Meet Our Diabetes Team
We provide care for infants, children and teens with a wide variety of pediatric endocrinological problems.
Our Team
Diabetes Provider
Kara Beliard, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology
Dr. Beliard is a pediatric endocrinologist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. She sees patients at the main hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, and at the hospital’s Outpatient Care Centers in Tampa, Brandon and Lakeland. She joined the hospital staff in 2023.

Jose Canas, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Suzanne Jackman, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Bimota Nambam, M.B.B.S.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Allen Root, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Shuchi Shah, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Supamit Ukarapong, M.D. M.B.A.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Walter Zegarra, M.D.
Pediatric Endocrinology

Kevin Lewis, D.N.P.
Allied Health

Shelley Nicholls, A.P.R.N. D.N.P.
Allied Health

Amanda Spicochi, A.P.R.N.
Allied Health
Amanda Spicochi, APRN, CPNP-PC, is a nurse practitioner in the endocrinology and diabetes program at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. She rejoined the hospital staff as a practitioner in 2022. She previously worked as a nurse practitioner in pediatric primary care. Before that she worked at John’s Hopkins All Children’s in pediatric hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplant. She is a certified primary care nurse practitioner.

Rebeka Tramble, A.P.R.N.

Certified Diabetes Educators
Stacey Cayler
BA, RN-BC, CDE
Stacey Cayler is a certified diabetes educator in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Endocrinology and Diabetes program. She joined the hospital staff in 2020. Before joining the hospital, she was a certified diabetes educator for both inpatient and outpatient at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. She earned her diploma of nursing from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, and her Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Simpson College.

Kaitlin Dorman
MS, RD, LD/N
Kaitlin Dorman is a registered dietitian nutritionist who joined the endocrinology team at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in 2017. She was previously at UF Health in Gainesville, where she also completed her internship. She earned her Master of Science degree in nutrition from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Abigail Jessup
RN
Abigail Jessup is a certified diabetes educator in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Endocrinology and Diabetes program. She joined the hospital staff in 2019 as an ambulatory registered nurse. Before joining the hospital, she was a nurse in pediatric endocrinology and gastroenterology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. Jessup earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Kennesaw State University WellStar School of Nursing, and her Bachelor of Science in biology from Erskine College.

McKenna Johnson
RN, BS, BSN
McKenna Johnson is a certified diabetes educator in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Endocrinology and Diabetes program. She joined the hospital staff in 2020, and first worked as a nurse in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins All Children’s, she was a research assistant in the University of South Florida Health Morsani Diabetes Clinic in Tampa, Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida.

Leanna McKenzie
MSN, CDCES, CPT
Leanna McKenzie is a certified diabetes educator in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Endocrinology and Diabetes program. She joined the hospital staff in 2022. She was previously a nurse practitioner in the endocrine program at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., working with children and adolescents with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. She earned her Master of Nursing from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Kathleen D. Peralta
RDN, CDCES, LD
Kathleen D. Peralta, RDN, CDCES, LD, is a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist in the Diabetes Program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. She joined the hospital staff in 2022. She was previously a Diabetes Educator and Bariatric Dietitian at St. Anthony’s Hospital Life Help Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a Diabetes Educator and clinical research Dietitian at New West Physicians in Golden, Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from University of Vermont in Burlington, and completed a post graduate dietetic internship at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.

Diabetes Support Services
Merlin Lluberes
MSW
Merlin Lluberes is a social worker in the Diabetes Program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. He assists patients and families in identifying psychosocial needs and refers patients to community resources that can provide support. He joined the hospital staff in 2021. Lluberes brings more than six years of social services experience and more than three years of experience as a probation and parole officer to his role in supporting patients and families. He earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in sociology, Spanish and biology from East Stroudsburg University, and a Master of Social Work from Marywood University. He speaks Spanish.
