VNPC is pleased to welcome Dr. Miheret Yitayew as our new Neonatal Co-Lead. A neonatologist at Children’s Hospital of Ri
chmond (CHoR) at VCU and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the VCU School of Medicine, Dr. Yitayew brings extensive clinical, academic, and quality improvement experience to the role.
Dr. Yitayew succeeds VNPC’s departing Neonatal Co-Lead, Lori Dippold, a neonatal nurse practitioner. VNPC has been fortunate to have Lori as our Neonatal Co-Lead for the past three years. Lori’s leadership, expertise, and contributions have been instrumental in informing and guiding VNPC initiatives, and we look forward to continuing this work with Dr. Yitayew.
Throughout her career, Dr. Yitayew has displayed a strong commitment to infant health and quality improvement. Her special interests include improving outcomes for extremely preterm and critically ill newborns through quality improvement, collaborative research, and medical education. She serves as Director of the Small Baby Program at CHoR and leads the Pediatric Acute Care Track of the ACCESS (Acute Care and System Strengthening) Global Health Program at the VCU School of Medicine, where she advances education and capacity building in global pediatric and neonatal health.
Through her clinical, academic, and leadership roles, Dr. Yitayew is committed to advancing equitable, evidence-based neonatal care and fostering collaboration to improve outcomes for vulnerable newborns. Dr. Yitayew will be an invaluable addition to VNPC leadership as VNPC continues to strengthen infant care, infant health outcomes, and quality improvement efforts across Virginia.
Dr. Yitayew earned her medical degree from the University of Gondar in Ethiopia, a Master of Public Health from West Virginia University, completed her pediatric residency at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, and her fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University.
VNPC is excited to welcome Dr. Yitayew to the team and look forward to the expertise and perspective she will bring to advancing the health of Virginia’s infants and families.