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)

November 14, from 10-11am CT

Session 1
Cohort Breakout Discussions
November 14, 11-11:30am CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only

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, between 7am-12:30pm ET (Boston, MA)
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only

Session 7: Cohort Breakout Discussions
May 8, between 10am-12pm CT
Participants: Cohort Members and Leaders – invitation only

Closing Plenary: Expanding your leadership toolbox- lessons from the business world
June 12, from 10-11am CT

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