I have long said that I was a kindergarten teacher wannabe who became a pediatrician. Now, in many ways, I get to have my cake and eat it too -- as a pediatrician, owner of an educational child care center, and parenting book author who is involved in everything from nonprofit early literacy initiatives and corporate consulting to child passenger safety and teaching kids (and their parents) healthy eating habits. While my personal and professional interests may seem a bit eclectic, they all come together nicely under the basic premise that I love children, like to help people, and truly believe that no matter how big or small, we all stand to make a difference in the world!

Interests:
Kids, travel, tennis, books and early literacy, photography, cooking, gardening, art.

Activities:
Playing "Settlers of Catan" with my kids, painting dot designs on egg shells, stair climbing.

Favorite books:

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
• The Tipping Point
• What Is the What
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Favorite movies:

• I Am Sam
• Schindler’s List

Favorite TV shows:

• Grey’s Anatomy
• The Biggest Loser

Favorite quotes:
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” --Gandhi

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.” --Author unknown

“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” --Robert Fulghum

professional background

Dr. Laura Jana is a pediatrician and co-author of the parenting books Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed With Insight, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup, published by The American Academy of Pediatrics.

Degrees:
M.D., Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
B.S., University of Michigan, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College Honor Program

Associations:

• Franchisee-owner -- Primrose School of Legacy, Omaha, NE
• Medical Advisory Board Head, Disney Internet Group
• Pampers Lifestyle Contributor
• Section Editor, Contributing Columnist, Contemporary Pediatrics
• Co-Founder, The Dr. Spock Company, Menlo Park, CA
• Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Editorial Board, American Academy of Pediatrics' Healthy Children magazine and Birth to Five book
• Member AAP Sections on Media, Community Pediatrics, Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics, and Complimentary & Alternative Medicine
• AAP State Child Care Representative, Nebraska Chapter
• Member, AAP National Executive Committee, Early Education & Child Care and National Association of Medical Communicators

Awards:

• Mom's Choice Award, Family and Parenting Category, 2008
• Benjamin Franklin Award, Publishers Marketing Association, 2006
• Book of the Year Award, ForeWord Magazine, 2005
• Midwest Book Award, Midwest Independent Publishers Association, 2005
• Women in Medicine Award recipient, 1994

Appearances:

• Featured on ABC News NOW
• The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet, Fox News local affiliate
• NBC local affiliate

Publications:

• Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed With Insight, Humor and a Bottle of Ketchup, Jana, MD, FAAP and Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
• Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality, Jana, L. & Shu, J. AAP, 2005
• Child Care, Chap. 27, Developmental Pediatrics 2nd Ed., Zuckerman et al, 2005
• Chapter in The Experts' Guide to the Baby Years, Ettus, 2005
• Contemporary Pediatrics, Bookshelf Department and Update columns, 2002-present
• Over 100 articles authored for the Dr. Spock Company website, 1999-2001