Meet Our Leadership Team
MEG KIHLSTROM, MD
Program Director
In March of 2021, Dr. Meg Kihlstrom was named as Program Director. She is a TAR HEEL through and through having completed undergraduate school, medical school, residency training, and Critical Care fellowship training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since becoming a faculty member in 2015, Dr. Kihlstrom has had a strong commitment to the Department of Pediatrics’ Education mission. She served as a career goal advisor for medical students matching into Pediatrics, and she also co-directed the School of Medicine’s Transition to Residency course. For the residency, she served as director of the PICU rotation and co-director of our simulation curriculum, and she has been an active member of our Clinical Competency Committee and Intern Selection Committee. Dr. Kihlstrom is a mentor to critical care fellows, serving on their Scholarship Oversight Committees. She and her husband are parents to two wild boys and three canine children, Penny, Cole, and Josie.
SOFIA ALIAGA, MD, MPH
Associate Program Director
Dr. Aliaga is a neonatologist at the NC Children’s Hospital. She completed both her undergraduate and medical school work at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Program and the University of North Carolina Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program. She joined the faculty at UNC in 2010. In her role as APD, Dr. Aliaga serves as a class advisor and director of our simulation curriculum. She enjoys a good cup of coffee, has recently taken up boating, and is mildly obsessed with Minerva and Howard, her Chesapeake Bay retrievers.
MIKE BROWN, MD, MPH
WakeMed Site Director
Dr. Brown is a pediatric hospitalist at WakeMed. He is a graduate of Brandeis University and received his MD and MPH from the University of North Carolina where he also completed his residency training. Prior to joining the WakeMed faculty in 2015, Dr. Brown served as an attending physician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In his role with the residency, he oversees all aspects of the inpatient program at WakeMed and serves on the Clinical Competency Committee. He loves to spend his free time outdoors – on the road, in the woods, or deep in the mountains. He and his wife are the proud parents to three sons.
ALEX CARD, MD
Chief Resident
Dr. Alex Card serves as one of the Pediatric Chief Residents for the 2024-2025 academic year. She completed her undergraduate education at Duke University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She completed her medical education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago where she received her MD and was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Dr. Card has a strong interest in advocacy, mentorship, and improving health disparities within the hospital system. As such, she will apply for pediatric hospital medicine fellowship following her chief year. In her time outside of work, Alex loves checking out new restaurants, trying new ice cream shops, and riding her Peloton bike!
KAITIE CUDAHY, MD
Chief Resident
Dr. Kaitie Cudahy serves as one of the Pediatric Chief Residents for the 2024-2025 academic year. She completed her undergraduate education at American University in Washington DC where she received a bachelor’s degree in Biology. While at American University she competed as a Division I athlete as a member of the university’s swimming and diving teams. During that time she met her husband, Sean, who is an aviation journalist. She completed her medical education at the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton Ohio. While there she was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and AOA. Dr. Cudahy is planning to pursue a career in pediatric primary care in the triangle after her chief year where she hopes to combine her love of mental health and primary care pediatrics. In her free time, Kaitie loves to try new local restaurants, travel with her husband, spend time with her French Bulldog, Dobby (yes named after the house elf), and like her co-chief Alex, ride her Peloton bike!
STEPHANIE DAVIS, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Davis is a TAR HEEL, earning her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina. She received her medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and completed residency and pulmonology fellowship training at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Davis was a faculty member at UNC from 1999 until 2011, when she joined the Indiana University faculty. At IU, she held several leadership roles, including Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics, Division Chief for Pediatric Pulmonology, and Director of Ambulatory Services at the Riley Children’s Hospital. Dr. Davis returned to UNC in July 2018 as our Chair, and we are thrilled to welcome her home!
WHITNEY HADDIX, MD
Cone Health Director of Clinical Education
Dr. Haddix is a general pediatrician at Cone Health. She attended the University of Virginia for undergrad and Temple University for medical school. Dr. Haddix completed her residency training at the University of North Carolina (Primary Care Residency). In her role, Dr. Haddix directs clinical education at Cone Health, and she serves on the Clinical Competency Committee for the residency. She and her husband stay busy with their three year old daughter; together they enjoy trips to the park and visiting the Greensboro Science Center. Dr. Haddix is a proud member of the Beyhive!
ROHIT JASWANEY, MD
Chief Resident
Dr. Rohit Jaswaney is one of the Pediatric Chief Residents for the 2024-2025 academic year. He completed his undergraduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis and his medical education at New York Medical College. Dr. Jaswaney has interests in health equity, clinical ethics, and medical education and piloted the Resident Clinical Ethics Education Pathway. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha and UNC’s Academy of Educators and will be applying for pediatric hospitalist medicine fellowship this year. In his free time, Rohit enjoys collecting vinyl records, traveling, and exploring new restaurants!
