Current Resident Bios - Pediatrics Residency

PGY 1

Lindsay Caldarone, MD was born in Boston, but spent most of her youth in Toronto, Canada. She studied public health at Johns Hopkins University as an undergrad, spent three years researching lung transplantation back in Toronto, and finally returned to the mid-Atlantic region to attend Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia. She discovered her passion for working with children during her third-year pediatrics clerkship, and is thrilled to be able to pursue this here at UVM. In her free time, she can be found exploring all that Vermont has to offer with her partner and their dog, Max. Highlights so far include hiking, biking, and maple creemees.

Sehar Laljee, MD grew up in Long Island, New York. She attended Stony Brook University for her undergraduate studies and stayed to complete her master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on medical imaging. Despite her love for engineering, she wanted to be more directly involved in patient care and followed her childhood dream to attend medical school at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn where she fostered her passion for pediatrics. In particular, she is interested in preventative medicine and advocacy. She is excited to be in Vermont and train at a program devoted to family orientated care and have access to the New American Population. Outside the hospital she loves to paint, play frisbee golf, eat ice cream, and spend time with her family and friends.

Brianna Leahy, MD grew up in Waterloo, Ontario and attended Princeton University for her undergraduate studies where she played varsity ice hockey and majored in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs with certificate in Global Health. After graduating, she worked in IT for a year and a half before changing paths and pursuing a career in medicine. She attended St. George's University of London based in the UK. Being the second oldest of 7 kids, pediatrics was a natural fit. She is excited to be joining the pediatric residency program at UVM and has interests in emergency medicine and cardiology. Outside of medicine, she enjoys playing and coaching hockey, biking and running. She also enjoys playing guitar, violin and helping out on her family's apple farm. 

Adessa Morano, MD grew up in the Upper Valley of VT/NH and attended Sarah Lawrence College for her B.A. in psychology and M.A. in Child Development. After graduating, she taught 1st/2nd grade special education for children with psychiatric disabilities through Teach For America while earning her M.Ed. in Elementary Special Education. As a teacher at a therapeutic school, she realized her true calling was working with children clinically. She then became a Developmental Specialist for Early Intervention, working with Spanish-speaking families in Boston. Adessa completed her requirements for medical school through the post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at UVM, during which time she completed research on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. While applying to medical school, Adessa found her passion for teaching comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education while working as a Medical Case Manager for people living with HIV/AIDS. She attended the Larner College of Medicine at UVM, and is thrilled to continue her training in pediatrics at UVM. She chose pediatrics because of her love for working with children and families, her enjoyment of pediatric medicine, and the ability to incorporate preventative medicine and social determinants of health into pediatric care. Her interests in pediatrics include primary care, advocacy, sexual health, mental health, children with disabilities, breastfeeding, and working with New American families. Outside of medicine, she enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time with her daughter and family. She is beyond excited to stay in Vermont as part of the UVM pediatrics family!

Megan Prue, MD grew up in Northeastern Vermont. She attended the University of New England and received undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Applied Mathematics. She then returned to Vermont to attend the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She is thrilled to be staying with the UVM Children’s Hospital for residency. She is interested in primary care, especially rural underserved populations. Outside of medicine, Megan enjoys reading, hiking, swimming, baking and spending time with her husband and their daughter.

Abigail Watson, MD grew up in Baltimore, Maryland before moving to Philadelphia to study chemistry at Drexel University and compete in collegiate triathlons. She stayed at Drexel to complete an MPH in epidemiology where she worked with the Philadelphia Public Health Department and the local children's hospitals: CHOP and St. Christopher's. While she loved public health, she realized she wanted to know the people behind her data and applied to medical school. She graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine. She unexpectedly fell in love with pediatrics when she began working with incredibly resilient children and exceptionally compassionate pediatricians. She is excited to continue learning in Vermont! Outside of medicine, she enjoys going on adventures with her two dogs and spouse, devouring books at an unnatural pace, and being on the water. 

Alexander Zajack, MD grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. He went to high school in New Hampshire, but left the east coast for undergrad in Portland, Oregon. There he studied chemistry and played goalkeeper for the soccer team. He then returned to Las Vegas for medical school. It was there he discovered his passion for pediatrics. As a kid at heart, there was no other patient population he’d rather work with. Now he’s come full circle around the country, back in the Northeast for his residency training. This time he is bringing his wife (Connie) and dog (Finn) to join him on this journey. You’ll probably find them all enjoying some outdoor adventures this winter on the slopes or PC gaming at home in the warmth (Alex only.)

PGY 2

Kelly Blanchet, MD grew up on Long Island and attended MIT for her undergraduate studies where she played varsity lacrosse and majored in economics. After graduating, she worked as a bond trader on Wall Street for 5 years. Over time, she came to realize it was not her calling, and with encouragement from her family, she decided to pursue a career in medicine. She attended the Bryn Mawr post-baccalaureate program outside of Philadelphia and then returned to New York to attend Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She chose pediatrics because of her love of children, the beautiful medicine, and the opportunity to develop relationships with families in her community. Kelly enjoys spending time outside with her husband, son, and husky, especially skiing and hiking, as well as cooking, home brewing, and reading novels. She is so happy to be in Vermont and part of the UVM Children’s Hospital family!

Sarah French, MD is from Burlington, Vermont. She attended Tufts University, where she majored in Biology with a minor in Child Development. She returned to Vermont to attend medical school at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. She discovered her love for working with children early while working at Camp Billings, a sleep away camp in Fairlee, Vermont, and her interest grew in college, while organizing an after-school program in the local elementary schools. Her interests in pediatrics include primary care, preventative medicine, advocacy, and wellness. Working with the refugee community in Burlington was a particularly meaningful part of her medical school experience, and she is thrilled to be able to continue serving that community. Outside of medicine, she enjoys the outdoors, and can be found running, hiking, biking, and skiing in the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. She also enjoys growing her own vegetables and making ice cream.  

Alec Girten, MD grew up in the mountains of Colorado.  He then attended the University of Rochester where he majored in Microbiology and minored in Philosophy.  He stayed in Rochester for medical school at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.  He is excited to be in the Green Mountain State and work with this special patient population.  Outside of work, you can find Alec biking, skiing, running and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family with good beer and food to follow.

Kristen Keene, MD grew up in central Vermont.  After high school, she attended Ithaca College in New York.  She majored in biochemistry and earned a minor in nutrition.  Following her undergraduate education, she attended medical school at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.  In medical school, she developed a love for working with children through her pediatric rotations and as a volunteer basketball coach for K-2 children.  She is excited to continue her training at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital as a pediatric resident.  In her free time, she enjoys skiing, hiking, swimming, and sewing clothing.  

Benjamin Kim, MD grew up in the quiet suburbs of Newton, Massachusetts. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he majored in Biochemistry and minored in Sociology. In college, he continued his short-lived fencing career for 2 years and rekindled his long-term relationship with the piano. He went straight through to medical school at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. In medical school, he volunteered to teach at local high schools and juvenile detention centers with his fellow medical students. He is incredibly excited to be back in New England and is even more excited to join the team at the UVM Children’s Hospital. He has strong interests in LGBTQ+ health and improving health equity among underserved populations. Outside of medicine Benjamin enjoys trying and cooking new foods, practicing the piano, reading edgy fantasy novels, and engaging in overly competitive game nights with friends.

Clementine Knight, MD joins the UVM Pediatrics Residency after completing her undergraduate work at Brown University followed by her medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Andrew Meshnick, MD grew up a Red Sox fan in Andover, Massachusetts. He studied history at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, focusing on how environmental systems shaped the human experience. When not in the library, his volunteer work as an EMT led him to apply to medical school.  He stayed at Georgetown for medical school and developed a passion for pediatrics due to its emphasis on shaping equitable health outcomes through prevention and early intervention. He also found that pediatricians and their patients have great imaginations, which made for a great day at work. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys running, biking, skiing, cooking, and spending time with his friends and family. He is thrilled and honored to join the team at UVM Children’s Hospital.

