Get Ready for the 2025–2026 APS and SPR Journeys Program!
Building on the incredible success of past APS and SPR Journeys Programs, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of the 2025–2026 APS and SPR Journeys Program — and it’s going to be better than ever!
This year’s Journeys Program will include the prestigious 2025-2026 Dr. Francis S. Collins Scholar Award in recognition of the remarkable scientific contributions of Dr. Francis S. Collins (left) and will recognize one outstanding candidate in the Journeys 2025–2026 Program for their potential in academic pediatric research. Potential nominees should demonstrate excellence in scholarship and tremendous future potential growth, exemplified by recent impactful publications, grant and/or project success, or leadership.
The Journeys Program offers engaging virtual sessions designed to inspire and empower early-career investigators in pediatrics. The program includes captivating career journey stories, thought-provoking research discussions, and valuable networking opportunities with experienced Cohort Leaders—providing essential support for early-career physicians in academic medicine.
Participants will join small, cohort groups in eight 1-hour virtual meetings, facilitated by two accomplished leaders in academic pediatrics, many of whom are APS and SPR members. Department chairs across the U.S. and Canada may nominate promising early-career pediatricians.
And that’s not all — participants will join in a high-energy Mini-Gordon Conference at the PAS 2026 Meeting, bringing everyone together for collaboration, innovation, and connection.
Check out more details below and get ready for an unforgettable year of growth, mentorship, and opportunity!
Nominations for the Journeys Program will open on September 4.
2025-2026 APS SPR Journeys Sessions
(all times are CT, except for Mini-Gordon Conference)
Session 1: Opening Plenary: Opening Plenary: Expanding your leadership toolbox- lessons from the business world - Nov 14
November 14, from 10-11am CT
Session 1: Cohort Breakout Discussions - Nov 14
Session 1
Cohort Breakout Discussions
November 14, 11-11:30am CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only
Sessions 2 – 6: Cohort Breakout Sessions* (2nd Fri of month, Dec thru April)
Cohort Breakout Sessions* (2nd Fri of month, Dec thru April)
December 12, between 10am-12pm CT
January 9, between 10am-12pm CT
February 13, between 10am-12pm CT
March 13, between 10am-12pm CT
April 10, between 10am-12pm CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only
Mini Gordon Conference & Luncheon - April 24
Mini Gordon Conference & Luncheon
April 24, between 7am-12:30pm ET (Boston, MA)
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only
Session 7: Cohort Breakout Discussions - May 8
Session 7: Cohort Breakout Discussions
May 8, between 10am-12pm CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only
Session 8: Closing Plenary: Expanding your leadership toolbox- lessons from the business world - June 12
Closing Plenary: Expanding your leadership toolbox- lessons from the business world
June 12, from 10-11am CT
Session 8: Cohort Breakout Discussions - June 12
Session 8: Cohort Breakout Discussions
June 12, from 11am-11:30am CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only
2025-2026 Leaders
Steve Abman, University of Colorado
Kurt Albertine, University of Utah School of Medicine
Todd Alexander, University of Alberta
Pankaj Agrawal, University of Miami
Brett Anderson, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Susan Baker, University of Buffalo
Jennifer Bermick, University of Iowa
Vineet Bhandari, The Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper/CMSRU
Helen Christou, Harvard Medical School
David Cornfield, Stanford University
Christiane Dammann, Tuffs University
Peter Gill, University of Toronto
Andrea Hahn, Children’s National Hospital/George Washington University
David Hunstad, Wash U Medicine
James Jarvis, University of Washington, Seattle
Audrey Odom John, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Rohit Kohli, University of Southern California
Krithika Lingappan, University of Pennsylvania
David McCulley, University of California San Diego
Steven Miller, University of British Columbia
Anna Penn, Columbia University
Jochen Profit, Stanford University
Binoy Shivanna, Baylor College of Medicine
Katharine Simon, University of California, Irvine
Andrew South, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Janice Staber, University of Iowa
Annemarie Stroustrup, Northwell Health; Cohen Children’s Medical Center; Hofstra University
Emily Tam, University of Toronto
Beth Tarini, Children’s National Hospital
Christine Turley, Atrium Health
2025-2026 Cohort
Atu Agawu, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Saminathan Anbalagan, University of South Alabama
Eva Archer, Stanford University
Nupur Assudani, Children’s Hospital of Michigan/Central Michigan University
Tugce B. Balci, Western University
Mausma Bawa, University at Buffalo
Emile Beaulieu, CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Lauren Bodilly, University of Iowa
Ryan Brady, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Brittany Bruggeman, University of Florida
Katelyn Bruno, University of Florida
Ferdinand Cacho, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Rhandi Christensen, Hospital for Sick Children
