Clinical Report: Phoenix Children’s Appoints Four New Division Chiefs

Overview

Phoenix Children’s promoted Sandra Buttram, MD, Kevin Hummel, MD, Karen Papez, MD, and Ray Stanford, DO, to lead pediatric critical care, cardiovascular intensive care, nephrology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, respectively. The appointments draw on existing institutional leadership and clinical experience; the supplied article describes responsibilities and backgrounds for the first three appointees but ends before providing details about Dr. Stanford.

Background

The appointments follow several recent physician leadership transitions at Phoenix Children’s and reflect the health system’s stated investment in leadership development. The four chiefs are tasked with growing their divisions, enhancing services, and supporting consistent care across sites. Their areas include intensive care, cardiovascular care, kidney care, and rehabilitation. The article identifies specialized services within nephrology, including Arizona’s only dedicated pediatric dialysis center and pediatric kidney transplant program.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• Phoenix Children’s announced four internal promotions covering pediatric critical care, cardiovascular intensive care, nephrology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.
• Dr. Buttram will lead the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Critical Care; she is a pediatric critical care physician and researcher whose stated research interests include acute brain injury.
• Dr. Hummel will lead cardiovascular intensive care, overseeing a multidisciplinary team providing around-the-clock care for children recovering from heart surgery and those with complex heart conditions.
• Dr. Papez will oversee the nephrology division, including the health system’s dedicated pediatric dialysis center and pediatric kidney transplant program, described in the article as the only such programs in Arizona.
• The article states that Dr. Papez’s leadership has supported expansion of acute care nephrology and continuous kidney replacement therapy capabilities and multidisciplinary partnerships.
• Related Phoenix Children’s announcements describe other leadership changes, including appointments in hospital-based services, neurosurgery, and executive operations and nursing; they provide organizational context but do not report outcomes from the four promotions.

Clinical Implications

The announcement identifies the physicians responsible for leadership across four pediatric specialty divisions and describes selected services and clinical responsibilities within critical care, cardiovascular intensive care, and nephrology. It does not report clinical outcomes or changes to care protocols resulting from the appointments.

Conclusion

Phoenix Children’s has appointed four internal leaders to specialty division-chief roles as part of a series of organizational leadership transitions. The supplied article provides background on three appointees, while details about Dr. Stanford are limited to his appointment and specialty.

Related Resources & Content

1. Phoenix Children’s Medical Connection, Year not stated — Phoenix Children’s Appoints Four New Division Chiefs to Lead Key Specialties
2. Phoenix Children’s Medical Connection, Year not stated — Phoenix Children’s Appoints Joshua D. Koch, MD, Senior Vice President, Hospital Based In Chief
3. Phoenix Children’s Medical Connection, Year not stated — Phoenix Children’s Names New Chief of Neurosurgery
4. Phoenix Children’s Medical Connection, Year not stated — Phoenix Children’s Names Jamie Wiggins Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive
5. phoenix children's medical connection — Phoenix Children’s Names Tarra Kerr Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
6. Phoenix Children’s Appoints Joshua D. Koch, MD, Senior Vice President, Hospital Based In Chief
7. Phoenix Children’s Names New Chief of Neurosurgery
8. Phoenix Children’s Names Jamie Wiggins Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nursing Executive
9. Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children | SCCM
10. https://www.sccm.org/SCCM/media/SCCM/PDFs/Pediatric-EOL-Guidelines-Toolkit.pdf
11. Balanced Fluid or 0.9% Saline in Children Treated for Septic Shock | New England Journal of Medicine
12. Clinical trial finds no difference in fluid treatment options for pediatric sepsis | NIH
13. Part 8: Pediatric Advanced Life Support: 2025 American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
14. 2026 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) expert consensus statement: Antithrombotic management of neonates/infants undergoing cardiac interventions.
15. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons / World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery / European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association 2026 Expert Consensus Document on Timing, Indications, and Options for Pulmonary Valve Replacement in Children with Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot - ScienceDirect
16. High-Exchange Ultrafiltration to Enhance Recovery After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: The ULTRA Randomized Controlled Trial - ScienceDirect
17. Effect of driving pressure-guided individualized PEEP in children undergoing right lateral thoracotomy cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass on postoperative atelectasis and oxygenation: a randomized controlled trial - PubMed
18. Anemia in CKD – KDIGO
19. KDIGO 2026 Anemia in CKD Guideline Executive Summary – KDIGO
20. 2026 KDIGO Management of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Guideline - Guideline Summary - Guideline Central
21. American College of Surgeons Best Practice Guidelines on Management of Traumatic Brain Injury: Executive Summary of Early Rehabilitation Recommendations - PubMed