Daniel Arrington, MD completed his pediatrics residency at Phoenix Children's Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center and his child neurology residency at Barrow Neurological Institute/St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix. Before joining St. Luke's Children's, Dr. Arrington served as assistant professor of child neurology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and was an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma.

Eileen Baez-Irizarry, MD is a pediatric endocrinologist with a wide array of interests including management of type I and type 2 diabetes mellitus, adrenal gland disorders, and hypopituitarism. She is particularly passionate about caring for children with genetic conditions such as Turner, Williams, and Noonan's syndromes. Dr. Baez is a member of the Pediatric Endocrine Society and is active in multiple research studies regarding the natural progression of type 1 diabetes mellitus, insulin analogs, and growth hormone therapy.

Dr. Baez also supports patients through the St. Luke’s Essence Clinic, which brings together experts in pediatric urology, pediatric endocrinology, genetics, and psychology to care for infants, children, and adolescents with disorders of sexual differentiation. The clinic also provides care for transgender youth, providing gender-affirming treatment and mental health services for patients and their families. 

Dr. Baez is originally from Puerto Rico, and completed her bachelor's degree in biology at the University of Puerto Rico before traveling to complete her medical education. She earned her medical degree at Autonomous University of Guadalajara in a joint program with New York Medical College, graduating in the top five of her class. She later completed a pediatric residency at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo where she received the Daigler Chief Resident’s Award, given to the senior resident who best exemplifies a commitment to life-long learning and caring for children and adolescents in pediatrics. 

Next, Dr. Baez completed a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at the Children's Hospital in New Orleans where she conducted focused studies on advanced glycation end products and how they may be used to identify individuals with type I diabetes mellitus who are at higher risk for complications with focus on cardiac, renal, and fatty liver disease. During this time, she was awarded the Pediatric Fellow Teaching Excellence Award in recognition of her outstanding teaching and mentoring skills. To this day, she enjoys hosting medical residents in clinic on a regular basis. “It is our responsibility as seasoned physicians to provide ongoing education for the newer generations. It is essential to translate basic clinical skills and encourage a heightened responsibility for medical decision making.” 

Dr. Baez practiced in South Carolina for many years before moving to Idaho. While there, she served as medical director for the largest diabetes mellitus camp in the state for three consecutive years. She also hosted diabetes management education sessions for the community with the goal of empowerment. She is passionate about educating and empowering her patients to succeed when managing a chronic health condition.

Jean Bender, MD specializes in pediatric nephrology with a broad range of interests including high blood pressure, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease including all types of dialysis and kidney transplants.

Dr. Bender believes managing chronic diseases needs to be done through a team approach involving the medical team, patient, and patient’s family. She believes that education regarding the disease process helps families better understand and make decisions related to their children’s health care.

Dr. Bender received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Duke University, where she also competed on the cross country and track teams. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center and completed her internship in internal medicine and pediatrics at The Ohio State University and Columbus Children’s Hospital. She then completed her internal medicine/pediatrics residency at University of Texas Health Science where she also completed a combined nephrology/pediatric nephrology fellowship. During her fellowship she earned a master’s degree in public health and was involved in several research studies involving pediatric hypertension.

In her free time, Dr. Bender enjoys spending time outside with her husband and children.

Rachel Bentley, DNP, CPNP-PC is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. Her professional interests include seizures, epilepsy, headache disorders, and tics. Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Boise State University. She received a master's degree and doctor of nursing practice degree from Oregon Health & Science University.

Tyler Burpee, MD specializes in the management of both common and complex childhood digestive conditions. He is the medical director of St. Luke’s intestinal rehabilitation program that cares for children with short bowel syndrome and intestinal failure. He also has a special interest in celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Dr. Burpee is passionate about child advocacy and currently serves as president of the Idaho Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has published multiple research papers and book chapters regarding inflammatory bowel disease, infectious diarrhea, and autoimmune liver disease.

Originally from Boise, Dr. Burpee earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Dartmouth College, graduating with honors. While at Dartmouth, he was a member of the varsity crew team. After medical school and pediatrics residency training at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Burpee worked as a general pediatrician for two years with the Indian Health Service on the Navajo reservation in Chinle, Arizona. Next, he trained under world-renowned experts in pediatric gastroenterology during his fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine. He also served as an attending physician at Seattle Children's Hospital before moving back to Boise.

In his free time, Dr. Burpee enjoys skiing, running, mountain biking, and adventuring with his wife and two children.

Bruce Cherny, MD specializes in neurosurgical consultation and education for skull, brain, and spinal tumors; craniosynostosis; congenital malformations of the skull, brain, and spinal cord; hydrocephalus; spina bifida and tethered spinal cords; Chiari malformations; vascular malformations of the brain and spinal cord; and traumatic brain, spine, and spinal cord injury. He has expertise in image-guided frameless stereotaxy, minimally invasive techniques, and advanced, complex endoscopic procedures.

Dr. Cherny has held many leadership positions at St. Luke's and currently serves as a member of the St. Luke's Children's Hospital executive team and the pediatric trauma task force. He is also currently surgeon in chief at St. Luke's Children's Hospital and the chair of the St. Luke's Children's surgical committee.

Dr. Cherny began his practice as an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Arkansas Children's Hospital. He spent eight years in academic neurosurgery, both in Arkansas and at the Barrow Institute in Phoenix, before coming to Boise to develop the pediatric neurosurgical program for Idaho. In addition to his medical education, Dr. Cherny holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University. 

Mitzi Cieslak, NP-C is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She has special interest in all aspects of pediatric care. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Seattle University and her master’s degree in nursing, family nurse practitioner, from Gonzaga University.

John Collier, MD cares for children and adolescents with a wide variety of gastrointestinal disorders. He values clear, open communication, family and patient empowerment, and shared decision-making. His professional interests include esophageal diseases, functional disorders (disorders of gut-brain interaction), inflammatory bowel disease, and interprofessional communication.

Dr. Collier grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and earned an undergraduate degree at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he ran cross country and track and sang in the chamber choir. In his free time, he enjoys backcountry skiing, cooking, and cycling.  He races for Team George’s Cycles and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Jessica Cook, OT specializes in working with kids of all ages who have sensory processing disorders and/or autism spectrum disorder. She especially enjoys working with younger children and helping families understand the underlying causes of specific behaviors. She is passionate about enhancing patient care and is leading work to expand developmental delay and sensory processing programs at St. Luke's.

Jessica earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and family/human development from Utah State University and a master's degree in occupational therapy from Idaho State University. She has also earned Star Proficiency Level I certification from the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing and certification in sequential oral sensory (SOS) feeding therapy. She is currently working on another certification in sensory processing disorders from the University of Southern California. 

Originally from Idaho, Jessica enjoys reading and spending time outdoors with family and friends in her free time.

Michele Ebbers, MD specializes in all aspects of pediatric urology including hypospadias, undescended testicles, hydronephrosis, UTIs, voiding dysfunction, and spina bifida. She has special interest in reconstructive surgery and minimally invasive surgery. She takes special pride in getting to know her patients and their families, in order to provide individualized care and treatment options.

Dr. Ebbers completed her pediatric urology fellowship at University of California at San Francisco, and has been practicing exclusively in pediatric urology in a variety of settings since then. She is board certified in both urology and pediatric urology. She currently serves as medical director of St. Luke's Children's Urology.

SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

• Robotic partial nephrectomy
• Robotic nephrectomy
• Robotic uretero-ureterostomy
• Robotic pyeloplasty
• Robotic ureteral reimplantation
• Ureteral reimplantation
• Deflux
• Hypospadias repair
• Bladder augmentation
• MACE

Daniel P. Flynn, MD specializes in diabetes and endocrine disorders in infants, children and teens. He is passionate about empowering patients and families to manage their health. 

