The IGNITE Consortium unites expertise of pediatric disparities investigators across the United States with the basic premise that working together, we can rapidly advance the science of health equity research.
Our Consortium includes investigators in every part of the country and with diverse methodological expertise.
IGNITE members

Kira Bona, MD, MPH
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
- Attending Physician, Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Paula Aristizabal, MD, MAS
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of California San Diego
- Population Sciences, Disparities & Community Engagement, Moores Cancer Center
- Dissemination & Implementation Science Center (DISC), UC San Diego

Melissa Beauchemin, PhD, RN, CPNP, CPON (she/her)
- Assistant Professor of Nursing, Columbia University School of Nursing
- Scientific Co-Lead for Cancer Care Delivery Research, CUIMC Minority/Underserved NCI Community Oncology Research Program, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Jessica Sheth Bhutada, MD, MS
- Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine of USC
- Attending Pediatric Oncologist, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Anurekha Hall, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Seattle Children’s Hospital, University of Washington

Justine Kahn, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation; Columbia University Irving Medical Center


Meera Kotagal, MD, MPH, FACS, FAAP
- Surgical Equity Director, Michael Fisher Center for Child Health Equity
- Assistant Professor, Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- Director of Surgical Equity Research Fellowship
- Director of Trauma Services

Katherine T. Lind, MD, MSc
Clinical Fellow, Bone Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapeutics, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children’s Hospital Colorado/University of Colorado School of Medicine

Vidya Puthenpura, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology and Oncology, Yale School of Medicine

Stephanie M. Smith, MD MPH (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford

Lena Winestone, MD, MSHP
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology, and BMT, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals

Julie Anna Wolfson, MD, MSHS
- Associate Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Member, Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship
- Director, AYA Oncology and Oncofertility Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Puja Umaretiya, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

- Instructor in Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
- Attending Physician in the Division of Oncology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia


Colleen Kelly, MD

Rahela Aziz-Bose, MD
- Instructor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
- Attending Pediatric Oncologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children’s Hospital

Preston Croteau, MPA
IGNITE Program Manager
Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
Parent/Guardian Advisory Board

Jennifer Belle, MBA
Patient and Family Advocate

Shauna McLaughlin
Patient and Family Advocate

Monica Vinasco-Sandford, CHI-sp
Patient and Family Advocate