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Neonatology

Meet Your NICU Team

Seattle Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Our NICU team has special training to care for critically ill newborns. We respect families as key members of your child’s healthcare team. We will work with you to make decisions and treatment plans for your baby.

The care team in Seattle Children’s NICU includes:

  • Neonatologists (doctors specializing in newborn care)
  • Neonatal and
  • Nurses
  • Lactation Services

Read about the different roles on your child’s healthcare team.

The NICU team works closely with other Seattle Children’s specialists to coordinate care for newborns with complex problems. Depending on your baby’s needs, they may receive care from pediatric surgeons, , , heart surgeons, , , , , and .

Leadership

  • Taylor Lee Sawyer, DO, MBA, MEd

    Taylor Lee Sawyer, DO, MBA, MEd

    Division Head, William Alan Hodson Endowed Chair of Neonatology, Chief of Pediatric Services, University of Washington Medical Center

  • Zeenia Cyrus Billimoria, MD

    Zeenia Cyrus Billimoria, MD

    Medical Director, Seattle Children's NICU; NICU Transport Lead

  • Sarah J Handley, MD

    Sarah J Handley, MD

    Associate Medical Director, Seattle Children’s NICU; Co-Director, Seattle Children’s BPD Program; ECMO Lead, Seattle Children’s NICU

  • Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu, MD, MPH

    Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu, MD, MPH

    Associate Medical Director, Seattle Children’s NICU; Co-Director, Seattle Children’s CDH Program; Director of Clinical Research, Division of Neonatology

  • Elizabeth Noelle Jacobson, MD

    Elizabeth Noelle Jacobson, MD

    Director of Quality, Neonatology Regional Network Site Sponsor, Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium

  • Tarisai Zivira, MBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

    Tarisai Zivira, MBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC

    NICU Director

  • Karen Kelly, ARNP, ACCNS-N

    Karen Kelly, ARNP, ACCNS-N

    Clinical Nurse Specialist

  • Karen Cunningham, RN, BSN, RNC-NIC

    Karen Cunningham, RN, BSN, RNC-NIC

    NICU Clinical Practice Manager

  • Lori George, MN, RN, RNC-NIC

    Lori George, MN, RN, RNC-NIC

    NICU Clinical Practice Manager

  • Erin Peters, RN, BSN, NEA-BC

    Erin Peters, RN, BSN, NEA-BC

    NICU Clinical Practice Manager

  • Barbara Winters, DNP, RN, RNC-NIC

    Barbara Winters, DNP, RN, RNC-NIC

    Transition in Practice Manager

  • Sarah Gabrielle Reilly, ARNP, MSN, NNP-BC
  • April Lynn Morris, ARNP

    April Lynn Morris, ARNP

    Associate Chief of APP Practice, Neonatal and Support Services

  • Rachel Amie Umoren, MD, MS

    Rachel Amie Umoren, MD, MS

    Associate Division Head, Research

  • Megan Mariner Gray, MD

    Megan Mariner Gray, MD

    Associate Division Head, Education

  • Kendell Riley German, MD

    Kendell Riley German, MD

    Associate Fellowship Director

Team

Critical Care Transport

Our Critical Care Transport program partners with Airlift Northwest to provide the specialized care needed to safely transport critically ill infants by ground or air. We transport more than 600 newborn patients each year. A NICU nurse and a respiratory therapist always ride along with the newborn on critical care transports. This team is in frequent contact with a neonatologist throughout the transport process to ensure the highest quality of patient care. The leaders of the Critical Care Transport program who specialize in transporting newborns and infants are:

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Research to improve patient care and outcomes

Our faculty hold national leadership and research roles that strengthen our patient care and outcomes.

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Neonatal Advance Practice Providers (APPs)

Seattle Children’s neonatal APPs include advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) and physician assistants (PAs) who have specialty training for complex care of newborns. Neonatal APPs diagnosis and treat babies and provide medications while also supporting families during critical moments. They partner with neonatologists to give your child compassionate, comprehensive care.

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Learn about Seattle Children’s Neonatology research and advances.