Introducing Dr. Terri Laguna, New Division Chief of Sleep and Pulmonary Medicine

Seattle Children’s is pleased to announced Dr. Terri Laguna has accepted the position of division chief of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine at Seattle Children’s.

She is coming to us from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago where she is division head of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and director of the Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Center of Excellence.

She previously held the positions of medical director for the Pulmonary Function Laboratory and both director and associate director of the CF Center at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Laguna was previously at the University of Washington for her pediatric residency and chief residency, and we look forward to having her back in Seattle in February 2023!

Laguna’s clinical and research interest is in cystic fibrosis (CF). She has developed an independently funded research career along the way, holding research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to study early infections in the cystic fibrosis airway — specifically the role of anaerobic and fungal communities in the development and progression of lung disease. She also loves to teach and has won five pediatric resident teaching awards over the past 14 years. She is committed to providing a diverse, inclusive, comprehensive and supportive training environment to each and every trainee.

Laguna’s national and international presence is exceptional. She is an invited member of several Study Sections with the NIH as well as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Additionally, she has been deeply involved with the American Thoracic Society, Pediatric Assembly and is currently chair-elect, transitioning to chair in 2023-2024.

Being an underrepresented minority in medicine, she is passionate about and active in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives locally, regionally and nationally.

I believe that ‘if you see it, you can be it.’ As a Latinx woman and member of the LGBTQIA+ community in a leadership role in academic medicine, I have an opportunity to mentor and sponsor those coming after me. I strive to bring my authentic self to work every day and use my voice and leadership platforms to advance diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for patients, trainees and colleagues.”

Laguna’s overall goal is to advance pediatric science and DEI initiatives through her leadership platforms.