Caring for our tiniest patients is a big job. In our Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICUs), board certified physicians specializing in neonatology along with other clinical and professional staff work together to provide the expert, compassionate care fragile infants and their families require. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, our NICU teams are dedicated to the delicate physical, emotional, and developmental needs of premature and severely ill infants, some of whom weigh just over one pound.
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Tamara (Tammy) Allen, NNP is board certified by National Certification Corporation. She has extensive experience with infants as a bedside nurse, clinical educator, and member of the maternal-child transport team. She loves to teach and is an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), STABLE (post-resuscitation/pre-transport stabilization care of sick newborns), and the STABLE cardiac module through the state of Idaho and Oregon. She is passionate about providing excellent care to our smallest patients and teaching others to give the same great care. Babies with cardiac defects are especially dear to her, as her niece had open heart surgery as an infant.
Tammy advocated for and designed the Hall of Hope at St. Luke's Children's Hospital, a photo gallery that serves as a beautiful reminder of how infants who need NICU support at birth grow into beautiful toddlers and children. This labor of love offers hope to parents, grandparents and siblings every day as they visit their new babies in the NICU.
Tammy earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Utah and master's degree from the advanced practice neonatal nurse practitioner program at the Medical University of South Carolina.
In her free time she loves spending time with her family, working in the garden, and tending to her chickens, bees and goats.
Tammy cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Megan Ashline, NNP is board certified by the National Certification Corporation as a neonatal nurse practitioner. She is passionate about the field of neonatology and has special interest in skin care and family advocacy and support. She has many years of experience working as a RN in a Level 3 NICU as well as extensive neonatal transport experience.
Megan earned a master's degree in clinical nurse leadership from Sacred Heart University and a post master's certificate from the University of South Alabama as a neonatal nurse practitioner.
In her free time, Megan enjoys quilting and camping with her family.
Megan cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Cheri Beaumont, RN, MSN, NNP-BC earned master’s degrees as an early intervention specialist and neonatal nurse practitioner after years of experience as an NICU staff nurse and three additional years of education and internship.
Anthony "Tony" Broderick, RN, MSN, NNP-BC earned an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy and an associate’s degree in nursing. He also earned a master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner.
Tony cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Katie Butcher, NP worked as a nurse in the NICU prior to becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. She has a particular passion about the NICU patients and works diligently to improve outcomes for those special patients.
Katie earned her bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho and her master's degree from the University of Connecticut. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, serving her community, working with young people, running, and baking.
Brittany Collins, PA-C is a board certified physician assistant, and is passionate about the care and management of extremely low birthweight infants.
Brittany earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Toledo and her master's degree in physician assistant studies from the University of Kentucky. She completed a one year NICU Fellowship at The University of Kentucky's Children’s Hospital before beginning her career in the field of neonatology.
Outside of work, Brittany enjoys any and all outdoor activities as well as spending time with her husband and pets.
Charlene Crichton, MD is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. She performed her neonatology fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University, where she also served as an assistant professor.
Dr. Crichton cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Meridian, and Nampa.
Robert DiGeronimo, MD, is an attending neonatologist who provides care for newborn infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. He has earned a national reputation for expertise in the care of newborns with respiratory failure, including the treatment of babies with respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Dr. DiGeronimo also cares for newborns in Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Dr. DiGeronimo is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and a clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has also had a highly productive research career, publishing many articles focusing on the care of infants with respiratory failure and other medically complex and surgical conditions. He currently serves on the AAP District VIII Neonatal-Perinatal Section Council and is an active member of the Children’s Hospital Neonatal Consortium, the Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Collaborative, and the Society of Pediatric Research.
Outside of work, Dr. DiGeronimo and his wife enjoy living in the Treasure Valley and spending time with their three children and two dogs. They love traveling, hiking, and skiing throughout the Mountain and Pacific Northwest.
Heather Endriss, NNP enjoys teaching and patient education at the bedside. She has interests in outreach education with simulation. She works with late- and pre-term infants and neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Heather earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Mesa State University and her master's degree in nursing from Duke University.
Heather cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Lauren Gale RN, MSN, NNP-BC is a board certified neonatal nurse practitioner with extensive experience in neonatal medicine.
Lauren has professional interest in supporting neonatal care education and, at previous places of employment, has served as an NP preceptor and trainer, pediatric resident NICU liaison, developed a NICU resident/NP mentorship program, developed a car seat policy for NICU patients, and helped initiate a NICU simulation training program. She has also served as a educator on the use of inhaled nitric oxide for neonatal pulmonary hypertension and has trained emergency services personnel on the stabilization of neonates in the field. Lauren has spoken at many outreach conferences on a wide variety of neonatal topics.
