• The American Society of Microbiology has selected John A. Vanchiere, MD Ph.D, LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine associate professor of pediatrics and chief of the section of pediatric infectious diseases, as a distinguished lecturer. Vanchiere is part of the scientifically diverse group of lecturers chosen annually to speak at local ASM Branch meetings throughout the country. Program members are chosen through a competitive nomination process.

• LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine Neurosurgery Chairman Anil Nanda, MD MPH, recently visited the neurosurgical community at the Emory University School of Medicine, where he was invited as a distinguished professor for the annual Tindall Lecture. Nanda addressed residents, faculty and students with a grand rounds presentation, “Skull Base Surgery: Sprezzatura and Sorrow,” and the Tindall Distinguished Lecture Presentation, “Dharma, Dixie, and the Dilemmas of Public Health.”

• Steven Abney, Psy.D., has joined Dr. Randall P. Brewer at River Cities Interventional Pain Specialists in the Willis-Knighton Pierremont Medical Arts Building, Suite 300 at 1811 E. Bert Kouns Industrial Loop in Shreveport. Abney specializes in individual and group therapy for adults, family therapy, chronic illness and pain, and post-traumatic stress. A graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Abney earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate in psychology from American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University/ Washington in Arlington, VA.

• Dr. Sarah Baker has established Dermatology Specialists at North in the Diagnostic & Surgical Building, Suite 2D at 2751 Albert Bicknell Dr. on the campus of Willis- Knighton Medical Center. She is practicing in the office of James R. Bergeron, M.D., FAAD, FACP. Baker joins Willis-Knighton Physician Network after recently completing her residency at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago, Ill. A graduate of Centenary College in Shreveport, Baker earned her medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport.

• Dr. Kamel Brakta has established WK Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery Clinic in the Diagnostic & Surgical building, at 2751 Albert Bicknell Drive on the campus of Willis- Knighton Medical Center. He is practicing in the office of William L. Norwood, M.D., FACS, and James B. Burke, M.D., FACS. Brakta joins Willis- Knighton Physician Network after completing his surgical residency at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. A graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Brakta earned a master’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport.

• Three board-certified pediatric surgeons have moved their practice to Willis- Knighton South. Dr. Mark F. Brown, Dr. Donald Sorrells and Dr. Kevin Boykin have relocated to the first floor (Suite 106) in the Physicians Center, 2508 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, in front of the hospital.

Brown completed a sixyear accelerated BA/ MD program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and then moved to Shreveport for a surgical internship at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport where he later completed a general surgery residency. He earned a research fellowship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Brown has received faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport, most recently as associate professor of surgery. He has also been part of private pediatric surgery practices in Houston and in Shreveport where he was chief of pediatric surgery at Sutton Children’s Hospital. He has contributed extensively to local, regional and national research and academic projects.

• A native of Red River Parish, Sorrells completed his undergraduate education at LSU in Shreveport before receiving his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. His academic training includes research at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, R.I. where he was also a surgical instructor at Brown University. He has been in private practice in pediatric surgery in Shreveport since 2005. In addition to his medical training, Sorrells served as a major in the U.S. Air Force and completed a tour of duty in Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Freedom.

• Boykin received his undergraduate education at LSU in Shreveport and his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. He served a residence in general surgery and was administrative chief resident at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. Following that, he was awarded a fellowship in transplantation surgery and later in pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where he was also a clinical instructor. He returned to Shreveport in 2008 when he joined Drs. Brown and Sorrells in private practice.