Dr. Flynn manages a wide variety of conditions including type I and II diabetes, thyroid disorders, adrenal disorders, disorders of growth and puberty, insulin resistance, Turner syndrome, Noonan Syndrome, hyperinsulinemia, hypoglycemia, lipid disorders, calcium disorders and hypoparathyroidism, and multiple endocrine neoplasia. He also has experience with differences of sexual differentiation, transgender and gender dysphoria, hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, hyperandrogenemia, irregular menstrual cycles, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Dr. Flynn is a member of the St. Luke’s Research Advisory Council. He serves as lead clinical investigator for St. Luke’s pediatric endocrinology and has served as principal investigator for numerous clinical trials, including multi-center, global clinical trials with industry-leading biotech groups that bring cutting-edge treatment options to St. Luke’s patients. These clinical trials have included treatment work within pediatric type I and II diabetes, as well as growth hormone disorders. Dr. Flynn is also the St. Luke’s principal investigator for NIH-funded diabetes work related to the Trial Net program. 

Dr. Flynn is a member of the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the Endocrine Society, and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes.  

Dr. Flynn completed fellowship training in pediatric diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Prior to his medical education, he earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Notre Dame. 

In his free time, Dr. Flynn enjoys spending time outdoors.

Lindsey Foy, MD completed both her pediatrics residency and her pediatric neurology residency and fellowship at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She has experience with epilepsy and the neurological impacts of nutritional deficiencies. 

Mindy B. Gaddis, MD, FAAP focuses on childhood obesity prevention and treatment at St. Luke's Children's Integrative Medicine Clinic. Her interest in childhood obesity and health led her to found the former YEAH! program. She covers on-call and weekend shifts at St. Luke's Children's Treasure Valley Pediatrics, but is not accepting new patients at this location.

Prior to her medical education, Dr. Gaddis earned bachelor's degrees in chemistry and psychology at the University of Utah. She is married with two daughters and two dogs. Her interests outside of medicine include adventure travel, food, and outdoor activities like hiking and skiing.

Katherine Gonzalez, MD specializes in pediatric surgery, and has additional interest in surgical care for critical newborn and trauma patients. Her professional goals include expanding regional access to care, fostering multidisciplinary/interprofessional education, and promoting high-quality outcomes research to better serve the pediatric surgical needs of our region.

Dr. Gonzalez received a bachelor's degree in biology and medical humanities from Baylor University, where she also competed on the water polo team. She earned her medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine and subsequently completed her general surgical residency at the Texas A&M/Scott and White Memorial Hospital program, a highly specialized referral center focused on treating a diverse spectrum of surgical disease in children, adults and veterans from a broad geographical region. 

During a two-year dedicated research fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Dr. Gonzalez performed robust prospective and retrospective clinical research. These efforts resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications in key areas of surgical care including postoperative pain management, appropriate imaging utilization, improvement of quality metrics such as wound classification, and improvement of neonatal outcomes. While in Kansas City, she also completed a surgical critical care fellowship in bowel rehabilitation, neonatal surgical management and trauma care. Next, Dr. Gonzalez completed a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital where she received extensive training in congenital diaphragmatic hernia management and minimally invasive resection of benign and malignant tumors, as well as broad exposure to general surgical techniques for children of all ages. 

In her spare time, Dr. Gonzalez enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two sons. 

Aimee Hastriter, DNP, PNP is certified in both primary and acute care by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She specializes in type 1 diabetes, insulin resistance/pre-diabetes, female puberty, short stature, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, and vitamin D deficiency. She worked as an RN in St. Luke's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and St. Luke's Children's Endocrinology and Diabetes before transitioning to a nurse practitioner role.

Aimee earned her bachelor's degrees in biology from Northwest Nazarene University and in nursing from Regis University. She earned her doctorate in nursing practice from Creighton University.

