Ms. John joined the Department of Family Medicine in 2017.

Ms. John earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Leelabai Thackersey College of Nursing at SNDT Women's University in Churchgate, Mumbai, India. She also earned earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, as well as a Master of Science in Nursing, from the Prairie View A&M College of Nursing in Houston, Texas.

She is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and is licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing.

Samuel Kahiu is a graduate of Texas Woman's University in Houston, where he obtained his Master of Science in Nursing. Samuel specializes as an experienced family nurse practitioner, and enjoys all aspects of family medicine and urgent care.

Dr. Wolffarth is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics who enjoys clinical work and is actively involved in medical student education.

Dr. Wolffarth grew up in the Dallas and graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Chemistry. He attended medical school at UTMB and subsequently completed his residency in pediatrics at UTMB in 2011. He has been board certified in pediatrics since 2011.

Dr. Amber Hairfield joined UTMB Pediatrics as faculty in 2011. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Hairfield received her doctorate from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. She also completed her residency in Pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX.

Dr. Hairfield has a special interest in medical education and is currently serving as the Pediatric Residency Program Director at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston.

In addition to serving in various medical education committees, Dr. Hairfield also serves in a few UTMB Quality Improvement committees for academic pediatric clinics

Benjamin found his passion for healthcare while serving in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. Shortly after moving back to Texas, he attended The University of Texas Medical Branch to obtain his Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Benjamin went on to earn his Master’s of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner from The University of Texas Medical Branch as well.

Benjamin is board certified through the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international nursing honor society. Benjamin also enjoys spending time as a Clinical Instructor for the School of Nursing at UTMB Galveston, where he is able to share his knowledge and experiences as a healthcare professional with future nurses.

Benjamin enjoys fishing, running, spending time with his wife and two rescue dogs, and staying active in church. He focuses on a holistic approach to patient care with an emphasis on disease prevention.

I am excited to be back in the Galveston County area! I am originally from Dickinson, Texas, and my family still resides there. I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry with a minor in German Lingual Studies from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and my Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from The Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth. I completed my rural family medicine training at Waco Family Medicine where I worked at a Federally Qualified Health Center for the medically underserved. I am currently board certified in Family Medicine.

My interests within medicine include taking care of infants through older adults. I also really enjoy preventative medicine and making sure that my patients have a well balanced life physically and spiritually. My interests outside of medicine include singing, cooking, and enjoying time with my family.

 Provider is LGBTQIA+ Responsive

Dr. Rodriguez Lien is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. She is a clinician who cares for patients directly as well as supervising residents. Dr. Rodriguez Lien received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Texas Pan American. She attended medical school at University of Texas Medical Branch. She subsequently completed her pediatric residency training in 2015 from UTMB and served as chief resident the following year. She is currently the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program.

Dr. Rodriguez Lien is actively involved in medical student education as a clinic supervisor of students in the pediatric clinics. She is also directly involved in resident education, not only through her role of associate director, but also as a faculty mentor, rotation director, and head of the board review program.

Dr. Rodriguez Lien has a passion for preventative medicine, specifically the maternal-infant bond and health benefits from breastfeeding. She also has a specific interest in mental health in pediatric care. She heads the primary care behavioral and mental health clinic at the UTMB Pediatrics Bay Colony location.

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Nancy Ross comes from a long line of health care professionals and is a long time nurse, first specializing in cardiac surgery, then wanting more patient contact, obtained her master's degree and becoming a Nurse Practitioner. From there Nancy worked in a private solo practice in Alvin for three years, enjoying seeing a wide variety of patient conditions, including our older patients. Upon coming to UTMB, Nancy worked with oncology patients in the Department of Surgery before working in primary care and enjoyed the professional challenges of working with the patient population.

A recurrent theme of Nancy's career is that she enjoys challenges and learning at every opportunity to provide the best outcomes for her patients. When her mother retired at 67 from nursing, her mother found new challenges to enjoy in a new career as a published poet and author. Nancy took this to heart, understanding that every phase of life is a challenge to be relished and enjoyed. Nancy also enjoys quilting, baking, travelling and reading a good book.

Melissa Smith-Phillips is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics. She received her B.S. in Biology from Louisiana College, after which she completed a two-year research fellowship with the National Cancer Institute. She completed her M.D. and Ph.D. in 2011 through UTMB's Combined Degree Program and subsequently was accepted into UTMB's Pediatric Residency Program which she completed in 2014.