Pediatric Bariatric Surgery Care Team and Board Members

Janey Pratt, MD, is the surgical director of the Pediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program and a national leader in pediatric metabolic and bariatric surgery guidelines. Dr. Pratt is board certified in General Surgery and Obesity Medicine.

Areas of expertise:Minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery, robotic surgery, abdominal wall reconstruction

Stephanie D Chao, MD is a surgeon member of the Pediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program. Dr. Chao is board certified in Pediatric Surgery and General Surgery.

Areas of expertise:Minimally invasive surgery, bariatric surgery, pediatric and neonatal surgery, chest wall reconstruction

Gillian Fell, MD, is the director of Pediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Research at Stanford Children's Health, and is developing techniques to test for obesity related liver disease less invasively.  Children participating in our program may have the opportunity to contribute to cutting edge work on the disease of obesity and its associated conditions. She is board certified in General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.

Areas of expertise:Pediatric surgery, bariatric surgery, general surgery, liver fibrosis reasearch

Timothy Tirrell, MD, PhD is board certified in General Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Bariatric Surgery and Surgical Critical Care.

Areas of expertise:Pediatric surgery, trauma

Marwa Abu El Haija, MD, is board certified in Pediatrics; Obesity Medicine; and Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

Areas of expertise:Childhood obesity, gastrointestinal medical problems related to obesity

Elizabeth Shepard, MD, is a general pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist with board certification in Pediatrics, Nutrition, and Obesity.

Areas of expertise:Evaluation and treatment of severe obesity in children and adolescents, assessment of environmental risk factors for obesity, pharmacologic treatment of obesity.

Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, is an attending physician in the Pediatric Weight Clinic. Dr. Yen is board certified in Adolescent Medicine.

Areas of expertise:Treatment and prevention of obesity. Adolescent medicine: PCOS, birth control, menstrual regulation

Julia Nordgren, MD, is board certified in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Areas of expertise:Childhood obesity, obesity evaluation and management

Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD, is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology. 

Areas of expertise:Pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric obesity

Rachel Herdes, DO, is an assistant clinical professor in Pediatric Gastroenterology. She is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine, and Clinical Nutrition. 

Areas of expertise:Obesity medicine, bariatric surgery, intestinal rehabilitation, clinical nutrition, general gastroenterology

Brittany Matheson, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine. Dr. Matheson is the attending psychologist for the Pediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Areas of expertise:Psychological assessment and evaluation, eating and weight disorders, clinical research

Samara Pattiasina, MS, RDN, is one of the registered dietitians in the Pediatric Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program as well as weight management program. She also works with the adolescent eating disorders team.

Areas of expertise:Eating disorders, weight management, bariatric surgery

Elizabeth Cotter, MPH, RDN, CEDS is a registered dietitian with a special interest in obesity.

Areas of expertise:Clinical nutrition, obesity

Jami Zamyad, DCN, RD is a registered dietitian with a special interest in obesity.

Areas of expertise:Clinical nutrition, obesity

Edgar Peralta, PA, is a physician assistant in general surgery and pediatric surgery.

Areas of expertise:Pediatric surgery, general surgery

Courtney Cherniak is a pediatric certified nurse practitioner in acute care.

Areas of expertise:Bariatric surgery