Meet the Emergency and Pediatric Trauma Team

Meet the Emergency and Pediatric Trauma Team


Robert G Flood, MD

Chief, Emergency Medicine

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Office: Jupiter

Clinical Interests: Quality improvement, process improvement, injury prevention and procedural sedation


Leopoldo Malvezzi, MD

Chief, Department of Pediatric Surgery

Practice Name: Miami Associates in Pediatric Surgery, PA

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Offices: Aventura, Miami

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


Michelle Dawn Blumstein, MD

Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program 

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Trauma management, injury prevention and emergency room utilization


Paul A Khalil, MD

Medical Director, Point-of-Care Ultrasound Program 

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), regional anesthesia and sports injuries


Anthony D Liberti, MD

Co-Lead Pediatrician, Emergency Department

Primary Office: Miami

Clinical Interests: Improving quality of care in pediatric respiratory illnesses and antibiotic stewardship.


David Alexander Lowe, MD

Associate Medical Director, Emergency Department Quality

Primary Office: Miami

Additional Office: Jupiter


Raquel Martinez, MD

Co-Lead Pediatrician, Emergency Department

Primary Office: Miami


See all Pediatric Emergency Physicians.

Emergency Department Leadership

  • Peter Cruz - Director, Emergency Services
  • Lisbeth Mosquera - Nurse Manager
  • Jonathan Ponce - Nurse Manager
  • Kassandra Ramos - Assistant Nurse Manager
  • Justina Iglesias - Assistant Nurse Manager
  • Diana Gomez - Clinical Practice Specialist
  • Kristina Valiente - Clinical Education Specialist

Emergency Department Clinical Coordinators

  • Franco Figueroa
  • Jackeline Diaz
  • Kessoon Dilloon
  • Samuel Lachterman

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians

  • Dr. Kresimir Aralica
  • Dr. Muna Azzo
  • Dr. Rodney Baker
  • Dr. Michelle Blumstein
  • Dr. Naiomi Cohen
  • Dr. Antonella Denaro
  • Dr. John Dunlop
  • Dr. Robert Flood
  • Dr. Karen Franco
  • Dr. Marla Friedman
  • Dr. Mark Hincapie Ryan
  • Dr. Paul Khalil
  • Dr. David Lowe
  • Dr. Taj Madiwale
  • Dr. Vicenzo Maniaci
  • Dr. Sobia Naeem
  • Dr. Barbara Pena
  • Dr. Ellie Rakovchik
  • Dr. Michael Rizkalla
  • Dr. Ana Ruiz-Castaneda
  • Dr. Maria Schonenberg Llach
  • Dr. Oranit Shaked
  • Dr. Charles Suastegui
  • Dr. Cloty Toro
  • Dr. Nestor Valeron
  • Dr. Jose Vargas-Loayza
  • Dr. Ronald Vasquez
  • Dr. Aisling Wright

Emergency Department Pediatricians

  • Dr. Rashi Bamzai
  • Dr. Carla Barreau 
  • Dr. Laila BenBouzid
  • Dr. Tamara Biller
  • Dr. Ana Maria Castaneda
  • Dr. Alberto Cotton
  • Dr. Rosa Cuen-Leon
  • Dr. Mark Gabay
  • Dr. Maria Gonzalez-Diaz
  • Dr. Sandra Gonzalez
  • Dr. Benazeer Jawaid
  • Dr. Kantor Julie
  • Dr. Anthony Liberti 
  • Dr. Alberto Lopez
  • Dr. Raquel Martinez
  • Dr. Julia Oliveira
  • Dr. Elizabeth Villaverde

Nicklaus Children's Hospital, understands the critical role that ED nurses have in the handling of emergencies.
All nursing staff must be certified in:

  • ACLS (Advance Cardiac Life Support)
  • BLS (Basic Life Support)
  • PALS (Pediatric Advance Life Support)
  • CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention)
  • and attend the Pediatric Trauma Course

In addition, most of the RN staff are certified in ENPC (Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course),and TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Curriculum). Several of the staff are certified to teach PALS, ACLS, ENPC and TNCC.

Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Specialists
 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.