Rachel Thompson, M.D., Co-Director of the Southern Family Center for Cerebral Palsy
Rachel Thompson, M.D., is currently an associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California San Diego. She completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery at Northwestern University and fellowships in pediatric orthopaedics and neuromuscular orthopaedics at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, respectively. Prior to joining the staff at Rady Children’s Hospital, she spent seven years at UCLA, where was served as the Residency Program Director for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and held the William and Patricia Oppenheim Presidential Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedics at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. While at UCLA, she served as the Director for the Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA/Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children. Along with her research team, she has developed numerous assays to study the muscular changes that occur as a result of the spasticity and decreased mobility associated with cerebral palsy. Her team’s ultimate goal is to identify the pathways that lead to joint contracture and weakness so that they may develop biologic treatments to prevent contracture and disability.
Rehabilitation Medicine Specialists
Andrew Skalsky, M.D., is the chief of the Division of Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Skalsky came to Rady Children’s Hospital in November 2010 from Winnipeg Children’s Hospital and the Rehabilitation Centre for Children in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, where he was also the director of pediatric rehabilitation medicine. He completed his residency and fellowship training at the University of California, Davis.
Jeffrey Algra, M.D., is board certified in physical medicine & rehabilitation. He is trained in a wide range of spasticity management, including botulinum toxin and phenol injections, intra-thecal baclofen pump management and rehabilitation after selective dorsal rhizotomy. Dr. Algra completed a physical medicine & rehabilitation residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York City and a pediatric rehabilitation medicine fellowship at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in Saint Paul, Minn.
Susan Biffl, M.D., is board certified in pediatrics, physical medicine & rehabilitation, pediatric physical medicine & rehabilitation, and brain injury medicine. She completed a combined pediatrics and physical medicine & rehabilitation medicine residency and fellowship at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Pritha Dalal, M.D. joined the Rehabilitation Medicine team at Rady Children’s in September 2014. She is board certified in pediatrics and physical medicine & rehabilitation, and completed her residency training at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia and AI DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.
Joan Le. M.D., is board certified in physical medicine & rehabilitation. Her focus is improving the function of children and adults with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including cerebral palsy. Dr. Le worked at Loma Linda University prior to coming to Rady Children’s Hospital in November 2012. She completed her internship and residency at the Northwestern University-Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Kyle Ryan, M.D. , is an adult rehabilitation medicine specialist and is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He completed his undergraduate degree in neurobiology, physiology and behavior at UC Davis before attending medical school at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He then completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a fellowship in spasticity management and neurorehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Phoebe Scott-Wyard, D.O., is double board certified in pediatrics and physical medicine & rehabilitation. She completed a combined residency in pediatrics and physical medicine & rehabilitation medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati.
Orthopedic Surgeons
Henry Chambers, M.D. is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in pediatric orthopedic surgery. A graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine, he completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in Texas and a fellowship at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. He was elected president of the board of directors for the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine for 2008 and has served as the chairman of the Orthopedic Division and chief of staff of Rady Children’s from 2004-2006. Dr. Chambers’ clinical interests are in cerebral palsy, pediatric sports injuries and pediatric trauma. He has authored numerous publications, abstracts, and book chapters and has been listed in “Best Doctors in America.”
Patrick Curran. M.D. Specialty: Neuromuscular Disorders
Michael Kelly, M.D. Specialty: Spine
Peter Newton, M.D. Specialty: Scoliosis
Maya Pring, M.D. Specialty: Hip, Ambulatory Surgery
Kathleen Rickert, M.D. Specialty: Cerebral Palsy and Lower-Extremity Deformities
C. Douglas Wallace, M.D. Specialty: Hand, Upper Extremity
V. Salil Upasani, M.D. Specialty: Hip, Spine
Other Providers
Carolina Schaber, R.N., B.S.N., M.B.A,. joined the Rady Children’s Surgical Specialty Clinic Orthopedic team in January 2006 as the care team coordinator for Dr. Henry Chambers. She has more than 20 years of clinical and business experience. She earned her bachelor’s in nursing from CSU Fresno, and after completing her nursing degree, she spent the next seven years in the pediatric critical care setting. Carolina earned a master’s of business administration degree from the University of San Diego. The next 15 years of her career were spent working with various biotech companies, specializing in marketing and new product development. In early 2007, she was named the clinical director of our center.
Allison Dickinson, M.H.S., P.A.-C., joined Children’s Specialists as part of the Pediatric Orthopedic and Scoliosis Institute in 2003. She is a board-certified physician assistant and works closely with Dr. Henry Chambers, specializing in both sports medicine and cerebral palsy. Allison graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S., Ed. in exercise and sport science and earned her master’s degree in health sciences from the University of South Alabama in 2003. She has an extensive background in athletics as both an athlete and coach at the youth and intercollegiate levels. She maintains a special interest in facilitating an active lifestyle for people with cerebral palsy.
