Pediatrics honors, May 2026
At the organization’s request, Kanekal S. Gautham, MD, will serve a second term on the AAP PediaLink (external link) editorial board. Dr. Gautham will continue to provide educational leadership in this capacity following his 13-year service as the chair of AAP’s EQIPP program (external link).
Michelle Barratt, MD, MPH, was recognized for her role as co-course director for the UTHealth Houston and Baylor College of Medicine Healer’s Art elective. The student participants rated her leadership very highly, stating it was “the perfect way to end the course.” Her talk on The Care of the Soul: Service as a Way of Life was rated 91.8/100 by students who completed evaluations.
Melissa Kwan, MD, was elected to serve as a member of the AAP Executive Committee of the Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention (external link).
Myla Ashfaq, MS, CGC, elected secretary of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (external link) (OTIS).
Pediatric Epilepsy Program is again accredited as a Level 4 Pediatric Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (external link) (NAEC).
Ami Dharia, MD, was selected as a Harris Health Champion of the Quarter. This is her second such honor.
See what her nominators had to say
Ami Dharia, MD, is described as an active listener who puts immense effort into providing much-needed answers.
“Pediatrician Ami is super professional; she always takes great care of my son,” says her nominator. “In fact, she treated all three of my children, and she’s perfect, always attentive like they’re her own children.”
Another nominator says she’s the best doctor they have ever met. “I drive over an hour to take my children to their appointments, and I love that when my children are sick, she sees them quickly. I wouldn’t trade Dr. Ami for anything.”
A third nominator says that she truly appreciates Dharia’s thorough knowledge when treating her children. “She is excellent at her job, and I really love her,” the nominator says. “She has been taking care of my kids, specifically my two-year-old since birth. She definitely knows what she’s doing.”
Emma Omoruyi, MD, MPH, gave an oral presentation and was awarded best abstract at this year’s APPD Conference.
Former Department of Pediatrics Clinic Manager Yuselmy Garza, MBA, successfully defended her dissertation (external link) to achieve an executive doctorate in business administration from the University of Houston C.T. Bauer College of Business.