Pediatrician Staff
Meet our friendly, experienced pediatricians, pediatric nurse practitioners, and staff at the Child and Adolescent Clinic! Our entire team is dedicated to helping you and your child feel at home from the moment your walk through the door. We're proud to be members of our community and serve the needs of children.
We pride ourselves in being an exceptional clinic where children come first. Our child-focused practice works hard to meet the needs of children from infancy through adolescence. Compassionate, knowledgeable and supportive staff is the cornerstone of Child and Adolescent Clinic's quality care. All of our pediatricians and medical staff are highly trained professionals, and maintain the highest level of accreditation in pediatrics to address the special needs of infants, children, and teens.
We strive to treat each and every patient as we would want our own children to be treated. Our pediatricians, pediatric nurse practitioners, and staff look forward to building a relationship with you and your family.
Phyllis Cavens, MD
Medical Director
MD Degree - Oregon Health and Science University
Pediatric Residency - Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University
Fellowship in Child Development - Oregon Health and Science University
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Cavens founded the Child and Adolescent Clinic in 1978, and is now the Medical Director. After 38 years of caring for children as a pediatrician, she retired from the active practice of pediatrics. She is married to fellow pediatrician, Travis Cavens, who is already retired from the Child and Adolescent Clinic. They have two children who are now grown, and three grandchildren. Her recreational activities include reading female authors, fishing, gardening, and exciting adventures of curiousity with her grandchildren. She is active in church.
Dr. Cavens was the founding pediatrician volunteer for NW Medical Teams in 1978, now called Medical Teams International. She has served as a volunteer pediatrician for international disaster medical aid and refugee care in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uzbekestan, Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, Moldova, and the Navajo nation. She was a physician member of the Disaster Medical Assistant Team at the 1994 Olympics in Atlanta. She was the founder of Children's Community Resources, a non-profit organization devoted to helping children in our area with unmet medical needs. She also was the founder and leads the Child Psychiatry Coalition to improve mental health services for children. She is a Trustee for the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and serves on the Legislative Committee.
Blaine Tolby, MD, PhD
PhD Degree - University of Oregon in Genetics
MD Degree - Oregon Health and Science University
Pediatric Residency - Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University
Genetics Fellowship - Oregon Health and Science University
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Patients often hear Dr. Tolby before they actually see him, since his jolly laugh often echoes through the halls of the clinic. In addition to providing well child and illness care to thousands of patients, he has given many children special attention for their mental health and ADHD problems. Dr. Tolby was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, but grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, where he was a high school biology student of Dr. Travis Cavens. He is married to Joan Tolby and together they have seven children.
He has volunteered his services to many local organizations including Progress Center, Child Protective Services, Headstart, Kelso Public School Foundation, A Child's Place, and the Child Justice and Advocacy Center. In 1991, he received from the Washington state governor, Booth Gardner, the "Governor's Volunteer of the Year" award. He and his wife enjoy hiking in the varied environments of the Northwest.
Sue Abell, MD
MD Degree - University of California, Davis
Pediatric Residency - Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Oakland, California
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Abell is well known to people in the area as the writer of the The Daily News column "Ask Dr. Sue", that advises parents on how to deal with behavioral and medical problems in their children. This has led to her writing also for the professional pediatric journal, "Clinical Pediatrics".
She and her husband, Vern, have four children, one who is in junior high and three who are now grown. She recently became a grandmother. Dr. Abell spends her leisure time indoors reading, but outdoors she enjoys riding her horse.
Randy Copeland, MD
MD Degree - University of Tennessee
Pediatric Residency - University of Alabama School of Medicine
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatricians
Dr. Copeland enjoys seeing patients for pediatric care, including for well child care and illness care, but he also has a special interest in helping children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He is the primary pediatrician in our Salmon Creek office.
Having lived in Tennessee and Alabama, Dr. Copeland still maintains a soft southern drawl even after living here for several years. He and his wife and two boys moved to this area to be closer to his wife's family in Oregon. Dr. Copeland is part of the tradition that has developed among some of the doctors at the Child and Adolescent Clinic - he too is married to another physician. His wife, Dr. Kim Copeland, is a specialist in pediatric emergency care at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital. He is interested in salt water aquariums, boating, fishing and water skiing.
Anne Mette Smeenk, MD
MD Degree - University of North Dakota
Pediatric Residency - Boston Floating Hospital for Infants and Children
Fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics - Oregon Health Sciences University
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
When Dr. Smeenk finished her training in pediatrics, she joined a pediatric clinic in Bremerton, Washington, where she met her husband, a US Army officer. She traveled with him, spending two years practicing pediatrics in a NATO clinic in Belgium. They settled here in July of 2002 with their two youngest children. Their two older children are now grown.
