Our Leadership
Raphael Hirsch, MD
Chair, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Physician-in-Chief, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals
Raphael Hirsch, MD, is Chair of the UCSF Department of Pediatrics, a role he has held since 2019. Dr. Hirsch is also physician-in-chief at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. Hirsch has articulated a vision for the UCSF pediatric program to be among the best in the nation, with the overarching goal of making the world a better place for all children.
Dr. Hirsch works to grow research and expand the institution's clinical outreach to better serve the region's communities. Among his guiding principles is the belief that academic medical centers must demonstrate a commitment to social justice.
After earning his bachelor's degree at Northwestern University, Hirsch earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in immunology at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a pediatric rheumatology fellowship at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
From 2012 to 2019, Hirsch served as Department Executive Officer and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Iowa and as physician-in-chief at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. He was responsible for pediatric services, including patient care, education, research and public health, both at the collegiate level and for the health system. During this time, he helped direct a transformation of the pediatric medicine program, spurred by construction of the first freestanding children's hospital for the University of Iowa.
Prior to his work at the University of Iowa, Dr. Hirsch served for 10 years as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology and Vice Chair for Faculty Development at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Under his leadership, the division grew from a single clinician into one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the country.
Dr. Hirsch has held numerous leadership positions in the American College of Rheumatology, most recently as a member of its board of directors. He served on the board of scientific counselors for the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, a branch of the NIH. His research has sought a better understanding of childhood rheumatic diseases, with the goal of developing improved therapies, and was funded by the NIH for more than 25 years. He has published nearly 100 scientific papers.
DIVISION CHIEFS AND VICE CHAIRS
Lee Atkinson-McEvoy, MD
Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Division Chief of General Pediatrics, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Lee Atkinson-McEvoy, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics, Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Division Chief of General Pediatrics in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Atkinson-McEvoy is also San Mateo Regional Executive Medical Director for UCSF Health.
Dr. Atkinson-McEvoy has had significant roles in UCSF Health System leadership and operations as well leadership roles in Graduate medical education (GME) and Undergraduate medical education (UME).
Dr. Atkinson-McEvoy mentors students, residents, fellows and faculty who are interested in careers in clinical operations. Dr. Atkinson-McEvoy founded the Miller-Davis-Jenkins Society, a UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital based group of Black/African American faculty who support the recruitment and retention of Black/African American faculty at UCSF.
Dr. Atkinson-McEvoy is the recipient of leadership and teaching honors and awards including the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators and a faculty induction to the AOA honor medical society.
Naomi Bardach, MD
Vice Chair of Health Service Research, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Naomi Bardach, MD, is Vice Chair for Health Services Research in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Bardach is also an associate professor of Pediatrics and Policy Studies in the Department of Pediatrics and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF.
Dr. Bardach’s program is focused on improving the quality of inpatient and outpatient pediatric care, with a foundation in implementation and dissemination science. Dr. Bardach’s research includes patient-involved hospital safety efforts, use of mobile phone technology, asthma and sickle cell care, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening in primary care.
Dr. Bardach is a primary care pediatrician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led research on COVID in schools during the pandemic, including school-based testing strategies. She served as a thought leader in the media and for public health leadership, nationally and internationally. In recognition of her expertise, she served at California’s Health and Human Services Agency as the state lead for the multi-agency Safe Schools for All team from December 2020 to September 2021.
Nicole Bush, PhD
Division Chief of Developmental Medicine, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Nicole Bush is a Distinguished Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Health, appointed in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and Division Chief of the Division of Developmental Medicine at UCSF.
A licensed clinical psychologist with training in biology, medicine, and epidemiology, Dr. Bush leverages her cross-field training and insights from community engagement to innovatively bridge disciplines. She is an accomplished mentor and international leader with research expertise in the social determinants of child and family health and wellbeing.
Dr. Bush leads or co-leads a broad range of epidemiological and clinical intervention longitudinal cohort studies focused on maternal-child health, etiology and mechanisms for social and chemical environment effects on pediatric disease, and identifying family- and policy-level solutions to address health disparities across the life course.
Dr. Bush has received a range of awards, including the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Fellowship, the UCSF Chancellor’s Diversity Award for the Advancement of Women, and a Distinguished Alumni award. Dr. Bush and her team’s health equity work has been highlighted by numerous media outlets, as well as government and policy leaders.
Christopher Dvorak, MD
Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology, & Bone Marrow Transplantation, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Christopher Dvorak, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation and Director of the FACT-Accredited Pediatric Cellular Therapy Laboratory for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
Dr. Dvorak is also a member of the Helen Diller Family Cancer Center and of the UCSF Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research.
Dr. Dvorak is the national Co-PI of the Primary Immunodeficiency Treatment Consortium (PIDTC) and Co-Chair of the Non-Malignant Diseases Working Committee in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant. Dvorak is also Chair of the Cancer Control and Supportive Care Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), and the immediate past Chair of the Supportive Care Strategy Group of the Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Consortium (PTCTC). He has served as the Principal Investigator for several multi-center clinical trials in COG, PTCTC, and PIDTC.
Dr. Dvorak’s expertise is in designing clinical trials aimed at decreasing transplant-related morbidity and mortality as well as optimizing approaches to transplant for very young children, especially those with immunodeficiencies.
Jeff Fineman, MD
Division Chief of Critical Care Medicine, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Jeffrey Fineman, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Critical Care Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Fineman is also Director of the Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Service and Investigator of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at UCSF.
Dr. Fineman leads an NIH-funded translational research program studying pediatric pulmonary vascular diseases with particular focus on congenital heart disease.
Dr. Fineman is devoted to mentoring fellows and junior faculty. As such, Fineman serves as the Principal Investigator of an NIH T32 research training program for pediatric critical care medicine and is Program Director of the Pediatric Departmental K12 program. In addition, Fineman is an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physiology, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Circulation and a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the NIH K12 in Pediatric Critical Care.
Dr. Fineman is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including an Established Investigator and Mentoring Award from the American Heart Association, the Maureen Andrew SPR mentoring award, and the UCSF Lifetime Achievement Mentoring Award.
Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD
Division Chief of Pediatric Pain, Palliative, and Integrative Medicine, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Friedrichsdorf is Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF and Medical Director of the Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine at Benioff Children’s Hospitals. He is an internationally recognized leader in pediatric pain and palliative care. Dr. Friedrichsdorf has presented more than 800 lectures in 30 countries on all six continents and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to more than 25 books on the subject. He is the current president of the Special Interest Group on Pain in Childhood of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
Dr. Friedrichsdorf has received numerous awards and honors, including the Elizabeth Narcessian Award for Outstanding Educational Achievements in the Field of Pain by the American Pain Society and the Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Award. He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management and was the principal investigator of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) / National Cancer Institute (NCI) multisite study on the creation, implementation and evaluation of a Pediatric Palliative Care Curriculum which has trained over 1,500 clinicians from 100 countries. In 2008 he founded and since then directs the annual Pediatric Pain Master Class, a unique week-long intensive course for interdisciplinary health professionals.
Prior to joining UCSF in 2020, Dr. Friedrichsdorf was the medical director of the Department of Pain Medicine, Palliative Care & Integrative Medicine at Children’s Minnesota. Under his leadership the department grew into one of the largest in the country. It received the Circle of Life Award by the American Hospital Association and the Clinical Centers of Excellence in Pain Management Award by the American Pain Society, and the Albert Bandura Influencer Award from VitalSmarts.
Dr. Friedrichsdorf earned his MD degree from the Medical University of Lübeck, Germany. He completed a pediatric residency at the University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany (Children’s Hospital Datteln), and a fellowship in Pediatric Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at the University of Sydney, Australia.
Fernando Gonzalez, MD
Division Chief of Neonatology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Fernando Gonzalez, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief of Neonatology. Dr. Gonzalez is a member of the Newborn Brain Research Institute at UCSF, the Society of Pediatric Research (SPR), the American Pediatric Society, and the Newborn Brain Society.
Dr. Gonzalez dedicates considerable time to mentoring pediatricians. He is Co-Leader of the SPR Pediatrician-Scientist Development Program and Co-Investigator on T32 and K12 training programs. Previously, he served as director of UCSF’s Molecular Medicine Pediatric Residency Program from 2019-2024.
His R01-funded lab focuses on understanding mechanisms of injury and repair after full-term brain injury. He has previously served as Director of the UCSF Neuro-Intensive Care Nursery, the first dedicated nursery focused on treatment of neonates with diagnosed or suspected brain injury.
Dr. Gonzalez earned his M.D. at Brown University. He completed his pediatric residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center before coming to UCSF for fellowship training in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. He joined UCSF faculty in 2007.
