Our Contributors
Editor In Chief
John H. Samson, M.D., F.A.A.P. is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the U.S.C. School of Medicine as well as the U.C.I. School of Medicine. He teaches pediatric residents and medical students at Los Angeles Childrens Hospital and at Miller Childrens Hospital, Long Beach. He completed his pediatric training at L.A. Childrens Hospital and spent an extra year as Chief Resident. Following that, he completed a two year tour of duty as Chief of Pediatrics for the 862nd Medical Group in Minot, North Dakota. He then joined the full time faculty at L.A. Childrens Hospital as Director of the Intern-Residency Training Program and Director of Inpatient Services. In 1970 he joined the staff of the Pediatric Medical Center, Long Beach, California, in the private practice of pediatrics while maintaining his faculty appointments as Clinical Professor to the present time. He and his wife Carol have been blessed with 13 children.
Executive Editor
Louis P. Theriot, M.D., F.A.A.P. is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the U.S.C. School of Medicine and the U.C.I. School of Medicine. He supervises and instructs medical students and pediatric residents at the Los Angeles County-U.S.C. Medical Center and the Miller Childrens Hospital, Long Beach. He spent 3 years at the L.A. County-USC Medical Center as a pediatric resident. Following this tour, he stayed an additional year as Chief Resident of Pediatrics. In 1984 he joined the medical staff of the Pediatric Medical Center, Long Beach, California. Since joining this group, he has been in the private practice of pediatrics while maintaining his faculty appointments at both U.S.C. and U.C.I. Dr. Theriot and his wife Patricia reside in Long Beach and are actively engaged in raising three sons.
Contributor
Peter W. Welty, M.D., F.A.A.P. is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at both USC School of Medicine and UCI School of Medicine. He supervises and teaches pediatric residents and medical students at LAC-USC Medical Center and Miller Childrens Hospital, Long Beach, California. After completing his pediatric training at LAC-USC Medical Center he joined the staff of the Pediatric Medical Center in the private practice of pediatrics while maintaining his faculty appointments at USC and UCI Schools of Medicine. He and his wife Anne are enthusiastically rearing four daughters.
Contributor
Carolyn Warnemuende, M.S., writes, facilitates seminars and workshops in communication skills and parenting, and had a private counseling practice. For 11 years she taught mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed and learning disabled students from the primary grades through the community college level. She helped develop and taught in the special education aide certification program at Long Beach City College and held an assistant professorship in the Educational Psychology Department at California State University Long Beach. Carolyn lives with her husband and two daughters in Redding, California.
Contributor
Sandra Smith, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Long Beach, California, specializing in the disorders of children and adolescents. She completed a doctorate program in Humanistic Existential Psychology at the University of Southern California (U.S.C.) in 1985. She subsequently completed an internship program at a private clinic in Los Angeles. She concurrently taught graduate practicum courses as adjunct faculty at U.S.C. in the doctoral program from which she graduated. Dr. Smith has served as a Qualified Medical Examiner for the State of California, and presently serves as an Oral Examination Commissioner for the Board of Psychology. She and her husband Edward have two daughters and their first (and very beloved) grandchild.
Contributor
Shanna R. Cox, M.D., F.A.A.P. is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at UCI School of Medicine. She supervises and teaches pediatric residents and medical students at Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. Prior to returning to her roots in Southern California in 2000, Dr. Cox spent eight years on the east coast where she graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience, and where she received her medical doctorate degree from the University of Virginia. She then completed her pediatric training at UCI and was awarded Pediatric Resident of the Year at her graduation. Dr. Cox joined the staff of the Pediatric Medical Center in Long Beach, California in July 2003 in the private practice of pediatrics and maintains her faculty appointment at UCI. She and her husband Dave are enjoying marriage and travel together.
Contributor
Lori Livingston, M.D., F.A.A.P. is a Volunteer Clinical Faculty Member for the UCI School of Medicine. Dr. Livingston graduated from the University of California, San Diego summa cum laude with a degree in Animal Physiology and a minor in Dance. Subsequently, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine where she received her doctorate. Dr. Livingston completed her pediatric training at UCI and became a member of the Pediatric Medical Center staff in July 2007. In addition to the private practice of pediatrics, Dr. Livingston teaches medical students and residents at Miller Children’s Hospital. She happily resides in Long Beach with her husband Jason, who is a personal trainer.
Contributor
Catherine Tolnai, M.A.T., is an experienced teacher with 8 years of elementary and secondary instructional and administrative experience in private, public, and charter schools throughout San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles. She has plied her trade in the blackboard jungles of Manhattan Island to the independent circuit of Pasadena all while developing as a critical educator, inquisitive learner, and reflective leader. She will give us an insight into your child's educational process from a very broad base.
Contributor
Suzanne S. Peredo, M.S.W., has been added to our staff of writers to explore homeschooling and to make our readers INFORMED PARENTS.
Additional Staff
William H. Kohl, Vice President of Marketing
Carol Samson, Associate Editor