Leadership

Maryland Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics

For any questions please contact MDAAP Executive Director,
Loretta I. Hoepfner, MSOD at loretta@mdaap.org.

Chapter Officers

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President

Rachel Dodge, MD, MPH, FAAP

Bio

Dr. Rachel Dodge is a community pediatrician and owner of Dundalk Pediatrics Associates in Southeast Baltimore County. Dr. Dodge has expertise regarding the health of high risk populations, especially children in foster care. She has served on numerous state and national workgroups aimed at the health needs of children in foster care. She also advocates for pediatrics through her appointment on the Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee. In addition, she teaches medical students and pediatric residents as a community preceptor. She holds a part-time appointment as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Dodge received her medical degree from the University of Maryland, School of Medicine in 2002 and completed the pediatric residency program at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital/University Hospitals of Cleveland in 2005. She completed the General Pediatric Academic Development Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and earned a Master’s of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2008.

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Vice President

Katherine Hoops, MD, MPH, FAAP

Bio

Dr. Katherine Hoops is an attending physician in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Medicine. She earned her medical degree at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. She completed a Master’s in Public Health concentrating on Health Policy and Management in injury and violence prevention at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She completed her residency training in Pediatrics at the University of Alabama Birmingham before returning to Johns Hopkins to complete her fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. She is currently a Juris Doctor candidate at the Georgetown University Law Center (2024). Dr. Hoops’ research is focused on an equity-focused, public health approach to the prevention of firearm injury and violence. She is a core faculty member in the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions and serves as the Director of Clinical Programs and Practice. She conducts research on creating and evaluating effective policy measures, implementing a trauma-informed approach to care, effectively communicating with patients and families about firearm safety, and improving physicians’ education on and counseling related to firearm safety. She serves as an official spokesperson for the AAP and works with local and national media to provide education on issues related to child health.
She and her husband, a cardiac anesthesiologist and intensivist, have two wonderful, book-loving children. In her free time, she enjoys running, cycling, gardening, cooking, and reading.

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Treasurer-Secretary

Wendy Lane, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACPM 

Bio

Wendy Lane, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACPM is a Pediatrician who works at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Lifebridge Health Center for Hope. She is board certified in General Pediatrics, Child Abuse Pediatrics, and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Lane received her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and then completed her Pediatric residency and Masters in Public Health at the University of North Carolina. She completed a Preventive Medicine residency at the University of Maryland, and then a fellowship in Child Abuse and Neglect at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Lane is currently a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland, where she serves as Director of the Preventive Medicine Residency Program and as the Principal Investigator for B’more for Healthy Babies Upton/Druid Heights, a community-based and community-engaged intervention to improve birth outcomes. She serves as Medical Director at the Center for Hope, and Directs the Maryland CHAMP program, which provides training, peer review and support to Maryland physicians and nurses who evaluate children with suspected maltreatment. Until the end of 2023, Dr. Lane served as chair of the Maryland State Council on Child Abuse and Neglect where she helped pass Maryland legislation to create a Medical Director for Child Welfare and to reduce sexual abuse and misconduct in schools. She has also served for many years as Co-Chair of the Maryland AAP Committee on Child Maltreatment and Foster Care.

Dr. Lane performs medical evaluations for suspected maltreatment at the Center for Hope, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and the Howard County Child Advocacy Center.

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MDAAP Foundation President

Monique Soileau-Burke, MD, FAAP

Bio

Monique Soileau-Burke, MD, FAAP, is a general pediatrician at The Pediatric Center in Columbia, MD. Dr. Burke serves as a Clinical Instructor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She served as the Vice-President of the Maryland AAP Foundation and previously served as the Central Maryland Representative. As MDAAP Vice-President, Dr. Burke served on the Maryland Department of Health’s Pediatric COVID Vaccine work group and serves as a Maryland GOVAX ambassador. She was recently appointed chair of the Statewide Advisory Commission on Immunizations. Dr. Burke completed her pediatric residency training at Johns Hopkins in 2002. She received her medical degree in 1999 from the Tulane University School of Medicine where she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha. She received her Bachelor of Science from Newcomb College of Tulane University with a major in child psychology and early childhood education in 1995. At the Pediatric Center, Dr. Burke serves as a managing partner. With over 25,000 patients and a staff of 50, the practice serves a culturally and economically diverse population of patients from Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carol and Howard Counties and Baltimore City. In 2012, she became certified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and introduced lactation medicine to her practice with designated lactation areas and counseling. A native of Louisiana, she moved to Baltimore for three years of residency training. Twenty years later, she still resides in Baltimore City with her husband, Warren, and their daughter, Evangeline. She is an avid Ravens fan—unless they’re playing her beloved New Orleans Saints.