Mel Heyman, MD, MPH
Vice Chair for Faculty Development, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Mel Heyman, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Vice Chair for Faculty Development. Dr. Heyman is also Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, is Co-Director of the Pediatric IBD Program, and Director of the T32-Training Program in Pediatric Gastroenterology/Nutrition at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Following undergraduate at UC Berkeley and medical school at UCLA, Dr. Heyman completed his pediatric residency at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and a pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition fellowship at UCLA, earning a Master’s in Public Health Nutrition (MPH). He joined UCSF in 1981 and served as Division Chief for 26 years.
Dr. Heyman is particularly interested in the care of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis and nutrition-related problems. Dr. Heyman has conducted research in sickle cell anemia, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, liver disease and pediatric nutrition.
Dr. Heyman has served on numerous committees including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Nutrition, AAP Executive Committee for the Section on Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and the Board of the National PTA. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition and of JPGN Reports, a joint publication by the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).
In 2014, Dr. Heyman received the NASPGHAN Distinguished Service Award and the UCSF Chancellor's Award for Public Service.
Charles E. Irwin Jr., MD
Division Chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Charles E. Irwin Jr. is an adolescent medicine specialist who serves as Division Chief of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at UCSF.
In his research, Dr. Irwin studies how to improve preventive health screening in clinics as well as financial and structural barriers to health care access for adolescents and young adults. Recently he has monitored the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on access to care for adolescents and young adults. He leads the National Adolescent & Young Adult Health Innovation Center (NAHIC) and an interdisciplinary Adolescent Health Training program since 1977.
Dr. Irwin led the national efforts for certification in the subspecialty of Adolescent Medicine in 1994 as a member of the American Board of Pediatrics. He has also served as President of the Society for Adolescent Medicine and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
His honors include the Adele Hofmann Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Maternal and Child Health Bureau's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Shonul Jain, MD
Interim Vice Chair for Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Interim Chief of Service for Pediatrics at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Shonul Jain, MD is a Professor of Pediatrics and Interim Vice Chair for ZSFG in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Jain is also the Interim Chief of Service for Pediatrics at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. She completed her undergraduate degree at Rice University and worked in public policy and advocacy for childhood nutrition programs as a Fellow at the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington, DC. She then completed medical school at Stanford University, followed by pediatric residency and chief residency at UCSF.
Dr. Jain has held numerous clinical and operational leadership roles at ZSFG and has been a partner with leaders in the SF Department of Public Health in advocating for children and families in public programs and initiatives. She has served on the Mayor’s Families Rising Task Force (formerly Project 500) and on the SFDPH COVID taskforce as a pediatric advisor.
Dr. Jain’s primary focus is trauma-informed health care delivery for underserved families and communities, particularly clinical care transformations to address issues of disparities, access and inequity. She has mentored faculty and trainees on clinical innovations which have been presented as models of care both locally and nationally. Dr. Jain has received several teaching, leadership, and service awards including the Holly Smith Award for Exceptional Service to the School of Medicine.
Sunitha Kaiser, MD MSc
Division Chief of Hospital Medicine, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Sunitha Kaiser, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF. She is recognized for her research in quality, safety, and equity in the inpatient pediatric setting. She is also deeply committed to mentoring clinician scientists and was awarded the UCSF FLAG Mentorship Award.
Dr. Kaiser has been funded by numerous organizations, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the American Lung Association, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. She is one of only a few pediatric hospitalists with NIH funding and was recently awarded a five-year grant from NHLBI to study implementation of clinical pathways for improving asthma, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis care for hospitalized children.
Dr. Kaiser has received numerous awards and honors, including the Academic Pediatric Association Young Investigator Award. She has held numerous leadership positions at the national level, including Vice Chair of the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings Network and National Steering Committee Member for the Value in Inpatient Pediatrics Network (within the American Academy of Pediatrics).
Dr. Kaiser earned her M.D. at Washington University. She completed a pediatric residency, including a year as chief resident, at UCSF. Before returning to UCSF, she completed a fellowship in pediatric hospital medicine at Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada, where she also obtained a master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research.
Maya Lodish, MD MHSc
Division Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Maya Lodish, MD, MHSc, is Division Chief of Endocrinology for the UCSF Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Lodish is also the Selna L. Kaplan Endowed Chair, a distinguished professorship in pediatric endocrinology.
Dr. Lodish is a professor of Pediatrics whose research focuses on endocrine tumors including thyroid cancer and pituitary tumors. Lodish also studies endocrine-related complications faced by survivors of pediatric cancer, as well as side effects of cancer treatments that affect the endocrine system.