Dr. Smeenk's hobbies are reading mystery novels, cross stitching, hiking, and gardening. She is active in church and raising children.
Ken Wu, MD
MD Degree - New Jersey Medical School
Pediatric Residency - Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Fellow - American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)
Dr. Wu is a proud native of the Garden State, New Jersey. While completing his pediatric residency training in Portland, Oregon, though, he became attracted to the Pacific Northwest. He enjoys active sports such as hiking, basketball, and tennis. Dr. Wu also enjoys playing the piano and trying to get tomatoes to grow in this cooler climate.
Malini Patel, MD
MD Degree - Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Pediatric Internship - New York University School of Medicine
Pediatric Residency - New York University School of Medicine
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Malini Patel joined our group in August 2012. She lived and worked in New York City for the last 12 years, but was ready for a change and moved to the Northwest this past summer. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with friends and family. Dr. Patel sees patients at both our Longview and Salmon Creek locations. She is fluent in Spanish.
Rebecca Hutfilz, MD
MD Degree - Pennsylvania State College of Medicine
Pediatric Internship - Naval Medical Center, San Diego
Pediatric Residency - Naval Medical Center, San Diego
Board Certified - American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Rebecca Hutfilz joined us in August 2012. She is a native of Ohio, but has practiced medicine in Texas, Florida, California, Oregon, and Washington. Dr. Hutfilz has many interests, but perhaps her favorite involves traveling to agility training meets with her Spaniel.
Tsering Lhewa, MD
MD Degree - University of Washington School of Medicine
Pediatric Internship - Oregon Health and Science University
Pediatric Residency - Oregon Health and Science University
Board Eligible - American Board of Pediatrics
Dr. Tsering Lhewa joined Child and Adolescent Clinic in October 2012. He enjoys being part of a team dedicated to serving children and families in SW Washington. During his pediatric residency at OHSU, he participated in quality improvement projects, the International Health interest group, and served as co-chair for the House Officers Diversity Committee. During medical school, he had clinical rotations with Swinomish and Yakima Indians, Migrant Farm Workers, North Slopes of Alaska, and urban and rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. He also completed a Global Health Pathway with medical work in Tibetan communities, India, and Australia, and a National Institutes of Health Academy fellowship with biomedical research in rare diseases. His special interests are focused on increasing access to care for the underserved and improving communication between patients and providers.
PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONERS
Mary Dykes, PNP-BC
BSN - University of Virginia
MN - University of Washington
Certified - National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses
Member - National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
Mary Dykes has been practicing at the Child and Adolescent Clinic for over 18 years. Her particular interest is in helping families with difficult parenting issues.
Mary lives outside of La Center with her husband and three nearly grown children, two of whom are in college. She loves gardening, playing the piano, and all forms of outdoor adventures.
Pam Roberts, PNP-BC
BSN & MSN - University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Texas
Post Masters Certification as Nurse Practitioner - Oregon Health and Science University
Certified - National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses
Member - National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
Pam is married to a registered nurse, and together they traveled all over the Far East and several places in Europe before they both retired from the Air Force as Lt. Colonels. They are active in their church, and also enjoy square dancing with the Silver Star Square Dance Club. Pam is an avid gardener and loves to bake. She also is a new grandma, and loves to spend time with that grandbaby.
Shoshana Mirel, PNP-BC
BSN - University of Washington
MN - University of Washington
Certified - National Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses
Member - National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
Shoshana joined our clinical staff in August 2011. She is particularly interested in promoting adolescent health, and is enjoying getting to know the Child and Adolescent Clinic families.
Shoshana was born and raised in Seattle, WA. She now resides in Portland with her husband and their 12-pound dog, "Grey-Grey". She loves vegetarian cooking, baking, and sampling the culinary wonders that Portland has to offer. She also enjoys live music, walking, and yoga. She enjoys the challenges of gardening in the Northwest.
Elena Posteuca, PNP-BC
BSN - Concordia University
MN - University of Washington
Certified - National Certificaiton Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses
Member - National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
Elena began work at Child and Adolescent Clinic in August 2012. She was born in a rural village in Romania, and has had a love of the countryside and outdoors ever since. She grew up in Portland, OR, and loves living near her eight siblings and sweet little nephew. She enjoys traveling, craft projects, reading, and volunteering with the children's program at her church. She is excited for the opportunity to start her career as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at CAC, and looks forward to meeting the families in our area.