Pediatric Kidney Transplant Team

The Pediatric Kidney Transplant Team a​t Lurie Children’s includes nephrologists, surgeons, transplant nurses, transplant social workers and dieticians. 

Leadership 

• Rachel Engen, MD, Medical Director, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program
• Caroline Lemoine, MD, Surgical Director, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program

Transplant Nephrologists

• Priya Verghese, MD, MPH, Division Head, Nephrology
• Debora Matossian, MD, MS​, Attending Physician, Nephrology

Transplant Surgeons

• ​Riccardo Superina, MD, Division Head, Transplant Surgery, co-director, Siragusa Transplantation Center 
• Nitin Katariya, MD, Transplant Surgeon, Siragusa Transplantation Center 
• Juan Caicedo, MD, Transplant Surgeon, Siragusa Transplantation Center

Transplant Administration

• Berni Chrobak, RN, MSN, MBA, Transplant Managed Care Contractor 
• Renee Shores, MAFM, CAC, Transplant Financial Manager
• Johanna Mishra, MS, Senior Director, Siragusa Transplantation Center
• Theresa Trice, Transplant Data and Quality Coordinator

Nurse Coordinators

• ​Debbie Kunzon, RN, MSN, APN, NP 
• Ashley Voit, RN, MSN, APN, CPNP 
• Kaitlyn White, RN
• Lauren Gregory, RN

Nutritionists

• ​Nicoletta Alavanja, RD

Organ Procurement Coor​dinators

• ​Kelsey Christensen
• Justin Boese
• Ryan Mitchell

Transplant Support Staff

• Maria Robles, Family-to-Family Coordinator, Siragusa Transplantation Center
• Natalia Panek, PharmD, Transplant Pharmacist
• Kevin Le, PharmD, Transplant Pharmacist
• Lizeth Pimentel, LCSW, Transplant Social Worker