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Our Services

Meet Our Team

The Division of Adolescent Medicine at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has assembled a team of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other health care professionals with special expertise in providing health care services for adolescents.

Walker / Beck / Callahan / Desai / Romano
Lynn S. Walker, PhD More... Professor of Pediatrics Director, Division of Adolescent Medicine Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine Patient Care Emphasis: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Pain Dr. Walker received her undergraduate training at Oberlin College and completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Vanderbilt University (Peabody College). After completing an internship at the Neuropsychiatric Institute of the University of California Los Angeles Center for Health Sciences, she was awarded an individual National Research Service Award for a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies. Dr. Walker joined the faculty of the Division of Adolescent Medicine in 1985 and became Director of the Division in 2002. Dr. Walker's research interests are in psychosocial aspects of chronic pain and disability in children and adolescents. Her clinical specialty is the use of cognitive and behavioral techniques in pain management.
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Joy E. Beck, Ph.D. More... Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine Patient Care Emphasis: Pain and Stress Management, Relaxation Training, Biofeedback, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Joy E. Beck, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Beck received her Ph.D. in clinical and development psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed a clinical internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and performed a postdoctoral fellowship in Developmental Psychopathology at Vanderbilt University, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Beck’s research interests focus on the influence of biopsychosocial factors on the development and maintenance of functional somatic symptoms in children and adolescents. Her areas of clinical expertise include cognitive-behavioral therapy, stress and pain management techniques, and relaxation methods with children and adolescents who experience chronic pain or illness, anxiety or depression.
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S Todd Callahan, MD, MPH More... Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Program Director, Eating Disorders Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine Patient Care Emphasis: Chronic Illness, Treatment of Eating Disorders Following his undergraduate training at Arkansas Tech University, Dr. Callahan completed his medical degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he also did an internship and residency in Medicine/Pediatrics and later served as Chief Resident at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Dr. Callahan completed a fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital in Boston and earned a Master's Degree in Public Health at Harvard University School of Public Health. Dr. Callahan joined the faculty at Vanderbilt in 2002. Dr. Callahan's clinical and research interests include adolescents with chronic illness, health care for adolescent males, and the transition of young people from pediatric to adult health care providers.
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Neerav A. Desai, MD More... Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine Patient Care Emphasis: Adolescent Weight Management Neerav A. Desai, M.D. is an assistant professor of Pediatrics at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. He is Board Certified in Medicine and Pediatrics. Desai received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. Desai also completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee at Memphis. Desai is a recipient of the University of Tennessee Golden Apple Teaching Award.
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Mary E. Romano, MD, MPH More... Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Department of Pediatrics Division of Adolescent Medicine Mary E. Romano, M.D., is an assistant professor of Adolescent Medicine at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Romano received a medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies and a Master of Public Health from Florida International University. She completed both her pediatric and chief residency at Winthrop University Hospital in Long Island, N.Y. She later went to Miami Children’s Hospital where she completed her fellowship in adolescent medicine. Her research interests include sun exposure and sun protection behaviors in adolescents. Her areas of clinical expertise are eating disorders and contraception management.
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Mary T. Carter, R.N.
Mrs. Carter has been a nurse at Vanderbilt since 2007 specializing in pediatric medical and surgical nursing.
mary.t.carter@vanderbilt.edu

Janice Overall, L.P.N.
Ms. Overall has served as the nurse for Adolescent Medicine since 1972. She takes a special interest in adolescent patients and their families.
janice.overall@vanderbilt.edu

Tamee Blankenship
Administrative Assistant to Dr. Lynn Walker
tamee.l.blankenship @vanderbilt.edu

Chanel Lang
Administrative Assistant and Appointment Coordinator
chanel.l.lang@vanderbilt.edu