Thursday, February 26, 2026 

Pediatric Nursing “Meet and Greet”  

12:00- 12:50pm 

Moderators: Brandy Begin, BSN, MBA, RN, CNN; Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP; Amy Nau, MBA, MSN, RN, CNN, NE-BC; Katie Plomaritas, BSN, RN  

Meet and network with other nurses and advanced practice providers working with children with kidney disease.  

 

 

Pediatric Nutrition “Meet and Greet”  

12:00- 12:50pm 

Moderators: Kirsten McFadyen, RD; Nonnie Polderman, RD 

Meet and network with other dietitians working with children with kidney disease. 

 

 

12:55pm: Welcome – Steven Alexander, MD 

 

Session 1: Fundamentals and Advances in Dialysis for Children, Part 1 

1:00pm–3:00pm 

Moderators: Bradley Warady, MD; Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP 

1:00 Physiology of Blood Purification– Jordan Symons, MD  

1:40 Peritoneal Dialysis Prescription and Adequacy Monitoring – Annabelle Chua, MD  

2:20 Hemodialysis Prescription and Adequacy Monitoring – Cherry Mammen, MD  

 

3:00-3:30 pm      Break 

 

Session 2: Fellows Case Conference: Stump the Consultants 

3:30-5:00pm 

Moderator: John Mahan, MD  

Consultants: Jordan Symons, MD; Cherry Mammen, MD; Rukshana Shroff, MD; Annabelle Chua, MD 

5:00pm Adjourn 

Joshua Lipsitz, MD: Baylor College of Medicine & Texas Children’s Hospital – Houston – Texas   

Haneen Shahin, MBBS: Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 

Shivani Wadnerkar, MBBS:  Children’s Mercy Hospital – Kansas City, Missouri 

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Friday, February 27, 2026 

Session 3: General Session – Awards and Keynote Presentations 

8:00-10:00am 

8:30 Welcome – Richard Barohn, MD: Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs/Hugh E. and Sarah D. Stephenson Dean, School of Medicine, University of Missouri; Ramesh Khanna, MD; Anjay Rastogi, MD  

8:45 Award Presentations   

 

Keynote Presentations  

9:00 Rising Tides or Perfect Storm? Critical Lessons from the ETC Model for the Future of Dialysis Care – Suzanne Watnick, MD, FASN 

9:30 Home Again: The Resurgence of Peritoneal Dialysis –Joanne Bargman, MD, FRCPC 

 

 

10:00am Break 

 

Session 4: Fundamentals and Advances in Dialysis for Children, Part 2 

10:30am-12:00pm 

Moderators: Steven Alexander, MD; Nonnie Polderman, RD  

10:30 Pediatric Dialysis Nutrition Guidelines – Kirsten McFadyen, RD  

11:00 Growth and Growth Hormone Therapy – Melissa Muff-Luett, MD  

11:30 Management of Bone Disease in Children on Dialysis: The Basics – Rukshana Shroff, MD  

12:00 Lunch 

 

12:00 Lunch Break and Exhibits Open 

 

Session 5: Nursing Breakout 1   

12:15- 1:45 pm 

Moderator: Katie Plomaritas, BSN, RN  

12:15 Fundamentals of PD Access -Brandy Begin, BSN, MBA, RN, CNN 

12:35 Fundamentals of HD Access- Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP 

1:00 Perspectives on Treatment Modality Selection – Kathleen Mallett, FNP-C, CNN-NP, FNKF   

1:30 Questions and Discussion  

 

Session 6: Nutrition Breakout 1  

12:15- 1:45pm 

Moderator: Kirsten McFadyen, RD  

New to pediatric nephrology? This session provides an overview of key professional, clinical, and patient resources to support your development and build confidence in practice. 

12:15 From Tools to Practice: Resources for the Pediatric Renal RD – Nonnie Polderman, RD  

1:00 Case Study: Nutrition for a Child on Dialysis – Janelle Hanick, RDN, LD  

 

 

 

Session 7: Fundamentals and Advances in Dialysis for Children, Part 3 

2:00-4:00pm 

Moderators: Alicia Neu, MD; Amy Nau, MBA, MSN, RN, CNN, NE-BC 

2:00 Cardiovascular Complications – Rukshana Shroff, MD 

2:40 Renal Anemia: The Basics- Bradley Warady, MD  

3:20 Major Infectious Complications-Rebecca Same, MD  

4:00 Break 

 

Session 8: Nutrition Breakout 2 

2:00-4:00 pm 

Moderator: Kirsten McFadyen, RD  

An evidence-based exploration into practical strategies and tools that are shaping the future of pediatric renal nutrition. 

2:00 Updates from the Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce – Nonnie Polderman, RD  

3:00 Protein Intake and PRAL: Striking a Balance – Jessica Tower, MS, RD, LD  

 

 

Faculty Guided Tours of the Pediatric Posters  

4:00-5:30pm 

Pediatric faculty will lead small group tours of the pediatric posters with the hopes of engaging interaction with the poster presenters. Everyone is welcome! Details surrounding the group designation will be provided earlier in the day during the conference. 

