Meet Our Psychology Team

Meet the psychologists and neuropsychologists at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital that care for inpatient children , adolescents, and teens dealing with emotional and learning challenges during a serious illness or injury.

Our Psychology Department primarily offers inpatient pediatric psychology and neuropsychology services to children hospitalized at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Outpatient appointments may be available to patients referred directly by one of the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital specialty programs. Please contact our office at 954-265-6966 for more information.

Pediatric Psychologists

Michelle Brenes, PsyD

Michelle Brenes, PsyD, is a pediatric psychologist who sees patients in the Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension Program. Specifically, she provides care to patients receiving kidney dialysis treatment, awaiting a kidney transplant, recovering from a transplant, or transitioning to an adult care team. These patients are typically on kidney dialysis, awaiting a kidney transplant, recovering from a transplant or transitioning to an adult care team. Dr. Brenes personalizes care to the child’s needs, focusing on concerns such as adjusting to a new diagnosis, dealing with pain, managing anxiety about upcoming medical procedures, maintaining medical adherence, and strengthening family support. She is also a consultation-liaison psychologist who provides evaluations and treatment recommendations for hospitalized children who present with concerns related to their emotional and/or behavioral functioning. Dr. Brenes provides this service at the request of a child’s attending physician during their admission.

Lauren Grodin, PsyD

Lauren Grodin, PsyD, is a pediatric psychologist and manager of the Pediatric Psychology department at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. Dr. Grodin cares for children, adolescents, and young adults as part of the pediatric heart transplant team and evaluates and treats patients awaiting and after they’ve received heart transplants, as well as children who are on ventricular assist devices (VADs). She provides support and intervention to patients and families as they cope with and adjust to a new heart failure diagnosis and subsequent medical management. In addition, Dr. Grodin provides inpatient and outpatient care that promotes healthy coping, improved mood, and successful medical management throughout a child’s heart transplant journey.

Tina Jules, PsyD

Tina Jules, PsyD, is a pediatric psychologist who works with children and teens diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families, and with teens considering adolescent weight-loss surgery at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Dr. Jules is also a consultation-liaison psychologist who provides evaluations and treatment recommendations for children in the hospital who may need mental healthcare. She provides this service at the request of a child’s attending physician. Within the pediatric cancer team, she helps patients adjust to their diagnosis and treatment and develop coping and pain management skills. Dr. Jules also works with them to follow their treatment plan and address other concerns related to their emotional health. Additionally, Dr. Jules provides consultation-liaison services to children diagnosed with a hematological disorder. As part of the adolescent weight-loss (bariatric) team, she provides testing to help determine if the patient is a good candidate for surgery. Dr. Jules also offers emotional and behavioral health support before and after bariatric surgery to promote successful outcomes.

Marnie Laratro, PsyD

Marnie Laratro, PsyD, works at the Cystic Fibrosis and Pulmonary Center at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Dr. Laratro cares for children and adults with cystic fibrosis. She also works with families whose children have been recently diagnosed with craniofacial conditions, and other adolescents living with chronic or progressive illnesses. In addition, Dr. Laratro is the pediatric psychologist with the Cleft and Craniofacial Program. She meets with patients and families to help them prepare for medical procedures, cope with craniofacial differences and build self-esteem.

Lazara Novas, PsyD

Lazara Novas, PsyD, is a pediatric psychologist who works with parents and caregivers when their babies are in the Wasie Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the main hospital campus. Dr Novas specializes in helping parents cope with the stress of having a critically ill newborn and prepare for what lies ahead. She also focuses on encouraging parent-infant bonding, which is vital to the baby’s development and the family’s well-being.

Pediatric Neuropsychologists

Christina Ortega, PsyD

Christina Ortega, PsyD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist with the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Heart Institute. Dr. Ortega provides neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological evaluations and treatment recommendations. She specializes in assessing children living with a heart condition. She also leads a long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up clinic for these patients. Attending physicians sometimes ask Dr. Ortega to see other patients who need her expertise. For example, she provides evaluations and treatment recommendations for children with cancer, complex medical conditions, and neurological conditions. Dr. Ortega conducts most of her visits on an outpatient basis.

Cristina Santiago, PsyD

Christina Santiago, PsyD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist who sees patients in the outpatient clinic of the neurology department at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Her services are only available to children with complex neurological disorders (such as stroke or epilepsy) and offers evaluations only with a neurologist referral. Dr. Santiago also assesses patients to determine whether they have autism or another neurodevelopmental conditions.

Christina Zafiris, PhD

Christina Zafiris, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist who mainly focuses on caring for children in the hospital with a critical illness or neurologic injury. She is a member of the hospital’s trauma and inpatient rehabilitation teams. Dr. Zafiris also provides services in neuropsychology and rehabilitation psychology and her evaluations emphasize a child’s ability to learn and think, as well as their emotions and behavioral functioning. In addition, Dr. Zafiris works with the Concussion Program and performs evaluations in association with the U18/Sports Medicine program. She works with multidisciplinary teams, patients and families to assess and plan treatment. Dr. Zafiris aims to help patients recover as fully as possible and return home with the support they need to thrive.