Meet Your Team
Seattle Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Our NICU care team has special training working with critically ill newborns and their families. 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 nurse practitioners and physician assistants
- Nurses
- Respiratory therapists
- Pharmacists
- Dietitians
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Social workers
- Lactation Services
The NICU team works closely with Seattle Children's pediatric surgeons, cardiac intensivists, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, nephrologists, geneticists and other specialists to provide coordinated care for newborns with complex problems. Learn more about the different roles on your child's healthcare team.
Leadership
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Interim Chief, Neonatology
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Medical Director, Seattle Children's NICU
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Associate Medical Director, Seattle Children's NICU
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Mihai Puia-Dumitrescu, MD, MPH
Associate Medical Director, Seattle Children's NICU
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Tari Zivira
NICU Director
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Medical Director, Valley Medical Center NICU
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Associate Medical Director, Valley Medical Center NICU
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Kirtikumar Natvarlal Upadhyay, MD
Medical Director, Division Quality and Safety; Medical Director, University of Washington Medical Center NICU
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Sarah Elizabeth Kolnik, MD, MBA
Associate Medical Director, University of Washington Medical Center NICU
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Medical Director, Virginia Mason-Franciscan Health NICU
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Robin G LaGrandeur, MD
Associate Medical Director, Virginia Mason-Franciscan Health NICU
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Medical Director, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett NICU
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Director of Quality, Neonatology Regional Network Site Sponsor, Children's Hospitals Neonatal Consortium
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Karen Kelly, MN, RN, clinical nurse specialist
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APP Director
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Erin Peters, NICU clinical practice manager
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Catherine Wagner, RN, BSN, NICU clinical practice manager
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Associate Division Head, Research
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Associate Division Head, Education
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Associate Fellowship Director
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Taylor Lee Sawyer, DO, MBA, MBA
Director, Division Operational and Clinical Strategy
Team
Neonatologists in Seattle Children’s NICU
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Ivana Brajkovic, MD, MPH
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Agnes Simin Chao, MD
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Sandy Johng, MD
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Katrin Claire Lichtsinn, MD, MS
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Sara Neches, MD
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Katie Marie Strobel, MD
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Kirtikumar Natvarlal Upadhyay, MD
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Our Neonatologists at Affiliate Hospitals’ NICUs
We provide care for sick newborns in the NICUs at the University of Washington, Providence Regional Medical Center, Virginia Mason - Franciscan Health, St. Anne’s Medical Center and UW Medicine/Valley Medical Center. These include:
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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Chris Baker, nurse manager, Critical Care Transport Services
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Leaders in improving patient care and outcomes
Our faculty hold national leadership and research roles that strengthen our patient care and outcomes. Both of these leaders work with the HEAL trial and other clinical research on improving brain development in premature babies.
Neonatal Advance Practice Providers (APP)
Seattle Children’s Neonatal APPs partner with neonatologists to provide excellent care across the greater Seattle region. APPs include advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNP) and physician assistants (PAs) who have specialty training for complex care of newborns. Neonatal APPs are present in the Seattle Children’s NICU, along with all the affiliated NICUs. Neonatal APPs are able to diagnosis, treat, and provide medications, while also providing support to families during critical moments.
- Learn more about research and advances.
Learn more about your baby’s trip to the NICU (video 5:10)
Neonatal Outreach
The Neonatal Outreach Program provides education and consultation for community healthcare professionals to increase awareness of our neonatal services and ensure that babies get their best possible start in life.
