Med-Peds faculty leaders

 

Leadership

Michelle Huddleston, MD
Michelle B. Huddleston, MD

Program Director
Clinical Assistant Professor

Medical School: East Carolina School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Adolescent medicine, transition care, bedside teaching
Personal Interests: Gardening, cooking new recipes, travel, paper crafting and spending time with family and our dog Charlie.
 

Heather Bartz, DO
Heather Bartz, DO

Associate Program Director
Clinical Associate Professor

Medical School: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Combined Med-Peds Program
​Areas of Interest: Adolescent medicine, transition of care/handoffs, wellness
Personal Interests: Orangetheory fitness, hiking and outdoor adventures, watching kids (three boys) play sports and watching any type of sports with the family, wine tasting, listening to podcasts about updates in medicine, medical education and wellness
Sarah Beaumont, MD

Sarah Beaumont, MD

Associate Program Director
Medical Director of Homeless Youth Outreach (HYO) Program
Division of Adolescent Medicine Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor

Medical School: University of Illinois College of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Adolescent medicine, homeless youth, integrative medicine, complex and chronic pain

 

Core Faculty
Meg Groom, MD

Meg Groom, MD

Med-Peds Hospitalist, Phoenix Children's Hospital and Dignity Medical Group
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Transitions of care, hospital medicine, medical education
Ashley Higashi, MD

Ashley Higashi, MD

Division of Hospital Medicine, Med-Peds Hospitalist, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Banner University Medical Center

Medical School: Chicago Medical School, Rosalin Franklin University
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Medical education, exam preparedness, pediatric hospital medicine, resident wellness
Donna Holland, MD

Donna Holland, MD

Division of Hospital Medicine, adult hospitalis, Banner – University Medical Center of Phoenix
Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine & Pediatrics

Medical School: The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix/Phoenix Children's Hospital Med-Peds Program
Areas of Academic Interest: Primary care, resident wellness, integrative medicine, hospital medicine

 

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix Faculty
Cheryl O'Malley, MD

Cheryl O'Malley, MD

DIO of Graduate Medical Education, Banner – University Medical Center of Phoenix

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Program innovation, mentorship
Jason Brown, MD

Jason Brown, MD

Chief Medical Officer of Banner Health Transfer Services, Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: The University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Bethany Eiseler, MD

Bethany Eiseler, MD

Director, Division of Palliative Care, The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson 
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency 
Area of Interest: Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Primary Care, Advance Directives, Pain management 
Personal Interest: Staying active with Pilates and Orangetheory, landscape photography, and spending time with my family and cats
Maria Martin, MD

Maria Martin, MD

Ambulatory Internal Medicine & Pediatrics with Banner Health, Maricopa, AZ

Medical School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Combined Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Adolescent medicine, underserved patient populations, wellness, mentorship
Personal Interests: Hiking, yoga, spending time outdoors, dancing, trying new recipes, mindfulness and meditation

Andrea Morley, MD
Andrea Morley, MD

Primary Care and Sports Medicine Staff Physician, The Neighborhood Christian Clinic 
Primary Care Sports Medicine and Concussion Specialist, Banner University Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute, Banner Concussion Center Team Physician, Betty Fairfax and Cactus Canyon High Schools
Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine 
Residency: Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix 
Area of Interest: I am passionate about caring for the uninsured and underserved population in Phoenix, as well as providing comprehensive non-operative orthopedic and concussion care to athletes and individuals of all ages. I enjoy discussing preventative/lifestyle medicine with patients. I am actively involved in working with trainees (medical students, residents, fellows) in order to help them strengthen their clinical knowledge and reasoning and skills. I am proficient in office-based joint injections as well as diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound guided injections. I enjoy mentoring and serve on the leadership council for the local Christian Medical Dental Association (CMDA) chapter. 
 

