Staff and Board

Children’s Surgery International’s staff and Board of Directors comprises individuals who represent an array of sectors from medicine to business. Such variety in expertise helps CSI maintain its versatility as an organization and allows us to consider various aspects of our growth and development.

Megan Sparks
Executive Director

Megan Sparks is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in health care access, rehabilitation, social services and nonprofit management. Megan lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two children. As the mother of a child with special needs, Megan understands firsthand the need for access to essential and life-changing medical care. She joined CSI in 2016 and has traveled with surgical teams to Ethiopia, Mexico and Tanzania.

Darryl Scarborough
Operations Manager

Darryl Scarborough is a seasoned operations and development professional with years of experience in humanitarian aid and assistance programs. Darryl recently joined the CSI team coming from the Department of Defense as an International Affairs and Policy Analyst.  He is committed to advancing health equity and ready to put his skills to work for the organization. Darryl is a veteran and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs MPA program as well as a graduate of the University of Mary’s MBA program.

Veronika Skorich
Office and Communications Manager

Veronika Skorich has worked within communications, development, operations and strategic management at various health systems. She has an undergraduate degree in Public Relations and a Masters in Healthcare Administration. She is passionate about nonprofit work and has traveled to underserved areas of the country to provide aid in homebuilding and educational assistance.

David Tetzlaff, MD
CSI Medical Director
Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Dr. David Tetzlaff joined CSI’s leadership team as medical director in 2015. Dave is a board certified hospitalist in internal medicine and pediatrics and has been involved with CSI since 2005. He has served as lead physician on numerous site visits and medical missions, and his energy, knowledge and people skills make him a favorite with CSI volunteers. When David is not at the hospital or volunteering for CSI, he enjoys cooking and spending time with his family.

Siva Chinnadurai, MD, MPH
CSI Academic Director
Pediatric Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, Children’s Minnesota

Dr. Siva Chinnadurai is a pediatric otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon at Children’s Minnesota and the Board Chair of CSI. He is Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Minnesota, as well as Scientific Director of ENT, Medical Director of the Aerodigestive and Ear Shape Programs and Surgical Director of the Vascular Anomalies Program at Children’s Minnesota. His clinical practice focuses on pediatric facial reconstruction, microtia and vascular anomalies, management of head and neck tumors and complex airway reconstruction. His research focuses on healthcare disparities and how the intersection of medicine and technology can be leveraged to reduce global health inequity. Siva joined the board in 2017 and has traveled with CSI to Ethiopia, Tanzania and Vietnam.

 
Amy Fischer

Amy Fischer
CSI Board Chair
Infinity Direct

Amy Fischer has more than 25 years of experience as an editor and copywriter, from working at newspapers in Kansas, Missouri and New York, to her current role as an editor/copywriter for Infinity Direct in Plymouth, MN. She has been a volunteer for CSI since 2014 and joined the board in 2017. She’s traveled with CSI to Ethiopia and Liberia. Amy and her husband live in Minnetonka and have three adult sons.

Garrett Vincent

CSI Board Vice-Chair
Vizient Inc.

Garrett Vincent is the Associate Vice President of Innovation Strategy at Vizient for their Captis collaborative. He has over 15 years of experience in healthcare, focusing on technology-based solutions for large health systems. Garrett lives in Excelsior, Minn., with his wife and two sons. He became involved with CSI after his youngest son’s first cleft surgery in 2014, and joined the CSI Board in 2022.

Peter Falker
CSI Board Treasurer
FalkerInvestments Inc.

Peter Falker is president of FalkerInvestments Inc., a registered investment advisor providing investment management and financial consulting services. He has a B.A. in economics from the University of St. Thomas and earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Peter joined the CSI board in 2019 and currently lives in Safety Harbor, FL, with his wife and two children.

Neal Peterson

Neal Peterson
CSI Board Secretary
Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Neal Peterson is a partner at the international law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP where he is cochair of the firm’s health law practice group. He and his wife, Dr. Deanna Thompson, have two adult children and live in Saint Paul. Neal has attended many CSI galas, and the stories he heard at them inspired him to find a way to get more involved. He joined the CSI board in 2017.

Dody Barr, RN
NICU, Children’s Minnesota

Dody Barr has been a NICU nurse at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis for more than 30 years. She has volunteered with CSI for more than 10 years, working in all nonsurgical areas and education. Dody lives in Minneapolis with her husband and has two grown sons. She has traveled extensively with CSI, most recently on surgical trips to Liberia and Ethiopia, and joined the board in 2020.