Sarah Cilvik, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Catherine Coughlin, Boston Children’s Hospital
Paul D’Alessandro, University of Saskatchewan
Keerti Dantuluri, Levine Children’s Hospital at Atrium Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC
Marc-Olivier Deguise, University of Ottawa/Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario
Sanyukta Desai, Dell Medical School University of Texas at Austin
Taylor Eddens, UPMC Children’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Mohamed Eltorki, Department of Pediatrics – AHS/UCalgary
Grace Fisler, Zucker School of Medicine, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Northwell Health
Jairo Fonseca, Emory University School of Medicine / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Gabrielle Freire, Hospital for Sick Children
Tamara Garcia, Children’s Hospital Colorado – University of Colorado School of Medicine
Emily Georges, University of Washington School of Medicine
Tre Gissandaner, Children’s Mercy
Elliott Gordon, Weill Cornell
Manpreet Grewal, Central Michigan University/Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Mireille Guillot, CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Batoul Hammoud, University of Chicago
Fyeza Hasan, McGill University
Denise Hasson, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
David Higgins, University of Colorado Anschutz
Adrian Hoffman, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
John Hong, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Ellen Ingolfsland, University of Minnesota
Samara Jinks-Chang, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania/University of Pennsylvania
Melissa Kay, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Jelte Kelchtermans, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Nicole Kelly, Weill Cornell Medicine
Samaa Kemal, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Patrick Kenney, University at Buffalo
Ashley Lee, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Arianexys Aquino Lopez, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine
Catrina Loucks, University of British Columbia
Tristan Loveday, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Elise Lu, Western University
Zaili Luo, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Amy Mackay, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Christine March, UPMC Children’s Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Bilal Marwa, University of Saskatchewan
Abbey Masonbrink, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
April McNeill-Johnson, Children’s Mercy Hospitals
Pooja Mehta, University of Colorado/ Children’s Hospital Colorado
Claire Miller, University of Utah
Fiona Muttalib, University of British Columbia
Andy Ng, The University of Alberta
Yo Nishihara, University of Washington School of Medicine
Paige Noreen, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
James Nugent, Yale School of Medicine
Victoria O’Neil, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas
Lance Peterson, Washington University in St. Louis
Irina Prelipcean, University of Rochester
Brittany Raffa, UNC Chapel Hill
Nooralam Rai, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Ravikiran Raju, Boston Children’s Hospital
Meaghan Ransom, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Audrey Raut, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Jessica Rice, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Becky Richards, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
Michael Ripple, Emory University School of Medicine / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Andrea Rivera-Sepulveda, Nemours Children’s Health
Christina Rojas, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Alicia Rolin, Children’s National Hospital
Julia Rosenberg, Yale School of Medicine
Jenny Ruiz, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Arun Saini, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine
Elizabeth Sanseau, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Raoul Santiago, CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Laura Schwartz, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Carol Shen, Zucker School of Medicine, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Northwell Health
Michelle Shepard, University of Vermont
Catherine Silva, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Ruggero Spadafora, Tufts Medical Center
Benjamin Spector, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
Anisha Srinivasan, UC Davis Children’s Hospital and MIND Institute
Amy Strong, University of Iowa Health Care, Stead Family Children’s Hospital
Courtney Sump, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Alyssa Thomas, Mass General Brigham for Children
Lauren Thompson, Marshall University Joan C Edwards School of Medicine
Regina Triplett, Washington University School of Medicine
Daniel Verbaro, Washington University in St. Louis
Tayla von Ash, Brown University
Lara Wahlster, Boston Children’s Hospital
Morgan Walls, Wake Forest University School of Medicine – Charleston, NC
Amanda Winkler, Mass General Brigham for Children
Hunter Wynkoop, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Cecile Yama, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Allen J. Yiu, Children’s National Hospital
Daniel York, University of Utah
Yucong ‘Jenny’ Zhang, University of Virginia Children’s Hospital
Melissa Zhou, Stanford University
David Zorko, McMaster University