Lauren earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of San Francisco and her master's degree with a specialty in neonatal critical care from the University of California San Francisco. In addition to her work at St. Luke's, Lauren continues to maintain her clinical position in the NICU at Stanford Children’s Hospital.
Lauren is married with two children and enjoys golfing, traveling, and volunteering at her kids' schools. Originally from Boston, she is an avid fan of both the Red Sox and the Patriots.
Gayle Gesswein, NNP has extensive experience in neonatal nursing, including maternal-child transport. She has special interest in antimicrobial stewardship and pain management for neonatal patients, and works closely with the extended care team to ensure patient safety.
Gayle is also passionate about neonatology education and serves as a precept for both new graduates and experienced neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs). As NNP student coordinator, she coordinates student schedules, communicates with other faculty, and manages student evaluations.
Gayle earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University, Bakersfield and her master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Before joining St. Luke’s, Gayle worked at Children’s Hospital Colorado. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and traveling.
Heather cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Elizabeth Gibson, NNP earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Montana State University and worked as a level III NICU nurse at Community Medical Center in Missoula. She earned her master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from Arizona State University and worked as the first NNP in Missoula.
Elizabeth cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Abby Gray, RN, MSN, NNP-BC is experienced in neonatal nursing and is a nationally certified neonatal nurse practitioner. She is passionate about the value of a team-based approach to neonatal care, which ensures that each patient and family has access to appropriate subspecialty expertise.
Abby is involved in Vermont Oxford Network auditing which tracks NICU patient outcomes. Analyzing this data each year helps us access valuable feedback and deliver the highest quality care for St. Luke's patients. She also participates in groups that develop and refine St. Luke's small baby care guidelines, specifically regarding developmental care and neonatal infection.
Abby earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Boise State University and her master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Abby cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Jessica Hall RNC-NIC, MSN, NNP-BC is a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner, and has cared for infants with a variety of illnesses and conditions. As a member of a neonatal transport team for over a decade, she transported some of the sickest infants born in southern Arizona and Mexico.
Jessica has a passion for educating families about expectations of their infant's progression through their NICU stay. As a certified lead instructor for the S.T.A.B.L.E. program, she enjoys sharing her knowledge by educating staff members in outlying facilities about the importance of stabilizing newborn infants with a systematic approach.
Jessica earned her bachelor's degree in nursing at the University of Arizona and completed her education with a master's degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner at the University of South Alabama.
When she is not caring for newborns, you can find Jessica on a hiking trail. She loves everything outdoors, exploring Idaho, and travelling with her family.
LaResa Janousek, RN, MSN, NNP-BC provides care for infants in St. Luke's Children's NICU. Her professional focus includes neonatal withdrawal syndromes, pain assessment and management as well as developmental support.
LaResa earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Boise State University and her master's degree in advanced practice neonatal nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina. She has served as a member of the high-risk delivery and maternal/child transport teams and is a STABLE (post-resuscitation/pre-transport stabilization care of sick newborns) instructor.
In her free time, LaResa loves to garden, travel, scuba dive, and spend time with her family.
LaResa cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Amy Kirk, MD is the associate medical director of the NICU at St. Luke's Meridian and the Idaho Representative for the AAP District VIII section on neonatal-perinatal medicine. She has also served as neonatologist and faculty at the University of Tennessee and Thompson Children’s Hospital, St. Mark’s Hospital, and the University of Utah.
Dr. Kirk is fellowship-trained in quality improvement and simulation. She has special interest in oral feeding for premature infants, the care of infants with chronic lung disease, and care of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants during the "golden hour" – the hour immediately following the birth of an ELBW infant in which medical care to prevent irreversible damage is most effective.
Dr. Kirk cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Scott Knight, MD is associate medical director of St. Luke's Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and specializes in neonatal-perinatal medicine and has extensive experience in the management of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Dr. Knight served as assistant chief of the combined Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program at Tripler Army Medical Center and Kapiolani Medical Center. He was head of the neonatology section at Eastern Maine Medical Center, and Medical Director of Nurseries at King's Daughters Medical Center.
Dr. Knight cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, and Magic Valley.
Abby Lassen, MSN, RN, NNP-BC is passionate about continuing to maintain current education to provide the best possible care to her patients. She has gained experience while working in many level III-IV NICUs all over the United States as a traveling NICU/PICU RN.
Abby earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Arkansas, and her master’s degree in nursing practice, neonatal nurse practitioner from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Outside of work, Abby enjoys spending time with her growing family, outdoor activities, competitive exercise, and just about any sporting event.
Jennifer Merchant, MD cares for newborns in St. Luke's neonatal intensive care units (NICU). She also serves as medical director of the St. Luke's Children's NICU Follow-Up Clinic where the growth and development of our highest-risk patients are monitored and supported with early interventions.
