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New Faculty July 2023The UAB Department of Pediatrics welcomed fourteen new faculty members in the month of July. Please join us in making them feel at home!

Hope Arnold, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology
Luke Burton, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care
Alexandria Edwards, M.D., instructor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Mohini Gunnett, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology
Mary Littrell, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Elizabeth Mertens, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Loretta Parker, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Maria Rueda-Altez, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Katherine Thaggard, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology
Vivian Valcarce Luaces, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology
Kathleen Vincent, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Academic General Pediatrics
Samantha Weaver, DNP., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology
Hunter Wilkerson, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Zaki Yazdi, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology

Hope Arnold, M.D

Hope Arnold, M.D

Hope Arnold, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, earned her medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Arnold completed her residency in general pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She completed her Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. Her clinical interests include: neurodevelopmental outcomes, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, quality improvement with focus on transitions of care.

Luke Burton, M.D.

Luke Burton, M.D.

Luke Burton, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, earned his medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, NC. Dr. Burton completed his residency in pediatric internal medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville, SC. He completed his fellowship in pediatric critical care at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His clinical interests include: point-of-care ultrasound, right ventricular failure, and ICU liberation.

Alexandria Edwards, M.D.

Alexandria Edwards, M.D.

Alexandria Edwards, M.D., instructor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, earned her medical degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, in Birmingham, AL. Her interests include: medical education and simulation.

Mohini Gunnett, M.D.

Mohini Gunnett, M.D.

Mohini Agarwal Gunnett, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, earned her medical degree from the Heersink School of Medicine in Birmingham, AL. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Florida at Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. She then returned to complete her fellowships in pulmonary and sleep medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, AL. Her clinical interests/major research include: sleep-disordered breathing, PAP therapy in pediatrics, behavioral sleep medicine, high-risk asthma, medical program education, faculty & program wellness initiatives, and quality improvement in clinical practices.

Mary Littrell, M.D.

Mary Littrell, M.D.

Mary Littrell, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, earned her medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Littrell completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. She completed her pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR, and a neuro-oncology fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Elizabeth Mertens, M.D.

Elizabeth Mertens, M.D.

Elizabeth Mertens, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, earned her medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Mertens completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, TN. She completed her pediatric hospital medicine fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Loretta Parker, M.D.

Loretta Parker, M.D.

Loretta Parker, D.O., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, earned her medical degree from Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, TN. Dr. Parker completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, TN. She served as chief fellow during her pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, OK. She completed her pediatric blood and marrow transplant fellowship at Emory & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Atlanta, GA.

Maria Rueda-Altez, M.D.

Maria Rueda-Altez, M.D.

Maria Rueda-Altez, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, earned her medical degree from Cayetano Heredia University in Lima, Peru. Dr. Rueda-Altez completed her residency in pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. She completed her pediatric infectious disease fellowship at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. Her clinical interests include: infections in pediatric immunocompromised hosts and antimicrobial stewardship.

Katherine Thaggard, M.D.

Katherine Thaggard, M.D.

Katherine Thaggard, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, earned her medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Dr. Thaggard completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. She completed her pediatric neurology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed her clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Vivian Valcarce Luaces, M.D.

Vivian Valcarce Luaces, M.D.

Vivian Valcarce, M.D., assistant professor at the Division of Neonatology, earned her medical degree from Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. She completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Miami and her Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellowship at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Her research interest includes neonatal nutrition and the developing immune system.

Kathleen Vincent, M.D.

Kathleen Vincent, M.D.

Kathleen Vincent, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Academic General Pediatrics, earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Vincent served as chief resident for her residency in general pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her clinical interests include: breastfeeding and lactation, nutrition, and resident education.

Samantha Weaver, DNP

Samantha Weaver, DNP

Samantha Weaver, DNP, CRNP, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Neurology, earned her doctor of nursing practice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Hunter Wilkerson, M.D.

Hunter Wilkerson, M.D.

Hunter Wilkerson, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi in Jackson, MS. He completed his combined internal medicine and pediatric residency program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, AL.

Zaki Yazdi, M.D.,

Zaki Yazdi, M.D.,

Zaki Yazdi, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology, earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Yazdi completed his residency in pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. He completed his fellowship in neonatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His interests include intermittent hypoxemia, noninvasive respiratory support, neonatal/perinatal palliative care, and the use of simulation to improve neonatal care.