Luna Hodges, PNP is a pediatric nurse practitioner at St. Luke's Children's Endocrinology and Diabetes and is certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She specializes in type 1 diabetes, insulin resistance/pre-diabetes, female puberty, short stature, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, and vitamin D deficiency. She gained an special interest in children's endocrinology while working at the children's endocrinology clinic as a registered nurse, inspiring her to transition to a nurse practitioner.

Luna also worked as a registered nurse at St. Luke's Labor and Delivery Unit in Boise, Wood River's Mother Baby Unit and Special Care Nursery, and as a float nurse in the outpatient Children's Specialty Center.

Luna earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Boise State University and her doctorate of nursing practice, acute/primary pediatric nurse practitioner, from Creighton University.

R. Guy Hudson, MD is a pediatric urologic surgeon who served as president and CEO of Swedish Health Services, where he led investments in technology, including telehealth and virtual health programs, and expansion of the primary care and ambulatory care network to deliver care that's more accessible and closer to home. 

Dr. Hudson's clinical leadership roles included the chief of urology, chief medical officer for Swedish Medical Group, chief of staff for Swedish Issaquah, executive medical director of Pediatrics and Pediatric Specialties, and Western Washington chief executive of Physician Services. 

Dr. Hudson has been named a “Top Doctor” by Seattle Met and Portland Monthly on several occasions and received the Patient’s Choice Award Compassionate Doctor honor for several years. An active community member, he recently served as an executive member of Greater Seattle Partners and as a member of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Community Development Roundtable.

Prior to his career in hospital administration, Dr. Hudson participated in several international care groups, traveling abroad to provide surgical care in countries, including Guatemala and Uganda.

In addition to his medical education, Dr. Hudson earned an MBA at the University of Washington. He is currently a physician and surgeon at St. Luke's Medical Center in Boise.

David A. Klima, MD is a pediatric surgeon who performs a wide range of surgeries involving the chest, abdomen, skin, and soft tissues. He has extensive experience with chest wall deformities (including pectus excavatum and the Nuss procedure), lung and colorectal surgery, as well as esophageal, gastric, hepatobiliary, hernia and cancer surgery. Dr. Klima has particular interest in applying minimally invasive techniques with newborns, as well as with children and adolescents through single incision laparoscopic surgery. He currently serves as medical director for pediatric surgery at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Klima completed his bachelor's degree in biochemistry with a minor in psychology at the University of Kansas, where he also attended medical school. During this time, he was elected president of the Alpha Omega Alpha Society, named Doctor’s Doctor by his classmates, and awarded the Gold Humanism Award. Next, he trained at Carolinas Medical Center, learning from some of the world's leaders in laparoscopy and hernia repair, and completing a research fellowship in minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Klima won numerous awards for his research throughout the United States and Europe. He also received the Surgical Professionalism Award four times, was named Resident Teacher of the Year, and is still the only surgery resident to be named Intern of the Year at Carolinas Medical Center. His subsequent fellowship at Children’s of Alabama focused on advanced techniques in minimally invasive surgery for newborns and single incision laparoscopic surgery.

Since his arrival in Boise, Dr. Klima has helped lead quality improvement initiatives, working to standardize pediatric surgical care at St. Luke’s while advancing the quality of care throughout Idaho. He is the current co-chair of the blood community of practice for St. Luke’s and the co-founder and director of the lymphovascular malformation group, bringing specialized care to these complex pediatric patients. Dr. Klima also travels regularly to Twin Falls and sees patients virtually in McCall to serve the local population. 

Jobeth Kuchar, MS, RD, CSPCC, LD is a registered dietitian who serves children ages 0-17 for a variety of nutrition-related conditions. She has extensive experience in NICU, inpatient, and outpatient pediatric nutrition care. She is a board certified specialist in pediatric critical care and practices in a wide range of areas including infant nutrition, failure to thrive nutrition therapy, healthy eating/weight management, enteral nutrition (tube feeding), food allergies, FODMAP diet, and celiac disease. Jobeth is passionate about working with families to find a nutrition care plan that works for each child.

