Meet Our Fellows

Katie Carome, MD

I grew up in Washington, DC and wanted to be in medicine for as long as I can remember—though it took quite a while to realize the PICU is where I belong. I attended Boston College where I earned a B.S. in Biology. Outside of lecture halls/labs, I was a member of Boston College's gospel choir, Voices of Imani, and volunteered as an EMT with Boston College EMS. After college, I spent my gap year working in the Division of Neonatology as a research assistant. I attended New York Medical College for medical school. I entered medical school planning on being a neonatologist and my research in the NICU at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital was in breastmilk medicine. I have spent the last 3 years in Chicago at Northwestern/Lurie Children's Hospital, where I realized the right ICU for me was in fact the PICU. Outside of my clinical interests I am interested in palliative care, bioethics, communication, and breastfeeding medicine. I completed a bioethics concentration in medical school and am completing a bioethics certificate at Northwestern this spring. In residency, my research project has been part of a breaking bad news curriculum for pediatric residents. I hope to continue to study and improve communication training for residents, fellows, and attendings throughout my career. I also hope to become a certified lactation consultant.

Outside of the hospital, my husband Kevin and I love taking our rambunctious husky, Rocket, on walks and are looking forward to being able to go on proper hikes again as we leave the flat Midwest. My favorite thing to do when I'm stressed is bake, and I firmly believe calls are better when there are baked goods. Some of my favorite things to bake include creme brûlée, macaron, cupcakes of all flavors, and anything maple. 

Kevin Doré, MD

Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, I am a proud Midwesterner. I completed my undergraduate work at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and graduated with dual degrees in Biology and History. After college, I worked as a Teach For America corps member in Chicago, where I taught seventh and eighth grade science and social studies on the city’s South Side. My teaching experience was deeply rewarding and ultimately led me to a career path in medicine. After teaching, I moved to New Hampshire to attend medical school at Dartmouth and subsequently finished my residency at Weill Cornell/New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. I am now thrilled to continue my training at Stanford!

My long-term goals involve building a career at the intersection of clinical medicine and healthcare policy. I also have academic interests in simulation and initiatives to help improve the utilization of blood products in the critical care setting.

On a personal level, I love staying active through sports such tennis and golf, reading fantasy and science fiction books, indulging in Thai Food, and cheering on the Chicago Bulls. 

Hannah Ford, MD

I grew up just outside of New York City. After receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Columbia University, I spent several years working as an elementary and middle school teacher in Chicago. I then returned to Columbia University for medical school where my love of teaching and working with children led me to Pediatrics, especially the care of critically ill children, and the field of medical education. During my residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, I grew my interest in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and completed supplementary training in medical education. In the year prior to fellowship, I remained at CHOP as a hospitalist in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and General Pediatrics, engaging in research on neurologic outcomes of critically ill children with sepsis as well as gaining experience with simulation facilitation for trainees.

I am incredibly excited to embark on the next step of this journey as a Pediatric Critical Care fellow at Stanford! My academic interests include medical education, particularly the use of simulation as an educational and QI tool, and sepsis. When not in the hospital, I enjoy theater, board games, dancing (lindy hop/fusion), reading for pleasure, hiking, and traveling. 

Sang Nguyen, MD

I was born in the beautiful country of Vietnam and have lived in Southern California since high school. I was fortunate to be the first one in my family to attend college and medical school in the US. My alma mater, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, provided me with so much support to find my passion in pediatric oncology and critical care fields. Then I attended the pediatric residency at UCSF which has been life changing and gave me an opportunity to learn about the emerging field of onc-critical care. I met so many wonderful mentors and colleagues that helped me grow so much in the last couple years.

Prior to fellowship, my research focused on immunotherapy, risk factors in bone marrow transplant outcome and global health in building capacity of BMT service in Vietnam. I hope to continue these passions earnestly so that I will continue improving the quality of life of pediatric patients in critical care settings locally and internationally.

Besides work, I love painting (considered myself as an artistic person), cooking, and travelling with my wife. I am thrilled and honored to start my next chapter at PCCM family. I cannot wait for long-lasting memories and friendships at PCCM. 

