Find a Top Pediatrician Near Me in Peoria, AZ – Book an Appointment Instantly

Tara Forstie is a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Acute Care with a Master's Degree in Nursing from University of Alabama at Birmingham. Tara has over 20 years of experience in pediatric emergency care. In addition to Mobile Mendy Kid’s Urgent Care, she currently works for a Pediatric Emergency Center. Tara is the mother of eight children, and grandmother to one child! She understands the challenges of trying to get sick and injured kids seen. She also enjoys her two Goldendoodles, hiking, baking, and traveling with her family.

Karem Colindres, DO comes to Grayhawk with over 10 years of experience in a combination of Pediatric Medicine, Family Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Emergency Medicine. A United States Army Veteran, she graduated from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, making the National Dean List. Dr. Colindres belongs to several professional organizations including the American Academy of Lifestyle Medicine, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics and many more, giving her a broad spectrum of expertise.

Musculoskeletal medicine is a strong component and foundation to osteopathic medicine. Dr. Colindres says that with her background in emergency medicine and my osteopathic medical training, she carries with her a strong foundation in both realms of medicine treating the patient as a whole person in body, mind, and spirit.

Additionally, Dr. Colindres is DOT certified, AZ POST certified and certified in Aesthetic Medicine, bringing a versatile skillset to her patients. Dr. Colindres is very excited to join a Top Doc practice and offer concierge medicine at Grayhawk as she feels she can use her skillset to its full capacity to care for the patients in our community, all in one setting. Her philosophy is to treat the patients with the utmost respect while practicing beyond the standard of care for the wellbeing and preventative measures in family medicine. 
In her free time, Dr. Colindres loves spending time with family traveling, and at times do some solo traveling.  As a family, she loves going on weekend getaways to nearby areas in Arizona such as Sedona, Payson and Pine or Pinetop and Flagstaff during the winter.  She really enjoys live music and the various arts.  She goes on a “Girls Trip” at least once a year and goes to museums and concerts.  She loves adventuring and seeing new places and trying out new foods and cuisines.

Rahul Bhatia, MD, MPH, FAAP,  is a board-certified physician in both pediatrics and pediatric critical care. He has been in practice for over 20 years and is proud to serve children and their families at Caring Pediatrics in Tempe, Arizona. 

Dr. Bhatia completed his residency at the University of Tennessee, followed by a fellowship in pediatric critical care from Thomas Jefferson University. He then obtained a master's degree in public health from the University of Arizona. 

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Society for Pediatric Sedation. Dr. Bhatia is also a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Quality Assurance. He also has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals and presented at national and international scientific societies.

Dr. Bhatia is affiliated with some of the best hospitals in the Valley, including Banner Health and HonorHealth . He continues to work in pediatric emergency departments and pediatric intensive care units in the Valley.

Dr. Bhatia is passionate about delivering family-centered, high-quality care. His public health and preventive medicine training help provide care that fosters disease prevention and health maintenance. He promises to treat every child and their family as a part of the Caring Pediatrics family.

Born with a life threatening condition, Dr. Centers experienced the challenges of the current healthcare system from an early age. Due to this extremely rare condition called Moebius Syndrome his family was told that he may never speak, never walk, never smile, or be able to attend school - his family sought out alternatives. Having seven surgeries by the age of seven years old, Dr. Centers desired a more compassionate, effective, and holistic way to treat patients than the current system. This began Dr. Centers lifelong quest to find better, compassionate, and more effective healing modalities for children. It resulted in Dr. Centers choice to become an osteopathic doctor, his focus on integrative and whole person medicine, and his commitment to finding the most effective, leading edge therapies . He is an internationally known pediatrician, specializing in Integrative Medicine & Pediatrics to help heal children. www.drshawn.org

Great Destinations Pediatrics care offers health care that focuses on the wellness of your child, from infancy to adolescence and the college years. At the Peoria, Arizona office, the compassionate pediatric team blends general pediatric medicine and integrative medicine to provide the very best care for your child.

Great Destinations Pediatrics offers standard, essential care like wellness checks, sports physicals, and immunizations to all of its patients. The team also uses an integrative approach that focuses on encouraging good sleep habits, proper nutrition, exercise, less screen time, and more outdoor activities. The doctors may recommend supplements and vitamins, when appropriate, and educate their patients on the latest safety and mental health recommendations.

A healthy child or teenager is defined by a healthy body, mind, and spirit. At well-child checks and sick visits, the team emphasizes ways to build wellness into your child’s daily life. They also offer treatments that help your child’s body heal naturally, relying not only on medication or other traditional treatments.

Families who visit Great Destinations Pediatrics enter into a partnership between the providers, the patient, and the parents to promote health, development, and wellness. Call Great Destinations Pediatrics today or use the online tool to schedule your child’s appointment.

Karen Prentice, DO, FAAP, has been working as a general pediatrician in private practice since 1997. Dr. Prentice was one of the original doctors who started Great Destinations Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona, in 1999. Dr. Prentice finds joy listening to kids and teens and getting to know them as well as their families. She loves being a pediatrician and feels blessed to be a part of so many family’s lives. 

Dr. Prentice attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry. She attended the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California, graduating as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in 1996. She completed her pediatric internship and residency program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1997. She is a board-certified pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Prentice is a wife and mother. She enjoys spending time with her family, running marathons, biking, experimenting with her organic vegetable garden, and writing. Her first book, called “An Apple a Day the Doctor’s Way: Dr. Karen’s Nutritional Guide and Cookbook,” was published in 2015. She says her passion is helping families achieve wellness through healthy eating, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices.

Kristin Shepherd, MD, FAAP, joined the team at Great Destinations Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona, in 2002 and now runs the office along with Dr. Prentice. 

Dr. Shepherd graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and minors in chemistry and Spanish in 1995. She moved on to Northwestern University Medical School in Evanston, Illinois, where she graduated in 1999 with her medical degree. Dr. Shepherd completed her internship and residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2002. She is a board-certified pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Shepherd met and married her husband after moving to Arizona in 1999. Through the marriage, she acquired four stepsons, and as she likes to joke, it was “five for the price of one.” They went on to have three children – two boys and a girl. Dr. Shepherd loves children so much that she adopted another son and even hosted a foreign exchange student for a year bringing the grand total of kids in her home up to 9!

In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and traveling to scenic places. Running is another activity she enjoys, as she ran in the Chicago Marathon when she was in medical school and enjoys running half marathons with Dr. Prentice. She loves being a part of the community that she practices in and giving back to the community. One of her favorite things to do is enjoying events and walkathons with her children and the Great Destination Pediatric “family” of employees. The staff enjoys supporting various walks and runs such as the Make-A-Wish Walk, Congenital Heart Disease Walk, the Billie’s Place Hike. Dr. Shepherd is often seen at various football and basketball games, and chances are with as many kids as she has, your kids might be on her kids’ team!

Dr. Shepherd says she is blessed with a crazy family life and a job she loves. Some have even heard her say that she gets a break when she comes to work, but don’t tell her husband that!

Ashley Hineman, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician at Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona. Dr. Hineman has been practicing pediatric medicine and serving patients in the northwest valley since 2005. Her areas of special interest include newborn care, nutrition, allergies, and asthma. She is also an advocate for adolescent health and obesity prevention.

Dr. Hineman was born in Alabama. She attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and graduated with honors in 1997. While there, she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. In 2002, she graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2005 and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Hineman is also a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Dr. Hineman is honored to be awarded the "2020 Most Compassionate Doctor Award" and the "2020 Patients' Choice Award" by her patients. She has been honored with the Patients' Choice award for the past several years.

Her husband, Tim, is an electrical engineer, and they have two daughters, Isabella and Liliana.  When she’s not working, Dr. Hineman enjoys golfing, swimming, Italian cooking, and vacationing at the beach. She is also an active member of CCV (Christ's Church of the Valley).

Deborah Hunter, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician at Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona.  Dr Hunter has been practicing pediatric medicine in Arizona since 2005.  Dr Hunter was born in New York, and was raised near Salt Lake City, Utah.  She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from North Carolina State University.  She attended medical school at the University of Utah, School of Medicine.  She completed a pediatric residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Dr Hunter is committed to providing compassionate care to children and their families.  She joined Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in the spring of 2023.  When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Court and their six children ranging in age from four to over twenty.  She loves traveling, reading and baking and regularly volunteers in her Glendale community and is active in her leadership callings in her church.

Dr. Bansal completed high school in New Delhi, India. She then completed medical school at SSR Medical college in Mauritius in 2006. After relocating to the United States, she completed her residency, and chief residency, at the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago, Illinois. Soon after, she completed one year of pediatric endocrine fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. As a mother of two children, Dr. Bansal uniquely understands the importance of having a thorough and compassionate pediatrician at the ready. Most recently, Dr. Bansal was awarded as a Top Pediatrician in Glendale, AZ for 2021 by Women in Medicine.

Dr. Bansal enjoys ballroom dancing with her husband as a hobby. She is a trained Indian classical dancer and currently learning ballroom dance with her husband who is a cardiologist by profession. She likes to venture out and try different multicuisine restaurants as well.

Deborah Hunter, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician at Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona.  Dr Hunter has been practicing pediatric medicine in Arizona since 2005.  Dr Hunter was born in New York, and was raised near Salt Lake City, Utah.  She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from North Carolina State University.  She attended medical school at the University of Utah, School of Medicine.  She completed a pediatric residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Dr Hunter is committed to providing compassionate care to children and their families.  She joined Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in the spring of 2023.  When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Court and their six children ranging in age from four to over twenty.  She loves traveling, reading and baking and regularly volunteers in her Glendale community and is active in her leadership callings in her church.

Ashley Hineman, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician at Valley of the Sun Pediatrics in Peoria, Arizona. Dr. Hineman has been practicing pediatric medicine and serving patients in the northwest valley since 2005. Her areas of special interest include newborn care, nutrition, allergies, and asthma. She is also an advocate for adolescent health and obesity prevention.

Dr. Hineman was born in Alabama. She attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and graduated with honors in 1997. While there, she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. In 2002, she graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2005 and is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Hineman is also a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Dr. Hineman is honored to be awarded the "2020 Most Compassionate Doctor Award" and the "2020 Patients' Choice Award" by her patients. She has been honored with the Patients' Choice award for the past several years.

Her husband, Tim, is an electrical engineer, and they have two daughters, Isabella and Liliana.  When she’s not working, Dr. Hineman enjoys golfing, swimming, Italian cooking, and vacationing at the beach. She is also an active member of CCV (Christ's Church of the Valley).

Replacing missing hormones and restoring natural rhythms is very rewarding. My education is a Medical Degree from University of Texas Heath Science Center, Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Good Sam Regional Medical Center and Phoenix Children's. Fellowship in Endocrinology at Phoenix Children's Hospital. I belong to the Endocrine Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, American Diabetes Association, and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.