Katherine Clinch, MD
Pediatric anesthesiologist (retired), Children’s Minnesota

Dr. Kathy Clinch is a retired pediatric anesthesiologist, having worked in the Twin Cities for the last 30 years. She was the Director of Anesthesia on the St. Paul campus and served as Chief of Staff for Children’s Minnesota. Kathy has traveled extensively on more than 20 cleft missions, including to Zimbabwe, Cambodia, China, Peru and Mexico. She has two daughters who keep her learning and exploring. She and her husband, Tony, spend time in Florida during Minnesota’s colder months. Kathy joined the CSI board in 2022.

Jason DeShaw, CTP
Trimble

Jason DeShaw is a vice president of operations at Trimble in the transportation sector. Jason has more than 20 years of experience working with companies focused on improving processes via software solutions. He lives in Shakopee, MN, with his wife and son and joined the CSI board in 2019.

John Erlandson, CRNA, APRN
Timberwolf Anesthesia

John Erlandson has been practicing nurse anesthesia in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area for 25 years, caring for patients ranging from newborns to the elderly. He has served on CSI surgical teams traveling to Liberia, Ethiopia and Tanzania, alongside his wife, Amy, a neonatal ICU nurse. They reside in the Minneapolis area and enjoy spending as much time as possible outdoors and traveling around the United States to visit their four adult children. John joined the CSI board in 2021.

Melanie McCall
Communications Consultant

Melanie McCall has more than 30 years of experience in communications and marketing leadership roles. Her most meaningful professional and volunteer work has been for nonprofit organizations, including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, TakeAction MN and Westminster Presbyterian Church. She and her husband, Dr. Dan Sampson, live in Minneapolis and have two adult children. Melanie joined the CSI board in 2015 and has traveled with surgical teams to Liberia, Mexico and Ethiopia.

Karen Resch, MD
Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children’s Minnesota

Dr. Karen Resch is a pediatric emergency physician with Children’s Minnesota. She is board certified in both pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. She has served on CSI medical teams in Ghana, Haiti and Mexico. Karen enjoys staying active, raising service dogs for the sight impaired and spending time with her two grown daughters. When she’s not traveling, she resides in Minneapolis. Karen joined the board in 2021.

Ellen Reynolds, APRN
Advanced Practice Nurse (retired), UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Ellen Reynolds has over 35 years experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist in both acute and primary care settings. She enjoys teaching and has served extensively as adjunct university faculty at undergraduate and graduate levels. Ellen joined CSI in 2012 and has traveled with teams to Liberia, Vietnam and Ethiopia. She has also made numerous trips to Haiti on medical missions. Ellen enjoys time in the outdoors and taking her dog, Thor, on pet therapy visits to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Brianne Roby, MD
Pediatric Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, Children’s Minnesota

Brianne Roby is on staff at the Children’s Minnesota ENT and Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic and the Children’s Minnesota Craniofacial Clinic. She is director of the ENT and Plastic Surgery Fellowship at Children’s Minnesota and the University of Minnesota as well as the director of the cleft lip and palate program at Children’s Minnesota. Her interests include all aspects of pediatric otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery, including cleft repair. She joined the CSI board in 2017 and has traveled with surgical teams to Vietnam, Liberia and Mexico.

Zinda Schaefer

Zinda Schaefer

Zinda Schaefer worked in online marketing for over 20 years and is now retired. She is passionate about children’s health. Zinda is a longtime supporter of CSI and joined the board in 2018. She has traveled with CSI to Mexico and Tanzania.

Todd Stinson
Medtronic

Todd Stinson has more than 25 years of corporate finance experience and is currently a finance director at Medtronic. Todd’s passion for children’s health has been bolstered by his experience as a parent of a childhood cancer survivor. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife Amy and two children. Todd joined the CSI board in 2020. 

David Vandersteen, MD
Pediatric Urology Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Associates, Ltd.

Dr. David Vandersteen provides surgical care for infants and children with urologic problems, placing special emphasis on family-centered care. Roughly 30% of his practice is dedicated to the care of complex anatomic and urologic problems related to spina bifida, neurogenic bladder and complications of bladder exstrophy. David serves as Director of the Extramural Pediatric Urology Residency Program at Mayo Clinic and is the Director of Urology for the Spina Bifida Programs at Gillette Children’s and Essentia Health. He has served on CSI surgical teams traveling to Liberia and Tanzania and joined the board in 2021.

James Zimmerman
PetSmart

James Zimmerman is VP, Global Sourcing & Production Management – PetSmart, with more than 20 years of experience in inventory planning, merchandising and sourcing. He joined the board in 2020 and has traveled with CSI to Ethiopia.