Who We Are
We are design- and systems-thinkers and doers, focusing on a grassroots, community-based effort while influencing the systems, policies, and environment in which families live and work. We look forward to collaborating with you!
Board of Directors
Natalia Isaza Brando, MD
Neonatology Attending Physician, Children’s National Hospital (CNH). Natalia originates from Colombia and is a mother of two. As a neonatologist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at CNH, Natalia works on a daily basis with families from around the world. She has conducted research on how skin-to-skin contact (i.e. “Kangaroo Care”) between mothers and their infants can reduce the mothers’ stress levels. She completed her residencies at Universidad CES in Colombia and the Albert Einstein Medical Center in the U.S., and her fellowship at CNH in Washington, DC. Natalia is fluent in Spanish and English, and is certified with the American Board of Pediatrics.
Megan Anne Dennis
Early Childhood Development Expert; Mother of Child with Complex Medical Condition. Megan Dennis has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Master’s Degree in Special Education. She taught elementary school to varying populations in the Washington, DC area for nine years before leaving the education field to care for her twin boys, James and Leo. Megan’s son Leo had multiple complex health needs and spent much of his short, but beautiful, life at Children’s National Medical Center. Megan is honored to work with Eliana’s Light to assist families dealing with life threatening illnesses by sharing her personal experiences and offering support.
Kmitra Lovely
Advocacy and Client Services Expert; Mother; Veteran. Kmitra has over 15 years of experience as a healthcare administrative leader within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Throughout this tenure, she has served in several key positions through which she has gained experience in leadership and policy development, team building, and patient advocacy, while gaining knowledge of whole health initiatives. Kmitra has a Bachelor’s in Health Administration and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She has worked in four VA Hospitals. Kmitra is currently pursuing her PhD while being a mom, working full-time, volunteering in the community, and caring for 2 dogs.
Melissa Nussbaum
Principal, The Nussbaum Group. Melissa Nussbaum is the Principal of The Nussbaum Group. With over 15 years experience building and managing international fundraising teams, Melissa is uniquely qualified to partner with organizations and talented leaders to successfully maximize revenue and build fundraising capacity across your organization. Melissa has held senior-level roles in several organizations in the nonprofit and private sectors. Her deep level of expertise in fundraising, philanthropy, economic development, social justice, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for development offers insights to help organizations build strategic funding plans - enabling them to achieve mission success.
Whitney Ortiz
Founder, Eliana’s Light, Mother of Child with Complex Medical Condition. Whitney is the mother of twin daughters, Emilia and Eliana. Eliana passed away from a heart condition in March 2016. In Eliana’s loving memory, Whitney founded and continues to share Eliana’s Light in collaboration with individuals and organizations that are dedicated to helping children with complex medical conditions and their caregivers through a whole health and whole system approach. Using a Policy, Systems and Environment (PSE) lens, Whitney helps families at the hospital and at their homes in a way that is demand-driven, participatory, and evidence-based. Whitney brings to Eliana’s Light more than twenty years of work experience in U.S. government, non-profit and business sectors, and international organizations. She has an MA in international development from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, and is fluent in Spanish. Whitney currently serves on various advisory committees within Children's National Medical Center and the Washington, DC community related to children's health. She also runs a coaching and consulting business called Whole Health Self-Care. Whitney’s mission is to help others feel better.
Gillian Rai, PhD
Founder, SubLime Kidz and Sublime Living; Occupational Therapist; Professor. Gillian is a South African native, mother of 5, entrepreneur, community service social advocate and champion of whole health approaches to care. She’s a passionate and innovative educator, coach, international speaker and Occupational Therapist (OT) committed and dedicated to working with children, adults and families in diverse, inclusive and multicultural settings. Dr Rai is the founder and principal owner of SubLime Kidz and Sublime Living LLC, a holistic Occupational Therapy practice serving families in DC, MD and VA, as well as around the globe. Dr Rai is also an adjunct professor in the OT department at New York University (NYU) where she teaches Pediatrics and Teaching in the Health Professions. Additionally, she also serves as Commissioner on the DC Board of OT and is the former director of the GWU Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.
