Pediatric Residents - R3

Ayda Alavi, MD

Hometown: Okemos, MI
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Medical Career Interests: I hope to stay in Santa Barbara as a General Pediatrician.
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: Head straight to the beach to rollerblade along the bike path and take a dip at Butterfly Beach!
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: The tight-knit community! From the welcoming front desk workers and security, to the girls at the coffee cart, to the hospitality team from the cafeteria, to all the nurses and doctors on the peds floor, I truly look forward to every day at Cottage Hospital!

Leana Nápoles, MD

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Undergraduate: Occidental College
Medical School: St. George's Medical School
Medical Career Interests: After residency, I plan to pursue a career in community pediatrics, focusing on advocacy and immigrant health. I aim to work in primary care at a federally qualified health center dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes for underserved communities.
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: I enjoy exploring new restaurants in Santa Barbara and attending live music events in my spare time. I also take advantage of the beautiful weather by hiking, running with a local club, going to the beach and gardening in my backyard.
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: What I appreciate most about Cottage is the diverse patient population we serve. I also value the program's emphasis on wellness and support for each resident's career goals.

Veronica Skital, MD

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Undergraduate: Northeastern Illinois University
Medical School: Medical University of Warsaw
Medical Career Interests: TBD
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: Going for a run on Shoreline or hike followed by a coffee from Dart on the beach. In the evening, I enjoy wine tasting from the dozens of tasting rooms in SB or making a trip to the wineries in Santa Ynez.
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: The direct mentorship and teaching from attending physicians, having majority of the pediatric subspecialties housed under one roof, and supportive program leadership who go out of their way to make sure you are achieving your goals.

Emma Towslee, MD

Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Undergraduate: Sonoma State University
Medical School: St. George’s University
Medical Career Interests: Allergy and immunology fellowship or primary care
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: Handlebar coffee
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: The Program Director

Channing Greenburg, DO

Hometown: San Diego, CA
Undergraduate: BYU
Medical School: University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio
Medical Career Interests: Fellowship for pediatric hospital medicine
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: Summer concerts at the Bowl, movie nights at the Court House, eating at the incredible restaurants, playing with my pups at our beaches
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: The amazing and unwavering support from our PD and faculty - oh, and the food.

Natasha Khanna Ferguson, MD

Hometown: Montreal, QC
Undergraduate: Concordia University
Medical School: University of Limerick School of Medicine
Medical Career Interests: Hoping for palliative care fellowship
Favorite things to do in Santa Barbara: Borrowing my landlord’s dogs for hikes and beach runs! The Mexican cuisine is a close second!
Favorite part of training in Pediatrics at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital: One-on-one teaching with our amazing hospitalists and specialists who help us develop our specific interests. Also, the food!