Jobeth earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She completed her internship through UNL focusing on clinical and community nutrition. 

Erin Lane, MD is passionate about pediatric nutrition and caring for children of all ages with gastrointestinal disorders.

Prior to her medical education, Dr. Lane earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and theology from Boston College. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and enjoy the outdoor adventures Idaho has to offer.

Jenna Miller, SLP is a pediatric speech language pathologist at St Luke’s Children’s Rehabilitation. She enjoys providing speech therapy for children from birth to preschool age and facilitating communication between families and peers. Jenna also serves the pediatric population of feeding disorders of all ages. Jenna hold additional continued education for SOS Sequential-Oral-Sensory, AOMT, and Beckman Oral Motor. 

Jenna earned her bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University in communication science and disorders and a master’s degree in speech language pathology from Idaho State University. She holds a certificate of clinical competence through the American Speech and Hearing Association. Jenna was born and raised in the Magic Valley and currently lives in Twin falls with her husband, children, and dogs.

Karen Redwine, MD, MPH cares for children with a wide range of kidney disorders including hypertension, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure, glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, hematuria, proteinuria, and congenital renal anomalies (renal agenesis, multi-cystic dysplastic kidney, CAKUT, etc.). She also supports patients needing renal biopsy, dialysis, and pre- and post- renal transplant care. Dr. Redwine offers a medical home for these medically complex patients, collaborating with their broader care team (other specialists, primary care, nutrition, etc.) to ensure comprehensive, coordinated patient care. She has special interest in and extensive experience with pediatric hypertension – both primary hypertension (frequently related to diet, exercise, or obesity) and secondary hypertension (caused by underlying kidney disease, genetic disorders, or another triggering illness).

Dr. Redwine enjoys building relationships with children and their families, often caring for patients over many years. She recognizes the importance of education and empowering her patients to manage a life-long condition to achieve their best quality of life. She is passionate about healthy nutrition and physical activity habits, as well as helping children learn to live their lives, rather than live their disease.  

Dr. Redwine began her career in medical academia as a tenured, associate professor in the pediatrics department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. During this time, she was dedicated to mentoring and advising her students and conducting pediatric hypertension research. Her research focused on the epidemiology of pediatric hypertension and optimizing the management of children with obesity-related hypertension. Dr. Redwine co-edited a book on pediatric hypertension, wrote multiple peer-reviewed publications and served as principal investigator on many clinical trials. While she found this work fulfilling, she discovered her true passion in direct patient care and left Arkansas to join St. Luke's Children's in 2016.

Dr. Redwine is a member and former chair of the International Pediatric Hypertension Association. She is also a member of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, American Society of Nephrology, and the American Society of Hypertension.

In her free time, Dr. Redwine enjoys singing with her church choir, baking, sewing, and spending time with her family (three generations under one roof!).

Morgan Richards, MD, MPH is a pediatric surgeon with a broad range of interests including neonatal congenital anomalies, pediatric oncology, hepatobiliary problems, and congenital lung anomalies. She also manages general pediatric disorders such as hernias, appendicitis, pyloric stenosis, feeding disorders, and gallbladder problems.

Dr. Richards is the medical director of pediatric trauma at St. Luke’s, which has the only level II pediatric trauma center in Idaho. She has also acted as the pediatric surgeon champion for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and has a strong interest in quality improvement in pediatric care. She serves on many national committees including the Surgical Quality and Safety, Nominating, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committees of the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA).

Dr. Richards earned her bachelor’s degree in history of science and medicine from Yale University, where she graduated with honors and played varsity basketball. She attended Case Western Reserve University for medical school where she was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society. Dr. Richards completed her residency at the University of Washington where she devoted three additional years to research at Seattle Children’s Hospital and obtained a master’s degree of public health in epidemiology at the University of Washington. Her research included surgical oncology, examining adult tumors in children using the National Cancer Data Base, and the standardization of care for medically complex children. This work led to numerous publications and presentations. 

