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Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital

Pediatric Endocrinology & Diabetes

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.

View Kara Beliard’s Bio

Kara Beliard

Jose Canas, M.D.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Canas is a pediatric endocrinologist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He joined the hospital staff in 2018. He was previously associate attending at Wolfson Children's Hospital, and served as medical director of the Nemours Pediatric Cardio Metabolic and Bariatric Center in Jacksonville, Florida. His research interests include cardiovascular complications of diabetes and the use of carotenoids for obesity prevention. Dr. Canas earned his medical degree from Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena in the Dominican Republic. He completed his pediatrics residency and served as chief resident at Nassau County Medical Center. There he also completed a clinical and research fellowship in pediatric endocrinology and metabolism.
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Jose Canas

Suzanne Jackman, M.D.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Jackman specializes in pediatric endocrinology. She received her medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, where she received the Lewis A. Barness Award from the Department of Pediatrics and the Watson Clinic Foundation Award for Medical Research. She remained at USF for her pediatric residency, earning the Intern of the Year Award, followed by a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology.

View Suzanne Jackman’s Bio

Suzanne Jackman

Bimota Nambam, M.B.B.S.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Nambam specializes in pediatric endocrinology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and serves as an assistant professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on the St. Petersburg, Florida, campus. She joined the medical staff in 2020. Before joining Johns Hopkins All Children’s, Dr. Nambam was an assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. She was also an assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology at Louisiana State University Health in Shreveport. Her clinical interests include type 1 diabetes, bone metabolism and health, neonatal hypoglycemia, and childhood hypoglycemia.

View Bimota Nambam’s Bio

Bimota Nambam

Allen Root, M.D.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Root is a pediatric endocrinologist. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Root completed his internship at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY and his pediatric residency at University of Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in pediatric endocrinology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania. After serving on the medical faculty of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University, Dr. Root joined the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 1973, serving as professor of pediatrics, associate and vice-chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and director of the pediatric residency program.

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Allen Root

Shuchi Shah, M.D.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Shah specializes in pediatric endocrinology for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She sees patients at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care, Tampa, and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care, East Lake. She joined the hospital staff in 2018. Dr. Shah earned her medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She completed a pediatric residency and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Children’s Medical Center/University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

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Shuchi Shah

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

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Ukarapong is medical director for pediatric endocrinology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He earned his medical degree from Mahidol University, located in Bangkok, Thailand. He completed his pediatric residency in 2008 at Long Island College Hospital in New York and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami in 2011. In 2019, he earned his Master of Business Administration in Healthcare from Florida International University, Chapman School of Business, Miami.

View Supamit Ukarapong’s Bio

Supamit Ukarapong

Walter Zegarra, M.D.

Pediatric Endocrinology

Dr. Zegarra specializes in pediatric endocrinology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He joined the hospital staff in 2021. He sees patients on our main campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, and at our Outpatient Care location in Tampa. Dr. Zegarra earned his medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami. He completed a pediatric residency from Jackson Memorial Hospital-University of Miami, followed by a fellowship in endocrinology from Stanford Health Care-Stanford University in Stanford, California.

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Walter Zegarra

Kevin Lewis, D.N.P.

Allied Health

Kevin Lewis, DNP, APRN, PPCNP-BC, CDE, is a pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in endocrinology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Previously, he was at the Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, West Virginia, where he most recently was director of clinical diabetes. He also has experience at the Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, Maryland. He received his Master of Nursing/Child Health and his Doctor of Nursing Practice from West Virginia University. Dr. Lewis is a certified diabetes educator.

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Kevin Lewis

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

Allied Health

Shelley Nicholls, DNP, APRN, CDCES, is a nurse practitioner in the endocrinology and diabetes program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. She joined the hospital staff in 2022. She was previously a nurse practitioner at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a nurse practitioner and director of patient education at University of Miami Diabetes Research Institute. She earned her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Florida International University in Miami.

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Shelley Nicholls

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.

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Amanda Spicochi

Rebeka Tramble, A.P.R.N.

Rebeka Tramble, MSN, APRN, PPCNP-BC, CPN, is a pediatric nurse practitioner in endocrinology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. She joined the hospital staff in 2021. She previously worked in pediatric primary care and was also a pediatric critical care registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa. She earned a Bachelor of Science in health promotion from the University of Georgia, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Mercer University in Atlanta, and a Master of Science in nursing from the University of South Florida.

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Rebeka Tramble

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.

Kaitlin Dorman; MS, RD, LD/N

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.

Abigail Jessup; RN

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.

McKenna Johnson; RN, BS, BSN

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.

Leanna McKenzie; MSN, CDCES, CPT

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.

Kathleen D. Peralta; RDN, CDCES, LD

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.

Merlin Lluberes; MSW