April D. McNeill-Johnson, MD is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine and a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Children's Mercy Kansas City. Her advocacy and research focus on reducing health disparities for youth involved in the juvenile legal system, with an emphasis on improving access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Dr. McNeill-Johnson is an Academic Pediatric Association Health Policy Scholar and founding co-chair of the APA Special Interest Group on Health Equity in Youth Affected by the Carceral System. She also serves on the boards of the Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and KC Care Health Center. Her work has been nationally recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Academic Pediatric Association for excellence in child advocacy and research.

Sara J. Anderson, MD, MPH, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Children’s Mercy Hospital and the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at UMKC and her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Kansas in 2024. Dr. Anderson specializes in mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, with particular interests in eco-anxiety, climate-related stress, and the mental health benefits of green spaces. She has presented nationally at AACAP and APA on environmental resilience, green space, and equitable community development.

Stephen Thornton, MD, earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Kansas State University and his medical degree from the University of Kansas in 2001. After completing an emergency medicine residency at the University of California, Fresno, he practiced in rural, suburban, and academic emergency departments before completing a medical toxicology fellowship at the University of California, San Diego. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology, and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Thornton serves as medical director of the Kansas Poison Center and Alaska Poison Control Line and is faculty at the University of Kansas, with numerous publications and national presentations in toxicology.

Kerri Weeks, MD is a Board-Certified Child Abuse Pediatrician. She has been practicing and teaching in the field of child maltreatment in Kansas for over 20 years. She is currently full-time faculty at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, KS.

Dr. Crane is a Manhattan native and received her undergraduate degree from Kansas State University. She completed her medical training at the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita and her residency at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, graduating in 2012. She practiced at Children’s Mercy West Clinic from 2012 – 2021 and served both as a Pediatrician and Certified Lactation Consultant after obtaining her IBCLC in 2013. She joined Pediatric Associates in July 2021. She has been an active member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics since 2016. Outside of work, she enjoys making music with her husband and children, reading, cooking, party planning, and theater.

Dr. Paul Teran is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, and Division Director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine Wichita. Dr. Teran is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hospital Medicine. Clinically, he works as an academic pediatric hospitalist at Wesley Children’s Hospital. Dr. Teran has presented and published articles on a variety of topics and has received awards and been recognized for his clinical care, teaching, scholarly activity and community impact. Dr. Teran serves as faculty for the national Advancing Pediatric Educator eXcellence (APEX) Teaching Program. Dr. Teran was born and raised in Wichita, KS. He completed his undergraduate degree at Friends University in Wichita, KS then earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, KS. After graduating from medical school, he completed his Pediatric Residency at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Teran’s remains intellectually curious and passionate about improving child health within hospital systems and in the communities where children and families live, play and grow up. His interests include patient and family centered care, systems-based care, quality improvement, school-based health, medical education, and legislative and community advocacy.

Bonnie Crume, MD is a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist practicing at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. She completed her medical degree at University of Kansas School of Medicine, then her pediatric residency and pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her clinical practice focuses on general gastroenterology, feeding disorders, and aerodigestive disorders.

Sara J. Anderson, MD, MPH, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Children’s Mercy Hospital and the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine. She completed her psychiatry residency at UMKC and her Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Kansas in 2024. Dr. Anderson specializes in mood and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, with particular interests in eco-anxiety, climate-related stress, and the mental health benefits of green spaces. She has presented nationally at AACAP and APA on environmental resilience, green space, and equitable community development.

George Phillips, MD, MBA is an Attending Physician in the Division of General Academic Pediatrics at Children's Mercy Kansas City, where he primarily cares for adolescents and young adults. His clinical interests include sports medicine, reproductive health, and mental health, and he serves as Lead Physician for the Green Pod in Children's Mercy's Primary Care Clinic.

Dr. Phillips completed medical school at the University of South Carolina and his Pediatrics Residency and Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of Kentucky. He holds faculty appointments at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and the University of Kansas medical schools.

An active leader in the American Academy of Pediatrics for more than 25 years, Dr. Phillips serves on the Kansas AAP Board of Directors and is the Medical Advisor for Safe Kids Kansas.