Pediatrics in the Red Rocks Virtual Conference

Anne Stafford, MA

Anne Stafford joined AzAAP as the Executive Director in July of 2015 and became the Chapter’s first Chief Executive Officer in 2018. As a nonprofit executive who has dedicated her personal and professional career to improving the health, education, and well-being of children and families, Anne has helped lead the chapter to several successes including being named the Outstanding Chapter of the Year. With a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication and a master’s in Administration, Anne is committed to supporting pediatric professionals across the state to improve the care of Arizona children, addressing critical issues including poverty and child health, early brain and child development, and quality of care and child safety.

Jason Vargas, MD, FAAP

I love being a private practice pediatrician. I have had the privilege to care for children and families and watch them grow at my practice, Cactus Children’s Clinic in Glendale, Arizona since 2004 and I hope to do it for many years to come. I have been able to cultivate my interests in child advocacy, child safety, and caring for children with special needs including Down Syndrome. I have been able to be a part of training pediatric residents, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in my office. I have been able to work with community hospitals and as a board member for Phoenix Children’s Care Network working to integrate the private practice pediatrician’s role in providing quality pediatric care for years to come. I hope my interests and experience can help in some way support our mission to improve health care for children.

I graduated from San Jose State University and Stanford University before my residency at the University of Washington- Seattle Children’s Hospital. I was born and raised in California but moved to Arizona in 2004 with my wife after her residency in Anesthesiology. We have two children and a dog. We love traveling with our children, running, and spending time with family and friends.

Veenod Chulani, MD, MSED, FAAP, FSAHM, CEDS

Dr. Chulani is Section Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the University of Arizona -Phoenix Department of Child Health. He is also Medical Director of the AzAAP’s Emotional and Behavioral Health Agenda and Chair of the Adolescent Health Committee.

Mark Wheeler, MD, FAAP

Mark Wheeler is a Clinical Professor and Division Chief in Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of Arizona.  He is also Director of the Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Program.  He completed his pediatric endocrinology fellowship at the University of California, Davis, his pediatric residency at the University of Arizona, and medical school at UCLA.  He is currently a site principal investigator on multi-centered studies for children and adolescents with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as a co-investigator on an NIH funded study investigating optimizing diabetes management in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Hilary McClafferty, MD, FAAP

Hilary McClafferty, MD, FAAP is Board certified in pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, and integrative medicine. She writes and speaks nationally and internationally on pediatric integrative medicine, and physician wellbeing and resiliency. She has authored two books: Integrative Pediatrics: Art, Science, and Clinical Application, and Mind-Body Medicine in Clinical Practice, and is co-author of The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook.  She is Section Editor-in-Chief, Integrative Medicine, Children, MDPI, and the recipient of the 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Integrative Medicine Pioneer in Integrative Medicine Award. She is Founding Director of the Pediatric Integrative Medicine in Residency program, University of Arizona, and Founder/CEO of the education-based Academy of Pediatric Integrative Medicine (www.apim.org). She is Medical Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Tucson Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona. 

Merlin Channing (Chan) Lowe, Jr., MD, FAAP

Banner-University Medical Center Tucson

Dr. Lowe graduated medical school from The University of Arizona in Tucson and subsequently completed his pediatric training there as well. In 2006, he joined the faculty at the University of Arizona as a pediatric hospitalist and is the Chief of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at Banner-Diamond Children’s Medical Center. Shortly after becoming an Attending, he developed an interest in child abuse and helped lead the creation of Banner-University Medical Center’s child protection team, focused on improving the care of this vulnerable population. He currently serves as Chief of Staff at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson.

Shauna Schroeder, MS, MD

Dr. Shauna Schroeder is a board certified pediatric gastroenterologist in Phoenix and is affiliated with Phoenix Children's Hospital. She received her medical degree in 2006 from University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, completed her residency in 2009 at Yale New Haven Hospital and pediatric gastroenterology fellowship in 2012 at Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado.  She is currently the medical director of the Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Clinic and Transnasal Endoscopy Program at Phoenix Children’s hospital and the Fellowship Program Director for the new Pediatric training program.  Dr. Schroeder is excited to participate in this forum and help inform evidence-based practices for all pediatricians.  

Jennifer R. Caplan, MD, FAAP, IBCLC

Dr. Jennifer Caplan is a practicing pediatrician at North Scottsdale Pediatrics. She obtained her medical degree from Tufts University in 2000 and completed residency at the University of North Carolina in 2003. In addition to practicing general pediatrics, she has been a board-certified lactation consultant for 7 years. Inspired by her own nursing journey, Dr. Caplan became interested in supporting her patients who are breastfeeding and their mothers. She joined the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine in 2009, started attending annual meetings, and eventually decided to become a lactation consultant in 2012. In addition to supporting her practice’s nursing mothers and babies, Dr. Caplan has also shared her knowledge with the community by presenting at local hospitals and the Greater Phoenix Pediatric Society. 

Jillian Wall, MD, MPH, FAAP

Dr. Jillian Wall is an academic Pediatric Hospitalist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Following her Pediatric Residency at the University of California, San Diego, she chose to pursue fellowship training in hospital medicine at Dell Children’s Hospital from the University of Texas, Austin. During her fellowship, she completed a Master’s in Public Health in Tobacco Control. Since joining PCH, she has pursued QI projects to reduce secondhand smoke exposure in children and improve family centered care. She currently serves as Arizona’s AAP E-Cigarette Champion. She is also the Pediatric Clerkship Director for the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and the Associate Clerkship Director for The University of Arizona, College of Medicine. She lives in Phoenix with her husband. 

