The Duchenne Program Support Team

Meaghan Doherty, MD, assistant professor, and pediatric and fetal cardiologist with UMass Chan Medical School, provides care throgh the UMass Memorial Medical Center. Prior to medical training, she worked as a physical therapist. Doherty, MD, graduated from UMass Chan and completed a pediatric residency program at Rhode Island Hospital / Hasbro Children's Hospital. Doherty received her pediatric cardiology training at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital of UPMC and has a robust heart failure and cardiomyopathy program. She enjoys a practice encompassing the full breadth of pediatric heart disease, and promotes a proactive approach to cardiac care for muscular dystrophy. She particularly appreciates the longitudinal relationships she develops with patients and families. 

Ted Kremer, MD, associate professor at UMass Chan Medcal School is chief of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, and director of Pediatric Sleep Medicine at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Kremer, MD, earned his medical degree at the University of Iowa, College of Medicine. Dr. Kremer received residency training at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and specialized in the Pediatric Pulmonary fellowship at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.  As a pulmonary and sleep medicine physician, Dr. Kremer enjoys the many unique aspects of caring for patients with DMD and the long-term relationships established with his patients and families.

Jeffrey Shih, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a cardiologist whose clinical interests include cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure and transplantation. Shih, MD, serves as medical director of the ventricular assist device program as well as the advanced heart failure program at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Shih completed his medical degree, residency and cardiology fellowship training and advanced heart failure training at Emory University School of Medicine.

Matthew Shields, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School has clinical interests including inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease and polyposis syndroms. Shields, MD, grew up in Wellsley, Massachusetts. Dr. Shields attended UCC School of Medicine in Puerto Rico before receiving his residency training in periatrics at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Shields completed his pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, MA. He lives in Grafton, MA with his wife and two children, Nolan and Carina.

Curtis Barry, MD, assistant professor of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School is a gastroenterologist/hepatologist who specializes in liver disease and liver transplantation. He received a medical degree in Boston University School of Medicine and completed a residency program at Boston Medical Center before working for the Boston University Amyloid program. Barry, MD, specialized in gastroenterology fellowship training at the University of Cincinnati, and a liver transplant fellowship at Lahey Clinic. 

Neena Gupta, MD, associate professor at UMass Chan Medical School, and Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension. Gupta, MD, received her medical degree from SCB Medical College, Utkal University, Cuttack, India and completed a residency program in pediatrics at K.G.P. Children Hospital, Baroda, Gujrat, India. Gupta completed a pediatric residency at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY after moving to the United States. Dr. Gupta specialized in pediatric nephrology fellowship training at UT Southwester Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She worked as a faculty at Wayne State University School of Medicine, in Detroit, Michigan and at the Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University before joining UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center. She values the long-term relationship with chronic DMD patients. Her clinical interests include chronic kidney disease, medical management of kidney stones and hypertension.

Jason Kurland, MD, associate professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a nephrologist who specializes in management of chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and electrolyte disturbances. Kurland, MD, earned his medical degree from Boston University's 7-year BA/MD program. Dr. Kurland received his residency training in internal medicine and specialized in nephrology fellowship training at Brown University. 

Youssef Rahban, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School. 

Kristin Laraja, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a pediatric cardiologist whose clinical interests include cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, arrhythmias, and fetal cardiology. Laraja, MD, is the medical director of the fetal cardiology program at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Laraja completed her medical degree at Tufts University Medical School and received her pediatric residency training at Hasbro Children's Hospital, Brown University. She specialized in the pediatric cardiology fellowship training at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University. Dr. Laraja enjoins the many unique aspects of caring for patients with DMD and the long-term relationships established with patients and families. 

Theo Meyer, MBChB, professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a cardiologist whose clinical interests include cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure and valve disease. Meyer, MBChB, is the clinical chief of cardiology at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Meyer completed his medical degree, residency and fellowship training in South Africa and obtained his PhD at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. 

Ruby Joshi Batajoo, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a pediatric endocrinologist. Batajoo, MD earned her medical degree at BP Koirala Institute of Medical Sciences, Nepal. Batajoo received pediatric residency training at Stony Brook University, NY and specialized in the pediatric endocrinology fellowship training at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital at Case Western University, in Ohio. Dr. Batajoo loves connecting with patients and families in the DMD clinic while helping to manage the endocrine aspects of DMD care. 

Eyad Hamoudeh, MD, associate professor at UMass Chan Medical School.

Errol Mortimer, MD, assistant professor at UMass Chan Medical School, is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon for UMass Memorial Medical Center for over twenty-five years. Mortimer, MD, has clinical interests in congenital and developmental conditions of the musculoskeletal system, as well as trauma. Mortimer is a member of the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and has been board certified in orthopedic surgery since 1997.

K. Courtney Shellenbarger, APRN, CPNP
Nurse Practitioner

Courtney has been working side-by-side with Brenda Wong, MD, since 2012. In May of 2018, Courtney moved from Ohio to Massachusetts to help launch the Duchenne Program. As a pediatric nurse practioner with more than 15 years of experience, Courtney sees and treats patients, and plays the role of clinic coordinator behind the scenes to help keep the program's gears moving smoothly. She is a passionate advocate and always up for a challenge when it comes to accessing available treatments for her patients with DMD. She loves collaborating with her colleagues to deliver top-notch care to patients and their families. 

Becca has been a physician assistant since 2006, with extensive experience in adult and pediatric medicine across both inpatient and outpatient settings. After earning her undergraduate degree from Bates College and completing her master’s degree at Northeastern University, she has worked as a PA in a variety of clinical environments.  Before joining the DMD clinic, Becca’s passion for rare diseases led her to work in research, managing gene therapy clinical trials. Eager to return to direct patient care, she joined the DMD clinic, where she combines her expertise in rare diseases with a passion for clinical care to provide comprehensive support for those living with DMD.

Emily has been a pediatric nurse practitioner focusing on pediatric pulmonary and pediatric sleep clinics. Previously, she supported complex patients as a nursing team leader in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. She earned her undergraduate nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her graduate degree from Northeastern University. “I enjoy helping children with chronic pulmonary diseases and their families, to become as healthy as possible and enjoy  great quality of life!”

Celina Goncalves joined the Duchenne Program after completing a one-year fellowship from 2021-2022. She received her doctor of physical therapy at Simmons University in 2020. Previously, while completing clinical rotations at graduate school, Celina was introduced to a patient of Brenda Wong, MD, and became his personal care attendant. 

"Working with him inspired me and created a passion to pursue Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy as an area of subspecialty," she explains. For Celina, the best part of working with boys and young men with DMD is showing them the things they can do, with some help. "I love connecting with patients and families, advising them about how they can make everything as accessible as possible and use the tools to interact with their friends, family and community. Even small changes can have a meaningful impact on everyday life."

Marla has experience as a dietician with both adult and pediatric patients. She received her bachelor's degree in nutritional science from the University of Connecticut and a dietetics internship at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Marla has drawn her love and focus in nutrition towards weight management, eating disorders, diabetes management and DMD. "I love being a part of the team with so much determination to make a difference. It has been an eye-opening experience providing patient care to such a strong group of patients, further validating how much nutrition plays a role in growth and well-being."