Denver, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) and Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado) are pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Baumer, MD, MEd, as the new Director of the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome (Sie Center) at Children's Colorado, the largest pediatric medical care center for patients with Down syndrome in the United States. The Sie Center, an Affiliate of GLOBAL, provides specialty Down syndrome care to over 2,500 patients from 32 states, Puerto Rico, and 11 countries. Dr. Baumer will also serve as an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
“The future of the Sie Center is bright and we are excited to expand our world-class research and knowledge, providing even better care to our patients and their families,” says Jena Hausmann, president and CEO of Children’s Colorado. “Through collaboration and research, we hope to transform medical and therapeutic intervention for children with Down syndrome, and lead the way for a promising path ahead.”
At the Sie Center, Dr. Baumer is responsible for managing and growing a multi-disciplinary team including Dr. Karen Kelminson, recently promoted to Medical Director overseeing clinical care, Patricia C. Winders, Director of Therapies, and Dee Daniels, RN, MSN, CPNP, Program Director. Dr. Baumer is also responsible for establishing the Sie Center as a national and international leader in clinical research.
“Dr. Baumer is exactly what the Sie Center needs during this Down syndrome research renaissance driven by GLOBAL’s government advocacy,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, president & CEO of GLOBAL. “We were so fortunate and grateful to have had the brilliant Down syndrome expert Dr. Francis Hickey for over a decade growing our affiliate into the largest pediatric Down syndrome center in the U.S. Now Dr. Baumer can build upon that and realize her dream and our goal of elongating life and significantly improving health outcomes.”
“I am thrilled to join the incredible team at Children’s Hospital Colorado,” says Dr. Nicole Baumer. “My vision is to develop a world class clinical and research center for Down syndrome at Children’s Hospital Colorado. As Director of the Sie Center, my focus will be on expanding clinical care, advancing clinical research, and integrating clinical, research, and advocacy efforts. It is such an honor to work with and have the support of GLOBAL, the Crnic Institute and our other affiliates.”
As a nationally recognized physician-scientist, Dr. Baumer specializes in the treatment of individuals with Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, and other neurobehavioral disorders. Her research includes the characterization and diagnosis of neurodevelopmental profiles in Down syndrome, and investigation of educational, behavioral, and medical interventions in neurodevelopmental disorders. She currently holds several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) INCLUDE Project, including one investigating early developmental and medical profiles in Down syndrome, and one investigating mobility interventions for infants with Down syndrome.
"We are delighted to have Dr. Baumer in Colorado. She provides a wealth of clinical experience, strong research qualifications, and superb connectivity with the Down syndrome community” says Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, executive director of the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. “We look forward to many collaborations to advance biomedical research in service of people with Down syndrome.”
Prior to joining the Sie Center, Dr. Baumer most recently served as a child neurologist and neurodevelopmental disabilities specialist at Boston Children's Hospital and as an Assistant Professor in neurology at Harvard Medical School. At Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Baumer directed and significantly grew their multidisciplinary clinical and research Down Syndrome Program.
“We are grateful to the shared commitment of the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation and GLOBAL to improve the lives of people who have Down syndrome,” says Jennifer Darling, president and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation. “Their partnership and dedication enabled Children’s Colorado to recruit a top leader in the field of Down syndrome who will ensure exceptional care and support for patients and their families.” Dr. Baumer's appointment as the Director of the Sie Center strengthens the joint mission and collaborative network between GLOBAL Affiliates - GLOBAL, the Sie Center, the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus. A multi-year gift of $4.6 million from GLOBAL and the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation will support Dr. Baumer’s vision to provide exceptional care to the Sie Center’s patients with Down syndrome while leading research that will translate into measurably improved health outcomes for a larger and more diverse Down syndrome patient population. This brings total support for the Sie Center to over $10 million, underscoring GLOBAL's commitment to advancing Down syndrome research and care.
Dr. Baumer has more than 15 years of health care leadership experience. She currently serves as president of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group-USA (DSMIG-USA), Vice President of the board of the National Down Syndrome Congress, member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of GLOBAL, and she represents DSMIG on the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Down Syndrome Consortium. Dr. Baumer has a sister with Down syndrome and brings a wealth of lifelong personal experience to her leadership role at the Sie Center.
Dr. Baumer earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School, completed her pediatrics training at Massachusetts General Hospital, and then training in neurodevelopmental disabilities at Boston Children’s Hospital. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education and was a fellow in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders program at Boston Children’s Hospital.
To learn more about Global Down Syndrome Foundation, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org
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About Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,500 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World TM. GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media Facebook, X and Instagram.
About Children’s Hospital Colorado
Children’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading and most expansive nonprofit pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including an academic medical center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, hospitals in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield, and outreach clinics across the region. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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