Meet Our Chief Residents
Kristen Arnold, MD
What is your educational background? I have a Bachelor of Arts in an interdisciplinary liberal arts honors program from the University of Texas. I went to medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
What led you to a career in medicine? It wasn’t until I was in undergrad that I discovered my passion for medicine through my interests in the humanities and liberal arts. I had always loved science but had never considered a career in medicine until I studied it through the lens of philosophy, ethics, sociology, and narrative medicine. Physicians have a unique role in the lives of their patients, in that we have the privilege of hearing their stories and walking with them through their health journey. In medical school, I loved working with pediatric patients and their families as a team and knew right away that it was the specialty for me.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I am a born-and-raised Texan and had never been to Ohio prior to my interview day here at Cincinnati Children’s. I fell in love with the program on my interview day when I saw how supportive the program leadership was, how passionate the residents were about their jobs, and how welcoming the entire hospital community is. I also knew that the diverse patient population and wide range of clinical pathology seen here at Cincinnati Children’s would prepare me well for any future career in medicine.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? I have a passion for medical education, so I am excited about the opportunity to work alongside residents and medical students while honing my skills as an educator. I am also looking forward to serving our residents as a point of support and mentorship. I hope to continue to foster a sense of community and wellness within the program.
What do you like to do for fun? I enjoy exploring the wonderful system of parks and green spaces here in Cincinnati. I like to read and am a part of two book clubs with friends. I also love to travel and look forward to taking more trips as travel becomes safer again.
6. Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be__________ working as a primary care pediatrician with a particular focus on children with medical complexity.
Michelle Sandoval Cabanas, MD
What is your educational background? I am a proud Lobo from Albuquerque, NM. I attended the University of New Mexico for both my Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and biology, as well as for medical school.
What led you to a career in medicine? I knew since I was a small child that I was going to be either a lawyer, a teacher or a doctor because I could argue my way out of anything, I loved to teach and mediate for others, and I wanted to heal people both inside and out. I decided against law school when I finally tried to read a law book. When I realized I could both teach and become a doctor, I was hooked. I became a tutor for the sciences and thought I was going to save the world by volunteering in the Emergency Department.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I was so excited to be a part of a large children’s hospital where I would be able to take care of patients from around the world and see innovative clinical care, research, and surgeries first hand.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? I have a strong interest in medical education and curriculum planning and am hoping to hone my skills as a clinical educator while also promoting wellness for all of our residents!
What do you like to do for fun? Kayaking, salsa dancing, playing with my dogs.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I plan to____________ pursue a career in primary care for both Internal Medicine as well as Pediatrics. I hope to care for whole families and attempt to help them navigate their health and wellbeing as a unit.
Libby Ireson, MD
What is your educational background? I am a lifetime Ohioan. I was born in Columbus, OH, and completed my undergraduate degree at Ohio State University where I majored in biochemistry and minored in Spanish and dance. I moved to Cincinnati for medical school at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM) and was thrilled to stay for residency at Cincinnati Children’s.
What led you to a career in medicine? Before I decided on medicine, I always knew I wanted to work with kids. My experiences volunteering at a children’s hospital in high school led me to consider pediatrics. I love that medicine combines lifelong learning, humanism, and compassion in our everyday work. I strive to be a strong advocate for my patients and recognize that my position as a physician provides an important voice on community health issues.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I was lucky enough to train at Cincinnati Children’s as a medical student at UCCOM and couldn’t imagine completing my residency anywhere else. There is such a strong sense of camaraderie and support—we’re like one big family. I love that we provide top-notch subspecialty care but also serve as the general pediatrics provider for our communities.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? I greatly enjoy teaching and mentoring. I’m excited to play a supportive role in our residents’ training and help them reach towards their full potential (academically, professionally, and personally) during residency.
What do you like to do for fun? I enjoy anything outdoors (hiking, kayaking, camping) and exploring Cincinnati’s many parks. I regularly go to ballet and modern dance classes at the Cincinnati Ballet. I also love seeing the Broadway shows that come to the Aronoff.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to__________ serve as a primary care pediatrician for under-resourced populations. I love academic medicine and hope to work in a setting where I can play a role in medical education. I also hope to obtain further training in public/community health-based research and legislative advocacy. With these goals in mind, I will be pursuing an Academic General Pediatrics Fellowship after chief year.
Deawodi Ladzekpo, MD
What is your educational background? I received a BS in biology from Stanford University (#nerdnation) and a Howard University College of Medicine.
What led you to a career in medicine? Growing up, I witnessed how the lack of consistent healthcare, health literacy, and preventative medicine impacted my family. In Ghana, my family struggled to get what they needed to take care of their medical conditions. My mother and I often spent time researching conditions that affected my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and their children to help them better understand their conditions and treatment options. In doing this research, I discovered my desire to become a physician.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? One of my mentors from medical school, knowing what things I was interested in pursuing, told me that I would be silly not to apply to Cincinnati Children’s. And he was not wrong. Being a Californian, my goal was to go back home, but my interview day and the people I met helped me fall in love with the hospital and the city. I chose to come to Cincinnati Children’s because of the wide variety of patients we take care of here. I wanted to come to a place where they provided preventative care as well as world-class subspecialty care.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? As chief resident, I hope to make an impact on recruiting diverse residents. I also hope to help continue and deepen the Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion curriculum that has been created by previous chief residents.
What do you like to do for fun? I like to go biking and enjoy biking on the Loveland Bike Trail with my fiancé. I also enjoy running and hope to do a 5K in the next year. Lastly, I love to travel and have taken multiple trips internationally with friends from medical school and college.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to be__________ an attending in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. I also hope to continue to be involved in community advocacy and research that positively impacts patients and their families.
Liz Lendrum, MD
What is your educational background? I attended Ohio Northern University where I obtained a Bachelor of Science in biology. I went on to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine to earn my MD.
What led you to a career in medicine? Growing up, I always had an interest in science and medicine. I developed an interest in addressing social determinants of health and health equity through my volunteer experience at a community-based free health clinic in my hometown. I pursued a career in pediatrics due to my passion for being a child health advocate.
What brought you to Cincinnati Children’s? I fell in love with Cincinnati Children’s at my residency interview day. I quickly discovered that the residency program was incredibly dedicated to both the education of their pediatric trainees and the health of their patients. I was impressed by the dynamic clinical experiences and numerous opportunities for advocacy and research. Cincinnati Children's and the residency program has an amazing culture of support and community which truly makes it feel like a family.
What do you hope to accomplish in your time as chief resident? As a chief resident, I look forward to the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the growth of trainees and the continued success of the residency program. I have benefitted from the excellent guidance of career mentors and support from program leadership, and I look forward to providing a similar support system to future residents. The positive interactions I have had with past chief residents largely impacted my experience at Cincinnati Children's. I am passionate about serving as an advocate for the residency program and working to promote its vision. I look forward to showcasing the program to applicants and empowering current residents along their career journey.
What do you like to do for fun? Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, cooking, reading, and playing in Cincinnati recreational sports leagues.
Finish this sentence: 5 years from now, I hope to __________________ 5 years from now, I plan to have completed a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine and be working as a pediatric emergency medicine physician. I aspire to continue my career at a large academic center so I can remain involved in direct patient care, research, and teaching.