Dr. Merchant provides family-centered care that focuses on optimizing long-term development and health. She is passionate about nutrition in the NICU and its impact on neurodevelopment. To support this interest, she is involved in development of nutrition and feeding protocols as part of a multidisciplinary feeding group. Dr. Merchant has also recently participated in research on low-renin hypertension in neonates. She is also developing of a registry of St. Luke's NICU patients' long-term outcomes to inform continual improvement of our neonatal care.
Dr. Merchant is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. Prior to her current role, she served as assistant medical director of the NICU at St. Luke's Magic Valley.
In her free time, Dr. Merchant enjoys hiking and camping in Idaho and the Intermountain West and spending time with her husband and three kids.
Dr. Merchant cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Erik N. Meyers, MD serves as assistant medical director for in the NICU at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. His main focus is maintaining the highest quality of care and competence of the neonatology team through innovation, continuing medical education and evidence-based practice. He has additional clinical interest in sepsis, infection control, cardiovascular care and innovative techniques such as point-of-care ultrasound, near-infrared spectroscopy and amplitude-integrated EEG.
Dr. Meyers was trained in both pediatrics and neonatology at the University of California, San Francisco. He came to St. Luke’s after obtaining the rank of associate professor of pediatrics and cell biology at Duke University where his research at Duke focused on the genetic and developmental causes of congenital heart disease using complex genetic techniques. At Duke, he was a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the Society for Developmental Biology and the Perinatal Research Society.
Outside of work, Dr. Meyers enjoys the Idaho outdoors with his wife, hunting, fishing, backpacking, cross-country skiing and peak climbing. He also enjoys time with his two daughters, both of whom are following in his footsteps by entering the medical field.
Dr. Meyers cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Favorite BooksYukiko Miura, MD is an attending neonatologist who provides care for critically ill neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and a clinical assistant professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
Dr. Miura provides family-centered care with the goal of optimizing long-term outcomes for each patient. She focuses on the positive impact family members and caretakers can have on a child, and strives to provide an experience and education that helps the family as the child transitions from a newborn to an infant. She also enjoys teaching residents and other providers and is a certified instructor of Neonatal Resuscitation Program.
Dr. Miura is involved in several multidisciplinary quality improvement efforts in the NICU, including reduction of antibiotic usage, standardization of pain assessment and management, and prevention of unplanned extubation among critically ill neonates. Her research interests include the effects of maternal nutrition on fetal/neonatal health, in particular via the changes in gut microbiome. She presented her work at Eastern Society of Pediatric Research and Pediatric Academic Society, and received a Travel Award in 2018. She is also a recipient of the Bradford Fellowship Award from the University of Rochester.
In her free time, Dr. Miura enjoys relaxing outdoors with her husband, three children, and two dogs. She’s also grateful for the modern technology that helps her reconnect with friends and family in Japan.
Dr. Miura cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Jamie Musgrove, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC is a board certified neonatal nurse practitioner and has years of experience working in level III/IV neonatal intensive care units as a bedside RN and then NNP. She is particularly interested in the respiratory management of premature babies and collaborates with neonatologists and respiratory therapists to improve outcomes and conduct research. She is also an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program.
Jamie earned her bachelor’s degree from Emory University and her master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from Baylor University School of Nursing.
Jamie, her husband, and their dog moved to Idaho from Colorado. They love spending time in the beautiful outdoors, reading a good book, and enjoying their growing family.
Jamie cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Declan O'Riordan, MD is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington.
Dr. O'Riordan has experience in pediatric emergency medicine and general pediatrics. His research interests include neonatal herpes simplex virus infections, perinatal brain injury, and intrauterine methamphetamine exposure.
Dr. O'Riordan cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Lena Pascual, DNP, RN, NNP-BC has years of experience in the neonatal intensive care unit and is nationally certified. She earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Boise State University and her doctorate of nursing practice, neonatal nurse practitioner, from Arizona State University.
Lena cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Janice Preuit, MSN, RNC-NIC, NNP-BC is experienced in neonatal nursing, clinical nurse education, nursing leadership, and is a nationally certified neonatal nurse practitioner. She is an instructor for the Neonatal Resuscitation Program and a lead instructor for S.T.A.B.L.E.
Janice earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from Lewis Clark State College and her master's degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from the University of Connecticut.
Janice cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, and Magic Valley.
Phillissa Rozansky, RN, MSN, NNP-BC is a board certified neonatal nurse practitioner caring for ill and premature infants. She has worked in Level III-IV NICUs over three decades as a bedside nurse, preceptor, educator, and nurse practitioner. She is both a neonatal resuscitation program instructor as well as a lead STABLE instructor. Phillissa loves being an NNP and working with ill infants and their families. She has loved seeing the evolution of neonatal care over the years and is passionate about evidence-based practice. It is her goal to always be growing and learning as a practitioner.
