Biographies
Cristina Abuchaibe, MD
Dr. Cristina has been a pediatric cardiologist in Idaho now for 8 years and she considers herself a big kid - she is very passionate about child advocacy, quality improvement and she loves to dance and travel in her free time.
Lisa Barker, MD, FAAP
Specialty: General Pediatrics
Where did you go to medical school, residency, and do your fellowship?
Medical School — Univerity of Washington and Residency — Seattle Children’s
What brought you to Idaho?
My husband and I both grew up in Boise and graduated from Bishop Kelly High School. We left for college, thinking we’d never come back to Idaho. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder! After completing my medical training, we were both excited to come back home.
How many years have you taken care of kids?
I have been in medical practice for 6 years
What do you like to do on your day off?
My days off usually revolve around my small children, a 3-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl. Our time is filled with bike rides, playing at the park, reading books, and building with legos. As a family, we love skiing, swimming, traveling, and playing with our yorkie dogs.
What was your favorite food as a kid?
Mashed potatoes!
Who inspires you?
My husband Chad, a high school teacher and coach; My colleagues at Treasure Valley Pediatrics; My loving and supportive family
Tyler Burpee, MD
Tyler is a pediatric gastroenterologist at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. He grew up in Boise and is a 4th generation Boise High Graduate! He attended Dartmouth College where he studied philosophy and realized that his stated childhood goal of becoming a pediatrician was the real deal. From there he went on to medical school and a pediatric residency at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He then spent two years with the Indian Health Service on the Navajo reservation, followed by a pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and then several years of work at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The draw of family brought him back to Boise in 2011, where he’s lived happily ever after. His interests include running, biking, skiing and adventuring with his wife and two children.
Aaron Gardner
Specialty: Pediatric Critical Care
Where did you go to medical school, residency and do your fellowship?
Medical School — St. George’s University; Residency — Arkansas Children’s Hospital; Fellowship — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
What brought you to Idaho?
We wanted to be back out west, in the great outdoors and closer to family
How many years have you taken care of kids?
10
What do you like to do on your day off?
Hike, run, garden, travel with family
What was your favorite food as a kid?
Ice cream . . . still is
If one of your elementary teachers would talk about you what would they say?
Smart kid, kinda goofy looking, big glasses, not very tough . . . but he stays out of trouble ;)
Who inspires you?
Optimists—with so much going wrong, I’m inspired by those who still see the good in the world, who find an ember of hope and blow on it.
Jared Hansen, MD
Dr. Hansen is a general pediatrician at Aeris Pediatrics in Twin Falls, Idaho. He grew up in Paul, Idaho and attended medical school at Oregon Health & Science University. He completed his residency at Brown University and has been taking care of kids for over 15 years since finishing his residency. He enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures with his wife and kids, and feels honored and excited to serve the Idaho AAP Chapter in its mission of promoting health and welfare of Idaho's children.
Sherry Dee Iverson
Speciality: Executive Director of the Idaho Chapter of the AAP
St. Luke’s Children’s: Director of Advocacy and Community Education
Sherry attended Boise State University and obtained her Nursing and Bachelors in Health degree. She is a native Idahoan. She started her career in Labor and Delivery room in 1974.
On her day off she loves to scrapbook, read, play with her golden retrievers, and play cribbage. Her favorite food is potatoes. Her grandfather was an Idaho potato framer. Her grandmother was her principal thru all her elementary years. She would have described Sherry as friendly, talkative, and a great reader.
Who inspires Sherry: Her Grandmother Dee, one of the most patient and caring women she knew who always put family first and is the person she was named after along with her daughters. (Her daughters Andrea and Deedra are pictured.)
Sivani Kuruvada, MD
Dr. Sivani Kuruvada was born in India. When she was just six months old, she and her family immigrated to Mason, Ohio in the US. She lived there for a decade before moving back to Hyderabad, India where she completed high school and went to medical school at the Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research. Sivani is also a professionally trained Indian classical dancer in the South Indian dance form "Kuchipudi". She has been dancing since she was three and has given several performances all over the world, and even set up her own dance school in India in 2018. Her passion for teaching and working with young children coupled with her interest in medicine strengthened her love for Pediatrics. She always knew she wanted to be a pediatrician and is very excited to be a part of the first class of pediatric residents in the state of Idaho!
Erik Meyers, MD
Erik works as both a pediatrician and a neonatologist. He currently serves as the assistant medical director in the NICU at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. He attended medical school at the University of California, San Diego and completed both his residency and fellowship in Neonatology at University of California, San Francisco. Before coming to St Luke’s, he was an associate professor of pediatrics and cell biology at Duke University for eight years. Erik enjoys spending time with his wife, hunting, fishing, backpacking, cross-country skiing and peak climbing. He also enjoys spending time with his two daughters, both of whom are following in his footsteps by entering into the medical field. Some of his favorite books include The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Razor’s Edge and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.
Andrea Prasch, MD
Dr. Prasch attended the University of Washington Medical School through the WWAMI Program, and completed her Pediatrics residency at the University of Utah's Primary Children's Hospital in 2017. She now resides in Boise, Idaho with her husband and children. She practices outpatient general pediatrics at Treasure Valley Pediatrics in Meridian, Idaho. As a member of the Executive Committee of the AAP's Idaho Chapter, she appreciates having a broader impact on children's health than her own personal practice allows. Specific areas of interest include breastfeeding medicine and the impact of society, politics, and social media on children's health. When she is not working, she loves to play with her children and dog, bake (especially with her kids), practice yoga and mindfulness, and play in Idaho's wilderness.
Jennifer Salame, MD
Dr. Salame is a pediatric hospitalist with St. Luke’s. She earned her medical degree at Loma Linda University. Following that, she completed her pediatric residency and chief year at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She relocated to Idaho along with her husband and children in 2021. She is looking forward to executive committee participation as a representative of early career physicians as they take the leap into independent practice. Outside of work you will find her living her best mom life—attending school activities and library story times, party planning, baking, and exploring parks!
Mark Uranga, MD FAAP