Center for Healthy Weight Team

The Center for Healthy Weight team includes medical, nutrition, public health, psychiatric and research specialists. They come from the world-class medical staff at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford and the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Every member of the team is dedicated to:

  • Preventing obesity in children
  • Eliminating the problems caused by obesity
  • Restoring or maintaining patient health
  • Promoting child and family health and well-being

Doctors, nurses and clinicians from other medical specialties also consult with the Center for Healthy Weight team.

Elizabeth Shepard, MD

Dr. Shepard is board certified in Pediatrics, Obesity, and Nutrition.

Areas of expertise:General pediatrics

Marwa Abu El Haija, MD

Dr. Abu El Haija is board certified in Obesity Medicine and Pediatric Gastroenterology.

Areas of expertise:Gastroenterology

Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD

Dr. Baidal is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Pediatrics.

Areas of expertise:Gastroenterology

Rachel Herdes, DO

Dr. Herdes is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine, and Pediatrics.

Areas of expertise:Gastroenterology

Michelle Kaplinski, MD

Dr. Kaplinski is board certified in Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatrics.

Areas of expertise:Pediatric cardiology

Julia Nordgren, MD

Dr. Nordgren is board certified in Pediatrics.

Areas of expertise:General pediatrics

Sophia Yen, MD

Dr. Yen is board certified in Adolescent Medicine.

Areas of expertise:Pediatrics, adolescent medicine

Pediatric Weight Control Program

  • Julieta Bravo
  • Inés Campero
  • Andrea Chilton, RN
  • Martha Gabaray Farfan
  • Jonathan Nussur
  • Susana Pearl
  • Maria Elena Rizzo Locsin
  • Thea Runyan, MPH
  • Meredith Tuttle, RN
  • Juanita Velasco
  • Cindy Zedeck, MA - Director
  • Martha Gabaray Farfan
  • Maria Elena Locsin Rizzo
  • Amy Lightbody Kuhns
Janey Pratt, MD

Dr. Pratt is board certified in General Surgery and Focused Practice in Metabolic Bariatric Surgery.

Areas of expertise:General surgery