Regional Representatives

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Central MD

Mutiat Tolu Onigbanjo, MD, FAAP
Baltimore, Baltimore City, Carroll, Cecil, Harford, Howard

Bio

Mutiat Tolu Onigbanjo, MD, FAAP, is a general pediatrician at the University of Maryland. She also serves as the medical director of UM Pediatrics at Midtown. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton University. She attended medical school at George Washington University School of Medicine and completed her pediatric and chief residency at Columbia University. Upon finishing residency, she moved to the DC/Maryland area and worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center providing medical care to an underserved immigrant population. In 2016, she joined the faculty at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She focuses on providing general pediatric care to children from birth through age 21. She also cares for newborns in the newborn nursery and teaches medical students and pediatric residents. She enjoys caring for patients and teaching the next generation of physicians. Tolu is dedicated to advocating for pediatric patients in Baltimore and beyond and is committed to creating a network of physicians to help ensure the needs of our community is met. She lives with her husband and two young children in Howard County. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and attending her kids’ soccer games.

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Eastern Shore

Paul Rogers, MD, FAAP
Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester

Bio

On January 14, 2018 I saw my last patient after over forty years of clinical practice. My practice focused on treating general pediatric patients as well as caring for children with neurodevelopmental; disabilities. As I walked out the office door for the last times. I felt a swirling up inside me of mixed emotions.: I felt a deep sadness leaving behind so many families that I had forged a strong relationship; however, my bones were tired, and my body was telling me it was time. My wife and I moved to the Eastern Shore to be close to the ocean where we had spent for so many vacations. However, I did not abandon pediatrics. Governor Hogan appointed me to the Maryland Lead Poisoning Prevention Commission. In addition, I was part of a group that was successful in obtaining a grant from the AAP to look at best practices in Maryland to identify and manage children with elevated blood lead levels. In my retirement I found a new “pediatric practice,” advocating for children with lead poisoning as well as identifying ways to prevent childhood lead poisoning.
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Montgomery & Prince George's

Christine Saba, MD, FAAP

Bio

Christine Saba, MD, FAAP, completed medical school at Eastern Virginia Medical School, followed by a residency at Georgetown University Medical Center. Prior to entering medical school, she cared for pediatric patients as the first Senior Clinical Pharmacist in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital after completion of the first pediatric pharmacy program at MCV hospital in Richmond. After residency she initially worked for a group practice; since 2000, has been in solo practice, and has been very involved in what it takes to manage and run a practice through 20+years of the evolving changes in Medicine. She has lived in Montgomery County since 1969.

Christine has a passion to advocate for the well-being of children and those families who have no voice to say what their children need by working with her colleagues in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. She feels pediatricians have come together during this COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the increased awareness of what needs to evolve to address the discrepancies of care and social biases that exist in human beings, pediatricians can have huge impact.

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Southern MD

Kristi Machemer, MD, FAAP
Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s

Bio

Kristi Machemer, MD, FAAP, received her medical degree from University of Illinois at Chicago and attended residency at University of Minnesota. She completed a pediatric fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology/BMT at Duke University. After several years in the hematology/oncology world, she returned to her first love, general pediatrics.

She is a pediatrician and owner of Waldorf Pediatrics. Her special interests include mental health including care for children with anxiety, depression, ADHD, ODD and ASD. She also serves in the AAP Mental Health and SODBP primary care committees. Her passion is to include mental health care in the medical home.

She lives with her husband and two children in Charles county. She is fortunate to be studying classical ballet and enjoys dancing with her kids. She loves taking classes in Sumi-E brush painting.

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Western MD

Vandana Sajankila, MD, FAAP
Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Washington

Bio

Dr. Vandana Sajankila is a general pediatrician who currently practices in Hagerstown, Maryland at her
clinic, The Children’s Doctor. She was born in Kerala, India and she completed her early education in the
BEM High School in her native town of Kasaragod. After completing high school, she went to Kharkiv
State Medical University in Ukraine to study medicine in Russian for 7 years. After completing medical
school, she returned to India where she worked as a medical officer at Safdarjung Hospital, DDU Hospital
and Tihar Jail in New Delhi.
Dr. Sajankila moved to the United States in 2002 where she completed her pediatric residency at
Sparrow Hospital, Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. She is board-certified through the
American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She joined The
Children’s Doctor as a general pediatrician in 2007.
Dr. Sajankila is multilingual and is fluent in Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Tamil, Russian and
Spanish. These language skills have helped her to treat and care for a wide range of patients from many
backgrounds.
Dr. Sajankila has been actively involved in her community. She is the physician-in-charge of the clinic of
Shriners Hospital for Children in Hagerstown, Maryland since 2012, a clinic which specializes in
diagnosing and treating children with various developmental disabilities. Dr. Sajankila also founded and
acts as the chairperson of the Leela Education Foundation, a foundation named in memory of her
mother, Leela Sajankila. The foundation grants scholarships to local high school seniors in Pennsylvania
for their academic excellence. Through the Leela Education Foundation, Dr. Sajankila travels to India
annually to conduct medical camps in underprivileged areas of rural southern India.
Dr. Vandana Sajankila lives with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys gardening,
reading, traveling, and long distance running. Her favorite place to run is the C&O canal along the
Potomac River. She also enjoys watching football and supports the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chapter Staff