Dr. Lodish is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the American Thyroid Association, the American Diabetes Association and the International Thyroid Oncology Group.
Lodish is a leader in medical education, serving on education committees with the Pediatric Endocrine Society and Endocrine Society where she also advises on leadership development strategies. For the Children's Oncology Group, she serves on the executive committee and works with a task force dedicated to developing guidelines for long-term follow-up care.
Ngoc Ly, MD MPH
Division Chief of Pulmonology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Ngoc P. Ly, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of Pulmonology, Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Therapeutic Development Network Research Center, co-Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Center and Director of the Asthma Program at UCSF.
Dr. Ly is a pediatric pulmonologist with interests in severe asthma, cystic fibrosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. She is a lead investigator on several cystic fibrosis and asthma clinical research projects and trials, including those funded by CFF, NSF and NIH.
Additionally, Dr. Ly is the program director of the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Pediatric Pulmonary Centers (PPC) at UCSF. The purpose of the PPC is to improve the health status of infants, children, and adolescents with chronic respiratory conditions, sleep issues, and other related special health care needs through graduate and post-graduate level interdisciplinary training of health professionals and through working within collaborative systems that promote family-centered care, public health practices, and cultural competence to address health disparities and expand access to care. She is devoted to mentoring residents, fellows, and junior faculty.
Dr. Ly is the recipient of several honors and awards including the Fellows Leadership Advocacy Group (FLAG) Faculty Mentorship Award and the UCSF Exceptional Physician Award.
Phil Moore, MD MBA
Vice Chair for Finance, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Division Chief of Cardiology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Moore is a Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of Cardiology and co-Director of the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Heart Center. He is internationally recognized for his research and clinical work in catheter based interventional treatment of congenital heart disease.
Dr. Moore is a productive clinical scientist having published over 100 scientific papers and is active nationally and internationally with collaborative clinical trials. He is board certified in adult congenital cardiology performing interventional catheter repair procedures on infants, children and adults with complex heart disease.
Dr. Moore earned his MD at UCSD, completed pediatric residency at the University of Washington, and fellowship at UCSF. He was recruited to the UCSF Department of Pediatrics in 1994. He completed his MBA with a focus on healthcare at UC Irvine in 2006.
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Philip O’Brien
Associate Chair for Finance and Administration, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Philip O’Brien is the Associate Chair for Finance and Administration for the UCSF Department of Pediatrics.
O’Brien directs the financial, administrative and clinical business affairs of the department, overseeing business operations, personnel management and strategic planning.
Prior to joining the Department of Pediatrics administrative leadership team, Mr. O’Brien served as the Manager for Financial Analysis and Budget Operations for the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, for the University of Iowa Physicians, and for the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.
O’Brien previously held administrative positions at the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He earned an MA in Public Affairs and Policy Analysis from the LaFollette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MA in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
In 2020, O’Brien received the UCSF Chancellor Award for Exceptional University Management.
Farzana Perwad, MD
Division Chief of Nephrology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Farzana Perwad, MD, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Division Chief of Nephrology. Dr. Perwad serves as the Principal Investigator and co-Investigator in clinical trials in pediatric bone and mineral disorders related to kidney disease and X-Linked Hypophosphatemia.
Dr. Perwad serves on national and international advisory committees to establish guidelines in management of bone and mineral disorders in children. She is the Fellowship Program Director for Pediatric Nephrology and the Director of the Fellows Scholarship Oversight Committee for the Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Perwad is devoted to mentoring fellows and junior faculty to establish successful academic careers in Nephrology. She is the recipient of teaching awards and research grants that focus on advancing the understanding of molecular mechanisms of regulation of phosphorus and vitamin D metabolism.
Elizabeth Rogers, MD
Associate Vice Chair for Faculty Development, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Chief Experience Officer, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Elizabeth E. Rogers, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neonatology and Director of the ROOTS Small Baby Programs in the Intensive Care Nursery at UCSF Mission Bay. Dr. Rogers serves as the Associate Vice Chair for Faculty Development and the Chief Experience Officer in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics.
She specializes in neuroprotective care and neurodevelopmental outcomes for critically ill infants. Her research focuses on developmental, social-behavioral, and family-level outcomes, aiming to identify and implement protective factors. She is interested in care cultures that best support infants, their families, and the healthcare workers who care for them.
Dr. Rogers earned her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in 2003. She completed a residency at UCSF in 2006 and a fellowship in neonatology in 2010.