 

4:00-5:30pm Exhibitor Reception  

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Saturday, February 28, 2026 

Session 9: Hot Topics 

8:00-10:00am 

Moderator: Cherry Mammen, MD; Katie Plomaritas, BSN, RN 

8:00   Hemodiafiltration Is the Chronic Hemodialysis Modality of Choice for Pediatric Patients: An Update – Rukshana Shroff, MD 

8:30 Epoprostenol: The Return of the Prostacyclins – Ayse Akcan-Arikan, MD 

9:00   The Selective Cytopheretic Device (SCD) – H. David Humes, MD 

9:30   Home Hemodialysis for Children in North America…Where Has It Gone? Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP 

10:00 Break 

 

Session: 10: Nutrition Breakout 3 

8:00-10:00 am 

Moderators: Kirsten McFadyen, RD; Nonnie Polderman, RD  

New Frontiers in Weight Management: How Emerging Therapies are Reshaping Nephrology Practice Jessica Tower, MS, RD, LD; Tyson Moore, MSN, ARPN, FNP-C, CPN, CNN-NP  

This dynamic session explores the impact of modern weight management strategies on pediatric dialysis through current evidence, practical cases and implications for changing clinical practice.   

 

10:00 -10:30 Break 

 

 

Session 11: Pediatric Keynote and Best Abstracts 

10:30am-12:00pm 

Moderators: Bradley Warady, MD; Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP 

10:30 Pediatric Keynote: From Nephrologist to CEO: Why Complexity Has Always Been the Job – Alexandro Quiroga, MD; CEO, Children’s Mercy Kansas City 

 

11:15   Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Flushing in Children: A National Survey of Practice Patterns -Eva Glenn Lecea, MD 

11:30   Update on the Use of Icodextrin to Limit Iodine Exposure in Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis – Jennifer Spies, MSN, RN, CPN 

11:45   Peritonitis: Getting to Zer0 – Jennifer Woodmansee, MSN, CNS, CNN 

 

 

12:00   Lunch Break  

 

    

Session: 11: Nutrition Breakout 3 

10:30-12:00pm 

Moderator: Jessica Tower, MS, RD, LD 

10:30 Updates from Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce – Nonnie Polderman, RD 

11:15 Healthy Guts: Fiber in Practice – Janelle Hanick, RDN, LD 

 

 

12:00-2:00 Lunch and Exhibits  

 

Session 12: Nursing Breakout 2  

12:15-1:45pm 

Moderator: Katie Plomaritas, BSN, RN 

12:15 Utilization of Dialysis Technicians in the Pediatric Unit – Kelly Nitz, MSN, RN, CNN  

12:45 Epidemiology of Catheter Infections in Dialysis Patients – Rebecca Same, MD 

1:30 Discussion 

 

Session 13: Nutrition Breakout 4  

12:30 to 1:45 pm 

Moderator: Nonnie Polderman, RD  

Healthy Guts: Fiber in Practice – Past, Present and Future – Janelle Hanick, RDN, LD   

Join us for a practical look at how fiber’s role in gut health has shifted over time and what new evidence means for future clinical practice.   

 

Session 14: Initial Dialysis for Neonates Weighing <3kg: Should it be PD or HD? 

2:00 – 4:00pm 

Moderators: Bradley Warady, MD; Alicia Neu, MD  

• Hemodialysis Therapies (Carpe, Aqua, CKRT) Are the Best Way to Manage These Babies Until They Reach 3-4kg   – Ayse Akcan-Arikan, MD  

• Peritoneal Dialysis (manual, low volume) Is the Best Way to Manage These Babies – Melissa Muff-Luett, MD  

 

4:00pm Break 

 

 

Session 15: Fundamentals for Families 

4:30-6:00pm 

Moderators: Bradley Warady, MD; Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN-NP 

Learn from patients and families as we hear their experiences and ways the medical team can improve care. This informal session brings great discussion surrounding the lived experience of patients/families on dialysis 

Family: Ryan and Elise Fuoss 

6:00pm       Adjourn  

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Sunday, March 1, 2026 

Session 16: Symposium: Promoting Emotional Health and Well-Being of Youth with Advanced CKD 

8:00-10:00am 

Moderators: Rebecca Johnson, PhD, ABPP  

8:00 Overview of Educational and Vocational Outcomes for Youth with ESKD – Rebecca Johnson, PhD, ABPP 

8:15 Attendance and Access to Education: The Forgotten Social Determinants of Pediatric Health- Amanda Deacy, PhD 

9:00 Quality of Life and Emotional Health of Pediatric Hemodialysis Patients – Paige Seegan, PhD 

9:45 Discussion 

 

10:00 Break 

 

Session 17:  Symposium: United for Better Outcomes: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Tackling Fluid Overload in Pediatric Dialysis 

10:30am -12:00pm 

Moderators: Cherry Mammen, MD; Nonnie Polderman, RD  

Panelist: Jennifer Spies, MSN, RN, CPN; Kirsten McFadyen, RD; Bradley Warady, MD; Jessica Geer, MSN, C-PNP, CNN, RN 

Join an interactive multidisciplinary session exploring real-world challenges of fluid overload in pediatric dialysis.  Through case-based discussion, diverse clinical perspectives, and live audience engagement, we will uncover practical strategies that drive better outcomes for children on PD and HD.   

 

 

 

 

 

12:00 Meeting Adjourns