also earned a surgical leadership certificate degree from Harvard University, and I have used these skills specifically to help develop, train and strengthen our OR team. I think that we have a unique opportunity here at Nemours to positively impact the quality of many children’s lives and their families who are suffering from heart disease.