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Executive Director

Loretta I. Hoepfner, MSOD

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Executive Coordinator

Ariana Kempa

Board of Directors

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Chapter President

Rachel Dodge, MD, FAAP

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Chapter Vice President

Katherine Hoops, MD, FAAP

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Chapter Treasurer-Secretary

Wendy Lane, MD, FAAP

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Regional Representative Central MD

Mutiat Tolu Onigbanjo, MD, FAAP

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Regional Representative Eastern Shore

Paul Rogers, MD, FAAP
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Regional Representative Montgomery & Prince George's

Christine Saba, MD, FAAP 

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Regional Representative Southern MD

Kristi Machemer, MD, FAAP

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Regional Representative Western MD

Vandana Sajankila, MD, FAAP

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Johns Hopkins Resident Representatives

Molly Kuehn, MD
Priscilla Yong, MD

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Sinai Hospital Resident Representatives

Praju Karki, MD
Priya Kasturirangan, MD

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University of Maryland Resident Representative

Rashmi Madhavan, MD

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Walter Reed Resident Representative

Daniel Rochford, MD

Chapter Committees

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Adolescent Health

Oscar Taube, MD, FAAP

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Breastfeeding

Dana Silver, MD, FAAP
Edward Bartlett, MD, FAAP

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Child Maltreatment/Foster Care

Wendy Lane, MD, FAAP
Rachel Dodge, MD, FAAP

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Communications

Monique Soileau-Burke, MD, FAAP

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CSHCN/Disabilities

Deborah Badawi, MD, FAAP
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Disaster Preparedness

Amyna Husain, DO, FAAP

Early Childhood

Roula Choueiri, MD, FAAP
Paul Rogers, MD, FAAP

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Emotional Health

Ken Tellerman, MD, FAAP

Environmental Health and Climate Change

Michael Ichniowski, MD, FAAP

Gun Violence Prevention

Katherine Hoops, MD, FAAP
Diana Fertsch, MD, FAAP

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Hospitalists

Eric Balighian, MD, FAAP
Amy Davis, MD, FAAP

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Immigrant Child Health

Nick Cuneo, MD, FAAP 
Hayley Sparks, MD, FAAP 

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Immunizations

Rebecca Carter, MD, FAAP

Inclusion-Diversity Anti-Racism & Equity (I-DARE)

Harolyn M.E. Belcher, MD, FAAP

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Infectious Diseases

Susan V. Lipton, MD, FAAP

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Information Technology

Rebecca Rabin, MD, FAAP

Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention

Mary Beth Howard, MD, FAAP

Mental Health

Kristi Machemer, MD, FAAP
Theresa Nguyen, MD, FAAP

Oral Health

Shirley Reddoch, MD, FAAP

Pediatric Council

Jeff Bernstein, MD, FAAP
Jim Rice, MD, FAAP 

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Senior Pediatricians

Open – If you are interested in this leadership role, contact loretta@mdaap.org.

Chapter Liaisons

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CATCH Facilitators

Erin Giudice, MD, FAAP
Molly Silber, MD, FAAP

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Dentistry

Diana Capobianco, DDS

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Military

LCDR Witzard Seide, MD, FAAP

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School Health

Diana Fertsch, MD, FAAP

Chapter Past Presidents

2022-2024
Monique Soileau-Burke, MD, FAAP

2020-2022
Deborah Badawi, MD, FAAP

2018-2020
Maria Brown, MD, FAAP

2016-2018
Diana Fertsch, MD, FAAP

2014-2016
Susan Chaitovitz, MD, FAAP

2012-2014
Scott Krugman, MD, FAAP

2010-2012
Eric Levey, MD, FAAP

2008-2010
Virginia Keane, MD, FAAP

2006-2008
Dan Levy, MD, FAAP

2004-2006
Howard Birenbaum, MD, FAAP

2000-2002
David Bromberg, MD, FAAP

1998-2000
Felix Kaufman, MD, FAAP

1996-1998
Timothy Doran, MD, FAAP

1994-1996

Crossan O’Donovan, MD, FAAP

1992-1994
Lillian Blackmon, MD, FAAP

For any questions please contact MDAAP Executive Director,
Loretta I. Hoepfner, MSOD at loretta@mdaap.org.