Phillissa earned her master's degree from Regis University.
Outside of work, Phillissa enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Phillissa cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Jennifer Shepard, MSN, APRN, RNC-NIC, NNP-BC is a board certified neonatal nurse practitioner caring for premature and ill infants. She has extensive experience as a bedside RN, ECMO pump specialist, and nurse practitioner in Level III-IV NICUs. She is passionate about developmentally supportive care and empowering parents to be active members of their baby’s care team. She is also a S.T.A.B.L.E. program lead instructor providing local and outreach teaching to hospital staff and providers in order to maximize outcomes for ill infants born in locations without immediate NICU support.
Jennifer earned her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of New Mexico and her master's degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
In her free time, Jennifer can be found spending time with her husband and their two adult children, walking her dogs, and enjoying the year-round beauty of Idaho.
Jennifer cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Scott A. Snyder, MD serves as the system medical director for neonatology at St. Luke’s Children's four neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and Twin Falls. He believes that parents are the most important part of the neonatal care team and strives to make the NICU journey more understandable and less stressful for families. During his training, his research pursuits were in finding novel ways to detect infection early in vulnerable infants. He also has special interest in clinical standardization and guideline development within the NICU to simplify the lives of busy NICU providers and staff, and to create predictability wherever possible for families during what can be a stressful journey.
Dr. Snyder is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the board of the Idaho Ronald McDonald House. He is also the past president of the Idaho Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and past chair of the Section on Perinatal Pediatrics for District VIII of the AAP, a subset of practitioners focused on complex neonatal issues that require NICU care.
Dr. Snyder is passionate about supporting neonatology colleagues across the country. He is the president and cofounder of Neonatology Solutions, LLC, a free web-based resource for neonatology fellows seeking information about career planning, job searches, neonatology conferences, and clinical guidelines. His goal is to ease the pathway into neonatology careers for the next generation of providers. This resource supports the dissemination of local clinical guidelines and pathways for neonatal care, including COVID-19 guidelines, in the spirit of openness and information sharing with colleagues around the globe.
Outside of work, Dr. Snyder is committed to civic involvement in Boise and the surrounding region. He is an advocate for sustainable local growth, vitality, strong education, and innovative options for transportation, entertainment, and business. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife at their cabin in Donnelly, cooking, skiing, hiking, fishing, backcountry camping, and hard cider homebrewing with local apples.
Dr. Snyder cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Nathan Thornton, MD is a neonatologist with special interest in neonatal cardiac physiology. He is committed to effective communication and strives to simplify complex medical concepts to ensure parent understanding. In addition to providing patient care, he serves as a member of St. Luke's pediatric peer review committee.
Dr. Thornton completed his pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship at the University of Utah/Primary Children's Medical Center. During his fellowship, his research and publications focused on dysfunction in the neonatal immune system.Prior to joining St. Luke's, Dr. Thornton practiced at Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, TX.
In his free time, Dr. Thornton enjoys mountain and road biking, backpacking, and traveling with his wife, a pediatric pharmacist. He is also a huge fan of high-quality coffee.Dr. Thornton cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
Maria Tucker, RN, MSN, NNP-BC provides care for infants of all acuity levels in the NICU and is highly skilled in central line placement. She serves as clinical supervisor for St. Luke's neonatal nurse practitioners, leading a team of NNPs that support all of St. Luke's NICUs (Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Twin Falls).
Maria is especially focused on the nutritional needs of critically ill infants and worked with fellow NNPs, neonatologists and registered dietitians to create a nutritional pathway for infants with extremely low birth weights. She has also worked closely with the surgical team to create a care pathway for infants who require intestinal surgery.
In addition to caring for the infants in the NICU, Maria also enjoys supporting families through their NICU journey. It can be a very stressful time and Maria does her best to provide anticipatory guidance and support for parents.
Maria earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from California State University, Hayward, and a master’s degree in nursing, neonatal nurse practitioner, from the University of Texas Medical Branch.
When she is not at work, Maria enjoys the beautiful Idaho outdoors, camping, boating, and hiking.
Maria cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian, and Nampa.
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.
James W. VanLooy Jr., MD is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. His research includes the use of pre-medication prior to intubation in neonates.
Dr. VanLooy cares for babies in the NICU at St. Luke’s Boise, Magic Valley, Meridian and Nampa.
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This one-day class helps you and your support companion prepare for labor and childbirth.<br />
This class will help you and your support companion prepare for your labor, birth, and postpartum experience.<br />