Neonatal Associates
We are a team of neonatologists who provide physician services in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Corewell HealthTM Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
What We Do
The Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center is a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We provide the highest level of neonatal care for the smallest and sickest of infants from extreme prematurity to complex congenital malformations.Our provider care team discusses each infant daily in multidisciplinary rounds, and one of the physicians personally sees each patient and develops a daily care plan.
Neonatologist
A neonatologist is a physician specialized in caring for infants that require extra care after birth, including those born very early or with congenital anatomic diseases.
Meet the Team
Dr. Dinh
Dr. Doctor
Dr. Dufendach
Dr. Garvin
Dr. Haines
Dr. Knee
Dr. Langen
Dr. Nadernejad
Dr. Prentice
Dr. Reinoehl
Contact Us
Phone: 616.391.1370Neonatal Associates PLC
225 Michigan St. NW | #1650
Grand Rapids, MI 49501Corewell Health
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
100 Michigan St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Nga Dinh, MD
Dr. Dinh has been a member of Neonatal Associates since 2013. She serves as the lead neonatologist for the Fetal Care Center at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, walking with friends, and knitting.
Fellowship: Medical College of Wisconsin, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2013
Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin, Pediatrics, 2010
Internship: Medical College of Wisconsin, Pediatrics, 2008
Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2007
Benedict Doctor, MD
Dr. Ben Doctor joined Neonatal Associates more than 25 years ago. He states, "I continue to appreciate the different interests and strengths that each of us bring to the table." Beyond work, he enjoys music, travel, and cycling.
Fellowship: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Neonatology, 2000
Residency: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Pediatrics, 1997
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 1994
Kevin Dufendach, MD, MS
Dr. Dufendach joined the Helen DeVos neonatology team in 2024 after having lived in nearby states for medical training and the start of his career. He and his family are now happy to be back in West Michigan, where they consider home. Complementing his clinical work, his academic focus is on enhancing usability in medicine through medical software systems. Some of his hobbies include sailing, camping, running, ultimate frisbee, and software development.
Fellowship: Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2016
Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Pediatrics, 2013
Medical School: Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2010
Jodi Garvin, DO
Dr. Garvin joined Neonatal Associates in 2019. A native of Northern Michigan, she was pleased to return home to care for critically ill infants throughout West Michigan and the surrounding region. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Garvin enjoys spending time with her family and staying actively involved in her children’s activities.
Fellowship: Medical College of Wisconsin, Neonatology, 2019
Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin, Pediatrics, 2016
Medical School: Midwestern University, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), 2013
Krista Haines, MD
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Fellowship: Children's Hospital, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2012
Residency: University of Michigan Health System, Pediatrics, 2009
Medical School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2006
Daniel Knee, MD
Dr. Knee is an experienced neonatologist with a career dedicated to the care of critically ill and premature newborns. He has been a neonatal resuscitation program instructor for many years. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Knee was a high school physics and chemistry teacher in Louisville, KY. He attended medical school with the help of an USAF scholarship and served with the USAF for four years in HI, MS and VA before joining Neonatal Associates in 2008. Outside of work, Dr. Knee enjoys spending time with his wife. The two of them spend time together on house renovations/landscaping, hiking, biking, and enjoying time with their children and grandchildren.
Fellowship: Tripler Army Medical Center, Neonatology, 2004
Residency: University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Pediatrics, 2001
Internship: University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine, Pediatrics, 1999
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 1998
Robert Langen, MD
Dr. Langen serves as the medical director of the unit. He has lived across the country, spending much of his childhood in Michigan but then living everywhere from Vermont to Hawaii and multiple places in between. Outside of work, he enjoys boating in the summer, skiing in the winter, and traveling with his family whenever time allows.
Fellowship: University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics GME, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2008
Residency: University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, 2005
Medical School: Dartmouth Medical School, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2002
Claudia Nadernejad, MD
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Fellowship: Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2011
Residency: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Pediatrics, 2008
Residency: Driscoll Children's Hospital-GME, Pediatrics, 2005
Medical School: Escuela Medicina Colombiana, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2001
Jeannette Prentice, MD
Dr. Prentice has been at Helen DeVos since 2015 after having practiced in a military NICU in Germany and then in Detroit. She did her residency and fellowship training in San Antonio, TX. Her major clinical and academic interests outside of taking care of patients include neonatal nutrition, especially the provision of mother’s own milk, and quality improvement. She has been the Vermont Oxford Network physician lead at Helen DeVos for quality improvement since 2019. During her free time, she loves gardening, bird watching, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Fellowship: San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2008
Residency: San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education, Pediatrics, 2003
Internship: San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education, Pediatrics, 2001
Medical School: McGovern Medical School, Doctor of Medicine (MD), 2000
Mary Alice Reinoehl, DO
Dr. Reinoehl has been a member of Neonatal Associates since 2022. Clinically, she is especially interested in small baby care and palliative care. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, with her two dogs, and cooking and baking.
Fellowship: University of Michigan Health System, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 2022
Residency: Michigan State University, Pediatrics, 2019
Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), 2016
Join Our Team
The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital NICU Provider Team is currently recruiting for neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners.
Clinical Neonatologist
Job Description
Our well-established, 10-person, private-practice group is seeking to add additional members to our practice. We provide 24-hour in-house coverage for the 108 bed Level IV NICU of Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids. We offer a full range of services including high frequency oscillating ventilation, high frequency jet ventilation, iNO, ECLS, and therapeutic hypothermia as well as a full surgical program including complex neonatal cardiac surgery. All subspecialties are well covered. Over the last several years, we have had an average daily census of approximately 100. We have an active transport service staffed by 15 highly motivated NNP’s. We perform 350 transports per year. Support staff includes a unit-based pharmacist, dedicated respiratory therapists, nutritionists, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and clinical laboratory. Clinical research is an integral part of our practice. We are members of The Vermont Oxford Network (awarded their 2025 Award for Excellence in QI), the NIC/Q Collaborative, and the BPD Collaborative. We are the Michigan site for the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Project. Resident education is an expected part of the position. Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is located directly across the street from our hospital.The Grand Rapids Metro area is an excellent place to raise a family and offers convenient access to a wide range of outdoor activities. The beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan are a short drive away. Our group is hard-working, collaborative and cohesive.
Job Description
We provide 24/7 in-house coverage for the level IV nursery at HDVCH. Clinical responsibilities include both daytime and nighttime call-coverage. We enjoy NNP support on a 24/7 basis as well. Clinical responsibilities include rounding on the full range of NICU patients, attending deliveries, and managing incoming transports. Coordination with the full range of pediatric subspecialties is required to provide the highest level of care to our patients. Teaching of medical students, residents, and pediatric/MFM fellows is required. We participate in award winning QI research.
Qualifications
BC/BE candidates who demonstrate an aptitude to thrive in the busy, high acuity world of a level IV NICU.
Open to newly graduated Neonatology fellows
Working Hours
Daytime shifts are typically from 0800 until 1700. Night calls (approximately 40 per year) are from 1800 until 0700. Night shifts are taken in blocks of either 3 or 4 in a row and are followed by compensatory time off. Depending on staffing levels, there are 10-12 vacation weeks per year plus every other holiday.
Skills
Successful candidates should be able to manage the most complex of NICU patients and be comfortable with ventilation management, cardiovascular support including ECMO, nutrition management, extremely premature infants, and peri-operative management of complex disease processes.
Ready to Apply?
Interested candidates may send a cover letter and CV to: