Program Leadership

Kristen Samaddar, MD
Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

  • Hometown: Plainfield, IN
  • Undergraduate: BA in English, Minor in Biology - Gustavus Adolphus College; St. Peter, MN
  • Medical school: Indiana University School of Medicine; Indianapolis, IN
  • Training: Pediatrics Residency Program at University of Michigan, C.S. Motts Children's Hospital; Ann Arbor, MI
  • Professional interests: Process and quality improvement, healthy lifestyle, advocacy and Spanish-speaking populations
  • Personal interests: Running, hiking, traveling and spending time with family
     

Zach Robbins, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

  • Hometown: Tucson, AZ
  • Undergraduate: BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology - University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ
  • Medical school: University of Arizona College of Medicine; Tucson, AZ
  • Training: Pediatrics Residency at Phoenix Children's Pediatric Residency Program Alliance
    • Chief Resident
  • Professional interests: Teaching and mentoring residents, medical education, obesity medicine, reaching the underserved
  • Personal interests: Spending time with family, basketball and other sports, Rugged Maniac races, travel (especially to beaches)
     

Katy Mullens, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

  • Hometown(s): Flagstaff, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ
  • Undergraduate: BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics - University of Arizona; Tucson, AZ
  • Medical school: University of Arizona College of Medicine; Tucson, AZ
  • Training: Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children's Pediatric Residency Program Alliance; Phoenix, AZ
  • Professional interests: Medical education, curriculum development, primary care leadership/advocacy, physician wellness, pediatric complex primary care, neonatal care, and breastfeeding medicine
  • Personal interests: Physical and mental fitness/wellbeing, camping/anything outdoors (especially in the Ponderosa pines of Northern AZ), Nintendo, basketball, football, and spending time with family and friends
     

Jenna R. Erickson, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

  • Hometown: Duluth, MN
  • Undergraduate: BS in Cell Biology, MS in Integrated Biosciences - University of Minnesota Duluth; Duluth, MN 
  • Medical school: Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University; North Chicago, IL
  • Training: Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children's; Phoenix, AZ
    • Chief Resident
    • Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Phoenix Children's; Phoenix, AZ
  • Professional interests: Pediatric emergency medicine, medical education
  • Personal interests: Hiking, camping, off-roading, rock climbing, reading, spending time with my husband, son and dogs
     

Christine Rukasin, MD
Associate Program Director, Pediatrics Residency Program

  • Hometown: Flagstaff, AZ
  • Undergraduate: BS in Mathematics - Creighton University; Omaha, NE
  • Medical school: Creighton University School of Medicine; Omaha, NE
  • Training: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of California; San Diego, CA
    • Allergy and Immunology Fellowship at Vanderbilt University; Nashville, TN
  • Professional interests: Medical education, drug allergy training, mental health in atopy
  • Personal interests: Spending time with family, watching college sports and life coaching

Chief Residents

Ashley Bartlett, MD

  • Undergraduate: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
  • Medical school: University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Lauren Fox, MD

  • Undergraduate: Duke University
  • Medical school: UCD School of Medicine University College Dublin

Ashnaa Rao, MD, MHS

  • Graduate school: Johns Hopkins University 
  • Medical school: Creighton University School of Medicine

Jessica Whisonant, DO

  • Undergraduate: Arizona State University
  • Medical school: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine