Getting to Know You

Dr. Megha Tollefson is a Pediatric Dermatologist and Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic. She has served on several PeDRA committees in the past and is currently serving as Member at Large on the Board of Directors. Dr. Tollefson, like so many others in the field, has always enjoyed taking care of children. Learn how that passion translated into a career in pediatric dermatology and learn about a little piece of advice she received from her Peloton coach.

Dr. Beth Drolet is Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She’s a founding member of PeDRA, completed a term as chair of PeDRA’s Nominating Committee in 2021, and is a current member of the Best Practices Task Force. Tune in for Dr. Drolet’s perspective on leaning into failure and be sure to watch until the very end as she shares her very special hidden talent (hint – it will make you want to dance!). Watch and learn more about Dr. Drolet’s incredible career in research.

Holly joined the PeDRA team in June of 2021 as the 2021 – 2022 PeDRA Fellow. Holly manages PeDRA’s four social media platforms, provides administrative support to the board of directors, and is the medical student liaison for PeDRA’s Early Investigator Committee. Holly is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Massachusetts and enjoys being a peer mentor to other medical students. When she’s not studying, supporting PeDRA, or mentoring medical students, she’s out and about seeking thrills. Listen to the very end for Holly’s most intense thrills to date.

In this very special Getting to Know You, we look back on how it all began with PeDRA’s first executive director, Sheila Rittenberg. She was brought on in 2013 and for six years, Sheila and the board of directors carefully laid the foundation for the organization we are today. Now, as PeDRA nears its 10th birthday, Sheila shares her personal connection to childhood skin disease and her hopes for PeDRA’s future. She also shares how she’s been able to nurture her creative side in retirement by working to produce a documentary film.

Dr. Stein is the new PeDRA Biostatistician. Hailing from Arizona, Amy stumbled into a career in statistics near the end of her senior year as an undergraduate. One of her professors offered her a stop in the statistics graduate program at Baylor and it was there that Amy found her calling. She supports PeDRA investigators with everything from designing a stats-friendly study to teasing out data at the end of a study, all with a hands-on, energetic approach. When Dr. Stein isn’t tackling the stats, she’s baking cookies for every season with her children, and reading any book she can get her hands on.

Dr. Lalor is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is a vice chair of PeDRA’s Acne and HS Focused Study Group. Even though she had decided on dermatology as her specialty, she said she’d never be a pediatric dermatologist. That is, until she went to University of Cincinnati for her residency and fell in love with the field. Learn more about her research and be sure to listen to the very end for a special announcement.

Season 2 will drop in November. Make sure you like and subscribe so new episodes automatically download. This season's guests include Dr. Beth Drolet, Dr. Elaine Siegfried, Dr. Carrie Couglin and so many more!

Dr. Lawrence Eichenfield is a Professor of Dermatology and Pediatrics and Vice-Chair of Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego. He’s a founding member of PeDRA and one of PeDRA’s original Co-Presidents. Dr. Eichenfield is a leader in the field of inflammatory skin disease research and has led many PeDRA studies while mentoring colleagues and trainees on many more. Learn more about Dr. Eichenfield’s career and his passion for musical theater.

Dr. Jeffrey Sugarman is a Professor of Dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. He is a founding member of PeDRA and served on PeDRA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee for many years. He’s also the immediate past president of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Learn more about Dr. Sugarman and his work in pediatric dermatology research. 

Dr. Streicher is an Assistant Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine. She’s currently co-chairing PeDRA’s Birthmarks Focused Study Group. She became interested in pediatric dermatology while in medical school at Indiana University after completing a peds derm rotation with Dr. Anita Haggstrom. Her training took her to Georgia and Pennsylvania, and she’s come full circle back to Indiana to work alongside Dr. Haggstrom. Learn more about her work with the Birthmarks Focused Study Group and why she’s been reading so much by Julia Donaldson lately.