Founding Professional Advisors
Elva Anderson
PhD, Registered Art Therapist (ATR), Children's National Hospital; Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Certified Nutritional Consultant (CNC), Licensed Reflexologist, Licensed Aromatherapist, Certified Mindfulness Teacher, Laughter Yoga Teacher, and Level III Healing Touch Practitioner
Caryn Anthony
Principal, CLA Consulting and Coaching: Organizational development consultant and certified executive coach, specializing in nonprofit organizations. Author of “Any Way the Wind Blows”, a blog geared for families with a child managing a significant medical condition.
Donna Anthony
Vice President and Chief of Staff, Children’s National Hospital.
Erica Baca
Senior Associate Director of Special Events, Children’s National Foundation; and Director, Race for Every Child, Children’s National Hospital
Elizabeth Bettini
PhD, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCNS-BC), Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (CHPCN), PANDA Palliative Care, Children’s National Medical Center; Certified Level V Healing Touch Practitioner
Erin Gris
MS in Childhood Development, Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Children's National Hospital; Certified in Therapeutic Touch and Pediatric Hypnosis
Cal Muser Cates
Founder, Executive Director and Board Chair, HealWell; Licensed Massage Therapist; Provides and supervises massage for medically complicated, oncology and end of life patients at numerous hospitals; Speaker on a variety of topics related to integrative medicine, emotional self-care for practitioners and the mechanics and politics of introducing massage therapy into clinical settings.
Katie Conway
Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), Bachelor in Science in Nursing (BSN), Registered Nurse (RN), Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN), Formerly Shift Coordinator, Heart & Kidney Unit, Children’s National Hospital; Currently Critical Care Nurse, New York
Karen Fratantoni
MD, Masters in Public Health (MPH), former Medical Director of Complex Care Program, Children's National Hospital
Vicki Freedenberg
PhD, Registered Nurse (RN), MSN, Electrophysiology Nurse Scientist, Conway Nursing Research Scholar, Children's National Hospital; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The George Washington University
Ashleigh Harlow
BSN, RN, Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Clinical Instructor, Co-Chair of Nursing Advocacy Council, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Level II Healing Touch Practitioner, formerly with Children’s National Hospital; PhD candidate, Duke University School of Nursing
Risi Idiokitas
L.Ac., DAOM, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine; founder of Healthy Littles; Integrative Medicine Specialist on the PANDA Palliative Care team at Children’s National Hospital
Melissa Jones
MSN, APRN, Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Acute Care (CPNP-AC), Nurse Practitioner Team Lead for Critical Care, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Coordinator, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Children’s National Hospital
Maria Luz Lara-Marquez
MD, PhD, Allergist and Immunologist, San Diego, California. Expert in Integrative Medicine and Psychoneuroimmunology. Vice-Chair of the Integrative Medicine Committee within the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology.
Marian McEvilly
RN, CPN, Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Anesthesia, Children’s National Hospital; Level V Healing Touch Practitioner, Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Horse Therapist, Reiki Master
Asha Nair
MD, Pediatric Cardiac Intensivist, Stanford Children’s Health-Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital
Judy Ross
Child Life Specialist, Children's National Hospital; Certified Infant Massage Therapist
Terry Spearman
Director, Child Life & Integrative Care Services, Children's National Hospital (retired 2023)
David Steinhorn
MD, Professor of Pediatrics; Director, Pediatric and Perinatal Program Development with the Elizabeth Hospice in CA; Pediatric Palliative Care Consultant; recipient of 2019 Pioneer in Integrative Medicine Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Lillian Su
MD, Pediatric Critical Care Intensivist; formerly with Children’s National Hospital and Stanford Children’s Health-Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, now Associate Chief and Medical Director, Division of Cardiac Intensive Care, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Founding Parent Advisors
Goli Fassihian
SangHee Hong
Elena Hung
Rashida Humphrey-Wall
LaJoy Johnson-Law
Ashley Kollme
Ayana Osborne
Maura Perez
Brittany Vance