2026 June Edition

President's Message

A warm welcome as well to our returning and new members at large. Thank you to everyone who ran. It takes real commitment to put your name forward.


Looking back on this term, I'm proud of what we built together. Trainee involvement in our chapter continues to grow year after year, and being a part of that has been one of the highlights of this role — from our annual symposium to nearly 100 pediatric residents showing up at Advocacy Day in Sacramento. We launched the California Pediatrics Podcast, now reaching pediatricians and families across all four California chapters, and I was grateful for the platform to elevate trauma-informed care, ACEs, and the HOPE framework. None of this happens without Tomas Torices. Tomas, thank you.

Thank you for the honor of serving as your president.

With gratitude,

Melissa Ruiz, MD, MPH, FAAP

President, AAP California Chapter 2 

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The AAP-CA2 Nominating Committee is pleased to report the results of our Board of Directors election. This past May, voting members had the opportunity to vote for the positions of Vice President/president-elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and Members-at-Large. The new term begins in July.

I would like to congratulate and welcome the 2026-2028 Board of Directors:

Executive Board Members

Mitchell Goldstein, MD, FAAP - President

Kamaal A. Jones, MD, FAAP - Vice president/president-elect

Ozlem Equils, MD, FAAP - Treasurer

Gabrielle Pina, DO, FAAP - Secretary

Melissa Ruiz, MD, MPH, FAAP - Immediate past-president

Members-At-Large

Cindy Baker, MD, FAAP; Melissa A. Bent, MD, FAAP; Emma Burdekin, MD, FAAP; Lingie Chiu, MD, MBA, FAAP, DipABLM; Laura Farach, MD, FAAP; Shaina Lodhi, MD, FAAP; Nirupama Madduri, MD, FAAP; Varsha Mona Puri, MD, FAAP; Kenneth Saul, MD, FAAP; Danielle Shaw, MD, MS, FAAP; and Shanna Treanor, MD, FAAP.

Area Representatives will be appointed by the Chapter president in July.

Congratulations to all!

Sincerely,

Grant Christman, MD, MACM, FAAP - Chair, Nominating Committee.

A breakthrough clinical study on the cardiovascular health of newborns. Representing the Western Society of Pediatric Research region, Dr. Patrick Zacharias's work—as a second-year neonatology fellow at Los Angeles General Medical Center/USC—was highlighted as a major advancement in early identification and risk management for at-risk infants. Read more.

Whether you're a nurse, midwife, physician, or other healthcare professional working in MCH, becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is a powerful addition to your practice.

Lactation certification strengthens your ability to support patients during one of the most critical windows of life and provides you with the necessary education to comprehensively support infant feeding. For eligible providers, IBCLC credentials open the door to billing for lactation education and management services.

Learn more about this education pathway opportunity by clicking the button below or downloading the official flyer.

The SOECP workgroup recently created a new Transition from Training to Practice Checklist to support pediatric residents as they move from residency into early career practice. Access this checklist/resource through the link below.

Transition from Training to Practice Checklist

A coalition of multidisciplinary professionals is working to strengthen hearing screening systems for children ages 5 and under across California. As part of this effort, they are developing a statewide plan for 2026 focused on improving the early identification of hearing loss that may emerge during a child's early years.


Key priorities include:

• Improving the collection of hearing screening data.
• Enhancing reporting processes for screening outcomes.
• Increasing education and awareness among providers and families about the importance of ongoing hearing screenings beyond the newborn period.
  

Your perspective can help inform this work! Please take a few minutes to complete a short, anonymous survey. Your feedback will help better the understanding of information and resources providers need to support early hearing detection and intervention efforts throughout California.

Download Information Sheet

CMA Stops Dangerous Physical Therapy Bill

Assembly Bill 2497, a broad physical therapy scope expansion measure, has failed to advance in the Legislature.


CMA opposed the bill, warning that it would have significantly expanded the scope of practice for physical therapists without corresponding education, training or residency requirements. The association warned that these changes would create a two-tiered system of care and increase the risk of misdiagnosis, delayed treatment and inappropriate management of complex patient conditions.

Among other changes, the measure would have would have removed the requirement for a physician to review a patient's physical therapy care plan and expanded the authority of physical therapists to diagnose movement-system conditions.

Patients often present with multiple health conditions, atypical symptoms and complex medical needs that require comprehensive medical oversight and coordinated care. The physician-led, team-based model helps ensure patients receive appropriate evaluation, diagnosis and treatment while maintaining clear accountability for patient care.

The bill was stopped on the Assembly Floor following advocacy by CMA physicians, who argued that patients benefit from a physician-led, team-based approach that helps ensure appropriate diagnosis, treatment planning and coordinated care.

American Academy of Pediatrics CEO Mark Del Monte, Esq. met in Santa Barbara, CA with pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists on May 7th at a private reception hosted by Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. This social gathering preceded the Grand Rounds at the same facility the following morning.

During Grand Rounds on May 8th. Mr. Del Monte shared insights on the current vaccine policy landscape and provided an overview of the AAP's vaccine confidence campaign, an approach he called "public awareness surround sound". The campaign includes publicity on radio, TV and social media PSAs, layered with robust collaboration with influencers and targeted, culturally sensitive and strategic state outreach.

The CEO travels around the nation visiting each pediatric residency programs once per year. 

What if you could add a Behavioral Health team to your practice, without adding headcount?

Triplemoon embeds a virtual care team directly into your practice through a

Collaborative Care model (CoCM). Triplemoon’s team brings deep pediatric expertise, board-certified psychiatrists reviewing every case, and seamless EHR integration.

There’s no upfront cost, no minimum referral, and no additional fees to get started. Plus, appointments are available within 48 hours of referral.

Clinics that partner with Triplemoon boost revenue (20%+ revenue boost through CoCM billing), save time (5-11+ hours saved per provider per week), and improve outcomes (measurable patient improvement within 6-12 months).

We can take any mental health diagnosis – including anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and more.

Curious to learn more? Schedule a demo call with us HERE, and we’ll show you how Triplemoon can fit into your practice.

www.triplemoon.com/providers

Have you listened to the newest episode of the California Pediatrics Podcast? Streaming on Amazon Music/Audible, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify and YouTube. In episode 12 of California Pediatrics, Marsha Spitzer, MD, FAAP shares her career journey in pediatrics, her passion as an advocate for early childhood literacy, and her leading role in Reach Out and Read San Diego. Podcast hosts, Michelle Leff, MD, FAAP and Wendy Pavlovich, MD, FAAP.

California Pediatrics is a podcast by pediatricians from the four California chapters of the American Academy of Pediatrics presenting current affairs, highlights on career paths, and tips for parents. Please Follow! This project is funded by the AAP Healthy People 2030 grant. Produced by Chapter 2 executive director Tomas Torices. Search for California Pediatrics on your favorite podcast platform, or visit our page for direct links.


Available on audio and video, streaming on all platforms.

Early Literacy in Pediatrics, 
with Dr. Marsha Spitzer (Ep. 12)

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE CALIFORNIA PEDIATRICS PODCAST!

Help the AAP-CA2 shape the future of the California Pediatrics Podcast by taking a brief evaluation created by the Chapter. You'll be able to share your thoughts on the episodes produced so far, along with technical aspects of the program.

Happy PRIDE!
The EDI corner is back just in time for Pride month and the chance to celebrate the LGBTQI+ patients and people in our lives. Amna Khan, MD, who is a pediatrician advocate for health equity and EDI Champion for Chapter 1 here in California, wrote a thoughtful piece on connecting with patients alongside her colleague Manny Gonzales MD of Santa Clara Valley Health. Read More.

Name: Danelle Fisher, M.D.

Practice location: Playa Vista, CA 

Number of years in practice: 25 years


Danelle was raised in Los Angeles and attended UC Santa Barbara for college, Albert Einstein College of Medicine for medical school, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles for residency. 



Straight out of residency, she started in private practice in the Westchester area of Los Angeles, eventually buying and running the practice for 17 years. After many years, she decided she didn't love the business side of medicine, so she sold her practice and joined the Medical Doctors of Saint John's, moving up the road a couple of miles to the Playa Vista area of Los Angeles. Read More.

The Member Spotlight is written to highlight our chapter membership. Chapter members can submit personal narratives about themselves with a focus on how they maintain their physician wellness in the face of everyday struggles and challenges. Authors may also choose to highlight a practice, volunteer activities, QI projects, etc. The purpose of the spotlight series is to encourage and foster unity and support within the chapter.

Please complete THIS FORM to be considered for a future Member Spotlight in the AAP-CA2 Newsletter!

Filling Your Cup

"Wisdom from Brene Brown"

By Nirupama Madduri, MD, FAAP

“Let your courage be kinder than your fear.” Brene Brown, bestselling author, researcher, podcaster, and lecturer, brings a form of authenticity to her writing and speaking, making it easy to connect to her. She has shared many findings of her research on shame and vulnerability. Read More.

California pediatricians representing the four AAP chapters attended the 2026 Advocacy Conference event in Sacramento on May 4th and 5th, which was organized by AAP-CA executive director Karmi Ferguson.

In attendance were District and Chapter leaders, and nearly 100 pediatric trainees from the various residency programs in California. The event took place at SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento, with special guest speakers Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, CMA President René Bravo, MD, Children Now Director Kelly Hardy, and former CA State Senator Richard Pan, MD. Additionally, panelists Eli Cahan, MD of Stanford, Katrina Marks, MD and Lena van der List, MD of UC Davis, and Ilan Shapiro, MD of AltaMed Heath Services addressed strategies to counter mis- disinformation.

