Meet Our SPROUT Specialists

Co-Director, Pediatric Urologist

A co-founding director, Earl Y. Cheng, MD, is a board-certified pediatric urologist. Dr. Cheng completed his urology residency at Northwestern University and his pediatric urology fellowship at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  He is currently Professor of Urology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He is a national expert in complex reconstructive urology and has a special interest in the medical and surgical management of individuals with sex development conditions. He also co-directs a basic science laboratory with Arun Sharma, PhD, that focuses on tissue engineering techniques for the urinary tract. Dr. Cheng provides direct clinical care as a member of our SPROUT team. View Dr. Cheng's profile video.

Medical Director, Endocrinologist 

Courtney Finlayson, MD, is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric endocrinology. Dr. Finlayson completed her pediatric residency at Rush University and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Lurie Children’s Hospital (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital). She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Among her clinical and academic efforts, she leads the Gender and Sex Diversity Working Group of the Oncofertility Consortium, which seeks to improve fertility preservation options for individuals with differences in sex development and for those who are transgender. 

Behavioral Health Director (she/her)

Diane Chen, PhD, is the founding psychologist for the program, Behavioral Health Director for The Potocsnak Family Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Pediatrics, at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She directs behavioral health services within the program and provides consultation, assessment, and therapeutic services within the interdisciplinary clinics for transgender and gender expansive youth and for youth with intersex variations/differences in sex development. Dr. Chen maintains an active research program broadly focused on psychosocial functioning, reproductive health and fertility preservation, and medical decision-making among gender and sexual minority youth and young adults.

Dr. Chen received her PhD (2012) and MA (2008) from Temple University, her BA (2004) from the University of Michigan, and completed her pre-doctoral internship (2012) and post-doctoral fellowship (2013) in clinical child and pediatric psychology at Lurie Children’s.

Attending Physician, Pediatric Surgery; Member, Lurie Children's Surgical Foundation

Associate Professor of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Pediatric Urologist

Emilie K. Johnson, MD, MPH, is a board-certified pediatric urologist. She is an assistant professor in Urology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at the University of Michigan and a dual fellowship in Pediatric Urology and Health Services Research at Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Johnson provides urologic care in the DSD arm of SPROUT, and is leading several clinical research projects aimed at advancing care for individuals with differences of sex development. View Dr. Johnson's profile video.

Genetic Counselor 

Elizabeth Leeth, MS, is a board-certified in genetic counselor. Elizabeth was previously on faculty as an educator and Assistant Director as the Northwestern University Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling. She has a specific interest in the genetics of sex development and has helped to develop genetic testing strategies for the Differences of Sexual Development clinic. 

Pediatric Psychologist

Jaclyn L. Papadakis, PhD, is a medical psychologist in the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Lurie Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She specializes in treating mood, anxiety, and behavioral disorders using evidence-based individual, family, and group psychotherapeutic approaches for youth with chronic health conditions. She works with youth with medical conditions marked by differences of sex development (DSD) as part of SPROUT, providing consultation and psychotherapy. She has additional clinical roles in the hospital, including working with the Spina Bifida Center and as an attending on the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Consultation Service. She is active in multiple research groups, with a focus on psychosocial and family functioning among youth with chronic health conditions, specifically those with DSD, spina bifida, or diabetes. Dr. Papadakis received her PhD (2018), MA (2015), and BS (2010) in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and completed her pre-doctoral internship (2018) and post-doctoral training (2019) in Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology at Lurie Children’s.

Genetic Counselor 

Allison Goetsch, MS, CGC, is a board-certified genetic counselor. Allison is a clinical instructor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She has a specific interest in complex medical conditions known to affect fertility and works closely with the Oncofertility Consortium at Northwestern University to conduct fertility-related research and create provider and patient education materials about fertility preservation and restoration. Allison provides genetic counseling and coordination of genetic testing for SPROUT.

Pediatric Endocrinologist

Dr. J Whitehead (they/them) is a Pediatric Endocrinologist at Lurie Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Endocrinology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. They completed their residency in pediatrics and their fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at Lurie Children’s. As part of the transgender community, Dr. Whitehead is passionate about improving access to and quality of care for transgender and gender-diverse kids, as well as kids with intersex traits or differences of sex development. They are a member of the Pediatric Endocrine Society’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion task force and the Lurie Children’s Pediatric Resident and Fellow Diversity & Inclusion Committee. They provide direct clinical care for SPROUT.

Pediatric Urologist

Elizabeth B. Yerkes, MD​, is a board-certified pediatric urologist. Dr. Yerkes completed her urology residency at Vanderbilt University and her Pediatric Urology fellowship at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. She is Associate Professor of Urology and has been on faculty at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago since 2005. As a member of the Division of Pediatric Urology, she is Director of Pediatric and Adolescent Urogynecology and Co-Director of Complex Reconstruction. Dr. Yerkes has special interest in the medical and surgical care of individuals with sex development conditions and associated complex anomalies of the genitourinary tract.  

Program Coordinator

Danielle Lee, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the clinical coordinator of SPROUT at Lurie Children’s. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of St. Thomas and has great interest in psychosocial support within the clinical setting. Danielle is the point of contact for families within SPROUT and helps develop and facilitate family centered supports, events, and resources.
 

Health Educator (they/them)

Adam Davies is a Health Educator for SPROUT at Lurie Children’s and a current first-year medical student at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. Adam draws from their experience living with a difference of sex development to provide resources for patients and help develop educational materials to be used in clinic. They can be found attending clinic on Fridays or planning support group events. They have a passion for health equity, LGBTQ+ support and medical education. 

Health Educator (she/her/hers)

Adrienne Marks, is a dual-certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. She received her undergraduate nursing degree from the University of Portland and her graduate nursing training from the University of Southern California and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Adrienne is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and an individual living with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). In her role as health educator, she serves as an advocate for individuals living with CAH and helps to educate the community regarding all aspects of CAH. She has a passion for healthy policy, specifically adrenal crisis health care access and emergency medication training.