Dr. Richards completed her pediatric surgical training at Emory University, which is internationally known for its innovative approach to advanced minimally invasive surgery in children. She trained with world experts in neonatal minimally invasive surgical techniques that included thoracoscopic congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair, tracheoesophageal fistula ligation and esophageal atresia repair, and laparoscopic duodenal atresia repair. She also gained experience with minimally invasive treatment of Hirschsprung disease and anorectal malformations. 

In her free time, Dr. Richards enjoys cooking, cycling, watching movies and exploring the outdoors with her family.

James Saltsman, MD, MPH specializes in pediatric surgery with special interests in pediatric cancer and public health. In addition to providing excellent care to his patients, Dr. Saltsman’s professional goals include improving the quality of care for surgical patients through multidisciplinary collaborative quality improvement projects, promoting research to improve outcomes for children with cancer, and improving access to high quality pediatric surgical care in rural areas. 

Dr. Saltsman received a bachelor’s degree in health and social science from the University of Michigan, where he was involved in cancer research and was active in several musical groups including the University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble. He then went on to work on the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) project, and then on to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he completed a master’s degree in public health. During his master’s studies, Dr. Saltsman realized he wanted to be a physician and after a short stint as a special assistant in the Baltimore City Health Department he attended Tufts University School of Medicine, where he graduated as a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society.

After medical school Dr. Saltsman completed his general surgery residency training in New York City at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  During this time, he also completed a two-year research fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Rockefeller University where he was engaged in clinical and laboratory research into pediatric cancer.

In addition to publications and presentations at national and international conferences, Dr. Saltsman’s work was awarded the Rosenkrantz Award for Clinical Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery.

In his spare time, Dr. Saltsman enjoys cooking, cycling, and adventures with his wife and children.

Kara Saperston, MD is a board certified, fellowship trained pediatric urologist with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery and the management of complex congenital anomalies and pediatric cancers of the kidneys, bladder, and external genitalia. She helped start the St. Luke's Children's Bowel and Bladder Clinic and will be helping initiate a multispecialty clinic to treat children born with complex genital anatomy. Her interests include treatment of hypospadias, urogenital sinus, posterior urethral valves, vesicoureteral reflux, undescended testicles, neurogenic bladder, bladder exstrophy, repair of a urogenital sinus, and urinary incontinence.

Dr. Saperston has a passion for patient care and initially worked in Boise as a general urologist with an interest in pediatric urology. She recently extended her training by completing a fellowship in pediatric urology at the University of California, San Francisco, so that she could care for pediatric patients exclusively.

SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

• Robotic partial nephrectomy
• Robotic nephrectomy
• Robotic uretero-ureterostomy
• Robotic pyeloplasty
• Robotic ureteral reimplantation
• Ureteral reimplantation
• Deflux
• Hypospadias repair
• Vaginoplasty/clitoroplasty
• Bladder augmentation
• MACE
• Laparoscopic MACE

Clayton Sontheimer, MD specializes in treating children and teenagers with rheumatologic diseases, including arthritis, lupus, periodic fever syndromes, macrophage activation syndrome, dermatomyositis, and Still's disease.

Prior to joining St. Luke's, he was a faculty member at Seattle Children's Hospital and was involved in both medical education and clinical care.

Dr. Sontheimer is the first board certified pediatric rheumatologist to practice in Idaho.

Benjamin Taylor, MS, NP-C is a certified family nurse practitioner who specializes in pediatric urology, with interests in vesicoureteral reflux, kidney disorders, dysfunctional voiding, and urological surgery. He assists pediatric urologists in the operating room during surgery and manages the complex circumcision clinic at St. Luke's Children's Urology.

Ben is passionate about responding to concerns directly and ensuring that both children and their parents feel heard and supported.

