February 21: Le Bonheur Children's Hospital
Kiersten Hawes, PhD, LPC, ACS
Kiersten Hawes, PhD, LPC, ACS serves as Clinical Director of the BRAIN Center Trauma Counseling Services at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. The BRAIN Center, headquartered at the University of Memphis, is a collaboartive of clinicians and researchers that aims to advance evidence-based intervention strategies and counseling services. Dr. Hawes and her team provide mental health counseling services to pediatric trauma patients, giving patients the tools they need to mentally recover from their traumatic injuries. As Clinical Director, Dr. Hawes trains and supervises Le Bonheur’s trauma counselors.
Dr. Hawes has served as adjunct professor for University of Memphis’ Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, as well as a counselor at University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center’s Department of Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion (SASSI).
After earning her bachelor degree in psychology from Spelman College, Dr. Hawes received her master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Memphis. She continued her education at the University of Memphis and received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Hawes’ research focuses on how adverse childhood experiences affect development and social behavior in children and adolescents.
Hawes is committed to raising community awareness of how stress and emotional trauma impact overall wellbeing, especially in children.
Lydia Walker, LMSW
Lydia Walker, LMSW currently serves as the program manager of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital’s Supporting and Healing Individuals From Trauma (SHIFT) program, which is a Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) that offers a range of counseling and support services to victims of violent trauma. Under her leadership, the SHIFT/HVIP team takes a holistic approach to breaking the cycle of violent trauma through evidence-based counseling and crisis intervention strategies. Before leading this team, she served as a social worker for Memphis CHILD, a medical-legal partnership (MLP) between Le Bonheur and the University of Memphis. As part of one of the country’s most robust MLPs, Lydia helped address social service needs as an intervention to social determinants of health.
Prior to her work at Le Bonheur, Lydia provided crisis intervention and intensive case management to families fleeing domestic violence as a program coordinator and case manager for Memphis Area Legal Services. She also served on a number of teams at University of Memphis’ Kindred Place and Cathedral of Faith Collaborative. Lydia’s commitment to serve her future fellow social workers was acknowledged when she was named Field Instructor of the Year, 2019 by the University of Memphis. Throughout her career, Lydia has committed herself to the service of Shelby County and some of its most vulnerable populations.
Lydia holds a bachelor of science in psychology from Crichton College and a master of social work from University of Memphis. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW).
Cynthia Cross, MD, FAAP
A native Memphian, Cynthia Cross, MD, FAAP has provided medical care to her community for years, many of them at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. At Le Bonheur, Dr. Cross serves as Medical Chief of Community Health and Regional Services and as an associate professor of pediatrics at University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Additionally, Dr. Cross is Medical Director of Le Bonheur on the Move, a mobile unit that serves to make pediatric care more accessible and connects children in rural Tenneessee with healthcare providers in their communities. Before taking on her current role, she formerly served as Division Chief of Pediatric Hospital Medicine at Le Bonheur, a division that she was a founder of in 2008.
Dr. Cross began her career as a registered nurse, but at her colleague’s urging she continued her medical education to become a doctor. Dr. Cross attended University of Tennessee College of Medicine and completed her Pediatrics residency at Baylor College of Medicine and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Since coming to Le Bonheur, she has published multiple research studies on patient safety and factors leading to patient readmission. Dr. Cross also serves on the Health/Equity/Disparities/Inclusion working group for U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals, and was a founder of the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. She is also a member of the Le Bonheur/UTHSC School Task Force that advises schools throughout the region on COVID-19 and childhood health issues. Dr. Cross is a member of the Urban Child Institute and is a member of the Senior Leadership Council at Le Bonheur Children’s. In 2021, she was also named a Healthcare Hero by the Memphis Business Journal.
When she’s not practicing medicine, Dr. Cross enjoys spending time with her daughter and cheering on the Memphis Tigers and Dallas Cowboys.
Anissa Cooper, MSN, RN
As Trauma Program Director at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Anissa Cooper, MSN, RN ensures that every trauma patient receives the highest quality of care possible. Before becoming program director in 2018, Revels Cooper served as Le Bonheur’s Trauma Program Manager for 5 years. A highly experienced nurse, Revels has also served as Trauma Nurse Coordinator, Patient Care Coordinator in the Operating Room, and an Emergency Room Nurse at Le Bonheur Children’s.
Revels Cooper began her medical career as a Medical Specialist in the United States Army where she assisted physicians in administering medical care to soldiers at a base clinic. She also served in the Army Reserve’s 380th Dental Unit where she trained on deployment tactics.
Anissa is a member of the Society of Trauma Nurses and Committee on Pediatric Emergency Care. A distinguished trauma leader in our region, she’s also a member of the Tennessee Trauma Care Advisory Council (TCAC), Mississipi Trauma Advisory Council (MTAC) and Northeast Arkansas Trauma Regional Advisory Council (NEATRAC). Additionally, Cooper is an Advanced Trauma Life Support Coordinator and a Trauma Nursing Core Course instructor.
Anissa became a registed nurse through Shelby State Community College in 2000. She holds a bachelor of science in nursing and a master’s in nursing leadership from University of North Alabama.
Shandrian Guinn, MSSW
Shandrian Guinn, MSSW, serves as the manager of Community Outreach for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital’s Maternal Child Programs, and it is one of many roles in which she’s worked to enhance the lives of those in her community. As an example, she launched the Early Success Coalition Network, a community-wide collaboration designed to help improve access to critical services and resources for expecting and new mothers with young children ages 0 to 5.
Shandrian helped develop, lead and operate the Parent Support Warm Line, a joint venture between Le Bonheur Children’s and the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Awareness Foundation that offered support and resources to the parents of children in crisis.
As co-chair and facilitator of the Le Bonheur Healthy Families America (HFA) Advisory Board, she worked to further the program’s mission of offering child development and early parenting resources to new mothers in the Shelby County area.
Shandrian holds a bachelor of arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis. While serving as director of family support services with Memphis and Shelby County Community Services Agency (MSCCSA), she earned her master of science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. She holds a Licensed Advanced Practice in Social Work designation. Shandrian has more than 23 years of experience in child abuse and neglect prevention in Shelby County. During her tenure with the Department of Children’s services, she helped lead local efforts towards establishing accreditation with the Council on Accreditation. As countless families in Shelby County can attest, Shandrian is an invaluable asset to West Tennessee.