Our Team

Our core team is comprised of specialists with a wide variety of backgrounds, skills and areas of focus.

This diversity allows us to evaluate and treat the patient as a whole, even for those with the most complex of medical conditions.

Aerodigestive Program Coordinators

Casey Fontenot, BSN, RN


Address: 6701 Fannin Street Mark Wallace Tower, 5th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-AERO (2376)
Debra Lovell, BSN, RN


Address: 6701 Fannin Street Mark Wallace Tower, 5th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: Phone: 832-822-2376 (AERO)

Pediatric Otolaryngology

Elton Ashe-Lambert, MD
Special Interests:  Pediatric Head and Neck Malignancies, Head and Neck Care of Pediatric Cancer Patients, Congenital and Acquired Head and Neck Masses, Salivary Gland Pathology, Sialorrhea, Drooling and Aspiration, Airway Disorders, Applications of Ultrasonography in Pediatric Otolaryngology and... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, Mark Wallace Tower, Suite 540 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care Cy-Fair 11777 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77065 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3250 (Main) | 281-469-4688 (CyFair)
Joshua R. Bedwell, MD, FACS
Dr. Bedwell’s clinical interests include pediatric airway disorders, masses and tumors of the head and neck, salivary gland disorders, and improving care for patients living with a tracheostomy.  He is active in clinical and translational research, and collaborates with colleagues at home and... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, Mark Wallace Tower, Suite 540 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus 18200 Katy Freeway, 4th Floor Houston, TX 77094 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care - Bellaire 6330 West Loop South Bellaire, TX 77401 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3250 (Main) | 832-277-1420 (West) | 713-839-0164 (Bellaire)
Deepak Mehta, MD
It's a privilege a parent lets me take care of their most precious asset--their child. It's my duty to provide them the best of care. My clinical interests are complex airway surgery, pediatric swallowing disorders and head and neck masses,along with general otolaryngology. My research interest... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, Mark Wallace Tower, Suite 540 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care Sugar Land 15400 Southwest Freeway Sugar Land, TX 77478 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3250 (Main)
Julina Ongkasuwan, MD, FAAP, FACS
Dr. Ongkasuwan is the Director of the Pediatric Voice Clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital.  She is dual fellowship trained in both Pediatric Otolaryngology and Laryngology (care of professional voice).  When she joined the faculty in 2011, she founded the Texas Children’s Hospital Aerodigestive... Read more

Address: 6701 Fannin Street, Mark Wallace Tower Suite 540 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3250

Pediatric Pulmonology

Shailendra Das, DO
Dr. Das serves as director of the Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia center at Texas Children's Hospital, in collaboration with physicians from other specialties.  PCD is a rare lung disease that causes recurrent lung and sinus infections.  He also cares for patients with complex airway disorders,... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, 9th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care Sugar Land 15400 Southwest Freeway Sugar Land, TX 77478 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3300 (Main) | 281-494-7010 (Sugar Land)
Ruth A. McConnell, MPH, MSN, RN, CPNP, AE-C
I love being able to improve the lives of my patients and families, working together as a team to reach their personal health goals. Major focus areas include asthma and aerodigestive disorders. 

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, 9th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care Cy-Fair 11777 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77094 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3300 (Main) | 281469-4688 (CyFair)
David R. Spielberg, MD, MHSc
Dr. Spielberg’s clinical focuses are in the Aerodigestive program with a particular interest in complex airway problems, and in the Rare and Interstitial Lung Disease program.  He is also a member of the Pediatric Lung Transplant Team.   His research interests include lung imaging (using both CT... Read more

Address: 6701 Fannin Street 9th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3300

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Eric H. Chiou, MD
Dr. Chiou is a pediatric gastroenterologist with a clinical focus on Neurogastroenterology and Functional GI Disorders. The current focus of Dr. Chiou’s research is on disorders of esophageal motility in children, including conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  Despite the... Read more

Address: 6701 Fannin Street Suite 1100 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3131
Priya Raj, MD, MS
My patient care philosophy focuses on a personalized “patient-and family-centered” approach. My goal is not just to provide medical management but to also empower my patients and their parents with the education required to incorporate themselves in the decision making and healing process. As a... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, Suite 1100 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Hospital - West Campus 18200 Katy Freeway, Suite 250 Houston, TX 77094 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3131 (Main) | 832-227-1440 (West)

Pediatric Surgery

Monica E. Lopez, MD
Dr. Lopez has experience in all aspects of neonatal and pediatric surgery, with special clinical interest in complex gastrointestinal surgery and endocrine surgery. Her research is focused on the design and implementation of surgical clinical trials, evidence-based practice guidelines, and... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus 6701 Fannin Street, 8th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: 3023 Kirby Dr. Suite 201 Houston, TX 77098 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3135
Sohail R. Shah, MD, MSHA, FAAP
Dr. Sohail R. Shah is a board-certified pediatric surgeon, with advanced minimally invasive surgery training, that provides care in all aspects of neonatal and pediatric surgery.  He is also the Surgical Director of Perioperative Services at Texas Children's Hospital.  Dr. Shah has special... Read more

Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campuis 6701 Fannin Street, 8th Floor Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas , Address: Texas Children's Specialty Care Sugar Land 15400 Southwest Fwy., Suite 200 Sugar Land, TX 77478 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-3135

Speech Language Pathology

Christina Rappazzo, M.A., CCC-SLP/BCS-S


Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus Mark Wallace Tower, Floor 5 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-5430
Laurie Sterling, MS, CCC-SLP/BCS-S


Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus Mark Wallace Tower, Floor 5 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-5430
Catherine L. Turk, PhD, CCC-SLP


Address: Texas Children's Hospital - Main Campus Mark Wallace Tower, Floor 5 Houston, TX 77030 United States See map: Google Maps Texas
Phone: 832-822-5430

Nutrition

Amanda Bullock, RD, LD