Our Fellows

Crystal Craig, M.D.

Third Year Fellow
Crystal grew up in Lubbock, TX where she completed her undergraduate at Texas Tech University and earned her medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She then went on complete a residency in pediatrics at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, VA. For the past 5 years she has been in outpatient practice before deciding to pursue a fellowship in Academic General Pediatrics. She is interested in addressing adverse childhood experiences and building resiliency in the mid-childhood and adolescent populations. Dr. Craig will be pursuing her MPH during fellowship. Outside of clinic, Crystal enjoys cooking, playing tennis and spending time with her dogs.

Candace Dawn Gildner, M.D., Ph.D.

Pediatric Hospital Medicine Faculty / Second Year T32 Fellow
 

Shaelise Tor, Ph.D.

Marriage and Family Therapy / Second Year T32 Fellow

Shaelise grew up in the Rochester area, completed her undergraduate degree at Roberts Wesleyan, her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Rochester, and her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy at Syracuse University. She joins the General Academic Pediatric Fellowship after serving as full-time faculty of Nova Southeastern University’s Couple and Family Therapy department in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Her research interests include: refugee parent-child attachment, the intergenerational effects of parent mental health in early childhood, and culturally responsive clinical care including evidence-based infant sleep and the dyadic breastfeeding relationship. Outside of work, Shaelise enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two young sons exploring the different parks that Rochester has to offer.

Jahaira Capellán, Ph.D., M.S., R.N., FNP-BC

Family Nurse Practitioner / First Year T32 Fellow

Jahaira is a native of the Dominican Republic. She grew up in New York City and pursued her undergraduate degrees in Nursing, Psychology and Spanish Literature and Language at Binghamton University. She continued her academic journey by obtaining a Master’s degree in Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner track) and a PhD in Health Practice Research from the University of Rochester School of Nursing. Following over eight years of dedicated service to the Rochester community as a Family Nurse Practitioner at a Federally Qualified Health Center and completing the University of Rochester CTSI TL1 Population Health Research Fellowship last year, she now joins the General Academic Pediatric Research Fellowship. Her research endeavors are centered on exploring the intricate relationship between parenting practices and childhood outcomes, with a special focus on the Latino/a/x population. Jahaira is committed to enhancing the well-being of this community by mitigating the risk of childhood obesity and mental health issues. Her fervor for tackling healthcare and research disparities, particularly in addressing language barriers drives her work. Dr. Capellán brings expertise in measurement adaptation and a keen interest in culturally adapting interventions to ensure equitable access to scientific advancements for marginalized individuals. Outside of work, Jahaira enjoys volunteering at community events and spending time with friends, family, and her boyfriend and dogs. She enjoys going on nature walks and stopping for gelato in the summer time.

Marisa DeSanto, D.O.

First Year T32 Fellow

Marisa grew up in Canfield, Ohio and completed her medical school at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. She moved to Rochester to complete pediatric residency, which she recently graduated from in June 2024. She is most interested in reproductive justice, healthy lifestyle and exercise, legislative advocacy, and health policy. In her free time, she enjoys running, ceramics, traveling, and being outdoors.

Notable Recent Graduates

Michael Kantor, M.D.

Attending Physician, Rochester Regional Health (Rochester, NY)

Susan Gasparino, M.D.

Medical Director of Clinical and Community-based Programs, Center for Community Health & Prevention
Assistant Professor, General Pediatrics
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

Ariel Reinish, M.D.

Assistant Medical Director, Pri-Med

Kelly A. Brown, M.D.

Division Chief, Residency Program Director, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
Western Michigan University, Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (Kalamazoo, MI)

Melissa Cellini, M.D., M.S.Ed., F.A.A.P.

Assistant Director Foundations of Clinical Medicine, Assistant Professor of General Pediatrics,
New York Medical College, Touro University, (Valhalla, NY)

Anne-Marie Conn, Ph.D., M.S.Ed.

Research Assistant Professor, General Pediatrics
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

Mark Craig, M.D., M.P.H.

Pediatrician, (Fort Eisenhower, GA)

Sean M. Frey, M.D., M.P.H.

Associate Professor, General Pediatrics
Director of Research, General Pediatrics Division
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

Margaret Holland, M.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Professor Adjunct, Research Scientist and Lecturer, Child Study Center
Yale School of Medicine, (New Haven, CT)

Marybeth Jones, M.D., M.S.Ed.

Served as Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director, Primary Care Clerkship until Aug 2024
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

Catherine Krafft, M.D, M.P.H.

Assistant Professor, General Pediatrics
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

MacKenzi (Hillard) Preston, M.D. M.S.

Assistant Professor, Clinical  Pediatrics
Associate Clerkship Director in Pediatrics
Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, NY)

Sarah Ronis, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.

Director, UH Rainbow Center for Child Health and Policy
Assistant Professor Division of General Academic Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, (Cleveland, OH)

Casey B. Rosen-Carole, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.Ed.

Associate Professor, Pediatrics and OBGYN
Division Chief of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

Andrea Milne Wenderlich, M.D., M.P.H.

Assistant Professor, General Pediatrics
University of Rochester Medical Center (Rochester, NY)

CAPT Jennifer (Foltz) Wiltz, M.D., M.P.H.

Captain, United States Public Health Services
Deputy Medical Director, CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Senior Medical Officer in Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch of the CDS Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
Dr. Foltz leads the Paul Coverdell National Stroke Program, supports research and surveillance activities, and shapes national pediatric and informatics strategies in cardiovascular health.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Atlanta, GA)

Veronica Kwiatkowski, M.D., M.S.

Assistant Professor, Allergy/Immunology
DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan, (Detroit, Michigan)