Where our developmental-behavioral pediatrics fellows go next
Graduates of the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship at Tufts Medical Center have gone on to meaningful careers in academic medicine, clinical care, advocacy, and leadership across the country. Many have stayed active in teaching and research, while others have taken on roles that shape policy and systems of care for children with developmental and behavioral needs.
Whether they choose academic centers, community-based programs, or hybrid roles, our alumni share a strong foundation in interdisciplinary care and a commitment to advancing the health and well-being of children and families.
Proud of their success + the impact they continue to make in the field
Alumni 2023
Irmina Stec, DO: Irmina is passionate about her role as educator and mentor to her community in Illinois. She is particularly interested in bringing support to families who have not previously had much access to DBP care. She is currently working with the Advocate Children’s Medical Group in Park Ridge, IL. Her research interests include work on sexuality and relationship education projects for teens with autism.
Alumni 2022
Cristina Bird Collado, MD: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Tufts Medicine, Boston, MA
Cristina M. Bird Collado graduated from Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine and completed her residency in General Pediatrics at San Juan City Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2018. Dr. Bird Collado has always been passionate about providing care to underserved communities. In doing so, she recognized the need to integrate healthcare into community settings. After completing her pediatric residency, Dr. Bird Collado completed a research fellowship, supporting pediatric residents on the development and implementation of their projects. Dr. Bird Collado is enthusiastic about helping children with special needs in her community receive the medical care they need to achieve their potential. Her research interests include early identification of autism and other developmental disorders, and the promotion of bilingualism in Latin communities.
Alumni 2021
Deanna Lau, DO: (2021): Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Providence Medical Grp Santa Roada, CA
SDBP Abstract Presentation SDBP: Accoication of Comorbid Disorders on Timely Receipt of Autism Diagnosis
Deanna Lau completed her residency in General Pediatrics at Coney Island Hospital and State University of New York Downstate. Prior to attending medical school at Touro University, California, she served as a research coordinator for participants in studies using web-based testing to establish the relation between symptom profiles regarding attention and cognitive testing scores along with heritability estimates for working memory and response inhibition at the University of California Los Angeles Semel Institute. While there, she also helped create an online knowledge base and assessment development project on Autism Spectrum Disorders. During her Pediatrics Residency, she worked with her Program Director to successfully attain a New York State Office of Mental Health grant to implement Healthy Steps, a model of delivering primary care which seeks to address adverse childhood experiences and improve developmental outcomes within the Pediatrics Clinic. Dr. Lau is passionate about state and national advocacy for policies to help children with special needs reach their potential and providing care for medically complex children. Her research interests include addressing cultural barriers within Asian communities in seeking appropriate diagnosis and care for children with developmental delay and Autism Spectrum Disorders screening tools.
Alumni 2020
Aseel Al Jadiri, MD (2020):
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Institute for Child Development; HMH Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
Al-Jadiry AM, Al-Jadiri A. Autism from Leo Kanner to ICD-11 and DSM-5. Arab Journal of Psychiatry. 2019: 31(2): 100-114
Al-Jadiry AM, Al-Jadiri A. Neurodevelopmental Disorders and the Role of Pharmacotherapy: Review and Update. Arab Journal of Psychiatry. 2020; 32(1): 1-16.
Al-Jadiri A, Tybor DJ, Mulé C, Sakai C. Factors Associated with Resilience in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Devel Behav Pediatr. 2020; 42(1): 16-22
Alumni 2018
Kathleen Pitterle, DO (2018)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Nemours/Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE
Pitterle K, Sakai C, Mulé C. "Comparing Flourishing between children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Asthma." Poster at the Society of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Annual Meeting. 2017; Cleveland, OH.
Amel Al Awami, MD (2018)
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Johns Hopkins ARAMCO Healthcare, Saudi Arabia
Alawami AH, Perrin EC, Sakai C. Implementation of M-CHAT Screening for Autism in Primary Care in Saudi Arabia. Glob Pediatr Health. 2019 May 31;6:2333794X19852021
Alumni 2017
Bibiana Restrepo, MD (2017)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, MIND Institute, UC Davis, California
Diemer M, Restrepo B, Perrin E, Sheldrick R, Garfinkel D, Bevan S. "Increased costs of identifying developmental-behavioral problems in non-English speaking families." Poster at the Society of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Annual Meeting. 2017; Cleveland OH.
Alumni 2016:
A. Stacie Colwell, MD, PhD (2016)
Pediatric Palliative Care, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Alumni 2015
Carmina Erdei, MD (Combined Fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Newborn Medicine, 2015):
Lead Physician, Growth and Development Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard University Medical School
Fellowship Publications:
C Erdei: Infectious Behavior: Brain-Immune Connections in Autism, Schizophrenia, and Depression, Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics: Volume 34 (5): 374, 2013 (Book Review)
C Erdei and O Dammann: The Perfect Storm: Preterm Birth, Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms, and Autism Causation. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 57 (4): 470-481, 2014 (10.1353/pbm.2014.0036)
Alumni 2014
Christina Sakai, MD (2014)
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Center for Children with Special Needs, Tufts Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine
Fellowship Publications/Presentations:
Sakai C, Mackie TI, Shetgiri R, Franzen S, Partap A, Flores G, Leslie LK. Mental Health Beliefs and Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services in Youth Aging Out of Foster Care. Acad Pediatr. 2014 Nov;14(6):565-573.
Sakai C, Miller K, Brussa AK, MacPherson C, Augustyn M. Challenges of autism in the inpatient setting. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2014;35(1):82-84.
Sakai C, Tavel-Gelrud D, Choueiri R. "How Do Latino Families Perceive Autism Diagnosis and Management? Experiences of Early Intervention Providers." Poster at the Society for Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Annual Meeting, September 22, 2014; Nashville, TN and at Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting, May 3, 2014; Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sheryl Levy, MD (2014)
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Center for Children with Special Needs, Tufts Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine
Fellowship Publications:
Levy, S, Hill, E, McKay, K, Sheldrick RC, Perrin EC. Co-located mental health/developmental care. Clinical Pediatrics, 56 (11): 1023-1031, 2017
Alumni 2009-2011
Nicola Smith, MD (2011):
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Child and Adolescent Health, Cohasset, MA
Fellowship Publications:
Smith NK, Sheldrick RC, and Perrin EC. (2012). An Abbreviated Screening instrument for autism spectrum disorders. Infant Mental Health Journal. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21356.
Catherine Davis, MD (2009): Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Burlington, MA
Fellowship Publications:
C Davis, M Claudius, L Palinkas, J Wong, L Leslie: Putting Families in the Center: Family Perspectives on Decision Making and ADHD and Implications for ADHD Care. J Attention Disorders: Volume: 16 (8): 675-684, 2011.
Paige Church, MD
Director, Neonatal Follow Up Clinic, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
Fellowship Publications:
Multicenter Collaboration with many authors, including Paige Church: Video and CD-ROM as a Training Tool for Performing Neurologic Examinations of 1-Year-Old Children in a Multicenter Epidemiologic Study: J. Child Neurology: 20 (10): 829-831, 2005
Deb Shipman, MD
Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, Reliant Health, Massachusetts
Fellowship Publications:
Shipman DL, Sheldrick RC, Perrin EC. Quality of life in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: reliability and validity of self-reports. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2011 Feb-Mar; 32(2):85-9.
Sheldrick, R.C., Neger, E., Shipman, D., Perrin, E.C. (2011). Quality of life of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: Concordance among adolescents' self-reports, parents' reports and parents' proxy reports. Quality of Life Research, 21(1), 53-57. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-011-9916-5; PMID 21505880.
