Meet Our Sickle Cell Program Team

Dr. Clay is the director of the sickle cell program in the Johns Hopkins All Children's Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute. She is an assistant professor of pediatrics in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Clay treats children, adolescents and young adults with rare blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Trained in both pediatrics and internal medicine, she plays the key role of a physician navigator in transitioning adolescents with these diseases to adult care. She has established her research in sickle cell disease where she studies the mechanistic contribution of vitamin D deficiency and its effects of disease manifestation of sickle cell disease as well as bone disease. Her primary professional objective is to translate her clinical research to the field.

Dr. Cruz Flores is a pediatric oncologist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. She joined the hospital staff in 2020. She earned her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, where she also served as chief resident. She completed a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center/Children’s Hospital New Orleans, followed by a fellowship in pediatric neuro-oncology at Johns Hopkins All Children’s.

Carrie Gann is a pediatric nurse practitioner, board-certified by Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She joined Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in June 2019. She received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Carrie has many years of pediatric hematology and oncology nursing experience from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. She is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Lori Wilson, LCSW, works with patients and families in the Sickle Cell Program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s. Her experience includes intensive preventive in-home family therapy; serving as the primary therapist in a day-treatment program; and 18 years in a pediatric hospital, working with inpatient, cardiology, neonatal intensive care unit, as a child protective consultant, and in the emergency center. She was also a private practitioner for several years. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, and has attended many conferences on neuroplasticity and trauma. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and serves on a local racial justice task force.

Dawn Gates, RN, is the sickle cell nurse coordinator. She has been working with patients and families at the hospital since 1987, and worked inpatient until 2011 when she took over the outpatient coordinator position. She is a graduate of St. Petersburg College’s College of Nursing and a Certified Pediatric Nurse. She is often the first contact for our newborn patients and follows them into young adulthood, coordinating their care and providing education.