PGY 3

Jacqueline Baca, MD grew up on Cape Cod, MA. She majored in mechanical engineering at Olin College. While at Olin, she enjoyed off-road unicycling with friends on local trails. After college, she moved back to the Cape and worked as a paramedic, shuttling patients between medical facilities. Most of her patients were older adults, but she sometimes got to transfer kids to children’s hospitals and found that she enjoyed taking care of kids and their parents. During this time, she also worked building houses with her dad. After a few years, she attended medical school at Northwestern University, in Chicago. She thought she’d become an emergency physician, but she found that she fit in better with the pediatricians. Within pediatrics, she could see herself being drawn to emergency medicine, critical care, or cardiology. She is excited to have moved back to New England, to have a vegetable garden again, and to have more opportunities to explore nature.

 

Jonathan Danel, MD grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in California and attended the University of California, Davis where he majored in Biology and Psychology. Before medical school he leaned into his love for teaching as an MCAT instructor. He attended Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, there discovering his passions for pediatrics and medical education. His special interests within pediatrics include general practice, hematology-oncology, and bringing music into the hospital. His hobbies include playing the guitar, singing/songwriting, volunteering within the community, and spending time with his wife and friends. He challenges anyone to match his Marvel Cinematic Universe knowledge!

 

Kelsey Frey, MD grew up in Cumberland, Maine with three older brothers. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine where she studied biology and philosophy. Before medical school she worked as a medical scribe in a local ER. She has always known pediatrics was her dream, and has volunteered at a children's hospital, with children who recently immigrated to the US, and with a local elementary school choir! She attended Tufts University School of Medicine - Maine Track program where her love for pediatrics grew. Kelsey has loved Burlington since she traveled there for her first anniversary with her now-husband. She is so excited to join the UVM community and is interested in child advocacy, pulmonology, and hematology/oncology. In her spare time she enjoys running, baking, and exploring the outdoors with her husband and their two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Naya and Pebble! 

 

 

Rebecca Merrifox, MD spent her first years in Eugene, Oregon and moved to the thriving metropolis of Shoreham, Vermont as a teenager.  For many years, she worked as a pastry chef and baker specializing in slow-ferment doughs and traditional European style pastry before relaunching a career in the medical field. She attended Oregon Institute of Technology for her undergraduate studies in Biology and enjoyed all the amenities that the nearby Crater Lake National Park had to offer.  She was thrilled to be able to return to Vermont for her medical schooling at the Larner College of Medicine, and even more thrilled to be continuing her education in Pediatrics here with the UVM team.  In her spare time, she has more hobbies than she knows what to do with and enjoys sewing her own clothes, puttering in her garden, swimming in the lake, and spending time with her husband and sons.

 

Nicholas Moore, MD was born and raised in New York City. He attended Harvard University where he studied Human Evolutionary Biology and played for the Harvard Rugby Football Club. After college, he moved to Los Angeles and taught 9th grade English and math as a City Year Americorps Member, as well as drove for Uber. He returned to the East Coast for medical school, attending the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Throughout these experiences, Nick spent his summers teaching basketball at Camp Androscoggin, a sports camp for boys in Wayne, ME. His work with children led naturally to pediatrics and to specific interests in adolescent health, sports medicine, and medical education. Outside of the hospital, Nick enjoys playing basketball, hiking and skiing with his fiancée, watching Scrubs for the umpteenth time, and trying to keep his beagle, Sparky, away from chocolate.

Bradley Weitz, MD was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He lived in many different small towns and big cities on the East Coast while growing up. After attending College at the University at Buffalo he entered medical school at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science. During this time, he developed an interest in pediatrics through many experiences, particularly during his time as a camp counselor for children with Muscular Dystrophy. The areas within Pediatrics that he is particularly interested in include primary care and emergency medicine. He is thrilled to be completing his training in Vermont and to be a part of this community. Outside of medicine he enjoys spending his time woodworking, baking, running, and playing the guitar.