A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Society for Pediatric Research, Dr. Rogers has received the Abraham Rudolph Award for UCSF Pediatric Residents, several UCSF Department of Pediatrics Commendations and teaching awards, and the UCSF Health Exceptional Physician Award. She currently chairs the UCSF Academic Senate Committee on Faculty Welfare.
Theodore Ruel, MD
Division Chief of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Theodore Ruel, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship training program in the Department of Pediatrics.
Dr. Ruel aims to advance the care of infants and children living with HIV. His research activity ranges from clinical trials to establish dosing for new drugs for the treatment of infants to implementation science that optimizes the care of adolescents and young adults with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. He is Chair of the NIH-funded Treatment Scientific Committee for the International Maternal and pediatric HIV Trials network International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group (IMPAACT).
Dr. Ruel holds leadership roles in the field of pediatric HIV, including vice-chair of the Pediatric Antiretroviral Working Group of the World Health Organization (WHO) and co-chair of the Panel on Antiretroviral Therapy and Medical Management of HIV-Infected Children the develops treatment guidelines for the USA for the NIH and the US Health Resources and Services Administration.
Dr. Ruel is committed to the development of physician scientists in pediatric infectious disease and through this role as program director and through international collaborative research. Dr. Ruel earned his MD at the Yale University, School of Medicine. He first came to UCSF in 2000 for pediatric residency training and remained to complete fellow training in Pediatric Infectious Disease and join as faculty.
Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD
Division Chief of Oncology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD, is a physician-scientist focused on cancer biology and cancer genomics. His laboratory works to understand the molecular rewiring that occurs in cancer to deepen the fundamental understanding of this disease and potentially identify new therapeutic opportunities. He uses functional genomics applied to mouse and human systems are used to understand signaling and transcriptional networks that regulate the outcome of specific oncogenic mutations. Lung cancer and pediatric sarcomas are the two primary disease interests of the lab.
Dr. Sweet-Cordero's lab relies on computational genomic analysis for much of their work and they have extensive experience in generating next-generation sequencing datasets for gene and network discovery using both primary tumors and human and mouse model systems.
In addition to directing his own research laboratory, Dr. Sweet-Cordero also directs the Molecular Oncology Initiative at UCSF, an effort to advance the clinical application of precision medicine in oncology for adult and pediatric cancer patients. In June of 2022 he was appointed as the Chief of the Division of Oncology in the UCSF Department of Pediatrics.
Sandrijn M. van Schaik, MD PhD
Vice Chair for Education, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Sandrijn van Schaik, MD, PhD, is the Vice Chair for Medical Education in the Department of Pediatrics. Dr. van Schaik is also a professor of Pediatrics with a clinical appointment in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at UCSF.
Dr. van Schaik is the inaugural Baum Family Presidential Chair for Experiential Learning and serves as the Education Director of UCSF’s Simulation Center. She also oversees faculty development for the Learning and Caring Environment (LACE) initiative as part of the Center for Faculty Educators at UCSF.
While her initial research and PhD work focused on immunology, Dr. van Schaik currently is active in educational research and innovation. She completed the UCSF Teaching Scholar Program in 2009 followed by a two-year Medical Education Research Fellowship at UCSF, and subsequently was selected for the prestigious Josiah Macy Jr Foundation Faculty Scholar program.
Dr. van Schaik is involved in several grant-funded efforts to improve interprofessional teamwork and clinical learning environments at UCSF and beyond. She has received numerous teaching and mentoring awards and is a member of the UCSF Haile T Debas Academy of Medical Educators and the National Academy of Distinguished Educators in Pediatrics.
Emily von Scheven, MD
Division Chief of Pediatric Rheumatology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Emily von Scheven, MD, is the Division Chief of Rheumatology and Director of the Child and Adolescent Chronic Illness Center at UCSF Benioff Children’s hospital.
Dr. von Scheven is a pediatric rheumatologist with a special interest in the long-term outcomes of children with chronic illness. Dr. von Scheven cares for patients with all rheumatic conditions and directs the UCSF Child and Adolescent Comprehensive Lupus Program for Improved Health.
Dr. von Scheven utilizes epidemiologic and intervention clinical trials to better understand biologic and non-biologic predictors of disease outcome and optimal therapeutic approaches. Her research focuses on understanding and improving the outcomes of children with rheumatic diseases, including outcomes during adulthood.
As Director of the UCSF Child and Adolescent Chronic Illness Center, Dr. von Scheven’s mission is to create a lifetime of wellness for children growing up with chronic conditions.
Nationally, Dr. von Scheven serves as the President of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) and is a member of the northern California chapter of the Arthritis Foundation Board and Medical and Scientific Committee.
She mentors residents, fellows and junior faculty within and outside of the Department of Pediatrics and UCSF. In 2020, Dr. von Scheven was a recipient of the UCSF Health Exceptional Physician Award.
Mark Walters, MD
Division Chief of Hematology, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Walters is a Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of Hematology and the Jordan Family Director of Blood and Marrow Transplantation at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. He is internationally recognized for his research on disorders of hemoglobin, including novel gene therapy approaches for treatment of these disorders.
Dr. Walters is a prolific scientist with a long track record of NIH and industry funding. He has published over 150 scientific papers and is a sought-after speaker both nationally and internationally. He served as Director of Research during the integration of CHORI into UCSF. Dr. Walters has served as interim chief of the division since February 2021.
Dr. Walters earned his M.D. at UCSD and completed pediatric residency and a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Washington. He was recruited to Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in 1999.
ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
Joanne Dang
Chief Financial Officer, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Joanne Dang is the Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Pediatrics.
Joanne is responsible for directing department wide financial and reporting activities, as well as establishing department policies, guidelines and procedures to ensure fiscal integrity and regulatory compliance.
Prior to her current role, she served as the division manager for Endocrinology, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonary and Rheumatology in the department and research finance manager for HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine. She was the primary finance administrator for a 5-year $60M NIH/WHO funded clinical research program, entitled the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health, with the goal to end the HIV pandemic.
Prior to joining UCSF, Joanne was recruited and relocated to Charlotte, NC to start a hybrid mortgage operation with Wachovia Bank. In her role as Senior Analysis Consultant then promoted to Officer, she managed and organized all aspects of build-out; from designing the employee onboarding process to creating the procedural and work stream; and set goals for both the sales and fulfillment teams. The unit rapidly became the most productive unit in the company.
Jamie Mondics
Director of Communication, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Jamie Mondics is the Director of Communications for the UCSF Department of Pediatrics.
Mondics has 15 years of progressive experience developing and leading innovative strategies that impact success. She is tasked with building the first internal and external communications strategy for the department.
Prior to her role with the UCSF Department of Pediatrics she worked for several national organizations.
As the senior director of communications at the National Council for Behavioral Health Mondics led the communications, marketing and brand strategy for Mental Health First Aid USA to ensure effective messaging across nine educational products delivered to more than 3 million people nationwide.
Prior to her work on Mental Health First Aid, her communications portfolio included developing the messaging strategy, public relations and rebranding for a mental health policy center, the direction of a $6 million campaign to educate diverse audiences about the Affordable Care Act, a targeted initiative to decrease transmission of HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean and the design of a communications program to encourage HPV vaccine initiation among adolescent girls in high-risk communities to reduce the burden of cervical cancer.
Mondics is passionate about driving change on critical social issues and elevating the work of organizations that are transforming health.
Lekesha Ponde
Director of Research, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Lekesha Ponde, MA, is Director of Research, Pediatrics
Ponde started her career in Research Administration in 2010 at the University of California, Berkeley. Throughout her career in Research Administration, her focus has been to provide support and guidance around funding and compliance by providing analytical and financial support in contracts and grants administration, including pre-award proposal initiatives, post-award management of funds, and closeout activities for federal, state, local, and private sponsors.
Ponde believes strongly in the research mission of UCSF, its faculty, and researchers. She has a keen interest in solving operating problems, increasing efficiency, and creating a strong service focus team to support the mission of teaching, research, and public service. She believes in training, mentoring and coaching employees to promote an inclusive work environment where people can grow professionally. Her goal is to continue to work towards leading change within the organization.
Lekesha holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Isenberg School of Management.
Peggy Weix, MBA, MFA
Director of Strategic Initiatives, UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Peggy Weix, MBA, MFA is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the UCSF Department of Pediatrics.
She works directly with Chair Raphael Hirsch, MD, and the executive team on department strategic initiatives and oversees the communications team. Ms. Weix has been at UCSF for over 12 years. Prior to her role as head of strategic initiatives, she was a division manager for the Hematology and Oncology division. She was also a division manager for Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine and financial analyst in the Department of Medicine, Business Office. In 2019 and 2020, Ms. Weix served as the staff lead on the School of Medicine Difference Matters initiative.
Prior to joining UCSF, Ms. Weix was an accountant in various accounting firms.