Faculty and Fellows
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship
Our group of experienced physicians has earned national recognition in the areas of sickle cell, hemophilia and oncology. Each physician works with an advanced practice nurse or physician assistant and a social worker to provide comprehensive care to our patients and families. Additional support staff includes child life, pharmacy, chaplaincy, psychology, music therapy and research coordinators.
The Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program offers a team approach to learning through a group of experienced physicians. The program is designed to give fellows comprehensive education in all aspects of pediatric hematology/oncology.
Program Director
Karen B. Lewing, MD
Fellowship Program Director; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Associate Program Directors
Erin M. Guest, MD
Hematology/Oncology; Director, Cancer Genomics Program; Director, Cancer Center Biorepository; Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Lauren E. Amos, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Fellowship Coordinator
Abbey Elsbernd, MD
Hometown: Wichita, KS
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Residency: Children’s Mercy
Career/Research Interests: Still deciding
Favorite Thing About KC: How welcoming and friendly everyone is here. (And BBQ, of course!)
Jillian Fry, MD
Hometown: Shawnee, KS
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Residency: Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Career/Research Interests: Leukemia and lymphoma
Favorite Thing about KC: My family and friends here! (and Manny’s Mexican Restaurant!)
Shailly Gaur, MD
Hometown: Sayre, PA
Medical School: Geisinger Commonwealth SOM, Scranton, PA
Residency: Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital, Charlotte, NC
Career/Research Interests: Hematology, Social Determinants of Health
Hobbies/Interests: Cooking/baking, reading, enjoying the sunshine!
Favorite Thing about KC: All the food (more than just barbecue!)
Amy Johnson, MD
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Medical School: University of Kansas School of Medicine
Residency: Children’s Mercy Hospital
Career/Research Interests: Oncology, Palliative Care, Bioethics
Hobbies/Interests: Painting
Meagan Vacek, DO
Hometown: East Bernard, Texas – tiny town about an hour from Houston
Medical School: Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, TX
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Career/Research Interests: I am interested in oncology (both liquid and solid malignancies) and am using my time in fellowship to explore translational research
Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy hiking and spending time outside, reading, exploring new restaurants and hanging out with my co-fellows.
2010
Terrie Flatt, DO, Director, HOPE Clinic (Spanish speaking Oncology Clinic) Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
Erin Guest, MD, Erin Guest, MD, Director, Cancer Genomics Program; Director, Cancer Center Biorepository. Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
2011
Kevin Ginn, MD, Neurooncologist, Director, Brain Tumor Program, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
2012
Anne Elliott, MD, Pediatric Palliative Care, Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron, Ohio
2013
Mike Silvey, DO, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City Mo.
Melanie Villanueva, DO
2014
Glenson Samuel, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
Gary Jones, DO, Associate Director at eviCore Healthcare, Kansas City, Mo.
2015
Jaszianne Tolbert, MD, Senior Director, Oncology Clinical Development, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Philadelphia, Pa.
Nazia Iqbal, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
2016
Pablo Angulo, DO, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Banner University Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz.
Nathan Hall, DO, Division Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, KUMC, Wichita, Kan.
2017
Ashish Risal, MD, Benign Hematology & Pediatrics, Health Administration Candidate, Ozarks Healthcare, West Plains, Mo., Benign Heme and Peds
Naresh Reddivalla, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Banner University Medical Center, Tucson, Ariz.
2018
Nikki Wood, DO, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
Lauren Amos, MD, Associate Fellowship Program Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
2019
Derrick Goubeaux, DO, Sickle Cell Program Medical Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.
Laura McCarthy Crowell, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Blank Children’s Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Des Moines, Iowa
2020
Kemi Olaiya, DO, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sana Farooki, MD, Bone Marrow Transplant Fellow, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, N.Y.
2021
Sarah McDermott, DO, MBS, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, American Family Children’s Hospital, Madison, WI
Chandni Dargan, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville, SC
2022
Sara McElroy, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
Kayeleigh Higgerson, MD, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
2023
Thomas Cochran, MD, Coagulation Fellow, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
Alexandra Prosser-Dombrowski, MD, Frontiers TL1 Trainee, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
Our Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship team
Karen B. Lewing, MD
Fellowship Director
(816) 302-6879
Erin Guest, MD
Associate Program Director
(816) 302-6808
Lauren Amos, MD
Associate Program Director
(816) 302-6808
Megan Smith, MSE
Fellowship Coordinator
mrsmith4@cmh.edu