Todd Wolynn, MD, MMM, IBCLC®, FAAP
Keynote Address and Trusted Messenger Training
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Wolynn is a pediatrician with 30+ years of experience in primary care, vaccine research, and public health advocacy.
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He worked at the same practice for 30 years, co-founding Kids Plus Pediatrics in Pittsburgh, PA, serving as CEO for 12 years, and led the practice to national recognition for its innovation, patient engagement, clinical quality and communication.
For his pioneering work in health care innovation and science communication, Todd has been named an Ernst & Young Health Care Entrepreneur of the Year – 2016, a People Magazine national Vaccine Hero – 2021, and an AAP Holroyd-Sherry Communication/Media Award winner – 2022.
Chad Hermann
Trusted Messenger Training
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsChad Hermann is Vice President of Communication and Strategy for the Trusted Messenger Program, where he works to transform the way health care communicates with patients, families, and communities.
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An award-winning writer, editor, filmmaker, and educator, Chad brings decades of experience at the intersection of communication, health care, public health, and academia.
Before joining the Trusted Messenger Program, Chad served as Vice President of Communications for Pediatric Associates Family of Companies and held communications and leadership roles with Kids Plus Pediatrics. His work has helped health care organizations translate complex science into clear, compelling, and human-centered communication that builds trust and strengthens relationships.
Chad previously taught at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, where BusinessWeek recognized him as one of the Top 25 Undergraduate Business Professors in the nation. He has also consulted with nonprofits, advocacy organizations, political candidates, and Fortune 500 companies on communication, strategy, media, and storytelling.
In 2021, People magazine recognized Chad as a National Vaccine Hero for his work in health and science communication. Today, through the Trusted Messenger Program, he trains health care professionals and organizations in evidence-based communication strategies designed to build trust, navigate difficult conversations, address misinformation, and improve patient care.
Chad holds a master’s degree and is a PhD candidate (ABD). His work is grounded in a simple belief: effective communication is not separate from health care—it is an essential part of it.
Danny Hurley
Ohio AAP State Advocacy Update
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDanny Hurley is a lobbyist with BT Strategies, where he advocates on behalf of health care, public health, and other issues before the Ohio General Assembly.
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He brings extensive experience navigating Ohio’s legislative and policy landscape and helping organizations understand and respond to complex issues affecting their work and the communities they serve.
Danny works closely with health care organizations, professional associations, and other stakeholders to advance public policy priorities and build relationships with policymakers. His work includes monitoring legislation, developing advocacy strategies, communicating policy implications, and representing clients before state lawmakers and government officials.
As a lobbyist for BT Strategies, Danny has been actively involved in Ohio health policy discussions, including issues related to Medicaid, children’s health, health insurance, public health, and state funding. He regularly provides legislative updates and analysis to organizations seeking to understand how decisions at the Statehouse may affect patients, providers, families, and communities.
Danny is known for his practical understanding of the legislative process and his ability to translate complicated policy issues into clear, actionable information. His experience gives him a valuable perspective on the intersection of government, health care, advocacy, and public policy.
Esteban Fernandez Faith, MD, FAAD
Dermatology Trivia
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Esteban Fernandez Faith is a pediatric dermatologist specializing in vascular birthmarks and anomalies, treating conditions such as infantile hemangiomas, venous malformations, lymphatic malformations, port-wine stains, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and associated syndromes including Sturge-Weber syndrome, PHACES, CLOVES, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, and CMTC.
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He primarily serves infants, children, and adolescents with these complex skin disorders, focusing on those predominant in pediatric populations. At Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, he employs signature treatments including laser therapy and drug management, notably beta-blockers for infantile hemangiomas, reflecting a paradigm shift in management as evidenced by his research.
As Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Ohio State University College of Medicine, his active research themes include retrospective cohort studies on hemangioma treatment outcomes, with notable publications such as “Paradigm shift in the management of infantile hemangiomas in the beta-blocker era,” co-authored with experts like Elena Pope.
His clinical approach emphasizes specialized expertise in pediatric-specific dermatoses, integrating procedural interventions with medical management for optimal outcomes in refractory or syndromic cases. Dr. Fernandez Faith practices at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Dermatology Clinic, contributing to multidisciplinary teams for hemangioma and vascular anomalies.
Sarah Adams, MD, FAAP
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Sarah Adams is a board-certified pediatrician who retired from clinical practice in December 2024 after nearly 30 years of caring for children and families.