Anna Brzezinski, MD

I moved from Toronto to Cleveland at a young age where I learned that “Cleveland Rocks!” I cultivated an interest in medical technology in high school and ultimately studied Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. I was awarded a patent for an add-on device for electrocautery that I developed during my undergraduate training. I subsequently returned to my hometown to perform research in Cardiothoracic Surgery as a Research Fellow at Cleveland Clinic for two years before moving to Chicago for my medical training. While at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I completed the Innovation Medicine program, which supplemented the medical curriculum through co-curricular and interdisciplinary activities to provide a systemic approach to innovation in clinical practice. As a Pediatric resident at Stanford, I participated in Quality Improvement projects related to medication reconciliation.

I am excited to continue my training at Stanford and further explore the area! While outside of LPCH, I enjoy cooking, eating, tasting at local wineries, hiking, art museums, and traveling.

John Grunyk, MD

Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania
Residency: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University

I'm originally from Chicago proper, but my family made many exotic moves throughout the Chicagoland area while I was growing up. I attended Yale University where I earned a B.A. in History and was a member of the Lightweight Rowing Team. After college, I spent three years in New York City working at a brand strategy consulting firm. Desiring a more tangible, hands-on connection to my work and a focus on advocacy, I decided to make a career change and pursue medicine. I moved to Philadelphia, where I completed a Postbaccalaureate and then attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. I returned to Chicago for my residency in Pediatrics at Lurie Children’s Hospital and fell in love with Critical Care Medicine. Academically, I am interested in how we can better identify patients at risk of decompensation, enhance hospital efficiency, and improve interdisciplinary communication. 

Outside of work, I love to be outdoors as much as possible (hiking, skiing, running, biking, or any new challenge someone proposes), traveling, attending concerts, lifting, and eating anything I can find. 

Allison Henning, DO

Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center

I am originally from Idaho but was recruited to swim at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. I received my Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering and have worked as an engineer on various projects ranging from hazardous waste management to redesigning disability accessible classrooms to analyzing the kinematics of post-surgical knee replacements. I attended medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed my residency at Penn State Milton Hershey Medical Center in combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics.

My love of the outdoors prompted me to pursue fellowship training in Wilderness and Austere Medicine.  I hope to use that fellowship, combined with my critical care training, to help hospitals and health systems prepare for natural disasters and mass casualty events. 

Outside of work I enjoy skiing, paddle boarding, fishing, competing in triathlons and long-distance running, and participating in any adventure comes with good food and good friends!

Alicia Lew, MD

Medical School: USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Residency: University of South Florida

I was born and raised in the small rural town of Okahumpka, Florida. I received my B.S. in biology at the University of Florida (go GATA!) and medical degree at the University of South Florida (USF). I couples matched with my significant other at USF where I completed my pediatric residency training and chief resident year. USF became my home where I found my love for the ICU and my passions for teaching, leadership, and clinical research. During my chief year, I developed a research mentorship track and longitudinal simulation curriculum for my residency. I love this specialty because it is a team sport that requires curiosity, collaboration, and communication to care for the sickest children in the hospital. I have special research interests in respiratory pathology and critical asthma management in the ICU. I am excited to spread my wings and venture over to the west coast to join the Stanford family and pursue an academic research career in pediatric critical care medicine!

Ashley Wong Grossman, MD

Medical School: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: Mayo Clinic (Pediatrics and anesthesia)
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic (Pediatrics anesthesia)

I am originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Prior to starting my journey in medicine, I was a professional figure skater with Disney on Ice for six years. This chapter took me around the world and was full of unique experiences and wonderful people, many of whom are still like family to me. I completed medical school at Loyola University in Chicago. I then moved to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where I did residencies in Pediatrics and Anesthesiology, as well as a fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology. My research has primarily focused on areas of intersection between the operating room and ICU, such as the incidence of Propofol Infusion Syndrome and rates of complications with invasive arterial catheters. I couldn’t be more excited to continue my training in Pediatric Critical Care at Stanford! 

During my non-clinical time, I enjoy going back to the rink when I am able and I love international travel, going out for dinner, and spending time with my husband, Daniel, and our small Havanese puppy, Ivy.

