Dr. Alexa Craig Named Chair, Dr. Brian Kalish Appointed Co-Chair
Hope for HIE is proud to announce exciting updates to our Medical Advisory Board (MAB) leadership and renewed strategic goals to support the organization’s growing impact in research, education, advocacy, and clinical engagement. Dr. Alexa Craig has been appointed as Chair of the Medical Advisory Board, and Dr. Brian Kalish will serve as Vice Chair for two year terms effective June 1, 2025.
Both leaders bring a deep commitment to advancing care and outcomes for infants, children and families affected by hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), as well as decades of combined experience in clinical care and research.
Dr. Alexa Craig, MD, MS, FAAN – Chair
Dr. Alexa Craig is a neonatal neurologist and physician-scientist at Maine Medical Center and an Associate Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. She is a nationally recognized leader in neonatal neurocritical care, with specific expertise in HIE, therapeutic hypothermia, neonatal seizures, and remote EEG interpretation. Dr. Craig’s work focuses on improving access to high-quality neurologic care for newborns in rural and underserved settings, as well as truama-informed care and family-centered practices.
She has been a long-time advocate for equity in neonatal care delivery, and is a driving force behind improving rates of holding during therapeutic hypothermia to decrease the impact of trauma, and improve parental/baby bonding. She has recently been recognized as a 2025 Fellow with the Child Neurology Society, and she serves in several roles within the Newborn Brain Society. Her collaboration with Hope for HIE has helped guide the organization’s clinical education and research alignment over the past several years.
Dr. Brian Kalish, MD, PhD – Co-Chair
Dr. Brian Kalish is a neonatologist and physician-scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. With dual training in neonatology and neuroscience, Dr. Kalish leads a translational research program focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of brain injury and repair following perinatal hypoxia-ischemia in his lab.
His creative thinking about HIE and brain repair is leading to novel clinical trials for HIE in remote-ischemic conditioning and exploring metformin as a potential repair agent. Dr. Kalish is a champion for integrating family voice into research, is highly involved and passionate about driving forward therapeutic development, active in several key clinical trials in the pipeline.
Hope for HIE’s Medical Advisory Board is composed of multidisciplinary experts who are leaders in HIE-related care and research. The MAB plays a critical role in advising on educational content, shaping research engagement, reviewing clinical communication strategies, and fostering partnerships between families and clinical teams. As Hope for HIE expands its support and advocacy infrastructure globally, the MAB also helps guide evidence-based programming and contributes to national and international thought leadership.
Under Dr. Craig and Dr. Kalish’s leadership, the Medical Advisory Board will focus on:
We are deeply grateful to all our Medical Advisory Board members for their continued partnership in our mission to improve the lives of children and families facing HIE. With Dr. Craig and Dr. Kalish at the helm, we are confident this next chapter will bring even more meaningful collaboration and progress.
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