TEBRA - Key Persons
Alicia R. Walls, M.D., is a board-certified pediatrician specializing in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and child development. She treats patients at THINK Neurology for Kids in Sugar Land, Texas.
Dr. Walls majored in biology and psychology with a chemistry minor for her undergraduate studies at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, earning a Bachelor of Science. After graduating in 2006, she enrolled at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston to complete her medical degree.
Dr. Walls undertook her residency in pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital from 2010-2013. She served as chief resident of the pediatric residency program for a further year and was awarded the Marnie Rose Award for being the most compassionate and dedicated resident.
Dr. Walls worked as a primary care pediatrician with Town Center Pediatrics for eight years before joining THINK Neurology for Kids. She holds certification from the American Board of Pediatrics.
Dr. Walls loves spending time with her husband and two sons, both very active baseball players. If she's not in the office, she can most likely be found at the ballpark. She also has a passion for traveling and has volunteered overseas, including in Africa and Sri Lanka. Dr. Walls enjoys scuba diving, running, and playing with her silly dog, Cocoa.
Job Titles:
- Family & Pediatric Development
Barbara Kiersz-Mueller, D.O., is a board-certified family physician who has specialized expertise in headaches, ADHD, sports injuries and child development. Dr. Kiersz Mueller treats patients at the Austin branch of THINK Neurology for Kids in Texas.
Dr Kiersz-Mueller was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and moved to Florida with her parents and siblings at the age of 15. Dr. Kiersz-Mueller majored in chemical biology for her undergraduate studies at Stevens Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science. After graduating in 2010, she enrolled at the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine to complete her medical degree.
Dr. Kiersz-Mueller undertook her internship in family and osteopathic medicine at the Medical College of Georgia from 2014-2015, and completed her residency in family and community medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences San Antonio from 2015-2017, where she served as chief resident during her senior year. She joined THINK Neurology for Kids in 2020. Dr. Kiersz-Mueller holds certification from the American Board of Family Medicine.
When she is not devoting her time to young patients, Dr. Kiersz-Mueller takes great pleasure in spending time with her husband and hiking and paddle-boarding with their Dachshund. In December, 2019, Dr Kiersz Mueller became a CrossFit Level 1 trainer, which she hopes to someday integrate with her practice in order to promote self-confidence and strength in her patients.
Job Titles:
- Pediatric Development
- Pediatrician Located in Katy and the Woodlands, TX
Cristina R. Marchesano, M.D., is a board-certified pediatrician who has specialized expertise in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and child development. Dr. Marchesano diagnoses and treats patients at THINK Neurology for Kids, which has branches in The Woodlands, Katy, Sugar Land, and Austin, Texas.
Dr. Marchesano majored in biology and biochemistry, and molecular biology for her undergraduate studies at Houston Baptist University, earning a Bachelor of Science. After graduating in 2005, she enrolled at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston to complete her medical degree and was awarded the Annual Award for Excellence in Pediatrics in 2009.
Dr. Marchesano undertook her residency in pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital from 2009-2012 and served as chief resident of the pediatric residency program for a further year. She then joined THINK Neurology for Kids. Dr. Marchesano holds certification from the American Board of Pediatrics.
When she's not devoting her time to young patients, Dr. Marchesano takes great pleasure in spending time with her husband and their two sons.
Lauren D. Weaver, M.D. is a board-certified child neurologist at THINK Neurology for Kids in Katy, Texas. With additional training in epilepsy, Dr. Weaver specializes in interpreting EEGs (brain wave studies) in children with known or suspected seizures and collaborates with the other providers at THINK Neurology for Kids to manage and treat childhood epilepsy.
Dr. Weaver completed medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, followed by a combined residency training in pediatrics and child neurology at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She later moved up to New York City for a fellowship in pediatric epilepsy at Columbia University. She has research experience in the study of malformations of cortical development and genetic epilepsies.
Originally from Austin, Texas, Dr. Weaver currently resides in Houston, Texas, with her husband and son. Prior to joining the THINK Neurology for Kids team in 2019, she was an assistant professor of neurology in the Departments of Child Neurology and Pediatric Epilepsy at Columbia University. While there, she treated patients in both the hospital and clinic settings, with additional responsibilities devoted to resident and medical student education.
"Lorena Herbert, M.D. is a thoughtful and caring board-certified pediatric neurologist who takes care of young patients at THINK Neurology for Kids in Sugar Land, Texas.
Dr. Herbert was born and raised in Brazil and moved to Texas with her parents and younger brother when she was a teenager. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree at UT Austin and majored in human biology. After graduating, she enrolled at the McGovern Medical School in Houston (previously known as the University of Texas Medical School of Houston) to complete her medical degree.
Following graduation, Dr. Herbert completed a two-year residency in pediatrics and a combined three years of residency in adult and child neurology at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, and gained research experience in functional neurological disorders.
When not taking care of her patients, Dr. Herbert loves spending her time with her loving husband and dog."
Job Titles:
- Board - Certified Neurologist
- Neurologist Located in the Woodlands, Austin, Katy, & Sugar Land, TX
Board-certified neurologist Shaun S. Varghese, M.D., specializes in child neurology, providing exceptional services for children, teens, and young adults at THINK Neurology for Kids, which he founded in 2014. The practice has branches in The Woodlands, Katy, Sugar Land, and Austin, Texas.
A native of Dallas, Dr. Varghese grew up with an interest in science and sports. He studied at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration in 2004 while completing his pre-med courses. He was awarded the Bryant Boutwell, Dr. P.H., and John P. McGovern, M.D., Scholarship in 2004, and received nominations for the 2006 Research Forum and C. Frank Webber Prize, and the 2008 Neuroscience Research Center Distinguished Medical Student Award. Dr. Varghese obtained his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 2009.
Following graduation, Dr. Varghese completed a two-year residency in pediatrics and a combined three years of residency in adult and child neurology at the University of Texas Medical School, which is the largest medical center in the world. He served as chief resident in the Department of Child Neurology from 2013-2014, before starting his private practice, THINK Neurology for Kids.
Dr. Varghese also provides services at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands, where he delivers consultant services for the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) and pediatrics unit. He has a particular interest in sports neurology, concussion, migraines, neonatal neurology, and epilepsy.
Dr. Varghese spends most of his leisure time with his wife and their two sons, and their extended family. He also enjoys traveling and attending sporting events when he has time in his busy schedule.
Sundeep Mandava, MD, is a board-certified child neurologist with additional fellowship training in epilepsy. He diagnoses and treats patients at THINK Neurology for Kids, which has branches in The Woodlands, Katy, Sugar Land, and Austin, Texas.
Dr. Mandava was born in Dallas and grew up in the greater Houston area. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in bioengineering from Rice University in 2012. After graduating, he completed medical school training at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas.
Dr. Mandava completed his five-year child neurology residency at Saint Louis University in 2021, followed by a one-year epilepsy fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in 2022. During this time, he participated in research in genetic testing in epilepsy.
Outside of work, Dr. Mandava and his wife enjoy traveling, exploring the outdoors, and attempting to discover all the great food that Houston has to offer.
Job Titles:
- Physician Assistant Certified