Dipankan Bhattacharya, MD

Medical School: Yale School of Medicine
Residency: Stanford University

Hi! I usually go by (Dr.) Dippy, so feel free to call me that! I was born in Kolkata, India and moved to the Bay Area when I was 12. I attended UC Berkeley (GO BEARS!!!) and then did my MD-PhD at Yale. For my PhD, I was in Dr. Mustafa Khokha’s lab and used CRISPR/ Cas9 to uncover the function of genes that we identified from sequencing our patients born with congenital birth defects! I chose Pediatrics simply because I am happiest in peds and even through the grueling residency schedule, working with kids always brings me a lot of joy and gives me hope :)

In residency, I pursued a project in advocacy by looking at how pediatric residents utilized interpreter services at our hospital, because, despite my best intentions and efforts, I never felt satisfied with the care I was delivering to my non-English speaking patients! Outside of work I love being in nature, especially by the water! I love going to my martial arts studio and working on fun projects like dancing and making parody videos! I am very excited to join the amazing PICU team at Stanford to complete my training, and I am looking forward to continuing working with, and learning from, all the amazing attendings, fellows, NPs, nurses, pharmacists, RT, PT, OT, and all the other essential staff that make up our PCCM family!

Alaina Critchlow, MD

Medical School: University of Colorado School of Medicine
Residency: Stanford University

I grew up outside of Seattle, Washington, but my family currently resides in Southern California. I have spent much of my adult life at Stanford and I am excited to continue my medical training here as part of the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship program. I earned a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University after which I spent several years as a research coordinator in Adolescent Medicine and Child Psychiatry, also at Stanford. I moved to Denver where I received my M.D. from University of Colorado School of Medicine and M.P.H. from Colorado School of Public Health. I returned to Stanford for Pediatrics residency and spent two years prior to fellowship as a hospitalist in the LPCH Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy hiking, cooking, gardening, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family.

Karolina Grekov, MD

Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

I’m originally from Sochi, Russia but I’ve lived in Southern California for most of my life. I grew up playing the piano and the viola and was able to travel the world with various orchestras throughout my youth, which instilled in me a love of languages and an interest in global health. I went on to study Spanish and Music at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee and ultimately decided to pursue a degree in medicine at Loma Linda University as well as a masters in Bioethics. I was originally drawn to medicine as a tangible means of helping others which has grown into a desire to develop my critical thinking and clinical skills in a high-acuity setting and to help patients and families navigate the emotional and spiritual aspects of illness. I completed my pediatric residency training followed by chief residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where I studied the effects of air pollution on children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as part of the global health track. I am interested in the intersection of Bioethics and Global Health -particularly as it pertains to communication and shared decision making.

Outside of medicine I enjoy spending time with my family, being outside, sewing, and tiny desserts. 

Agnes Reschke, MD

Medical School: University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Residency: University of Connecticut
Fellowship: Stanford University (Hematology-Oncology)

While I’m originally from South Africa, I’ve spent the majority of my life moving around the United States and am excited to have settled down in the Bay Area. After finishing high school in Chicago, I obtained my Bachelor of Science from Villanova University and went on to medical school at University of Kentucky. I then completed pediatric residency at Connecticut Children's Medical Center followed by a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Stanford. It was during this time that I discovered the emerging field of onco-critical care and made the decision to pursue a pediatric critical care fellowship. I’m thrilled to be staying at Stanford and hope to bring together the fields of pediatric oncology and critical care in a way that will improve the outcomes of critically ill pediatric oncology patients. My academic interests include immune dysregulation and immune responses to immunotherapies such as CAR T-cell therapy. My research to date has been working to better understand cytokine kinetics in patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy and I hope to continue this work and apply a real-time cytokine assay to be able to guide immunomodulatory therapy.

I moved to California with my golden doodle, Bennett, and spend my time outside of work taking him to the beach or the mountains, skiing in Lake Tahoe, sailing in Santa Cruz, or traveling.

Sheyla Richards, MD

Medical School: Columbia University
Residency: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Deerfield Beach in South Florida is my hometown and where my family is based. I moved to New York City and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociocultural Anthropology from Columbia University in 2012. During this time, I explored community-based research related to hypertension in communities of color. I graduated with an MD/MS in Biomedical Sciences – Global Health focus dual-degree from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons in 2018. During a research year in medical school, I lived in La Romana, Dominican Republic where I worked on community-based research projects with vulnerable populations and traveled the country. During residency at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, I’ve focused on evaluating a severity of illness score among hospitalized children in Gaborone, Botswana. I am thrilled to make the big move to the West Coast, begin my journey in Pediatric Critical Care at Stanford, and continue to develop my academic interest in Critical Care & Global Health.

Interests: hiking, leisure reading, cooking (new to seafood!), studying French and hosting soirées, painting, dancing.