Priti Rawani-Patel, MD

I am a graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine and completed a dual residency in Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Arizona. I currently practice both adult and pediatric Emergency Medicine at Banner University Medical Center. My academic interests are in simulation medicine and resident education. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, 2-year daughter, and our two dogs. 

Alissa Darden, MD, FAAP

Dr. Alissa Darden was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and completed her undergraduate studies at Wellesley College. She attended The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed her internship and residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. After residency, she relocated to Phoenix, Arizona to begin her career as a Pediatric Hospitalist. She is currently a member of the Hospital Medicine Division at Phoenix Children's Hospital. She is double board certified in Pediatrics and Hospital Medicine. Her academic interests include medical education, educational scholarship and diversity/inclusion. She was a member of Cohort 10 in the Educational Scholars Program. She is an Associate Program Director in the Phoenix Children's Pediatric Residency Program Alliance. In addition, she has served as the Chair for Diversity and Inclusion for Graduate Medical Education since 2018. She is married with two beautiful children and enjoys sports, creative writing and baking.

Farshad Mazda Shirazi, MS, MD, PhD

Farshad “Mazda” Shirazi, MS, MD, PhD, associate professor of Medical Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Pharmacology and Pharmacy Practice. Dr. Shirazi trained in both basic science of pharmacology/toxicology and its application in medicine. He has served as PI for clinical trials for new therapeutics and continues to do research in effects of chemicals in humans. Additionally, Dr. Shirazi is one of handful of experts in effects of chemicals, therapeutics, natural toxins in humans with extensive training in basic science and clinical practice of Medical Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology. 

Dr. Shirazi serves as the Medical Director of The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, one of the 55 designated centers by the CDC in the US. He is co-director of Center for Pharmacology, Toxicology, Research and Education at University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix. He also serves as a scientific liaison to the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) of EPA Region 9 in the State of Arizona. Dr. Shirazi is also the Program Director of the Medical Toxicology Fellowship at University of Arizona’s College of Medicine and Co-director of Clinical Toxicology fellowship at College of Pharmacy. He has trained multiple physicians and pharmacists in areas of toxicology, most of which have passed their sub-specialties boards in toxicology.
 

Lindsey Retterath, MD

A Midwestern native, Dr. Lindsey Retterath received her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in 2015, and then completed the combined Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics Residency Program at University of Arizona. She works as an Emergency Physician in Southern Arizona, where she is also completing a fellowship in Addiction Medicine. Her special interests include management of substance use disorders in the Emergency Department and Adolescent Addiction Medicine. Her undergraduate background is in Sociology and Spanish. Prior to going into medicine, she did work in the non-profit sector and has maintained an active interest in social determinants of health, public health, and health policy. She enjoys working with a variety of patient populations in Tucson and the surrounding areas. In her free time, you're most likely to find her on a trail somewhere, admiring wildflowers.

Sean P. Elliott, MD, FAAP, FPIDS

Banner-University Medical Center Tucson

Dr. Elliott earned his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1993, followed by a Pediatric Residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University School of Medicine, and a fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine. He was recruited to the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 1999 and served in multiple roles there: Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Chair for the Department of Pediatrics, Pediatrics Residency Program Director, Director of Infection Prevention for Banner University Medicine – Tucson, and interim Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs for the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Elliott retired from the University of Arizona after a 20+ year career and now has returned to his first passions: providing pediatric subspecialty clinical care and teaching at the bedside. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has called him back to the role of content-expert and consultant to healthcare systems in Arizona, and he is happy to bring the current state of evidence to this important panel discussion. He also is personally invested in the ongoing discussion about returning to in-person school, as his life-partner is a high-school teacher in one of the most under-resourced and high-risk high schools in Arizona.

Diane E. Hindman, MD, PharmD, BScPhm, FAAP

Dr. Hindman is a Board-Certified Pediatrician and Medical Toxicologist, and Registered Pharmacist. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix and at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Tucson. She works as an Attending Physician in the Emergency Department (ED) at Phoenix Children’s in Phoenix AZ, and Medical Toxicologist at the University of Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center in Tucson AZ. She completed her medical degree at Trinity School of Medicine, pediatric residency at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, and medical toxicology fellowship at Emory University and the CDC. She received her pharmacy degrees from the University of Toronto and University of Colorado. She has also completed certification in clinical translational research at the University of Arizona College of Public Health, and will be starting an Addiction Medicine Fellowship in July 2024.

Dr. Hindman wears many hats in addition to her role as an ED Attending. She serves on committees and has various other involvement with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), American Association for Emergency Psychiatry (AAEP), American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT), and America’s Poison Centers (APC). She is also actively involved in numerous research and QI projects involving medication safety, appropriate prescribing, penicillin allergy delabeling, pediatric mental health disorders and boarding in the ED, and adolescent substance use. Dr. Hindman is a provider and educator in AHLS, current Assistant Editor for the AHLS Provider Manual 6th edition, and was involved in prior updates for the AHLS Radiological Incidents and Terrorism course. In these roles she is particularly interested in countermeasures for all categories of terrorism and emerging threats, and is currently working to establish a Radiation Injury Treatment Network (RITN) site at Phoenix Children’s in Arizona.