Ben earned his master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from Idaho State University and completed his undergraduate studies at Boise State University. Prior to his work as a nurse practitioner, he worked as a registered nurse (RN) at St. Luke's Children's Hospital.

In his free time, Ben enjoys baking, gardening, and reading (especially about baking and gardening!). He also loves cheering on his four sons as they participate in bowling, chess, basketball, and football.

Benjamin M. Tippets DO, MPH has special interests in asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and children requiring home ventilation. In addition to the pediatric pulmonology clinic, he is involved in the multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis and tracheostomy and ventilator clinics, as well as outreach clinics in Fruitland and Twin Falls. He also participates with St Luke’s Sports Medicine and Justin Sports Medicine teams in providing arena-side care for rodeo performers.

Prior to medical school, Dr. Tippets earned an associate’s degree in science from Rick’s College, a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Brigham Young University, and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Utah.

In his free time, Dr. Tippets enjoys farming, woodworking, and spending time with his wife and family, including desert motorbike riding.

Timothy Ulrich, MD is board eligible in neonatal and perinatal medicine and has interests in neonatal hypotension and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) management.

Dr. Ulrich cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, and Magic Valley.

Laura Walawender, MD is a dedicated pediatric nephrologist who passionately addresses a wide range of kidney-related challenges in children. Her clinical interests encompass acute kidney injury, hemolytic uremic syndrome, hypertension, glomerulonephritis, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, and chronic kidney disease. Notably, Dr. Walawender has a special focus on solitary functioning kidneys and their relationship with Müllerian anomalies. She strives to enhance the understanding and treatment of these complex conditions, ensuring that her young patients receive the highest standard of care. 

Dr. Walawender recognizes that kidney disease is a lifelong condition that needs a team approach. She believes that patients and their caregivers are integral members of this team and is dedicated to fostering their involvement in the care process. Dr. Walawender emphasizes clear communication and education, ensuring that families understand the complexities of kidney conditions and can make informed decisions about treatment options. She is committed to providing compassionate, personalized care tailored to each patient, recognizing that emotional support and guidance are essential components. By building strong, trusting relationships with her patients and their families, Dr. Walawender strives to enhance their overall well-being and quality of life throughout their healthcare journey.

Prior to her medical education, Dr. Walawender earned her bachelor's degree with high distinction in economics from the University of Michigan. Following her residency, she served for one year as chief resident while also working as a pediatric hospitalist. Dr. Walawender then practiced as a general pediatrician in a rural private practice for two years before returning to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to complete her fellowship in pediatric nephrology.

In her free time, Dr. Walawender enjoys spending quality time with her husband and children.

Amy Walters, PhD is a clinical health psychologist and the director of Behavioral Health Services for St. Luke's Humphreys Diabetes Center. She works with patients to address emotional and behavioral factors that impact health and chronic disease. She also works with St. Luke's Children's Hospital as part of the Children's Integrative Medicine and pediatric pain management programs.

Dr. Walters earned both her master's degree and her PhD from Utah State University and has over 20 years of experience working in clinical and community settings with adult and pediatric patients. She is a board member of the Idaho Psychological Association and serves as Idaho's public education coordinator to the American Psychological Association. She serves as the psycho-social director for Idaho Diabetes Youth Programs (Camp Hodia).

Alexander Zouros, MD is board certified in pediatric and adult neurosurgery (ABPNS and ABNS) and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He developed an interest in childhood brain and spine surgery in medical school, and has extensive research experience in pediatric spine trauma and instrumentation and has taught courses in complex brain endoscopy. He completed a fellowship at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas and has served as an associate professor at Loma Linda University. Dr. Zouros was also the residency program director at Loma Linda, training residents and medical students in neurological surgery and his pediatric subspecialty.

Dr. Zouros has volunteered on medical missions to the Middle East, bringing specialized pediatric neurosurgical services and cranio-facial reconstructive surgeries to underprivileged children.