Lurie Children’s Department of Anesthesiology administers more than 30,000 anesthetics a year to treat children with all types of conditions. The department is a national leader and provides safe and state-of-the art sedation, pain management, critical care and surgical anesthesia for procedures using the highest standards in medicine. 

About Us

We specialize in the anesthesia care of children with life-threatening illnesses and complex chronic conditions. We care for patients across the age span - from fetal surgery for babies before they are born, premature infants, newborns, children, adolescents, and adults. Our team of dedicated providers has expertise in not only clinical management but also psychosocial, developmental wellbeing, and age-appropriate care.

Why Choose Lurie Children's?

We are driven by our commitment to the best outcome for every patient. Our commitment to this exemplified through Lurie’s Children's and department wide efforts focus on quality care and pain management. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a childkind certified hospital demonstrating our commitment to children’s comfort and the appropriate treatment of children pain. Safe surgical care relies on high functioning teams and Lurie Children's uses High Reliability principles to create a thriving team environment which keeps patient safety at the heart of our approach to care. The same team of dedicated anesthesia providers who treat children at our main campus in Chicago, also care for children undergoing procedures at our Westchester and Northbrook Ambulatory Surgical Centers.

Nationally-Ranked Care

Lurie Children’s continues to be the #1 children's hospital in Illinois and is ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

Leadership Team

Olutoyin Olutoye, MD, MSc

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief & Chair

Richard Dsida, MD

Executive Vice Chair

Divison Head, General Anesthesia

Olga Leavitt, MD

Vice Chair of Clinical Operations

Lisa E. Sohn, MD

Vice Chair of Quality & Safety

Ravi Shah, MD

Divison Head, Pain Medicine

Director, Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Program

Hubert Benzon, MD, MPH, FAAP

Medical Director, Preoperative Anesthesiology Clinic

Medical Director, Neuroanesthesia

Eric C. Cheon, MD

Medical Director, Research & Clinical Informatics

Audrey Rosenblatt, PhD, CRNA, APRN

Director, APP Anesthesia Services 

Anesthesiology Specialists

Our anesthesiologists are fully trained in pediatric anesthesia and practice pediatric anesthesia full-time. The department has teams dedicated to pain management, pediatric chronic pain and innovative airway anesthesia.

The hospital offers one of the largest training programs for pediatric anesthesiologists in the country, and the department serves as a benchmark for other institutions nationwide for advanced postoperative pain management.

Olutoyin Olutoye, MD, MSc, is Chair of the Department of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Lurie Children’s. Dr. Olutoye is board-certified in pediatric anesthesia and anesthesiology. She is also a Professor of Anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Olutoyin A. Olutoye, MD, MSc

Anesthesiologist-in-Chief; Department Chair, Pediatric Anesthesiology; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Arthur C. King Board Designated Professorship in Anesthesiology

Courtney A. Hardy, MD, MBA

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Vice President of Perioperative Services

Bradley M. Albers, MD

Bradley M. Albers, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Co-Medical Director, Lurie Children’s Surgery Center in Northbrook

Benjamin J. Baldukas, MSN, RN, CPN

Registered Nurse, Chronic Pain Management Program

Heather A. Ballard, MD

Heather A. Ballard, MD, MS

Medical Director, Liver Transplantation Anesthesia; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Hubert A. Benzon, MD

Hubert A. Benzon, MD, MPH

Medical Director, Preoperative Anesthesiology Clinic; Medical Director, Neuroanesthesia; Co-Medical Director, Westchester Ambulatory and Surgery Treatment Center; Chair, Faculty Recruitment Committee; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Wendy B. Binstock, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Tierney O. Brennan, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Anesthesiology

Nicholas E. Burjek, MD

Nicholas E. Burjek, MD

Medical Director, Spine Surgery Anesthesia; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Eric C. Cheon, MD

Eric C. Cheon, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Yeona Chun, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Jeffrey G. Cohen, DO, D.ABA

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Jillian DiBiase, DO

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Richard M. Dsida, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Michael A. Evans, MD, FASA

Attending Physician, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Amy Fang, MD

Attending Physician, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Alexander Froyshteter, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Jacob Heninger, DO

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Jue Hou, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Andrea S. Huang, MD

Andrea S. Huang, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

David J. Krodel, MD

David J. Krodel, MD, MS, FASA

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Medical Director, Acute Pain

Alina Lazar, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Olga Leavitt, MD

Olga Leavitt, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Ryan E. Marcelino, MD

Ryan E. Marcelino, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Co-Program Director, Regional Anesthesia Fellowship; Medical Director, Regional Anesthesia

Diana Matusiak, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Anesthesiology

Ann C. Monahan, MD

Ann C. Monahan, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Isabella I. Mukherji, MD

