Housestaff & Administration

Where they are now:

• • Ryan Jay (RJ) Abrigo, MD – Neonatology Fellowship at U Illinois Chicago
  • Therese Blanch, MD – Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at UC San Diego
  • Manvitha Katta, MD, MPH – General Pediatrics
  • Jared Kirsch, MD – General Pediatrics – ROADS Community Clinic, Compton
  • Shani Litwin, MD – Locum Tenens Pediatrics, Los Angeles
  • Raymond Martinez, DO – Pediatric Hospitalist – Cedars Sinai Medical Center
  • Michael Procrassini, DO –  General Pediatrics – Enloe Health, Chico
  • Lydia Ramirez, DO, MBA – General Pediatrics in Texas
  • Ruchi Singh, DO – General Pediatrics – Providence Mission CHOC, Mission Viejo
  • John (Hank) Thayer, MD – Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at UC Davis

Where they are now:

• • Eyal BenDavid, MD – Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at UCLA
  • Clayton Crawford, MD – Transport Medicine at CHLA
  • Catherine Harmon, MD – General Pediatrics
  • George Hyde, MD – Chief Resident 2024-2025
  • Mathew Kraus, MD – Urgent Care, CHOC
  • Adriana Mellor, MD – General Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA
  • Megan Messinger, DO – General Pediatrics
  • Nicole Nabatkhorian, MD – Hospitalist, Harbor-UCLA
  • Sahar Raheel, MD – Chief Resident 2024-2025
  • Jennifer Tu, DO – General Pediatrics, Northern California Kaiser

Where they are now:

• • Adam Beasley, MD – Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship, CHLA
  • Ami Mehta, DO – Rancho Los Amigos and Harbor-UCLA Outpatient Pediatrics
  • Angelica Juarez, MD – Torrance Memorial IPA Pediatrics (General Pediatrics, Hospital Medicine)
  • Christiana Santiago, MD – Neonatology Fellowship at UCLA
  • James Thomason, MD – Kaiser Permanente, Kailua Kona, Hawaii (General Pediatrics)
  • Ryan Usui, MD – California Kids Pediatrics, West LA (General Pediatrics)
  • John Paul (JP) Yap, MD –  Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship, UC Davis
  • Keiko Yoshioka, DO – Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship, Harbor-UCLA
  • Joseph Gancayco, MD – Harbor Community Health Centers (General Pediatrics)
  • Jeffrey Ramirez, MD – Harbor Community Health Centers (General Pediatrics)

Where they are now:

• • Darvin Bunhor, MD – Private Practice (General Pediatrics)
  • Bora Buyutkimin, MD – Bakersfield Memorial Hospital (Pediatric Hospital Medicine)
  • Chien-Rong Chen, DO – PHM fellowship at CHLA ’24, now Harbor-UCLA Pediatric Hospital Medicine
  • Nicole Chu, MD – Kaiser South Bay Outpatient (General Pediatrics)
  • Krystle Frazier, MD – Heme/Onc Fellowship at Children’s Oakland
  • Bobby Hateley, MD –  Bakersfield Memorial Hospital (Pediatric Hospital Medicine)
  • Rachel Kim, MD –  Gardner Health Outpatient, San Jose (General Pediatrics)
  • Grace Pyo, DO – Torrance Memorial IPA Pediatrics(General Pediatrics)
  • Ellene Sandoval, MD – Alta Med Pediatrics, Los Angeles (General Pediatrics)
  • Shelly Tseng, MD – Providence Pediatrics, Torrance (General Pediatrics)

Congratulations, Dr. Chie Kurihara – Winner of the Faculty Teaching Award!

Every year at the annual Pediatric Resident Graduation and Awards Dinner, the pediatric residents present teaching awards to the housestaff, faculty, fellows, and nursing staff to show their appreciation. See below for recent recipients.

2024 Winners:

• • Faculty Teaching Award: Chie Kurihara, MD, Tiffany Pedigo, MD
  • Jim Seidel Fellow Teaching Award: Lynn Mercer, MD
  • George Emmanoulides Resident Teaching Award: George Hyde, MD, Nicole Nabathkhorian, MD, John “Hank” Thayer, MD
  • Joseph W. St. Geme Resident Excellence in Research Award: Nicole Nabathkhorian, MD
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Humanism: Adriana Mellor, MD
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Advocacy: Megan Messinger, DO
  • Recognition of Excellence in Nursing:  SookHee Chang (NICU)
  • Recognition of Excellence in Service:
    • Social Workers: Catalina Diaz & Jane Hernandez
    • Respiratory Therapy: Andrew Colon, Devin Griffen, Robbie Trujillo

2023 Winners:

• • Faculty Teaching Award: Chie Kurihara, MD
  • Jim Seidel Fellow Teaching Award: Dagem Mammo, MD
  • George Emmanoulides Resident Teaching Award: James Thomason, DO
  • Joseph W. St. Geme Resident Excellence in Research Award: Christiana Santiago, MD & Eyal BenDavid, MD
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Humanism: Ami Mehta, DO & Megan Messinger, DO
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Advocacy: Adam Beasley, MD
  • Recognition of Excellence in Nursing: Janeth Munoz (MFI), SookHee Chang (NICU)
  • Recognition of Excellence in Service: Nellie Salquen, Catalina Diaz & Jane Hernandez, Chiyah Lawrence

2022 Winners:

• • Faculty Teaching Award: Chie Kurihara, MD & Sarah Gustafson, MD
  • Jim Seidel Fellow Teaching Award: Rammy Assaf, MD & Ryan Palapaz, MD
  • George Emmanoulides Resident Teaching Award: Chien-Rong Chen, MD
  • Joseph W. St. Geme Resident Excellence in Research Award: Rachel Kim, MD & Ellene Sandoval, MD
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Humanism: Adam Beasley, MD & Keiko Yoshioka, DO
  • Joanne Brasel Resident Award for Excellence in Advocacy: Grace Pyo, DO & Shelly Tseng, MD
  • Recognition of Excellence in Nursing: Elea (PICU) & Shyla (NICU)
  • Recognition of Excellence in Service: Jane Hernandez (SW), Debbie Gumina (SW), Liliane Kim (OT), Maria De Paz (EVS), Olivia Torres (EVS), Elea Taylor (PICU) & Shyla Mathew (NICU)