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She continues to advance child health through leadership, education, advocacy, and media.
Dr. Adams serves as Vice President of the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and as Medical Director of Parenting at Mealtime and Playtime. She is also a member of the Ohio AAP Child Health Pillar and Foundation Advisory Board. Nationally, she is an AAP spokesperson, a member of the Council on Communications and Media, and an Ambassador for the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health.
She remains active at Akron Children’s Hospital as an affiliate staff member in Patient Experience, where she facilitates relationship-centered communication programs and supports professional development. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Lawrence School.
Dr. Adams is the host of the award-winning podcast Growing Up with Dr. Sarah, where she brings trusted, evidence-based pediatric information to families through thoughtful conversations with experts. Across all her roles, she is passionate about supporting children, empowering families, and helping pediatric professionals communicate with empathy, clarity, and connection.
Chris Bolling, MD, FAAP
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Christopher Bolling is a Volunteer Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
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A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the pediatric training program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, he co-founded Pediatric Associates in the northern Kentucky suburbs of Cincinnati in 1992. Over the ensuing thirty years, Pediatric Associates became one of the largest single-specialty pediatric practices in the country. Dr. Bolling retired from Pediatric Associates in December 2022.
After residency and during a three-year appointment mid-career at Cincinnati Children’s, he pursued research, advocacy, and clinical skills related to preventing and managing pediatric obesity. He helped found the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Obesity in 2009 and served on the Section Executive Committee as Chair through 2019. He has been published in behavior change, obesity treatment, and community research.
Most recently, he has been a co-author of the AAP policy statement on bariatric surgery, the AAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents, and the AAP Policy Statement “The Role of the Pediatrician in Healthy, Active Living.” He remains engaged in quality improvement, education, advocacy, and research activities.
Praveen Goday, MD, FAAP
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsPraveen Goday, MD, is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
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He is the Director of the Nutrition and Feeding Programs, which provide nutrition care throughout the hospital system and care to children with feeding problems. He is a clinical professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Goday is a graduate of Madras Medical College in India. He is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. He is active at the national level in promoting pediatric nutrition. He is currently serving on the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the board of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). He has been recognized by several societies for his work in pediatric nutrition and has received the Distinguished Nutrition Support Physician Service Award from ASPEN (2018), the Master Educator Award for sustained educational scholarship from the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) (2021), and Honorary Membership of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for distinguished contributions to the field of nutrition (2022). Dr. Goday’s research interests include multiple efforts to improve feeding, nutrition, and growth in children with diverse diseases.
In 2019, Dr. Goday was the lead author of the paper that defined Pediatric Feeding Disorder, that has served to unify this common but understudied condition. This was followed by a paper that identified the prevalence of this condition. He has also co-authored important publications such as the original paper that identified the key concepts of pediatric malnutrition and the guidelines for nutrition provision to critically ill children. He has also edited two books: Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition and Pediatric Nutrition for Dietitians.
Farah Khan, MD, FAAP
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Farah N. Khan is a board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist practicing in Columbus, Ohio.
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She is a member of the Division of Allergy & Immunology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Nationwide Children’s currently lists her among the faculty of its Allergy & Immunology fellowship program.
Dr. Farah Khan has a background in print journalism with a master’s degree from Medill at Northwestern University. However, the 2008 recession brought her to a fork in her career, and she pivoted to medical school. Dr. Khan went on to pediatric residency at Inova Children’s Hospital and allergy and immunology fellowship training at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a double board-certified allergist/immunologist and pediatrician.
Dr. Khan serves as the Social Media Committee Chair for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. She worked in private practice prior to joining academia and currently practices in the Allergy & Immunology Division at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Janet Wasylyshen-Velasco, MD MPH IBCLC FAAP
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Anna Busenburg, RD, CSP, LD, CLC
Coaching You Through Infant Feeding Encounters
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsAnna is the Nutrition Affairs Manager at the American Dairy Association Mideast.
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Anna is a Registered Dietitian in Cincinnati, OH, with 15 years of nutrition experience. She has worked in clinical nutrition, specifically pediatrics, for the majority of her career. Working to educate families on their child’s development and growth is something she deeply enjoys. Babies are amazing, and they grow and change so fast. Being part of their nutrition care journey during such a pivotal time has been an amazing honor.
