About Healing Hearts Pediatrics

Dr McKenna is a board member of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, chair of The Access to Care Committee, and Medical Director of the Medical Services Project . She serves as Vice President for the Department of Pediatrics at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.

Through advocacy ,  testifying at the State Capitol as well as in the greater medical community at large, her leadership helped unfreeze KidsCare in April, which has provided healthcare coverage for 30-40,000 previously uninsured children. She was awarded the 2016 Kevin Keogh Community Service Award. She is recognized nationally and locally with the 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics,Special Achievement Award as well as the 2016 Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Achievement Award for her work in advocating for children in Arizona.

Dr. McKenna is happily married with three children and one grandson. She enjoys spending time with her family, riding her horse, skiing and playing golf.

Dr. Khurana, co-founder of Healing Hearts Pediatrics, P.L.C., received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and also attended medical school at the University of Arizona Medical School in Tucson, Arizona. After completing her Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Maricopa Medical Center in 2003, she began practicing medicine as a general pediatrician in private practice. Dr. Khurana is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Happily married with two daughters, Dr. Khurana also enjoys volunteering at the Chandler Free Clinic, dancing, listening to music, and spending time outdoors.

Dr. Romero received her Bachelor of Science at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and attended medical school at the University of Arizona Medical School in Tucson, Arizona. After completing her Pediatric Residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Maricopa Medical Center in 2003, she began practicing medicine as a general pediatrician in private practice.

Dr. Romero is Board Certified in Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Romero is married and has one son and loves spending time with her family.

Nichole Yniguez , CPNP, received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, and her Masters of Science in Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, in Kansas City, Missouri. She has been a pediatric nurse at hospitals in Missouri and Arizona since 1999.

Nurse Practitioner Nikki is Board Certified in Pediatrics and is a member of the National Association of Nurses and Practitioners. Married with two young boys, Nurse Practitioner Nikki enjoys music, traveling, good food, and spending time with her family.

I was born in New Rochelle, NY and grew up in western New York. I got my bachelors degree in biochemistry at the University at Buffalo. I went to Albany Medical College and did my pediatric internship and residency at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. From there, I joined MACONY Pediatrics in Great Barrington nestled in the bucolic Berkshires of western Massachusetts. I covered a community hospital in town which was the second smallest hospital in Massachusetts.

After 27 years of New England winters, my wife and I moved to the Valley of the Sun and settled in Chandler. I have 3 terrific sons and 3 wonderful grandsons. In July 2016, I had the good fortune of becoming a part of Healing Hearts Pediatrics. I enjoy hiking, biking and being outdoors. I also have a deep appreciation for American history.

I am from a small town in northern Arizona. I attended Arizona State University for my undergraduate in biology. I attended AT Still University in Mesa, AZ for Physician Assistant School. As an Arizona native, I have loved Phoenix since I moved here to attend ASU. I met my wonderful husband at ASU and we have two beautiful children. I love working in pediatrics and being a part of the families we treat. I take great pride in my work, and love helping others. I also enjoy being outdoors, hiking and being with my family.

I grew up in North Dakota, enjoying cross country skiing in the winter and hiking or biking through the North Dakota Badlands during the summer. I attended the University of North Dakota for undergraduate, graduate and medical school then decided to move to warmer climate for residency. I chose St. Louis University where I completed four year combined internal medicine/pediatric residency, and served an additional year as Pediatric Chief Resident at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital associated with St. Louis University. I served as a hospitalist for my first 2 years following residency, but then was offered to take over a pediatric practice owned by Cardinal Glennon for the next 14 years. I loved living in St. Louis, and spent a lot of time exploring the lakes and the Ozark Mountains in the region. I lived in the old historic area of the city and rehabbed two old homes, the first built in 1905, the second in 1895. St. Louis is notorious for its ice storms in the winter, and after so many years, I decided it was time to move to the south. I chose to follow other family members and moved to Phoenix in 2009. After working at a few other practices that I just wasn’t content with, I joined Healing Hearts Pediatrics in mid- December, 2016. I am very pleased with the warm, nurturing attitude of Healing Hearts, and plan to spend the remainder of my career here. I look forward to the pleasure of leading your family towards good health and happiness.

Meagan was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. She attended Boston University and earned two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Criminal Justice. She then attended Shenandoah University in Virginia where she obtained a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies. After graduating, she and her husband moved back to sunny Arizona where they are now raising their two beautiful children. Meagan absolutely loves working in pediatrics as she believes it is an honor to work with children and their families, and so fun to watch them grow and develop throughout the years. Some of her favorite things to do is spending time with family, reading, and enjoy all the outdoor activities Arizona has to offer!

Cassandra earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA, she attended the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland California, where she earned a Master’s in Nursing. Cassandra has over 5 years of experience working in the pediatric primary care and urgent care setting. She has a strong passion for delivering exceptional patient care, by continuously building stronger, healthier families in the community. She prides herself in taking a holistic approach to medicine focusing on mind, body, and family life, by integrating education about mindfulness, nutrition, and exercise. She is excited to join Healing Hearts Pediatrics where she can continue to provide excellence in patient care.

In her free time, Cassandra enjoys the outdoors, traveling, cooking, drawing, and spending time with her family and friends.

Cielo Mohapatra was born and raised in Sonora, Mexico, and immigrated to Arizona in 2000. Her career over the past 23 years has been behavioral, wellness and clinic focused. Cielo received her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Sonora in Mexico, and her Master of Science in Psychology with an Emphasis in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (MSIOP) from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Ms. Mohapatra is certified as Master Trainer by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network in Maryland, and by the YMSM+LGBT Center of Excellence in New York City on the training curriculum “A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals” (English and Spanish Editions).

Besides counseling and program development, Ms. Mohapatra’s career includes government administration with Arizona Health Care Cost Containment Systems (AHCCCS) where she led the Substance Abuse Prevention programs, participated in the AHCCCS Policy Committee (APC) and Policy Compliance Workgroup regarding Cultural Competency policies in health care. Ms. Mohapatra was employed with Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) for over 12 years and worked in the area of Behavioral Health Services where she managed and led multiple programs statewide including chairing the ADHS Cultural Competency Committee, Anti-Stigma Campaign Committee, and the ADHS LGBT Advisory Committee to address diversity and inclusion into clinical practices across the state of Arizona. She holds several awards and appointments including her spot as one of the top “40 Hispanic Leaders” hosted by UNIVISION and Vale del Sol.

Ms. Mohapatra enjoys being part of the Healing Hearts Pediatrics team, as is our Care Manager under our Integrated Care Department. The Integrated Care team address mental, social, and behavioral health needs for children and their families. In her free time, Ms. Mohapatra enjoys traveling, reading, music, and spending time with her son and family.