In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), the ISA honors our physicians who have made outstanding contributions to the field of anesthesiology.
Jennifer Garcia Wojtczak, MD
Dr. Jennifer Garcia Wojtczak is a Cuban-American, Board-certified Attending Anesthesiologist with Midwest Anesthesia Partners. She primarily works out of Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, IL and its associated facilities.
Dr. Garcia Wojtczak received her Doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed her residency at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Anesthesiology and Pain Management. She is currently the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management at Northwest Community Hospital. She has a special interest in regional anesthesia and multi-modal anesthesia, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways, the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH), standardizing and implementing protocols for the preoperative evaluation of surgical patients, and quality improvement. Dr. Garcia Wojtczak lives in the Northwest suburbs with her husband, 2 children and 2 dogs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and traveling. She also has an interest in fitness and dancing.
Feyce M. Peralta, MD, MS, FASA
Feyce M. Peralta, MD, MS, FASA is a board-certified anesthesiologist with subspecialty training in obstetric anesthesiology. She completed medical school in her native country Dominican Republic, Anesthesiology residency at The Ohio State University, and a fellowship in Obstetric Anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she has served as Program Director for the Obstetric Anesthesiology fellowship since 2015.
There are two distinct qualities that define her career in medicine: commitment to excellence in clinical care and her deep understanding of the incredible responsibility bestowed upon her as a clinician educator. Her areas of interest include global health, faculty development, mentorship/sponsorship, and diversity & inclusion. As an Associate Professor, Dr. Peralta now serves as Director of Faculty Development and Chair for the Appointments, Promotion and Tenure Committee for the Department of Anesthesiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Peralta is also an active member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology where she serves in various committees.
Paola Pesantes, MD
Dr. Paola Pesantes was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. The daughter of immigrant parents from Ecuador, South America, she is first-generation born in the U.S and first in her family to attend college. As a little girl, growing up in Logan Square, she dreamed of becoming a doctor in order to help people. Working fulltime while attending college, she was led to St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital where she worked for physicians who would encourage her to move forward with her dreams.
With that goal in mind, she attended Chicago Medical School while also being a mother of 2 small girls. During medical school she found her passion for Anesthesiology and attended residency at the University of North Carolina. There she immersed herself in the southern culture all while raising her two daughters with the help of her mother.
After graduating from residency, Dr. Pesantes returned to Illinois to work for a private group in Rockford,Illinois. There she would continue to grow into her leadership positions as OB Director of Anesthesia and recently elected to VP of the Anesthesia Department. Her passion for her role as team leader within the care team model along with serving her Rockford community has solidified her love for the field.
Paloma Toledo, MD, MPH
Paloma Toledo, MD, MPH, is an obstetric anesthesiologist at Northwestern University in Chicago. Her research has focused on improving the quality and safety of care for women delivering infants in the United States and reducing peripartum racial/ethnic disparities.
Dr. Toledo is the past chair of the FAER Board of Directors, was the ASA liaison to the ACOG Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Healthcare, and her research has been funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. She is currently one of the clinical leads for the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative’s Birth Equity Initiative.