She also has specialty training as a Certified Specialist in Pediatrics (CSP) and a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and she completed the certification course in Childhood and Adolescent Weight Management.
Alisha George, MD, FAAP
Advancing the Ball in Pediatric Asthma Care
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsI am a pediatric lung and sleep specialist with a focus on complex obstructive sleep apnea and asthma.
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I also see children with a wide variety of other sleep and pulmonary issues. These specialties are commonly intertwined with other medical disciplines and often call for a team approach to patient care.
My philosophy of care is that of shared decision-making. I believe it is vital to listen to patients and families, have a comprehensive understanding of their goals and concerns and formulate a feasible plan that provides the best care. It’s about meeting patients and families where they are and then working together to optimize health.
I have an interest in underserved populations, both domestic and abroad. To that end, I received the 2018 Strauss Fellowship for Global Health at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, an award that helped fund global health training and asthma-related research in Malawi, Africa. Locally, we are working on ways to identify and minimize health disparities in pediatric patients with asthma and lung disease.
In my research, we’re also seeking to optimize outcomes in complex obstructive sleep apnea and to understand the intersection between obstructive sleep apnea and asthma.
Eva Johnson, MD, FAAP
Advancing the Ball in Pediatric Asthma Care
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsEva Johnson, MD, is a pediatrician in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, and Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
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Dr. Johnson is board certified in pediatrics. Her special interests include breastfeeding, nutrition, and mental health.
Dr. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from Grinnell College and her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She completed her residency in pediatrics at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and joined the medical staff in 2004.
David Karas, MD, FAAP
Game-Changing Communication Strategies
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Karas is a pediatrician at Akron Children’s Pediatrics and is medical director of Ambulatory Quality and Clinical Outcomes Improvement at Akron Children’s.
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He’s been practicing since 2003. He graduated from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, Ohio, and completed a pediatric residency at Akron Children’s. Dr. Karas has a special interest in quality improvement and informatics.
He’s certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Additionally, he’s earned several awards for his work in academia and is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
In 2022, Dr. Karas was named Community Pediatrician of the Year by the Ohio AAP and now serves as a Board Delegate-at-Large member.
Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP
Game-Changing Communication Strategies
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsSarah Denny, MD, FAAP, is an attending physician in the Division of Primary Care Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
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Dr. Denny is Director of Resident Advocacy Education at Nationwide Children’s and enjoys teaching pediatric residents how pediatricians can effectively advocate for the needs of their patients. She also works in School Health, serving as the Medical Director of the partnership between Nationwide Children’s and Reynoldsburg City Schools.
She is Medical Director of injury prevention initiatives for the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Denny is President of the Board of Directors for the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is the co-chair of the advocacy pillar.
Emily Harris, MD, MPH, FAAP
Ohio’s Behavioral Health Playbook
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Harris is a Triple Board graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and has worked for over 10 years as both a child psychiatrist and general pediatrician in the region.
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She has built a formidable portfolio of work focused on improving primary care provider mental health capacity within the pediatric medical home.
She has been a psychiatric/mental health consulting specialist for the Ohio Chapter of the AAP since 2018, working on projects such as Atopic Dermatitis, IMPLICIT Healthy Moms Healthy Families, Store It Safe, and presenting at the Ohio Chapter of the AAP Annual Meeting.
Erin R. McKnight, MD, MPH, FASAM
Moving Substance Abuse and Addiction Treatment Across the Goal Line
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of PediatricsDr. Erin McKnight is a physician in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and is board certified in pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and addiction medicine.
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Dr. McKnight earned her medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and her Master of Public Health from The Ohio State University and completed both her pediatric residency and adolescent medicine fellowship at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
She serves as the medical director of the Substance Use Treatment and Recovery program within the Division of Adolescent Medicine, providing care for youth with substance use disorders. She is co-chair of the Opioid Safety Task Force at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, transforming institutional opioid stewardship by utilizing quality improvement methods to decrease opioid prescribing and improve opioid safety.
In addition, she is the director of the Project DAWN Collaborative and oversees the implementation of an opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution program throughout clinical, school-based, and community settings within the Nationwide Children’s Hospital consortium.
Currently, she receives funding from the Foundations for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) as a pilot site for implementation of the school-based overdose prevention education program, Prevention Education Partnership (PEP), developed by NYU Langone Health, creating a blueprint model for school systems nationwide to implement scalable and sustainable opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution.
