JELF Scholars are well on their way in growing in their advocacy and integrating this into their care for children with kidney disease. Meet the new 2025 scholars here!
I am Stephanie Kerkvliet, a pediatric nephrologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. My areas of interest include improving access and equity within living donor kidney transplantation as well as care for families who have immigrated. I am grateful to be joining the JELF community!
✅Stephanie Kerkvliet
I am a pediatric nephrologist on faculty at NYU Langone and Bellevue Hospital, the flagship public hospital in New York City. I have had a long-standing interest in how public health policy shapes clinical care. I look forward to developing the tools to advocate more effectively for children with kidney disease through the JELF Scholars Program.
✅ Marissa Lipton
I am a second-year Pediatric Nephrology fellow in Cincinnati with a residency background in Internal Medicine-Pediatrics. My goal is to advocate for medically complex children throughout their childhood and transition into adolescence and adulthood. I am also interested in understanding the social determinants of health that shape patients’ lives to help improve their medical outcomes and quality of life. I am so excited to join the JELF program!
✅Louise Sawaya
Hey! My name is Christel Wekon-Kemeni and I’m a third-year pediatric nephrology fellow at Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta! I’m passionate about advancing health equity by dismantling systemic barriers that limit access and worsen health outcomes for underserved children living with CKD and ESKD. As a JELF Advocacy Scholar, I’m excited to continue championing underserved populations by learning how to translate research and QI data into impactful policy, while also advocating for our profession by working with our elected officials to effectively and urgently strengthen and sustain the pediatric nephrology workforce.
✅Christel Wekon-Kemeni
Posted: November 10, 2025