DIVISION DIRECTORY
Address
Children’s Specialty Group, PLLC
Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology
601 Children’s Lane
Norfolk, Virginia 23507-1971
Telephone: (757) 668-7320
FAX: (757) 668-9735
Anesthesiologists

Mark
R. Polak, DO
Director, CHKD Department of Anesthesiology
President, CHKD Medical Staff
Medical Degree: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville,
Missouri
Residency: Anesthesiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Virginia
Subspecialty Training: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of
The King's Daughters
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional anesthesia,
Neuroanesthesia
David
N. Blakey, MD
Past
Director, CHKD Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Degree: Duke University Medical School
Residency: Anesthesiology, Naval Hospital, San Diego
Subspecialty Training: Regional Anesthesia, Naval Medical Center-Portsmouth;
Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional anesthesia
Ronald
C. Brodsky, MD
Medical Director, Oyster Point Ambulatory Surgery Center
Medical Degree: State University of New York, Syracuse
Residency: Anesthesiology, State University of New York, Syracuse
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital-National Medical
Center, Washington, DC
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Operation Smile
J.
Matthew Cecchini, MD
Chief, CHKD Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Degree: Hahnemann University School of Medicine,
Philadelphia
Residency: Anesthesiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth,
Virginia
Subspecialty Training: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's
Hospital of The King's Daughters
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Anesthesia for special needs children
Steven
M. Defreitas, MD
Medical Degree: George Washington University School of
Medicine, Washington, DC
Residency: Anesthesiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth,
Virginia
Subspecialty Training: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's
Hospital of The King's Daughters
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia
Justin M. John, MD
Medical Director, Short Procedures Unit, Sedation
Medical Degree: Kasturba Medical College, India
Residency: Anesthesiology, Indiana University School of Medicine,
Indianapolis
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, The Hospital for Sick
Children, Toronto, Canada
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional anesthesia, Pain
management
Jessica J. Kell, MD
Medical Director, Surgical Services, CHKD Health and Surgery Center at Princess
Anne
Medical Degree: The George Washington University School of Medicine
and Health Sciences
Residency: Anesthesiology, The George Washington University Medical
Center
Subspecialty Training: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's
National Medical Center
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional anesthesia,
Resident/Medical Student/Nursing Education
Melissa
M. McLeod, MD
Medical Degree: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Arkansas Children's Hospital
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Pain management
William C. Petersen, MD, FAAP
Medical Degree: Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine of the University of
Illinois College of Medicine
Residency: Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, University of Southern California
Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology & Intensive Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Certification: Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine
Special Interests: Anesthesia for pediatric ophthalmology
Miriam
U. Schoepf, MD
Medical Degree: Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Illinois at Chicago;
University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, Michigan
Certification: American Board of Anesthesiology, German Board of
Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia
Jeffrey L. Schubert, DO
Medical Degree: Nova Southeastern University College of
Osteopathic Medicine, Ft. Lauderdale
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Miami
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic at Wolfson
Children's Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia
Thomas
M. Shackleford, DO
Medical Degree: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine,
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Residency: Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown,
West Virginia
Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center,
Cincinnati, OH
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Offsite anesthesia
G.
Kevin Thompson, MD
Past
President, CHKD Medical Staff
Medical Degree: University of Texas School of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Arkansas Children's Hospital;
Cardiovascular/Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, Methodist Hospital, Baylor College of
Medicine
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Pain management, Acupuncture
Amy
T. Wilborn, MD
Medical Degree: Virginia Commonwealth University School of
Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Virginia Health System;
Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center
Certification: Anesthesiology, Pediatrics
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional Anesthesia
Angela C. Wooditch, MD
Medical Degree: Temple University School of Medicine
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center,
Pittsburgh, PA
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Pediatric anesthesia, Regional anesthesia,
Medical education
Cardiac Anesthesiologists
Daniel Carvallo, MD
Medical Degree: Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro
Residency: Indiana University Hospitals
Fellowship: Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, Indiana
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Cardiac anesthesia, Pediatric anesthesia
Cynthia
I. Muñoz, MD
Medical Degree: Weill Medical College of Cornell University,
New York
Residency: Anesthesiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, The Children's Hospital,
Denver, Colorado
Special Interests: Cardiac anesthesia, Pediatric anesthesia
José Santoro, MD
Residency: Anesthesiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia
University
Fellowship: Pediatric Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of
Michigan, Cardiac Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Certification: Anesthesiology
Special Interests: Cardiac anesthesia
CRNA's
Donna
L. Balkus, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Rhode Island College
Nurse Anesthestetist Training: Old Dominion University, MSN
Additional Degree: MA-Counseling, BA-Psychology, Rhode Island College
Heidi M. Dereski, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Sentara School of Health Professions, Norfolk,
VA
Nurse Anesthetist Training: Old Dominion University, MSN
Carol S. Farpour, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Old Dominion University
Nurse Anesthetist Training: DePaul Medical Center, Norfolk, VA
Additional Degree: MS-Community Health Professions, Old Dominion
University
Kathy B. Malley, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Old Dominion University
Nurse Anesthetist Training: DePaul Medical Center, Norfolk, VA
Additional Degree: MS-Community Health Professions, Old Dominion
University
Joyce
C. Merola, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Northeastern Hospital School of Nursing,
Philadelphia
Nurse Anesthetist Training: Lankenau Hospital, Philadelphia
Judith
H. Ricketts, CRNA
Nursing Degree: Medical College of Virginia, Richmond
Nurse Anesthetist Training: Old Dominion University
Additional Degree: MS-Nurse Anesthesia, Old Dominion University