Welcome to the Pediatric Department Newsletter! This publication is designed to connect our academic team members—current faculty, staff, and former faculty alike. Our goal is to strengthen the bonds within our community, locally and nationally, ensuring we stay connected no matter where your journey has taken you. Let’s continue to support, celebrate, and uplift each other as a vibrant academic network. If you’re considering returning, we also have open faculty positions—be sure to explore them here: https://apply.interfolio.com/50272/positions.

Please stay connected to us:

As I approach my one-year anniversary as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics on December 1, I am filled with deep gratitude and pride in all we’ve achieved together. This past year has been an extraordinary journey marked by growth, innovation, and collaboration. Thanks to the strong foundation established by our dedicated faculty, we have advanced clinical excellence, expanded our programs, and made significant strides in research and education—strengthening our commitment to service in every endeavor. In this anniversary issue, I’m excited to share with you the latest updates and achievements from our team. Your support and dedication remain a vital part of our department’s growth and success, and I’m continually inspired by the ways you stay engaged with us.

Thank you for being such an integral part of our journey. I look forward to the progress and connections we will build together in the years ahead.

Warm regards,

Madhu Misra, MD, MPH

Benjamin Armistead Shepherd Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics, UVA

Physician-in-Chief, UVA Children’s Health

Upcoming Events and Announcements

• The Department will host a reception at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting (PAS 2025) in Honolulu on April 26th at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. RSVP here to join us.
• We have now filled all of our Vice and Associate Chair roles and are excited to see the work and impact of the incumbents.
• Vice Chair for Academic Affairs - Susan Gray, MD
• Vice Chair for Education - Anshu Gupta, MD
• Associate Chair of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion - Emily Gonzalez, PhD

 UVA Health Children’s Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Health

The UVA Health Children’s Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Health space continues to be on track to open in December 2024. Planning is beginning on the adjacent space that will house primary care and specialty pediatrics.

Virginia Early Childhood Expert Chosen for International Leadership Development Program

Stephanie McNerney, a neurodevelopmental and behavioral pediatric nurse practitioner at UVA Health Children's, has been announced as a member of the 2024-26 Fellowship Class by Zero to Three, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. McNerney is the co-founder and medical director of the Village Care Program, which provides support to children in foster care or at risk for disruption. She specializes in collaborative and relationship-focused healthcare at the intersection of disability and marginalization. McNerney expressed her gratitude, saying, "Zero to Three has been a guiding light for me, elucidating neuroscience and early childhood systems, anti-bias, equitable, and just practices, and self-reflection." 

McNerney is one of 20 exceptional early childhood leaders from across the United States and around the world, selected from a pool of 225 applicants. These Fellows represent a range of professional specialties, including infant and early childhood mental health clinical services, program administration, research, and early childhood policy. They serve in urban and rural communities across the U.S., Canada, Kenya, Peru, and Uruguay.  

The 18-month fellowship is designed to support the next generation of early childhood leaders in embracing a courageous, just, and collaborative approach to transforming programs, systems, and policies to give babies and toddlers a strong start in life. Please join us in congratulating McNerney on this outstanding accomplishment!

2024 Patient Experience Award Recipients

Pediatric & Joint Faculty:

• Ariana Greenwell, MD, Otolaryngology
• Douglas Allen, Pediatric Cardiology
• Asma Habib, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
• Andrew Kim, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
• Samantha Minnicozzi, Pediatric Immunology & Rheumatology
• Heather Quillian, Pediatric Primary Care
• Anne Ranney, Pediatric Primary Care
• Elizabeth Schinstock, Pediatric Primary Care
• Matt Thomas, ScM, GC, Pediatric Cardiology

The Third Annual Nancy McDaniel Lectureship on Women in Leadership to Feature Renowned Academic Leader

The Department of Pediatrics proudly hosted the Third Annual Nancy McDaniel Lectureship on Women in Leadership on October 28, 2024, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Miriam A. Bredella, Associate Dean for Translational Science at NYU Langone Health. In her lecture, “Pathways to Progress: Advancing Women’s Careers in Academic Medicine,” Dr. Bredella shared her expertise in faculty development and mentorship, highlighting strategies for supporting women in academic medicine. The event honored the legacy of Dr. Nancy L. McDaniel, a trailblazing pediatric cardiologist and former Vice Chair of the department, whose career at UVA was defined by her dedication to mentorship and excellence. A reception followed, fostering meaningful conversations among attendees.

Fundraiser Event in Memory of Dr. Jim Plews-Ogan

The Department of Pediatrics hosted a special event in memory of Dr. Jim Plews-Ogan. Thank you to all who joined us and offered your unwavering support, helping to transform the gathering into a meaningful tribute to Jim’s remarkable legacy and the profound impact he had on our department and community. It was truly moving to see so many come together to celebrate his life, share cherished stories, and raise a glass in his honor.

With participation and generosity, we successfully raised $1,760 for the Hummingbird Fund, a cause that Jim held dear. Everyone's dedication to continuing his legacy of compassion and service strengthens the bonds that make our community so unique.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Michael Shaps Wineworks for their partnership in making this event possible.

Pediatric Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Service

Since 2014, UVA Health has been a part of the multi-center Quality Improvement database, Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes (C3PO), alongside 19 top institutions, including many of the nation’s best pediatric and congenital cardiac programs.

Key achievements from UVA’s 2023 annual report include:

• The lowest Serious Adverse Event Ratio (SAER) among all participants, with moderate adverse events occurring at only 40% of the expected rate.
• A 17% increase in case volume from 2022, handling complex cases on par with larger institutions.
• Despite representing just 3% of the total case volume, UVA accounted for 14% of atretic valve perforations and 7% of neonatal aortic valvuloplasties in the database.
• UVA surpassed national averages with high risk hemodynamic vulnerability scores, procedure times 20-30% shorter than the median, and patient radiation exposure 10-40% lower across all procedure categories.

This remarkable success is thanks to the combined efforts of UVA’s nurses, technicians, physicists, physicians, and a dedicated research team. With such impressive results, UVA stands as one of the leading programs for children with congenital heart disease in the U.S.”UVA stands as one of the leading programs for children with congenital heart disease in the U.S.

The CEO’s List

Noreen Crain, MD & Joy Miller, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, CHPPN

I am pleased to share the latest success from UVA Health’s Pediatric Palliative Care team, which includes Dr. Noreen Crain, a pediatric critical care physician and the team’s medical director; Joy Miller, a pediatric nurse practitioner; and Maggie Koval, a registered nurse care coordinator. Dr. Crain and Joy are regional and national experts in palliative care for children and have built our program at UVA Health Children's to its current strength. I am proud to see their recent publication, “Palliative Care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit,” included in the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Advanced Critical Care’s symposium issue. Their review includes educational case studies and highlights important ethical considerations and their impact on decision-making with children and their families. Providing care for our most medically fragile and complex children — many of whom struggle with life-limiting illnesses — is integral to UVA Health’s mission and values. I celebrate these incredible clinicians who have improved the lives of countless patients and now share their unique knowledge with colleagues across the world

W. Gerald Teague, MD

I am excited to recognize Dr. Gerald Teague, a pediatric pulmonologist within the UVA School of Medicine, whose research into a previously unknown cause of wheezing in children has been highlighted in more than 100 national news outlets, including U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Teague led a research team that published findings in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showing that nearly a quarter of children and teens with severe wheezing have undetected lung infections. This news could be life-changing for children whose symptoms have previously been treated with steroids but should instead be treated with antivirals. Dr. Teague has devoted decades to caring for children with respiratory disorders and is particularly focused on identifying new treatments. His efforts truly exemplify our mission to transform health and inspire hope amongst our patients. Congratulations, Dr. Teague!

New & Upcoming Additions

• Julia (Julie) Lovin, 12/1/2024, joins as Assistant Professor - Ped Cardio 
• Aaron Misakian, 12/1/2024, joins Endo as clinical faculty
• Emily O'Gorman, 12/1/24, joins Allergy as clinical faculty
• Seth Morrison, 11/1/2024, Faculty joined Gastroenterology (75% research)
• Anshu Gupta, 10/12/2024, Faculty joined Endocrinology and a Vice Chair for Education