KATIE JORDAN, MD
Associate Program Director
Dr. Jordan is a member of the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree from Williams College and her medical degree from the University of North Carolina. She remained to complete residency training in the Primary Care Program and then served as a Chief Resident. She worked at Cone Health before joining the faculty at UNC. In her role as APD, Dr. Jordan is Director of the Continuity Clinic and also serves as the director for UNC SOM’s Pediatrics FIRST Program, an accelerated track for students to complete medical school in three years and matriculate into our residency program.
CHRISTIAN LAWRENCE, MD
Associate Program Director
Dr. Lawrence is a member of the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine. He earned his undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and received his medical degree from the University of North Carolina. After medical school, he completed residency training at UNC and then served as a Chief Resident. Despite completing his medical training and now being a faculty member here, he insists on remaining an avid Wolfpack fan. In his role as an APD, Dr. Lawrence will focus on recruitment efforts and DEI initiatives.
KELLY LEAR
Coordinator
Kelly graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in Psychology and minor in Music Performance. She joined the Pediatric Education Office staff in 2001 as the student coordinator/residency assistant and began focusing solely on the residency in 2006. Per her 2023 Spotify Wrapped, she was a top 0.005% BON JOVI fan logging 8,378 minutes; in 2024, she is tirelessly working to be a top 0.001% fan – stay tuned. According to her, flamingos are majestic, magical creatures, and Legend of Zelda (O.G. NES version) is the best video game ever. She is a TAR HEEL born, TAR HEEL bred, and when she dies, a TAR HEEL dead – GO HEELS!
KENYA McNEAL-TRICE, MD
Vice Chair of Education
Dr. McNeal-Trice received a BS in Biology from Spelman College before entering medical school at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She completed pediatric residency training at the University of North Carolina and then was a Pediatric Chief Resident at WakeMed Hospital, one of UNC’s affiliated training sites. She joined our faculty in 2007 and in December 2013, Dr. McNeal-Trice was named Pediatric Residency Program Director. In March of 2021, she stepped down as PD to pursue other endeavors. She remains active with our program in her role as Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Pediatrics. She and her husband are parents to two spirited young ladies.
RASHEEDA MONROE, MD
WakeMed Site Director for Outpatient Services
Dr. Monroe is a general pediatrician at WakeMed and serves as medical director for WakeMed Children’s Primary Care Clinic. She received her undergraduate and medical degrees from East Carolina University. After completing residency training at the University of North Carolina, she worked in private practice at Raleigh Children and Adolescent Medicine. In her role with the residency, Dr. Monroe directs outpatient education at WakeMed.
DENITA MOORE
Coordinator
Denita earned her BA in History with a minor in Education from North Carolina Central University before embarking on her journey with the Pediatric Education Office in 2013. Denita’s love story is straight out of a fairy tale—she married her high school sweetheart (aww) and together, they delight in parenting two dashingly handsome boys. A true coffee aficionado, Denita believes no day is complete without her favorite cup of joe. When she is not in the office, you’ll find her curled up with a captivating romance novel. She cherishes every moment spent with her loved ones, relishing time with friends and family, especially her husband and their two wonderful boys.
SURESH NAGAPPAN, MD, MSPH
Cone Health Site Director
Dr. Nagappan is the director of the Pediatric Teaching Program at Cone Health. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received his MD from Michigan State University and his MSPH from the University of North Carolina. He has served in several roles with the School of Medicine since joining the faculty in 2004. In his role with the residency, he oversees the clinical rotations at Cone Health and the Primary Care Residency. He enjoys hiking, biking, playing the ukulele (badly), and hanging out with his two teenage kids.
SHIVA ZARGHAM, MD, MS
Associate Program Director
Dr. Zargham earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro and her medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. She remained at ECU to complete Pediatric Residency training and then served as a Chief Resident. After a year as an Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director at ECU, Dr. Zargham transitioned to Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at the University of Louisville where she also earned her Masters of Science in Clinical Investigation. She then joined the UNC Pediatric Emergency Medicine team in 2019. She has a strong interest in quality improvement and safety, with ongoing efforts investigating the use of clinical event debriefing in trainees. Dr. Zargham is a mother to three girls and a dog named Donut.
ERIC ZWEMER, MD
Associate Program Director
Dr. Zwemer is a pediatric hospitalist at the NC Children’s Hospital. He completed his undergraduate work at Princeton University, received his MD from Harvard Medical School, and completed residency and Chief Residency at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Zwemer joined the UNC faculty in 2015. In his role as APD, he serves as a class advisor, oversees the handoff curriculum, and organizes an annual resident bowling competition complete with trophies (note: he is not good at bowling). In his free time, Dr. Zwemer is a self-proclaimed book nerd, tries to pretend he’s in shape by attending Orangetheory fitness classes, and is currently learning to play the ukulele. He and his wife Lillian are the proud parents to a daughter and a son.