Miami – Miami Children’s Hospital announces the newly elected Medical Executive Committee for 2014-2016. This 18-member committee serves as the governing body for the hospital’s 725-member medical staff.

Dr. Marcos A. Mestre, hospitalist at Miami Children’s Hospital (MCH), has been elected to serve as President of the Medical Staff and Chair of the Medical Executive Committee. Dr. Mestre previously served as Geographic staff representative on the committee. Before joining MCH in 2005, Dr. Mestre worked as a pediatric hospitalist at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received his medical degree from the University of Florida.



Dr. Khatib, Neuro-oncologist, and Dr. Gonzalez-Mendoza, pediatric endocrinologist, are the newest members of the medical executive committee and will serve as Geographic Physician representatives. 

Dr. Ziad A. Khatib is currently the Director of Neuro-oncology at Miami Children’s Hospital and participates in conducting research studies involving children with brain tumors and testing new approaches for cancer treatment.  He received his medical degree from American University of Beirut, Lebanon.  




Dr. Luis Gonzalez-Mendoza is currently the Director of the Division of Endocrinology and has been on staff at Miami Children’s Hospital since 1986. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and a Diplomate of the Sub-Board in Pediatric Endocrinology. Dr. Gonzalez-Mendoza received his medical degree from the University Autonoma of Guadalajara.




In addition, the following physicians have been re-elected and will serve three-year terms on the physician committee:


Dr. Marcelo Laufer, infectious disease specialist, was reelected as Vice President 


Dr. Alex Koetzle was reelected as Community Physician representative

About Miami Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine. In fact, it is the only hospital in Florida to be ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties assessed by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Children's Hospitals rankings for three consecutive years, 2011, 2012 and 2013-14. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession’s most prestigious institutional honor.