Mission Statement

The Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the health, safety and well-being of children and adolescents so they may reach their full potential. The Ohio AAP will accomplish this by addressing the needs of children, their families, and their communities, and by supporting Chapter members through advocacy, education, research, service, and improving the systems through which they deliver pediatric care.

Ohio AAP Staff

• Melissa Wervey Arnold – Chief Executive Officer
• Elizabeth Dawson – Chief Operating Officer
• Hayley Southworth, MS – Director of Program Management and Training
• Beth Barker, RN, BSN – Director of Immunization Programs
• Kristen Stidham Fluitt, MS – Program Manager
• Renee Dickman, MS – Program Manager
• Ryan Aills-Communications Strategist
• Teresa Kerr – Office Operations Assistant
• Samantha Anzeljc, PhD – Quality Improvement Consultant
• Kellee Gauthier, MPH – Program Manager
• Joanne Gordon – MOBI Administrative Assistant

Ohio AAP Staff Bios

Directions to the Ohio AAP Office

Board of Directors

• Robert Murray, MD, FAAP – President
• Michael Gittelman, MD, FAAP – President-Elect
• Jill Fitch, MD, FAAP –Treasurer
• Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP – Delegate-at-large
• Kate Krueck, MD, FAAP – Delegate-at-large
• Kelsey Logan, MD, FAAP – Delegate-at-large
• Andrew Garner, MD, PhD, FAAP  –Immediate Past President
• William Cotton, MD, FAAP – Advocacy Chair Liaison
• Christopher Peltier, MD, FAAP – Hospital Employed Physician Liaison

Nominating Committee

• Jonathan Price, MD, FAAP
• Denise Warrick, MD, FAAP
• Tara Williams, MD, FAAP

Pediatric Chairs

• Nazha Abughali, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, MetroHealth
• John Barnard, III, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Norman Christopher, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Akron Children’s Hospital
• George Darah, DO – Interim Chair, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toledo
• John Duby, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Dayton Children’s Hospital
• Margaret Hostetter, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hosptial Medical Center
• Karen Montgomery-Reagan – Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Michelle Medina, MD, FAAP – Chair, Department of General Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hosptial
• Michelle Walsh, MD, FAAP – Interim Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital

Medical Directors

• Rebecca Baum, MD, FAAP – Building Mental Wellness Program
• Rebecca Brady, MD, FAAP – Maximizing Office Based Immunization, Ohio QI2U-MenB
• Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP – Education and Sleep Environment, Injury Prevention/Safe Sleep
• Michele Dritz, MD, FAAP – Ohio QI2U-Adolescent Health
• Robert W. Frenck, Jr., MD, FAAP – Medical Director
• Kimberly Giuliano, MD, FAAP – Building Mental Wellness Program
• Michael Gittelman, MD, FAAP – Education and Sleep Environment, Injury Prevention/Safe Sleep, Injury Plus Seek Learning Collaborative, Smoke Free Families Ohio Learning Collaborative
• Jamie Macklin, MD, FAAP – Education and Sleep Environment, Injury Prevention/Safe Sleep
• Robert Murray, MD, FAAP – Good4Growth
• Judith Romano, MD, MD, FAAP – Good4Growth
• Amy Sternstein, MD, FAAP -Parenting at Mealtime and Playtime
• Elizabeth Zmuda, DO, FAAP – Parenting at Mealtime and Playtime

Pediatric Societies

• Cincinnati Pediatric Society (COPS)
  • Contact: Paul Bunch, MD, FAAP, President
• Central Ohio Pediatric Society (CPS)
  • Contact: Amy Jo Hernandez, Executive Director
• Western Ohio Pediatric Society (WOPS)
  • Contact: Sue Strader