Jaspreet Bimbh, PA-C, MSPAS
Jas Bimbh joined our team in 2022. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public health and then moved to New York, where she graduated from Touro University in 2022 with a dual degree in Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies. Prior to PA school, she worked as a Nursing Assistant at Rady Children’s Hospital and Together We Grow, where she provided care to fragile children with Cerebral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophies. She now returns to Rady Children’s as a PA, where she closely works with Dr. Curran, who specializes in treating pediatric populations with lower extremity disorders as well as neuromuscular diseases in the Cerebral Palsy Center. She is also a part of our ortho trauma team and runs her independent lower extremity alignment and fracture clinics.
Evan Pugh, PA-C
Evan joined our team in 2024. He graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2021, where he majored in cell and molecular biology. He graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2024 with his Masters in Physician Assistant Studies. Prior to PA school, Evan worked as an EMT and medical assistant. Here at Rady Children’s Hospital, Evan has worked closely with Dr. Thompson, focusing particularly on patients with cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular disorders. Outside of orthopedics, Evan enjoys spending time outdoors and visiting national parks with his wife and friends.
Abigail Callahan, P.N.P., joined the Rehabilitation Medicine team in August 2015 after earning her master’s of science degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and obtaining her board certification as an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (AC-PNP). She was born and raised in Texas, where she earned her B.S.N. from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls. After college graduation, she moved to San Diego in 2005 and joined Rady Children’s Hospital as a registered nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). During the past 10 years that she has worked in the PICU, she has also volunteered as a flight nurse for Samaritan’s Purse and a first responder nurse for Children of the Nations. Additionally, she participated in post-operative cardiac care in Cambodia through Children’s Lifeline International.
Eileen Filiciotto, R.N., B.S.N., became a care coordinator for spasticity, Botox and rehab clinics, and for the Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Program in February 2011. She spent 13 years at the Helen M. Bernardy Center here at Rady Children’s Hospital, where she helped develop the subacute unit, caring for children who are physically and developmentally disabled with multiple medical complexities. Eileen received her bachelor of science in nursing from Pace University in Briarcliff, N.Y.
Colleen Kelly, M.S.N., R.N., P.N.P., joined the Rehabilitation Medicine team in May of 2016 after working as a nurse on Rady Children’s Ortho/Rehab floor for 10 years. She works in both the inpatient and outpatient clinics. Colleen earned her pediatric nurse practitioner and Master of Science in Nursing degrees from Saint Louis University in Missouri and her bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago. When she’s not working, Colleen volunteers often through her church and runs the volunteer services for Samaritan’s Purse ministries. She also loves to run and participate in Spartan races.
Erin O’Brien, R.N., joined Rady Children’s Hospital in May 2015. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University in 2008 before earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marymount University in Arlington, Va., in 2011. Erin spent the next few years working in pediatric homecare and as a triage nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado before returning to her hometown of San Diego. Now an R.N. coordinator for the Rehabilitation Medicine team, Erin works primarily in the Acquired Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury clinics, as well as with the Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Program.
Elizabeth W. Smith, M.S.N., R.N., F.N.P.-C joined the Rehabilitation Team in May 2018 after working as a certified pediatric nurse on Rady Children’s Surgery and Rehabilitation Unit for four years. She cares for patients in both the inpatient and outpatient clinics. Elizabeth earned her Master’s of Science in Nursing degree from Azusa Pacific University and is board certified as a family nurse practitioner (FNP-C). She has two Bachelor of Science degrees: One in nursing from Azusa Pacific University and one in Public Health from the University of Washington. When she is not working, Elizabeth loves to spend time with her family and friends, travel and participate in outdoor sporting activities like golf, cycling and skiing.
Jenna Stromsoe, M.S.N., R.N., CPN began her nursing career in August 2016 as a registered nurse caring for patients on Rady Children’s inpatient Surgery and Rehabilitation Unit. She transitioned into her role as a R.N. Care Coordinator with the Rehabilitation Medicine Team in November 2018. Jenna coordinates multidisciplinary Cerebral Palsy clinics at our Escondido and Oceanside satellite locations, as well as acting as the primary coordinator for our Spinal Defects Clinic, Acquired Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Clinic and Limb Difference Clinic. Additionally, she assists with the Intrathecal Baclofen Pump program. Jenna earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree from University of San Diego. Prior to pursuing nursing, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from University of San Diego. Jenna worked in the nonprofit sector for several years, including doing volunteer service as an English teacher for the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. She is excited to now be pursuing certification in the specialty of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing.