Founder: A beginner. One present at the beginning.
Foundation: That upon which further build takes place.
L. Joseph Butterfield, MD, FAAP and professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado was a charter member of the AAP Section on Perinatal Pediatrics and helped found District VIII in 1982. Joe had many passions and projects and was recipient of many awards during his remarkable career. Fortunately, District VIII was one of his passions. He shepherded the organization and then promoted membership to heights that have not been achieved since. His influence lives on in the efforts of the individuals who knew him. Joe passed away in 1999. With establishment of our Education Foundation Endowment in 2005, in Midway, UT we were able to recognize his contributions to District VIII by naming him the first “honorary founder” and making a deposit in his name towards this fund-raising effort. We hope Joe would have been pleased. We are proud to call him one of our own.
August L. Jung, MD, FAAP and professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah helped found District VIII in 1982. Larry brought Utah into the organization and over the years has participated as a long-time Council member and former District Chairman. As chair of the nominating committee until 2005, he also hand-picked nominees and thereby the elected leadership of the district for most of its history. His influence is evident in the longevity and continuing success of the organization. With establishment of our Education Foundation Endowment in 2005, in Midway, UT, we were able to recognize his contributions to District VIII by naming him an “honorary founder” and making a deposit in his name towards this fund-raising effort.
W. Joseph Daily, MD, FAAP was a founding member of the District, served as it’s Chairman for many tireless years, and has always been instrumental in the development of District VIII as a true representative of excellence and the global organization of care for our region. Based primarily in Phoenix, AZ, Joe and his colleagues were amongst the first to bring centralized regionalization concepts to neonatal and perinatal care. Tackling budgets, politics and apathy, Joe achieved creation of a world class system for conduct of Neonatal Intensive Care and Maternal / Perinatal transport. His role as a teacher and true educator for countless Pediatric Residents and Neonatal Fellows is legendary. Joe remains active in the District and his sage advice is always both rewarding and enjoyable!
Dr. Douglas McMillan has been one of our longest standing leaders on the Canadian side of the District. Following graduation in Medicine from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Doug took a rotating internship and pediatric residency in Calgary before training in Neonatology and pediatric pulmonary disease at the Cardiovascular Research Institute in San Francisco. Returning as a faculty member of the University of Calgary, Doug became involved with the AAP District VIII Section of Perinatal Pediatrics in 1977. He was the first chapter representative from Alberta and assisted in the involvement of Canadians in District VIII conferences attending 23 of the first 27 annual meetings. He was the program chair for the 1987 meeting in Banff and Chairman of the District VIII Section on Perinatal Pediatrics, 1993-1996, and initiatied the drum that remains symbolic of this position. Doug credits his involvement with District VIII with many of his opportunities, and hopes his activities have enhanced those of others. Doug has been instrumental in ensuring the contribution of Canadian Neonatology to the District and has been hugely invested in the regionalization, organization, and promotion of excellence in Neonatal Care in Calgary, Alberta, and, indeed, all of Canada. Another “born educator” for many Medical Students, Pediatric Residents and Neonatal Fellows, Doug’s sharp witt and excellent, though perhaps “Canadian”, humor always makes work, learning, and comraderie extremely enjoyable and hugely rewarding. Doug has recently moved to Hallifax, in Eastern Canada, but promises to remain loyal to his roots in the District, and it is an honor to have him amongst our Founders, inducted at the 2015 meeting in Victoria, BC.
Gerry Merenstein, MD, FAAP was professor of pediatrics and medical director of Child Health Associate/Physician Assistant Program at the University of Colorado (UC) at Denver and Health Sciences Center, and former senior associate dean for education at the UC Denver School of Medicine. So many of us were residents, fellows, colleagues and friends that Gerry was loved and respected by legions! Gerry practiced neonatology for more than 30 years and chaired the AAP Committee on Fetus and Newborn and the AAP Section on Perinatal Pediatrics executive committee. He received the section’s 2007 Neonatal Education Award. His publications includes more than 150 articles, chapters and books. The Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care (sixth edition), which he co-edited, was published in 2006. Gerry attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He moved to Denver in 1966 to begin his career in medicine at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1986 as a colonel and joined the faculty at the University of Colorado. Gerry was inducted into the Founders at the Hawaii Meeting in June, 2016.
Carl Bodenstein, MD, FAAP trained with the greats of the late 70’s in Phoenix, with Joe Daily as his mentor. He was exposed to the District as a Fellow and, except for one year, just after Fellowship, spent lost somewhere off the coast of Southeastern Florida, has been an active member ever since. Carl hosted the 2004 Conference in Coeur d’Alene, ID, was WA State Representative for many years, and subsequently Chair of the District. Practicing from 1983 to 2018 in Spokane, WA, Carl helped develop the Forest Bird VDR High Frequency Ventilator, was a key researcher in the E-Ferol debacle, and an active member of his community Pediatric Society. Carl currently chairs the District VIII Educational Foundation, and encourages your donation! Known to be fairly outspoken, Carl’s favorite activity is diving with sharks and woodturning. Carl was inducted as Foundation member at the Seattle meeting, June, 2017.
Dennis Mayock, MD, FAAP has long been Secretary and “Go To” person for the District. Dennis is a gentleman, scholar, teacher, mentor and advocate for all that is neonatology. Dennis is Associate Division Chief, Clinical Research at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics. He has been on staff at UW/Children’s Seattle since 1985 and a member of the District ever since. In Dennis’s own words: “My goal is to provide the best evidenced-based medical care to newborns. When evidence is not available on which to base clincal decisions, I feel obligated to pursue such answers through clinical research projects. Generation of new evidence remains my primary focus.” Dennis was inducted as Foundation member at the Seattle meeting, June, 2017
Jerry King is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Utah where he has served as Medical Director of the University NICU for 20 years. More recently he has been Director of Neonatal Outreach and Education and has been instrumental in founding the Mountain West Mothers’ Milk Bank in Salt Lake City.