On day two of the conference, 145 attendees broke-up into 27 constituent groups to visit with legislators. This year’s advocacy efforts were focused on three priority bills: one regulating nitrous oxide and two tightening e-bike laws. The e-bike push follows severe youth casualties, highlighted by an NBC San Francisco report of 4,800 statewide injuries in 2023 and a 300% surge in pediatric trauma cases.

• AB 2346 (Wilson D) e-bikes speed limits. View the bill here.
  You can also read CMA’s perspective on the bill, here.
• SB 936 (Blakespear D) Nitrous oxide sales and distribution. Read the press release here.
• AB 1557 (Papan D) e-bike sales and operations. This bill dd not pass appropriations and will be introduced again next year. The bill faced pushback from some bicycle advocates and industry groups who argued the bill over-regulated legal e-bikes rather than targeting the growing issue of illegal e-motorcycles masquerading as bicycles. You can access the bill here.

AAP-CA2 Legislative Contacts Form

As part of our AAP-CA2 Advocacy Committee, we're calling for members interested in advocacy to consider serving as legislative key contacts for the chapter with their local elected officials!

As the state level legislative season progresses, there will be opportunities to contact state senators and assembly members when bills come up for consideration in committees or on the floor. We need to develop a core group of members who are ready to call or email their legislators when opportunities arise, and accompany pediatric residents on their annual local legislative visits. 

If you would be interested becoming a key contact, please fill out the form below with the requested information! Thanks again for your support of the chapter's advocacy efforts. 

Legislative Contacts Form

The latest in pediatric medicine.

High yield. High entertainment.

AAP-CA2 members may now Subscribe to PedsRAP with a 15% Discount.

Be sure to use the link by clicking the button below in order to have the discount applied at checkout:

As part of the 2026 Symposium, residents and medical students were invited to present educational abstracts and posters. Through the chapter newsletters, the AAP-CA2 will be sharing this year's submissions and materials with membership. Please see this month's abstracts below!

Nutritional Outcomes in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Identifying High-Risk Phenotypes Beyond Disease Severity.
Matthew Marcelino, MD 
(Resident Award Winner)

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common long-term complication of extreme prematurity, affecting 40–50% of infants born before 28 weeks’ gestation who survive to 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA). Read More.

Enhancing Quality, Capital, and Capacity for Equitable Newborn Screening Through We R.E.A.C.H. framework: The SISHU Initiative in Rural India
Siri Vennela Indraganti, B.S.

(Medical Student Award Winner)

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common long-term complication of extreme prematurity, affecting 40–50% of infants born before 28 weeks’ gestation who survive to 36 weeks. Read More.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Pediatric Trainees (AAP SOPT) presents an annual Pediatric Interest Group (PIG) of the Year Award to recognize programming, mentorship, advocacy, and community engagement.

The UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine’s Pediatric Interest Group has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the AAP SOPT PIG of the Year Award! 

2025–26 UCLA DGSOM PIG Leadership: 

• Tamia Jones (Medical Student)
• Jakob von Morgenland (Medical Student)
• Ahmed Moutwakil (Medical Student)
• Emily Zucker (Medical Student)
• Annie Ye (Medical Student)
• Heather Samberg (Medical Student)
• Ellie Volpicelli, MD (DBP Fellow Mentor)
• Christine Thang, MD (Faculty Advisor)
• Stacey Stauber, MD (Faculty Advisor)
• Deb Lehman, MD (Pediatrics Specialty Advisor)


Highlights from the UCLA DGSOM PIG include:

• Engagement with AAP‑CA2 events, pediatric mental health training, and community partnerships.
• Statewide advocacy with AAP‑California, including the California CAres Food Drive.
• New initiatives: a biweekly PIG Pen–affiliated newsletter; “PIGStops” pediatric-focused preclinical workshops; attendance at UCLA Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds; and the HOG Advisor mentorship model.

We'll Come To Your School or Hospital

Dear Medical Schools and Pediatric Residency Programs in AAP California Chapter 2, 

Are you interested in learning more about local advocacy efforts? Do you want to hear more about getting involved in AAP California Chapter 2? If yes, then please consider inviting our chapter leadership to your local pediatric interest group meeting, pediatric residency noon conference, or any other gathering. Our chapter leadership wants to connect with the trainees in the area so reach out to chapter2@aapca2.org to schedule an event at your medical school/residency program! 

ATTENTION PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS: I am conducting research as part of the requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree at Liberty University. The purpose of my research is to examine whether primary care providers are knowledgeable about early symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children with Down Syndrome. To participate, you must be a currently practicing primary care provider who is practicing medicine in the United States, on a pediatric population, and fluent in English. Participants will be asked to complete an anonymous online survey, which should take about 10 minutes. If you are interested and eligible, please click the link provided at the end of this post. A study information sheet will be provided on the first page of the survey. Please review the information, and if you agree to participate, proceed to the survey.

To take the survey, click here.

Thank you,

Candice Gentry

Doctoral Candidate, School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University

Chapter committees, like our mental health committee, are great opportunities to get involved in areas that interest you the most. Furthermore, if you are a Fellow member (FAAP), local involvement could position you for leadership opportunities at National AAP. To learn more about our various Committees and Sections, and to sign up, please visit aapca2.org/committees.

Click Here to Sign-up For Chapter Committees

Do you have any concerns, questions or ideas that we can discuss and address during upcoming board meetings? This form is anonymous and confidential, with the option of entering your personal information and/or receive a call from a board member, staff, or any other chapter representative.

If you have any concerns, questions, or ideas that you would like to share, please complete This Form.

Have you been over to the Chapter's Suicide Prevention webpage to see the latest resources? After a recent update, new videos and toolkits have been added. These resources include an "OnCall Newsletter" from AAP which highlights resources created by the Suicide Prevention Youth Leadership Group (YLG), a group of young people ages 14-18 who serve as leaders and thought advisors to the Academy’s suicide prevention initiatives.

The Center celebrated Mental Health Awareness month in May. As we all take time to reflect on the things that fill our cups and keep us feeling well, we invite you to take a look at their Calm Toolbox resource to think about building up your own Calm Toolbox with some new strategies from the list of suggestions!

Read More.

NAMI Westside Los Angeles is an affiliate of National Alliance of Mental Illness, a grassroots mental health advocacy organization dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health conditions, as well as their families and loved ones. To find out about NAMI's support groups and courses, which are free of charge to participants, please go https://www.nami.org/findsupport/ to identify the NAMI affiliate that is most local to you. NAMI Westside Los Angeles has also been developing a Children's Mental Health Toolbox, which includes materials that can be used in the home, the classroom, the counseling office, and other settings for youth recreation and education. This resource can be found here- https://namiwla.org/childrens-mental-health-toolbox/.

To learn more about the Children's Mental Health Toolbox, or how it might be used for your specific context, please feel free to reach out to ohakak@namila.org.

Also, please check out this "Life Rocks" book created by NAMI which is about coping strategies and a great resource for patients of all ages. Click here to check it out.

Don't miss a AAP-CA2 Town Hall with Ken Saul, MD. This in-person event will take place on June 17th. Details are below, make sure you RSVP!

Speaker: Sakina Bajowala, MD

Topic: What’s New with Anaphylaxis Treatment?"

Location: Morton's The Steakhouse (6250 Canoga Avenue, Ste. 111 Woodland Hills, CA 91367)

RSVP via email to docksaul@aol.com or call: (805)-494-1948. You can download the official town hall flyer by clicking on the image below. We hope to see you at this exciting and informative event!

With the goal to enhance collaborations between pediatricians and pediatric dentists in our community in West LA, Reem Kabbarah, D.D.S., is hosting a gathering at his private practice on the evening of June 30th @ 5:30PM. This meeting will included pediatricians and pediatric dentists.

Event Details

June 30th @ 5:30PM

10582 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

To RSVP email info@smilesla.com by June 23rd.

Join us for Pediatric Grand Rounds, where expert pediatricians and healthcare professionals come together to explore the latest advancements in child health! These engaging, evidence-based learning series feature top specialists sharing insights on a variety of clinical topics, from cutting-edge treatments to emerging research.

• Help Me Grow LA website: www.HelpMeGrowLA.org 
• Help Me Grow LA Call Center phone number: (833) 903-3972 

You can help improve the system by partnering with Help Me Grow LA to make sure all young children in your care are supported and provided resources to benefit their development. 

Contact Help Me Grow LA leadership via email: HelpMeGrowLA@ph.lacounty.gov. We look forward to working with you!

The Immigrant Youth Task Force (IYTF) at UCLA and the American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 2 (AAP-CA2) invite you to visit The Los Angeles County Immigrant Youth Resource Toolkit, a website consolidating community resources in the greater LA area for immigrant youth and families. Our goal is to help professionals from all disciplines address the needs of their immigrant youth patients/clients with regards to health care, legal services, education, social services, and more. As our toolkit continues to evolve, we encourage you to explore and use it in your practice going forward.

AAP-CA2 invites you to advertise in our newsletter

AAP-CA2 publishes its electronic newsletter, Peds@CA2, which is emailed to its 1,500+ members on the second weekend every month. Chapter members and non-profit organizations receive a 50% discount. Please follow the link below for more information.

For advertisement rates and guidelines, please click here.

If you are interested in advertising, please email the Chapter.

Members-At-Large

Area Representatives

Please visit our website: aapca2.org

Past issues of Peds@CA2 eNews: https://aapca2.org/publications/

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