Meet the BWS Team

The Nicklaus Children's Hospital Center for Beckwith-Wiedeman Syndrome is one of the few in the nation with a long-standing interest and experience in evaluating and caring for children with BWS. Our multidisciplinary team includes:

Chad A Perlyn, MD

Senior Vice President, Surgical Services
Plastic, Reconstructive and Craniofacial Surgeon

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Pediatric plastic surgery, craniofacial surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, vascular anomalies, pigmented lesions of the skin and BWS.


Derek A Sanders, DMD

Clinical Interests: Orthodontics


Leopoldo Malvezzi, MD

Chief, Department of Pediatric Surgery

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Miami Associates in Pediatric Surgery, PA

Additional Offices: Aventura, Miami

Clinical Interests: Vascular surgery and pancreatic islet transplantation, robotic surgery


Fuad Alkhoury, MD

Director, Pediatric Surgery Fellowship Program

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Miami Associates in Pediatric Surgery, PA

Additional Offices: Aventura, Miami

Clinical Interests: Thyroid and endocrine surgery, Hepatobiliary and intra-thoracic pathology, neonatal and fetal medicine with focus on minimally invasive approach, pediatric robotic surgery


Guillermo R De Angulo, MD

Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist

Primary Office: Miami

Practice Name: Kidz Medical Services, Inc.

Clinical Interests: Immuno-oncology, leukemia, lymphoma, hemophilia.


Sherrie Joy A Baysa, MD

Pediatric Electrophysiologist

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Arrhythmias, cardiac channelopathies, sudden cardiac death, congenital heart disease, catheter ablation, pacemakers and implantable defibrillators


Alejandro Diaz, MD

Chief, Section of Pediatric Endocrinology
Director, Division of Endocrinology

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Office: West Kendall

Clinical Interests: Management of children with conditions affecting the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, thyroid cancer, abnormal growth, early or late pubertal development, adrenal disorders, disorders of sex development and diabetes.


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Kristen Burr

BWS Center Coordiantor

Kristen started her career in 2003 under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Marsh in St. Louis, Missouri where she developed her passion for helping BWS families from all over the world. Kristen has helped and/or met more than 800 families worldwide to help with their care or that of their child. She has advanced knowledge regarding tongue reduction, dealing with insurance companies, and coordination of care with multiple specialties. She assists families requiring visas to come to the U.S. for surgery and helps them with lodging. Kristen partners with the Beckwith-Wiedemann Children’s Foundation International to help families with assistance for airline tickets.

Kristen is also very active in the BWS community attending or hosting events for BWS families to come together and running medical clinics from 2003-2011, with undertaking her own planning of the BWS conference in 2014 in St. Louis, in 2016, 2018, and 2020 at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.  Kristen is very active on social media regarding BWS and belongs to many Facebook groups. Kristen is connected to many BWS foundations around the world and directs families to their local support system and/or connects them to parents in their area for support.  She is also a Director with the Beckwith-Wiedemann Children’s Foundation International.

T) 305.278.5923
Kristen.burr@nicklaushealth.org
 

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Jennifer Rodriguez, MA, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Jennifer evaluates each child prior to surgery to assess feeding and language.  Jennifer assists families in feeding their infants and in techniques for post-surgery feeding.  Jennifer will also communicate with a therapist from the patient’s hometown to address goals and how to achieve them post tongue reduction.

A clinician identified with a Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Specialists logo is an affiliate of Nicklaus Children's Health System. All other clinicians listed on the website are in independent medical practices.