Jerry has enthusiastically worked for and supported the AAP District VIII Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine for decades during his career. He has been a Council Member, Secretary-Treasurer, Chairman, Conference Host (2005, 2018), and webmaster. Under his leadership, the District Council developed the first website, the Education Foundation and Founders’ Dinner, increased membership, improved finances, and advanced conference planning. His advocacy for members “getting involved” has helped inspire increased administrative opportunities for District members. It is most fitting Jerry was named an honorary founder in 2018.
Renate Savich, MD is a neonatologist and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of New Mexico. She was the Chief of the Division of Neonatology at UNM from 1997-2001 and Director of the Fellowship Program from 2007-2014. She also served as the Chief of the Division of Neonatology at the University of Mississippi from 2014-2021. She has been a member of District VIII since 1988 and was New Mexico representative from 2001-2005, Treasurer from 2004-2007 and Chair of the Foundation from 2007-2014. She was elected as the District VIII representative to the AAP Section on Neonatal -Perinatal Medicine Executive Committee from 2006-2012, and Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine from 2014-2016. Renate has extensive involvement in neonatal global health, teaching in Nigeria, South Sudan, China, Mexico, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. She is currently the Chair for the inaugural AAP Global Neonatal Advisory Committee working to improve neonatal resuscitation and newborn outcomes throughout the world. She was on the Steering Committee for Helping Babies Breathe/Helping Babies Survive which has now evolved to Essential Newborn Care (ENC) under the WHO. She was a founding member of Women in Neonatology (WiN) of the AAP SONPM and is currently serving on the Steering Committee of WiN. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Perinatology.
Lily Lou, MD . Lily Lou, MD. Lily was the first woman faculty in the Yale Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. Next, at University of New Mexico School of Medicine, she completed a fellowship in Medical Education, and entrée into District VIII. In 2002, she made Alaska her home and began serving as that state’s representative to the District VIII Council. She hosted the 2006 Conference in Girdwood Alaska, was Council chair (2008-2011) and has served on the Scientific, QI and Website committees. She was Medical Director of the NICU at The Children’s Hospital at Providence, for 8 years, followed by 2 years as Chair of the Pediatric Department, then 2 years as the Executive Medical Director of TCHAP, and then served as Chief Medical Officer and State Health Official for Alaska. She was privileged to serve as Chair of the AAP Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, and remains on the executive committee as past chair. She now lives in Chicago and serves on the faculty at UIC (where she is also Director of Government Relations), but remains a dues paying member of the AAP-AK Chapter and stays engaged with District VIII Neonatal. She is very excited to have made it onto the ballot as one of two candidates for the Medical Subspecialist At-large Seat A on the board of the AAP.
Sirkka L. Spencer RN/APNC holds the distinction of being the first Neonatal Nurse Practitioner to be designated as an Honorary Founder of District VIII. She has earned this is due to her long history of enthusiastic participation, and devotion for this our organization.
She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a BSN, then completed the NNP program at the University of Arizona. Although recently retired from the University of New Mexico, she spent much of her professional career at Sunrise Hospital, Las Vegas.
The first American Academy of Pediatrics District VIII Section on Neonatology/Perinatal Medicine annual conference was held in 1976 in Scottsdale, Arizona and Sirkka was in attendance. The next year, at Lake Tahoe, she was the first non-physician to make presentation of findings of an independent study that she conducted. Since those early years then, she has made many other speaking contributions.
She was selected to be one of two Nurse Practitioners to serve on the Council for District VIII, and represent points of view for the multiple allied professionals in our district.
To promote the goals of District VIII she has been an avid educator for outlying areas in rural Nevada and New Mexico as an instructor for NRP and S.T.A.B.L.E. Sirkka has had an outstanding career and District VIII has been such an important aspect for her continuing education and fellowship with other professionals to promote ongoing improvement of care for our Perinatal/Neonatal clients.
Sirkka was inducted as an Honorary Founder of the District at the virtual conference, due to CoVid19, held in New Mexico in June, 2021.
LuAnn Papile: Write up to follow.
LuAnn was inducted as an Honorary Founder of the District at the virtual conference, due to Covid-19, held in New Mexico in June, 2021.
Tracy Karp:
Tracy Karp has been a neonatal nurse since 1978 after graduating with a BS in nursing from Boston University. He has been a neonatal nurse practitioner since 1982, graduating with a masters degree from the University of Utah.
Tracy became involved with the District by attending the 1980 annual meeting held in Park City, Utah. In addition to the outstanding academic and research sessions there he witnessed remarkable collaboration between and among nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and social workers from all our states and provinces. At later meetings he had opportunity to present in platform and poster sessions.
Tracy has been involved in several organizations that participated in the District Scientific Committee. He has been on program committees for 3 meetings hosted in Utah. He became one of the NNP representatives on the Council from 2014 to 2019. He was elected District Treasurer in 2022. He is proud to be part of the recognition the District has for neonatal advanced practice nursing.
Tracy notes “Throughout over 40 years of interaction and involvement with the District Section I have met many professional colleagues that have enriched my life and supported my career. The District has provided a great venue to give back to the organization and my profession. I am honored and humbled to be recognized as a founder member of the District. This is an organization where all those interested and invested in neonatal care can find a place to belong.”
Tracy Karp was inducted as an Honorary Founder of the District at the Annual Conference in San Diego, 2023.
PLEASE DONATE: https://district8sonpm.org/foundation/donate-to-the-foundation/