Fellowship Program Leadership

Amanda R. Mihalik, MD

Medical School: Loyola Stritch School of Medicine – Maywood/Chicago (2010)
Residency: Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Banner Good Samaritan/VA, Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center combined residency program (2014); Internal Medicine Chief Resident (2015)
Fellowship: Hospice and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic Arizona (2016)
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Mihalik joined PC as a Palliative Medicine Physician in 2016. In addition to her role as a hospital-based Palliative Care provider she has held the role of Rotation Director and worked to expand the Resident and Fellow Palliative Education across PC. She began her role as the Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship program director in July of 2023.

Her research and quality improvement interests lie primarily in the fields of: resident and fellow education, symptom management, end of life care in the hospital setting, and preparedness planning in the context of transplant and life-prolonging medical technology.

Outside of work you can find Dr. Mihalik enjoying time with family including her husband, three strong-willed children and her dog Tang. She finds balance by spending time in the garden, making jewelry and practicing yoga.

JonMark Moorington, MD, MDiv

Graduate School: George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University – Waco (2007), Master of Divinity
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix (2016)
Residency: Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program (2019)
Fellowship: Phoenix Children’s – Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Board Certifications: Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Moorington joined PC as a hospitalist and palliative medicine physician in 2020 after finishing his year as the inaugural fellow of PC’s Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship. Now full time with Palliative Medicine, he began his role as Associate Program Director for the Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship in 2023. Along with his responsibilities at PC, Dr. Moorington is a pediatric medical director with Hospice of the Valley.

His research and quality improvement interests lie primarily in the fields of spiritual care and bioethics, and he currently serves as a committee member and consultant for PC’s bioethics committee.

Outside of work you can find Dr. Moorington spending as much time as possible with his husband and 2 sons, watching entirely too many movies, playing volleyball, and…supporting the continued use of the Oxford comma. He also loves to read and is always open to suggestions for the next great book club find.

Tressia Shaw, MD

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (2000)
Residency: Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, Banner Good Samaritan/VA, Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center combined residency program (2004)
Board Certifications: Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Shaw joined Phoenix Children's (PC) following residency as a hospitalist and a complex care pediatrician. She started the Palliative Care program at PC in 2009 and fully transitioned to Palliative Care in 2015. She is currently the Palliative Medicine section chief, and she served as the Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship director from 2019-2023.

Dr. Shaw has been a pediatric medical director with Hospice of the Valley since 2006. Her research interests include the role of pediatric-specific hospice units in end-of-life care.

Outside of work, Dr. Shaw enjoys spending time with her husband and son, traveling, and exploring new places, and finishing a good book.

Wendy Bernatavicius, MD

Graduate School: Villanova University – Villanova, PA, Masters of Business Administration
Medical School: Drexel University College of Medicine – Philadelphia
Residency: Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program
Board Certifications: Pediatrics, Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Dr. Wendy Bernatavicius graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1994. She then went on to pursue a career in Marketing and Advertising while working toward her Masters of Business Administration at Villanova University. About six years into her business career, she decided to switch paths toward medicine. At that point, she completed a post-baccalaureate program at the University of Pennsylvania and went onto complete her medical education at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Dr. Bernatavicius completed her 3-year pediatric residency program at the combined Phoenix Children's Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center program in 2008. She completed her residency as a Chief Resident during her last year of training. Dr. Bernatavicius then accepted a position as a General Pediatrician in the General

Pediatric Clinic at Phoenix Children's to pursue her career interest in caring for children with medical complexity. In 2010, Dr. Bernatavicius began her work in hospice medicine with Hospice of the Valley and became board certified in Hospice & Palliative Medicine in 2012. In 2016, Dr. Bernatavicius became Division Chief of Outpatient Pediatrics. As a rebranding effort to better represent the work of the clinic, the division underwent a name change and is now known as the Division of Primary, Complex Care & Adolescent Medicine.

Current leadership positions: Division Chief, Division of Primary, Complex Care & Adolescent Medicine
Projects/Committee work: Dr. Bernatavicius is working with Phoenix Children's on developing a standardized transition program to help patients with medical complexity transition more smoothly into adult medicine. In addition, Dr. Bernatavicius has been heavily involved with multiple organizations in Arizona to improve coordination of care for children with medical complexity.

Outside of work, Dr. Bernatavicius enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter. In addition, she loves spending time outside (when it’s not too hot), playing the piano, and writing music.

Matt Roenius, MD

Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (2019)
Residency: Pediatrics at MCW/Children’s Wisconsin (2022)
Fellowship: Phoenix Children’s – Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Board Certifications: Pediatrics

“Dr. Matt” joined Phoenix Children’s as a palliative medicine physician in 2023 following his graduation from Phoenix Children’s Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship. His research and quality improvement interests currently involve medical education (notably enhancing trainee exposure to, and knowledge of, pediatric end-of-life management) and the interplay between global health and hospice and palliative medicine.

Outside of work, Dr. Matt loves to explore the parks, soccer fields, restaurants, and museums of Phoenix with his wife, son, and daughter. Additionally, he enjoys hiking, biking, walking his dog, and being outside as much as possible - having spent all of his life before fellowship in cold Wisconsin.

Allie Uber, MD

Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson (2014)
Pediatric Residency: Phoenix Children's/Maricopa Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program (2017)
Fellowship:

• Medical University of South Carolina – Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (2020)
• Phoenix Children’s – Hospice and Palliative Medicine (2021)

Board Certification: Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Uber joined the PC Palliative team in 2021 as the Program Lead for the newly-created Palliative Oncology program. She spends her time working primarily with oncology patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings while deepening the collaborative relationship between Palliative Medicine and Phoenix Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD).

Outside of work, Dr. Uber enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and Labrador, Charlie. She loves traveling, cooking and reading historical fiction.

Billie Winegard, MD, MPH

Graduate School: University of Arizona – Tucson, Master of Public Health
Medical School: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Residency: Phoenix Children's/Maricopa Medical Center Pediatric Residency Program
Fellowship: Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children – Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Board Certification: Pediatrics, Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Dr. Winegard provides pediatric palliative care services at Phoenix Children’s. She has served since 2019 as pediatric medical director at Hospice of the Valley. She is on the faculty of The University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix.

Emma H. Khatami, Ph.D.

Doctoral Program: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Internship and Fellowship: Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s
Licensing: Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Dr. Khatami has been a member of the inpatient consultation/liaison psychology service at Phoenix Children’s and the dedicated psychologist on the Palliative Medicine team since 2018. Her work involves responding to a variety of psychological concerns among patients on the inpatient medical floors, as well as performing advance care directives with teens and young adults with chronic and/or life-limiting conditions. In 2022, Dr. Khatami began serving as the Associate Division Chief of Psychology at Phoenix Children’s. She is also a member of the bioethics committee.

Outside of work, Dr. Ross enjoys cooking, running, and hiking with her family.

BJ Large, PNP

Graduate School: Arizona State University, Tempe (2004), Rush University, Chicago IL (2018)
Post graduate Internship: Texas Children’s Hospital, PICU (2004)
Board Certifications: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Acute Care and Primary Care

BJ joined Phoenix Children’s in 1997, as an international travel nurse. She then joined the staff caring for patients with critical illness/diseases including complex congenital heart disease in the PICU and became an ECMO specialist. After pursuing graduate school studies, BJ obtained certification to practice as a PNP and worked for several years in the PICU and then the CVICU. To enable her to fulfill her goal of obtaining a faculty position in academia, she obtained a DNP at Rush University.

BJ transitioned to the Palliative Care team in 2019, where she is able to utilize her years of experience in the ICU arenas to provide care for patients and families while focusing on communication, family support, symptom management, care coordination and discussing goals of care.

Current leadership positions: Mentor to new-hire PNPs. Coordinator of End-of-Life Nursing Education (ELNEC) classes for nurses at PCH. Associate Professor at Rush University for DNP students.
Interests/Personal/Fun facts: BJ is part-time faculty at Rush University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading, and hiking.

Chelsea Jeffers, LMSW

Graduate School: Arizona State University, Watts College of Public Service And Community Solutions (2011; 2013)

Chelsea joined Phoenix Children’s in October 2020. Prior to joining the Palliative Care Team, Chelsea worked in State service advocating for child safety alongside the Arizona legislature and various law enforcement agencies. Chelsea also brings with her experience in community mental health and empowering young adults experiencing homelessness. 

Chelsea is involved with the bioethics committee at PC and is currently working toward her hospice and palliative social work specialty certificate. Outside of work, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her family while hiking, camping, or eating street tacos.     

Sarah Henderson, MSW, LCSW

Graduate School: Arizona State University, Master of Social Work with Certificate in Trauma and Bereavement (2014)
Internship: US Attorney’s Office, Victim Witness Program (2012-13) La Frontera EMPACT-SPC Trauma Healing Services (2013-14)

Sarah joined Phoenix Children’s in 2016 and originally worked as a social worker in the emergency department while also working part-time at a private practice, providing psychotherapy to those who are traumatically bereaved or who have experienced trauma. Sarah is currently the Outpatient Mental Health Therapist for the Palliative Care team at Phoenix Children’s. Sarah has attended multiple international seminars in Existential Analysis and Logotherapy, and is a certified provider of Compassionate Bereavement Care through the MISS Foundation and The Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Family Trust.

Outside of work you can find Sarah hanging out with her beloved baby dog, attempting to ski with her boyfriend up in Flagstaff, spending time with friends and family, hiking/being in nature, traveling, or pondering the meaning of life. She also loves to read and watch documentaries on the cosmos and cults.

Amanda Sahli, MS LAMFT CT

Graduate School: University of Phoenix, Master in the Science of Marriage and Family Counseling and Child Therapy (2008)
Internship: Hospice of the Valley, Bereavement Counselor (2007)

Amanda joined Phoenix Children’s (PC) in 2016 as the Bereavement Coordinator. She transitioned from Hospice of the Valley (2008 – current) where she maintains employment as a pediatric bereavement counselor for continuity of care.

Amanda chairs the PC memorial committee and serves on the bioethics committee. She is working on certifications in bereavement counseling, is enrolled in Columbia University’s Narrative Medicine certification program, and is working on her PhD in adult education at the University of Arizona’s Global Campus.

Outside of work, Amanda enjoys snuggling on the couch with her 3 cats (Holly, Gabrielle, and Teeter) dog (Dobby), and husband (Hotchy), while: reading a good, non-grief related, book; binge watching True Crime or other murder inspired shows; playing Candy Crush Saga; teaching herself how to knit, speak Arabic, and Spanish; or work on a crossword puzzle.