Jennifer Nelson, DO
Jennifer Nelson, DO

Program Director Internal Medicine Residency Program, The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Clinical Associate Professor

Undergraduate: Clark University
Medical School: Western University of  Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Residency: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Combined Med-Peds Program
​Areas of Interest: Adolescent patients, cystic fibrosis, academic medicine and clinical reasoning
Personal Interests: Spending time with family, trying new foods/restaurants, hiking and Peloton

 

Phoenix Children's Faculty
 

Sam Biniazan
Sam Biniazan, DO

Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Assistant Clinical Professor, The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix

​Areas of Interest: Simulation-based medical education and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Vishal Gunnala, MD

Vishal Gunnala, MD

Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor

Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine
Residency: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine
Fellowship: Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine
Areas of Interest: Sepsis, TBI research, simulation education
Gerald Gong, MD

Gerald Gong, MD

Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Director
Cystic Fibrosis Program Phoenix Children's Hospital

Medical School: Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Fellowship: ​Pediatric Pulmonology, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
Areas of Interest: Pediatric asthma, cystic fibrosis, pediatric bronchoscopy 
Kaleo Ede, MD

Kaleo Ede, MD

Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Phoenix Children's Hospital
Program Director Pediatric Rheumatology fellowship, Phoenix Children's Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Fellowship: Pediatric Rheumatology, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
Areas of Interest: Systemic lupus erythematosus, pediatric vasculitis, transition care, anti-phospholipid syndrome
Da-Wei Liao, MD

Da-Wei Liao, MD

Division of Pulmonology, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Cystic Fibrosis Program, Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Medical School: Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: Albany Medical College in New York
Fellowship: National Institute of Health, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Areas of Interest: Cystic fibrosis, diagnostic and therapies in bronchoscopy 
Amanda Mihalik, MD

Amanda Mihalik, MD

Program Director Pediatric Palliative Care Fellowship, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Division of Pediatric Palliative Care Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Fellowship: The Mayo Clinic Arizona, Palliative Care
Areas of Interest: Transition care, medical education
Noreen Ruane, DO

Noreen Ruane, DO

Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Pediatric hospital medicine, medical education
Christine Rukasin, MD

Christine Rukasin, MD

Associate Program Director at Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Allergist Immunologist

Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine
Residency: University of California San Diego
Fellowship: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Areas of Interest: Drug allergies, medical education, coaching, physical activity
 
Teresa Shaw, MD

Teresa Shaw, MD

Director of Palliative Medicine at Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Palliative medicine/end of life care for children, resident and fellow education
Paul Tafoya, MD

Paul Tafoya, MD

Clinical Director for Telemedicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Division of PICU,
Clinical Assistant Professor

Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Fellowship: Pediatric Critical Care, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
​Areas of Interest: Telemedicine, medical education
Raegan Vanderput, MD

Raegan Vanderput, MD

Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital,
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: Saint Louis University College of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Areas of Interest: Transition care, medical education
Elizabeth Zorn, MD

Elizabeth Zorn, MD

Division of Pediatric Critical Care at Phoenix Children’s Hospital

Medical School: The University of South Dakota School of Medicine
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Fellowship: Pediatric Critical Care LeBonheur Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee
Areas of Interest: Pediatric critical care, quality improvement efforts, institutional contact for Donor Network of AZ, past president of the Phoenix Children's Hospital Medical Staff 

 

Phoenix VA Medical Center Faculty
Julie Crawford, MD

Julie Crawford, MD

Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program, core Med-Peds Program Faculty
Division of Hospital Medicine, Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System,
Clinical Assistant Professor 

Medical School: Ohio State University College of Medicine 
Residency: The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Med-Peds Program
Area of Interest: Hospital medicine

 

Rural Health Faculty
Judith Hunt, MD

Judith Hunt, MD

Rural Health Med-Peds Preceptor in Payson, AZ
Regional Site Director, Ponderosa Family Care

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson
Residency: Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital Med-Peds Residency Program
Kent Johnson, MD

Kent Johnson, MD

Ambulatory Med-Peds Practice
Preceptor with Village Medical in Goodyear, AZ

Medical School: Michigan State University
Residency: Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital Med-Peds Residency Program
 

Lauren Washatka, MD
Lauren Washatka, MD

Ambulatory Med-Peds Faculty Ponderosa Family Care Payson
Assistant Clinical Professor

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Residency: the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Combine Med-Peds Program