Heather Clark, PhD
Patrick Cornelius, PT, DPT, CCS
Ben Dobson, PT, DPT, MBA
Andrea (Annie) Johnson, APRN, CNP
Brad King, PT, DScPT, MSEd
Richard Oeckler, MD, PhD
Caitlin Polley, PT, DPT, CCS

Ellen Butterfass, OTR/L - Ellen Butterfass is a pediatric Occupational Therapist at Mayo Clinic Hospital - Rochester, Saint Marys Campus. She received her undergraduate degree from the College of St. Catherine. She has more than 19 years of clinical experience working with patients in the PICU, NICU and CVICU and specializes in fragile infant feeding and behavioral feeding. Ellen is also certified in neonatal touch and massage.

Emily Hosfield, MS, CCC-SLP - Emily graduated from the University of the District of Columbia with a M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology in 2013.  She has worked for Mayo Clinic for 9 years. Her clinical work specializes in pediatric aerodigestive and adult swallowing disorders and she currently acts as the clinical coordinator of the pediatric aerodigestive and outpatient adult dysphagia practices. In 2020, she was recognized as an Instructor in Neurology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Darcie Simpson, PT, DPT, PCS - Darcie Simpson, PT, DPT is a pediatric physical therapist with more than 16 years of clinical experience in pediatric acute care at Mayo Clinic.  She earned her master’s in physical therapy from Mayo School of Health Sciences in 2003 and her doctorate in physical therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2015.   She has been a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatrics since 2016.  Her areas of specialty include PICU, NICU, and pediatric cardiac ICU.  Since 2016, she has been working collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of ICU champions to develop and implement PICU Liberation and Early Mobility in our PICU.  She is also involved in clinical education and is a guest lecturer for pediatric acute care at the Mayo School of Health Sciences Program in Physical Therapy.

Mary McCoy, CCLS - Mary McCoy, CCLS, MA is the child life specialist supporting children and families in the pediatric intensive care unit at Mayo Clinic - Rochester. She completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota- Rochester in Health Sciences in 2013.  In 2017, she began working as a Certified Child Life Specialist at Mayo Clinic.  Mary completed her Master’s in Applied Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis on Child Life and a minor in Integrative Therapies from the University of Minnesota in 2021.  She has experience as a CCLS supporting families throughout inpatient and outpatient settings. Most recently she has supported families on General Pediatrics, inpatient physical rehab, and currently the PICU. Mary is passionate about providing family-centered care that emphasizes family-child attachment and play based therapeutic opportunities. 

Maureen Howell, MT-BC - Maureen Howell is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) serving inpatient pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center in Rochester, MN. She has a diverse background as a performer, educator and researcher, with master’s degrees in music performance, music psychology and music therapy. Maureen strives to help patients reach their goals through music and connection, as well as coordinate psychosocial and rehabilitative support as a member of the interdisciplinary care team.

Tiffany Volk, RN - Tiffany has been a Pediatric ICU nurse for 9yrs, 6yrs at Mayo Clinic.  She is a unit Charge nurse, RRT/Code RN, preceptor for both PICU and Peds Hem/Onc.  Tiffany has special interests in quality improvement and Early Mobility especially in the Pediatric population.

Yu Kawai, MD - Dr. Yu Kawai is an assistant professor at the Mayo Clinic and the Quality Director and an intensivist in the PICU. He completed his residency/fellowship training at the University of Michigan. Nationally, he is a member of the SCCM ICU Liberation Committee. Locally, He is the site-PI for the SCCM Pediatric ICU Liberation Collaborative, is on the Pediatric Delirium Team and the Early Mobility Team, and led the efforts in developing a pediatric delirium bundle and the early mobility program in the PICU.