Profile

Dr. Sarah Heinonen, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC


Bio

        Sarah Ann Keil Heinonen, DNP, APRN, NEC, CPNP PC/AC is a practicing double board certified, CCS Paneled, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with 20+ years of pediatric experience joining the CHLA family in 2016.  Her clinical experience ranges from PICU/CTICU and Cardiology to her current position inpatient (NPIII) Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Co-Director Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Program, PNP Faculty for HRSA Pediatric Pulmonary Centers (PPC) Grant, Chair for the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Asthma & Allergy SIG as well as CHLA Medical Board Member.
        She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), as well as a Graduate Nursing Education Certificate (NEC) and Post Master’s Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certificate (ACPNP) from Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland; her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care) education from University of Texas at Austin and completed her Bachelor of Science (Nursing) from Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York.
        She additionally is an Assistant Professor at Oregon Health Science University (OHSU), teaching Advanced Pediatric Pharmacology in the DNP/PNP program in addition to being a permanent faculty lecturer for UCLA School of Nursing as well as a Senior APP preceptor and mentor at CHLA. She is passionate about research and actively working within the clinical setting to ensure evidence is utilized in support of current practice as both a PI and co-investigator on multiple IRB studies as well as being actively involved in quality projects and scholarly activities through multiple professional organizations at the institutional, local, regional, and national levels; not only advocating for pediatric specific issues, but collaborating on educational manuscripts for publication to better serve the next generation of providers and support the ongoing improvement of clinical outcomes for the patients and families served in pediatrics.
        She volunteers her time and clinical skills toward work in the Pediatric Global Health community with active medical mission involvement spanning the globe for over 20 years.  She has a passion and commitment for Africa with active involvement in the Salima District of Malawi, since 2011.  More recently identifying needs closer to home, she began working with immigrant refugees in 2021 and more recently joined the (RHA) Refugee Health Alliance in conjunction with our CHLA advocacy group and in collaboration with UCLA providers to deliver much needed healthcare to immigrant refugee camps in Tijuana, Mexico.
        Areas of interest:  Pediatric Palliative Care, Asthma, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Congenital Heart Disease, Disparities and Inequities in Healthcare, Environmental Impact on Health, Health Policy, Professional Practice Issues, Program Development, Pediatric Global Healthcare, Immigration health as well as Clinical and Translational Research.