Jim Antoon, MD, PhD
Jim received a degree in Economics from Davidson University. In addition to receiving his MD from Tulane University, he also earned a PhD in Pharmacology. Jim is a publication machine – around 50 presentations and publications under his belt – most recently an article about Ehrlichia meningitis in Clinical Pediatrics. His hobbies include fishing, hiking, camping, cooking – particularly sauces, and billiards.

Josh Arenth, MD
Josh attended Vanderbilt University for undergraduate school, receiving a BS in Biomedical Engineering. While at the University of Florida School of Medicine, Josh was voted "Best Male Classmate" by his class – once you meet him, you’ll understand why! In his spare time, he enjoys running, cooking, reading, soccer, and studying Orthodox Christian Theology.

Christy Ashburn, MD
Christy is a graduate of the University of Richmond (BS Biology) and Tulane University School of Medicine. At Richmond, Christy was a varsity cheerleader – Go Spiders! Her hobbies and interests include oil painting (especially landscapes), crafting, photography, cooking, Civil War era history, and gymnastics. If Christy could be any animal, she would be a migratory water fowl.

Matt Baldwin, MD
Matt earned a BS in Biology from Duke University and attended Texas Tech University for medical school. He chose UNC Pediatrics because of the balanced experience between both tertiary care treatment centers and community hospitals. His favorite thing about being a resident at UNC is the people! Matt has a players contract with the Denver Broncos, collects old records, and enjoys jogging on nature trails.

Matt Bruehl, MD
If you enjoy camping, Matt is the guy you want to have with you – he is certified by the Wilderness Medicine Institute as a Wilderness First Responder. And he knows how to make calzones on a camp stove. Matt received a BA in Anthropology and his MD from the University of Oklahoma. Matt chose to come to UNC because of the wonderful scholastic reputation and the emphasis on family.

Jalan Burton, MD, MPH
Jalan is the proud mom to a busy one year old baby boy!  She spent one year at Virginia Tech before attending the University of Virginia majoring in Interdisciplinary Human Biology.  She earned an MPH at Columbia University and her MD from George Washington University.  Jalan chose UNC because of the friendly spirit of the program.  Additionally, she really loved the look and "feel" of the facilities – she found the NC Children's Hospital to be gorgeous and the Moses Cone Children's Floor and ED bright and inviting.

Mackenzie Esch, MD
Mackenzie received a BS in Biology from the College of New Jersey and her MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Her favorite thing about being a resident at UNC is the great people she works with! She’s a true herpetologist at heart, having studied the response of timber rattlesnakes to commercial logging as well as suitable habitats for the endangered queen snake, Regina septemvittata. In addition to being a New Jersey Devils fan, Mackenzie enjoys the outdoors – she even makes her own fishing poles!

Whitney Haddix, MD
Whitney graduated from the University of Virginia, earning a BA in Biology.  For medical school, she attended Temple University.  In her former life, Whitney spent a year working as an ophthalmic technician.  She enjoys cooking, reading, trying new restaurants and sampling different cuisines, running, traveling, and dancing – she has worked as a choreographer for a dance troupe.

Jesse Hansen, MD
Jesse graduated from Trinity College with a BS in Psychology.  She went to New York Medical College for medical school.  Jesse has a passion for traveling and enjoys exploring new cultures and communities.  When not eating fried silkworms in South Korea or whitewater rafting in the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador, Jesse loves cooking, reading, music (plays the saxophone), and sports – she played varsity soccer at Trinity and during her freshman year, was named Rookie of the Year!

Kristen Harring, MD
Kristen earned a BSPH in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina.  She went to medical school at Washington University in St. Louis.  Her favorite thing about being a UNC Peds resident is her co-residents – they are amazing!  Kristen enjoys running (she qualified for the Boston Marathon!), fishing, reading, and Frisbee.  She is also a dog lover – loves hiking with rescue dogs – both her own and those waiting to be adopted.

Laura Jacobsen, MD
Laura is a true Florida girl – she didn’t own a pair of boots until moving to NC!  She bleeds orange and blue having gone to the University of Florida for both undergraduate (double major in Chemistry and Communication Sciences) and medical school.  She chose to come to UNC because of the different sites that cover the full spectrum of pediatric care.  She enjoys playing soccer and making afghans and hats – her grandmother taught her to crochet.

Olivia Linthavong, MD, MS
Olivia earned both her BA in Psychology and MD from the University of North Carolina.  She also received an MS in Human Nutrition from Columbia University.  Her favorite thing about being a UNC Peds resident is the people – the residents are smart, fun loving, and extremely supportive of one another.  Olivia loves to spend her free time outdoors – running, biking, volleyball, hiking, and kayaking – and she’s also a closet thrill seeker that enjoys extreme sports!

