PCCSF is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Christopher Carafa, to our team!

Dr. Christopher Carafa earned his B.S. in Biology from the College of New Jersey. He then earned his nursing degree and worked for a few years as a bedside nurse. Dr. Carafa obtained his medical degree from St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed his pediatric residency at Goryeb Children’s Hospital (Morristown, NJ), followed by a Neonatal Intensive Care Medicine fellowship (University of South Florida), a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship (Holtz Children’s/Jackson Memorial Hospital), and finally a Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Fellowship at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. He is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Carafa’s clinical interests include caring for patients with congenital heart disease, those on ECMO, and those with multiorgan system dysfunction. He enjoys spending time with his family, going to the beach, reading, and traveling.

PCCSF is pleased to announce Dr. Cara Pritchett has joined our practice.

Dr. Cara Pritchett earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina Honors College and her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She then completed her pediatric residency and pediatric critical care fellowship training at Northwestern University/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago where she served as chief fellow. Upon completion of fellowship training, she relocated to the South Florida area where she joined PCCSF in 2025.

Dr. Pritchett’s professional interests include precision medicine, pediatric sepsis, quality improvement and patient safety.

We’re happy to announce that Matthew Radding, PA-C, has joined Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida.

Matthew Radding earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Immunologyfrom the University of Miami. He began his career as a high school science teacher in Miami-Dade County. His love for education led him to the YMCA where he directed an outdoor education and summer camp program. His passion for science, teaching, and youth development inspired him to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant.

He graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Master of Medical Sciences degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Matt is a board-certified physician assistant and a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. He is passionate about providing quality, empathic care to patients and their families.

Matt enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, and traveling.

PCCSF is pleased to announce Dr. Carlos Silva-Rubio has joined our practice.

Dr. Silva was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He obtained his medical degree at the Pontificia Universidad Madre y Maestra in Santiago de los Caballeros in Dominican Republic. He did his pediatric residency in Puerto Rico Women and Children’s Hospital in Bayamon.

Wanting to continue his training in pediatric critical care, he started his PICU fellowship at the pediatric hospital of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. Intrigued by the care of cardiac post-operative patients, he pursued training in cardiac intensive care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Outside of the hospital he likes to play soccer, cycling and enjoying the beach and great Florida weather.

PCCSF is pleased to announce the addition of Maria Gutierrez, APRN, to our team!

Driven by family legacy and personal experiences, she will help us in continuing to provide great care to our patients.

As a Board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Maria embarked on her medical journey driven by a family legacy and personal experiences, including her father’s battle with thyroid cancer.

Graduating from Chamberlain University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she began her career as a bedside nurse at Broward Health North, specializing in neurological telemetry and critical care. Intrigued by pediatrics, she transitioned to Broward Health Coral Springs while pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing, graduating in 2020. Fulfilling a childhood dream, she joined Joe DiMaggio PICU in 2021.

Beyond work, she shares the privilege of raising three children with her husband. They are avid travelers, exploring destinations like Colombia and Nicaragua, with plans for more adventures ahead.

PCCSF is pleased to announce Dr. Claudiu Faraon-Pogaceanu has joined our practice.

Dr. Faraon-Pogaceanu joins PCCSF from West Virginia University Children’s Hospital. He completed his medical education in his native Romania, followed by Pediatric Residency at Flushing Hospital in Queens, NY, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship at Yale University.

After completing his fellowship, he worked as a pediatric intensivist in England at reputable academic institutions with high-quality cardiac programs – Southampton University Hospital, Oxford University’s John Radcliffe Hospital, and Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Dr. Faraon-Pogaceanu has considerable experience managing the whole spectrum of critical illness in children, and a special interest in treating children with congenital heart lesions.

With his wife and two children, they share a passion for traveling and experiencing different cultures, hiking, and skiing. He also enjoys a wide variety of musical genres, reading a good book, and playing bridge.

PCCSF is excited to announce Genna Alperin, PA-C, has joined our team. Her experience helping families transition from hospital to home will be a tremendous asset for our patients’ families as they navigate caring for their child at home.

Genna Alperin graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Global Public Health. For her undergraduate thesis, she researched mental illness in Hispanic immigrants with an emphasis on promoting access to healthcare. In addition to her studies, she volunteered as an EMT for the City of Charlottesville and later worked as an Emergency Department Technician for Johns Hopkins Medicine at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC.

She continued her medical education at Nova Southeastern University, where she received her Master of Physician Assistant Studies. During her time there, she researched parents’ challenges in caring for neonatal critical care patients after discharge and developed a passion for improving the transition of families from the hospital to the home.

Genna is a board-certified physician assistant, who continues to implement this dedication into her daily practice.

PCCSF is pleased to announce the addition of Gabriella Sotelo, APRN, to our team!

She brings extensive knowledge and expertise, and she will be a valuable asset to our staff.

Gabriella Sotelo is a dual certified Pediatric Acute Care and Family Nurse Practitioner.

In 2013, she obtained a Bachelor’s in Nursing and began working as a new grad in the pediatric ICU at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. She has since also worked at Nicklaus Children’s and Boston Children’s. Wanting to further her education, she graduated from Boston College with a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Family practice.

Upon moving back home, she quickly realize Pediatric Critical Care is where her passion lied and went back to school for her Post Master’s Certification in Pediatric Acute Care through Vanderbilt University. Gabriella is truly excited and honored to have a full circle moment in becoming an advance practice provider with the team/unit she started out her nursing career in.

When not at work, her personal interests include spending time with family and friends, playing/watching sports, and watching movies.

Our PCCSF family continues to grow! We’re excited to welcome Kayla Pradines, PA-C, she is a great asset to our mission of providing quality care to our patients.

Kayla Pradines attended Florida Atlantic University where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology. She then went on to obtain a Master of Medical Sciences from Barry.

Her love for medicine began at age 11 when she found herself as a long-term pediatric patient in the hospital herself. Kayla is passionate about caring for critically ill pediatric patients and is looking forward to giving back to her community in a way that was given to her. Kayla is a board-certified Physician Assistant and is a part of the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants.

When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

While it may be cold and flu season, experts are warning about another condition that can be just as dangerous, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious complications, especially among infants, children, and children with other complex medical problems.

Our Dr. Greissman was recently featured on SheKnows where he talked about how the virus is spread and treatments for it. Read what he had to say here.