PHOENIX, Oct. 4, 2024 - Phoenix Children's has appointed four new division chiefs to lead vital areas of care in pathology and laboratory medicine, developmental pediatrics, allergy and immunology, and palliative medicine.

Dennis Dietzen, PhD, Dannah Raz, MD, Cindy Salm Bauer, MD, and Tressia Shaw, MD, will each be tasked with growing their divisions, enhancing the services their teams provide and ensuring patient families receive consistent, top-quality care at every site of service across the health system.

"Each of these leaders is strong in their respective area of expertise and I'm confident they will make immediate contributions to the health of our patient families and, in turn, our overall community," said Ashish S. Patel, MD, physician-in-chief. "I'm also proud that we have a focused effort on developing leadership paths for our internal candidates and to see Dannah, Cindy and Tressia step into permanent positions as chief."

Dennis Dietzen, PhD, Division Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
As chief of the Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the first Megan Dishop Endowed Chair of Pathology at Phoenix Children's, Dr. Dietzen, who steps into his new role this month, will manage and train all pathology and lab teams. He will also be responsible for recruiting clinicians, expanding the health system's specialized testing capabilities and educating the next generation of pathology and laboratory experts.

His 30-year career has spanned medical directorship and leadership roles in hospital-based, academic and pediatric laboratories. At Phoenix Children's, he will build upon the legacy of former division chief Megan Dishop, MD, who passed away in 2023. Dr. Dishop is credited with enhancing testing capabilities, launching a genomics laboratory and biorepository and helping build labs and teams for new sites of service.

Dr. Dietzen earned his doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in clinical chemistry and post-doctoral research at Washington University School of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry, allowing him to direct high-complexity laboratory operations per Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations.

Dannah Raz, MD, Division Chief of Developmental Pediatrics
A highly regarded developmental and behavioral pediatrician, Dr. Raz has been part of the health system since 2019. She will continue leading the Division of Developmental Pediatrics at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's after serving in an interim capacity for the past year. Dr. Raz will further expand the division's much-needed services and oversee a growing team of specialists dedicated to helping children with developmental disorders. She will also be actively involved in medical education, serving as the medical student and residency rotation director for developmental pediatrics.

Dr. Raz is highly regarded for her focus on multidisciplinary approaches to diagnosing and treating children with developmental and behavioral conditions such as autism, fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, ADHD, intellectual disabilities and global developmental delays.

Dr. Raz earned her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Arizona. She completed her residency training in pediatrics at Phoenix Children's and her fellowship training in developmental pediatrics at Children's Hospital Colorado. She also has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Colorado School of Public Health.

Cindy Salm Bauer, MD, Division Chief of Allergy and Immunology
Dr. Bauer has been part of Phoenix Children's medical staff for more than a decade. She founded Phoenix Children's Allergy and Immunology Clinic in 2013 and has served as its medical director since 2019. When the section of allergy and immunology was elevated to a full division earlier this year, Dr. Bauer was appointed interim chief. Under her leadership as division chief, the division will expand its services to a fourth clinical location in the coming year.

Dr. Bauer has also been instrumental in developing the health system's immunohematology and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID) clinics. Passionate about understanding the impact of childhood allergies, she has led significant research initiatives, including newborn screening for severe combined immune deficiency and clinical trials in asthma prevention and food allergy treatments.

Dr. Bauer earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. She completed an internship with Aurora Health Care at St. Luke's Medical Center, her residency at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and St. Luke's Medical Center and completed a fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Tressia Shaw, MD, Division Chief of Palliative Medicine
Dr. Shaw has been named division chief of the newly formed Division of Palliative Medicine at Phoenix Children's, which helps families navigate complex medical decisions and end-of-life care.

Part of Phoenix Children's team for more than 20 years, Dr. Shaw was also instrumental in establishing the health system's Complex Care program in 2005 and its Pediatric Palliative Medicine program in 2009.

Dr. Shaw is credited with transforming the Palliative Medicine program at Phoenix Children's and growing the team to include an interdisciplinary group of 15 clinicians who offer comprehensive care to children with life-limiting conditions. The division also recently launched a fellowship program certified by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to expand training for specialists in this vital field.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and completed a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital.

These new division chief appointments come at a pivotal time as Phoenix Children's continues to grow both in size and capability, highlighted by the opening of Phoenix Children's Hospital – Arrowhead Campus and several high-profile leadership announcements, including Ashish S. Patel, MD, as physician-in-chief and Blake Bulloch, MD, MBA, as chief medical officer.

About Phoenix Children's
Phoenix Children's is one of the nation's largest pediatric health systems. It comprises Phoenix Children's Hospital – Thomas Campus, Phoenix Children's Hospital – East Valley Campus, Phoenix Children's – Avondale Campus, Phoenix Children's Hospital – Arrowhead Campus, four pediatric specialty and urgent care centers, 11 community pediatric practices, 20 outpatient clinics, two ambulatory surgery centers and seven community-service outpatient clinics throughout the state of Arizona. The system provides world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care and has been serving children and families for more than 40 years. Phoenix Children's Care Network includes more than 1,400 pediatric primary care providers and specialists who deliver care across more than 75 subspecialties. Alongside our colleagues, collaborators and communities, we're elevating pediatric care, education and innovation, so we can all grow healthier together. For more information, visit phoenixchildrens.org.

SOURCE Phoenix Children's