Robert Morgan, MD
While working toward a BS in Business Administration from UNC, Robert enjoyed hanging out with famous athletes – playing pickup soccer with members of the U.S. Women’s National Team and meeting UNC’s favorite son, Michael Jordan.  He earned his MD from East Carolina University.  One of the main reasons he chose to return to UNC for residency is that Chapel Hill is an awesome place to live!  Robert enjoys American history, playing tennis, camping, kayaking, and fishing.

Kaitlin Rawluk, MD, MPH
Kaitlin is a Biochemistry major from Smith College.  She earned an MPH from the University of North Carolina and her MD from Duke University.  Kaitlin chose to come to UNC because of the strong commitment to primary care and serving the underserved and the broad diversity of training opportunities.  She enjoys music, theater, and bicycling.  She also enjoys cooking as if she were dropped off in someone else's kitchen – making use of any random ingredients/leftovers to create a meal.

Molly Rusin, MD
Molly majored in Peace Studies at the College of St. Benedict.  She received her MD from Creighton University.  During undergraduate school, Molly spent four months living in Guatemala working with Primeros Pasos, a non-profit organization that offers quality and affordable health care and health education to the rural, underserved communities of Guatemala.  She enjoys traveling, playing piano, hiking, and running.

Amanda Sayed, MD
Amanda earned a BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina and her MD from East Carolina University.  One of the reasons she chose to return to UNC for residency is the combination of inpatient experience at UNC, Moses Cone and WakeMed – great exposure to both common and incredibly rare pathology.  When she’s not working, you can find her playing soccer or tennis, kayaking, snowboarding, hiking, biking, traveling, or playing with her adorable twin nieces!  Amanda is also a UNC basketball fan – Go Heels!

Jen Shaffer, MD
Jen majored in Biology at Wake Forest University. She is a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine. Her favorite thing about being a UNC Peds resident is the amazing people – everyone is willing to help in any way possible! She enjoys running, biking, singing, traveling, windsurfing, boating, photography, and playing with Golden Retriever. Jen is our prelim resident who is planning a career in Pediatric Radiology – we will be sad to see her go at the end of this year!

Cherrelle Smith, MD
Cherrelle is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University, earning a BS in Clinical Laboratory Science.  She went to medical school at Meharry Medical College.  Cherrelle chose to come to UNC because of the outstanding program leadership – on her interview day, the Chief Residents and Program Director made her feel like she belonged at UNC!  She is an experienced cheerleader – ten years of cheering and coaching.  Don’t let the scrubs fool you – Cherrelle loves any and everything about fashion!

Melissa Smith, MD
Melissa earned a BS in Biology from Kansas State University and her MD from the University of Kansas.  She began her medical career while still in undergrad – she was a certified nursing assistant.  Between undergrad and medical school, Melissa spent a year as a researcher in Multiple Sclerosis Clinic/Neurology Department at the University of Kansas.  In her free time, Melissa enjoys running and reading.

Will Stoudemire, MD
Will is a graduate of Davidson College, earning a BS in Biology.  He went to UNC for medical school.  There are many things that he loves about being a resident at UNC, but what makes it the most enjoyable is the fantastic people – the kids, attendings, and residents really make his time at work a wonderful experience.  Will recently entered into the world of amateur apple cider making – he built an apple cider press and starting pressing his very own last year!

Krystal Sully, MD
Krystal graduated from the combined BA/MD six-year medical school program at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She chose to come to UNC because of the strong teaching – the faculty take on a perspective of 'what lesson can be taken away from this' when they teach, rather than just 'let me tell you about this topic.' She enjoys playing tennis and soccer; plays viola, trumpet, and piano; and loves food – and by food, she means chocolate! A whiz with the reflex hammer, Krystal is a resident in our combined Pediatrics – Child Neurology Program.

Mimi Tesfaye, MD
Mimi double majored in Health Policy and Administration and Biology at the University of North Carolina, where she also received her MD.  Between undergrad and medical school, Mimi received an NIH research award and spent a year as a researcher for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.  In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, outdoor activities, and traveling.

Heather Wright, MD
At Virginia Tech, Heather triple majored in Psychology, Biology, and Spanish.  She received her MD from East Tennessee State University.  She chose UNC Peds because she wanted a program where she would have excellent exposure to all areas for fellowship possibilities, while still getting a great primary care education.  Outside of work, Heather enjoys horseback riding and has competed in the World's Championship Saddlebred Horse Show!