Isabella I. Mukherji, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Nisha M. Pinto, MD

Nisha M. Pinto, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Alison L. Robles, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Matthew Rowland, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine; Assistant Medical Director, Vascular Access Team; Co-Medical Director, Rapid Difficult Airway Management

Ashley E. Sarver, MD

Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Anesthesiology

Jonathan Shaffer, DO

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Ravi D. Shah, MD

Ravi D. Shah, MD

Division Head, Pain Medicine; Fellowship Program Director; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology, Pain Management Team

Shashank S. Singh, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Lisa E. Sohn, MD

Lisa E. Sohn, MD

Director, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety; Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Jared M. Spilka, MD

Attending Physician, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Scott A. Stenquist, MD

Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Anthony Tantoco, MD

Anthony Tantoco, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Erin E. Toaz, MD

Erin E. Toaz, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Michelle Tsao, MD

Michelle Tsao, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology; Medical Director, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit

Angelica A. Vargas, MD

Angelica A. Vargas, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Keziah Mae A. Vargas, MD

Attending Physician, Anesthesiology

Meghan M. Christopher, APRN-CRNA, MSN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Tyler Davis-Sandfoss, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology; Clinical Coordinator, Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNA)

Daniela G. Doyle, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Sarah K. Duggan APN, NP

Sarah Duggan, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Jermy J. Farnell, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Stephanie P. Flynn, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

Family Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Leslie Gamez-Gallo, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Anesthesiology

Amy Gawura, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Molly E. Geaman, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC

Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Abigail Hadley, APRN-CRNA, DNP

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Anne Havrilla, APRN-CRNA, MSN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Lisa Hawks, APRN-CRNA, MSN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Lauren S. Irwin, APRN-CRNA, MSN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Cardiac Anesthesiology

Jillian C. Jesionowski, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Angela R. Keehn, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Amanda Kirchhoff, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Emily Klinefelter, APRN-CRNA, DNAP

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Stephanie Knell, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Alison N. Lunau, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Elena Occident, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Suzanne O. Park, APRN-CRNA, MS

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Leah G. Parks, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Julia Pavlenko, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Pediatric Anesthesiology

Renee Pederson, APRN-CRNA, DNP, MSN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Jake Perkins, DNP, CRNA, APRN

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Valerine Romeo, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Tracey Rooney, DNP, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Audrey Rosenblatt, PhD, APRN-CRNA

Director of Advanced Practice Anesthesia Services; CRNA Manager, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Crystal A. Spaeth, APRN-NP

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Anesthesia

Kimberly N. Stanford, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Alison C. Thompson, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Katie Tillhof, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology

Anne E. Tracy, APRN-CRNA

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Sally Wallin, CRNA, DNP, APRN-NP

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesiology

Natalie Weatherred, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, AP-PMN

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Anesthesiology; APP/RN Manager and Pain Clinic Program Coordinator, Pediatric Anesthesiology Pain Management Team

Make an Appointment

We offer several scheduling options for your child's care needs. 

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Pediatric Anesthesiology Research

The Department of Pediatric Anesthesiology is continuously dedicated to pursuing the advancement of pediatric anesthesiology and enhancing the safety and comfort of our young patients through clinical research.

From the operating room to the recovery units, the faculty works directly with young patients, their families and collaborating institutions to investigating innovative procedures, techniques and devices to improve patient outcomes in pain management and safety. 

Learn More About Our Research

Our Locations

Lurie Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Northbrook

1131 Techny Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062
312.227.7600

Get Directions

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

225 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60611
312.227.4000

Get Directions

Billing & Financial Support

If you have any questions or need assistance paying your bill, please call 847.257.3000 for more information. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Patients and families often have questions about what to expect when a child is put under anesthesia. We have answers to many of the most common questions.

See our FAQs

Anesthesiology News & Stories

Finding Peace Through Pain: How Psychologists Help Chronic Pain Patients Cope

Chronic pain often causes disruption to normal childhood activities and affects a child’s mood, family and peer relationships, and their ability to do the things they care about. Psychologists are an integral part of these patients' care. Learn about the mental health professionals embedded within each program who address the emotional and mental well-being of their patients. 

Read more

Pediatric Anesthesiology at Lurie Children's Hospital with Dr. Olutoyin Olutoye

In this episode, Dr. Olutoye walks through her and her team members’ various roles before, during, and after an operation to ensure successful surgeries for even the tiniest babies.

Read more

Quick Action by Lurie Children’s Experts Saves Gavin’s Arm

Ashley and Daniel were preparing themselves for their newborn to lose his right arm.

Read more

Lurie Children’s One Of Six Hospitals Nationwide To Receive Pain Management Certification

Read more