I am a primary care pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Uptown Clinic, an academic community health center, where I also teach Northwestern residents and medical students. I am also the President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. One of my main areas of expertise is literacy promotion in pediatrics. I am the Medical Director and Board Chair of Reach Out and Read (ROR) Illinois, providing technical and financial support as well as education to 130 ROR clinics in the state. I am also in the leadership of National Reach Out and Read, involved in research and curriculum development. My additional areas of interest include health literacy, relational health, youth mentoring, health disparities in Latino families, monolingual and bilingual language development and improving links between pediatricians, schools, early childhood centers and parents.

Literacy promotion, bilingualism, language development, relational health and health literacy.

Evidence based care, doctor-patient communication, working with under-resourced communities, mentoring, and advocacy.