McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center

The Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation Program (CARE)  team consists of specially trained physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and social workers who work together to search for social and medical evidence of abuse. Medical care and treatment is provided for children 18 years old or younger in a sensitive, supportive, and reassuring environment.

Ann Botash, MD

• CARE Director, Child Abuse Pediatrician
• botasha@upstate.edu

Ann S. Botash, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, is a nationally recognized expert in child sexual abuse evaluation. She is Vice Chair for Education at the SUNY Upstate Department of Pediatrics, teaching residents and students as a faculty member at Upstate.

In order to better serve all children and adolescents in New York State, Dr. Botash created the Child Abuse Medical Provider (CHAMP) Network to educate healthcare professionals in the identification and management of child sexual abuse cases. A New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) grant helps support CHAMP activities that include coursework and continued learning through webcasts and case reviews accessed through its website www.champprogram.com . NYSDOH also funded Dr. Botash’s writing a primer for medical providers, Evaluating Child Sexual Abuse: Education Manual for Medical Professionals, which is the first step in the training to become a CHAMP Provider. In 2005 Dr. Botash received the Ambulatory Pediatric Association’s award for Public Policy and Advocacy.

Anne Galloway, RN

Anne Galloway is currently a staff nurse in the Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) Program through Upstate Medical University, which specializes in the examination of sexually abused children. In addition, she is the coordinator for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program in Onondaga County through Vera House, Inc.

Prior to her SANE experience, Anne was an emergency department nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse for eleven years, the last five of which she served as the Assistant Nurse Manager.

Anne is active in the New York State Chapter of the International Association of Forensic Nurses, and the Emergency Nurses Association. She also is the course director for the Adult – Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Course.

Anne received her RN diploma from Crouse-Irving Memorial School of Nursing in Syracuse in 1982, and her SANE training from Columbia University in January, 1998.

Elizabeth A Kinsey LMSW, Child Abuse Social Worker

Nancy Mitchell RN, MS, PNP

Nancy Mitchell is the nurse practitioner on the CARE Team. She has worked on the team for almost 20 years. She assists the physicians with the medical evaluations or performs the examinations when the physicians are not available. Nancy helps triage the phone calls and schedule patients to be seen. In addition, she also follows up laboratory or other testing that has been done on patients. Being part of the team she fills in wherever she’s needed.

Alicia Pekarsky, MD

Dr. Pekarsky began working at McMahon-Ryan Child Advocacy Site when she joined the Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) team at University Hospital in 2005. She performs comprehensive medical evaluations of children that are suspected to have been abused. Dr. Pekarsky obtained her undergraduate degree from Cornell University, then moved to Syracuse to attend Upstate Medical University where she obtained her medical degree. She did her general pediatric residency training at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA and her child abuse/neglect fellowship at Upstate Medical University.