CLINICAL ETHICS
Ian D. Wolfe, PhD, MA, RN, HEC-C, Senior Clinical Ethicist
Dr. Ian D. Wolfe earned his PhD in Nursing with a focus in bioethics, and his MA in Bioethics with a minor in Public Health and focus on health equity, from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Wolfe has a clinical background in burn, trauma and pediatric critical care nursing. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric bioethics at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Dr. Wolfe has authored a broad range of journal articles that support his main interest which is how social, political and cultural systems issues affect clinical ethics and care at the bedside.
Dr. Wolfe is the current chair of the Pediatric Ethics Affinity Group at the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities and a member of the ethics advisory board for the American Nurses Association Center for Ethics and Human Rights. He has chaired and participated in other volunteer activities with state and national nursing and medical organizations such as the American Association of Critical-care Nurses, and Society for Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Wolfe’s current areas of research focus on preventative and integrated ethics, parent-clinician interactions, and the relationship of hospitals to the community.
Ethics committee leadership
Elisabeth Groutwells, MSW, LICSW, Ethics Committee Chair
Elisabeth (she/her) attended graduate school at University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine University where she obtained her Masters in Social Work. Her areas of interest include: perinatal/maternal mental health, infant/early childhood mental health, grief/loss, ethics, child development, trauma, and attachment. She specializes in providing support and guidance to families with children in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on the St. Paul campus. Elisabeth also provides clinical supervision and regularly hosts MSW student interns to foster a learning environment. Elisabeth has served on the ethics committee since 2015, serving on the consultation subcommittee. Outside of work, Elisabeth enjoys hiking, enjoying the outdoors, reading, and spending time with her family, including her husband, young daughter and two miniature schnauzers.
Shika Kalevor, MBE, BSN, RN, Clinical Ethicist
Shika Kalevor, MBE, BSN, RN, earned her Master of Bioethics degree from Harvard Medical School and BSN with a Spanish minor from Seattle University. Shika has a clinical background in NICU nursing. During her time as a bedside nurse, she also spent time on an Ethics Committee, served as a Bioethics Liaison for her unit, and a facilitator for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training for staff. She pursued further bioethics training through a fellowship in pediatric bioethics at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. She is interested in exploring the intersection of bioethics and health equity with a focus on racial bias in medicine. She has authored journal articles about everyday ethics, equity, and ethics consultations within fetal health centers.
Shika is a member of Expert Panel of the 2025 revision of the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements. She is the Harvard Black Alumni Society National Board Communications Chair and serves on the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics Admissions Committee. Shika’s interests outside of work include solo travel, reading literature, and spending time with family. She also enjoys musical theater and used to play the bassoon. She loves swimming, soccer, and dance aerobics with her friends.
Hamdi Sahal, Administrative Assistant Sr.
Hamdi Sahal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a minor in Healthcare Management from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She has been a dedicated member of our organization since 2017. She is currently serving as the sr. admin. She coordinates the Ethics department and manages the Ethics Committee. In her role, Hamdi provides essential logistical and administrative support for clinical, educational, and research activities within the department. Hamdi also serves as managing editor of Children’s Minnesota’s Journal of Pediatric Ethics. In addition, she is the chair for the Muslim Employee Resource Group (MERG).
Her professional interests encompass improving access and illuminating barriers, connecting patients/family and healthcare professionals in situations with cultural nuances, bioethics, complex decision-making, religious aspects of medical ethics, end-of-life care, health equity, diversity, and inclusion. Outside of work, Hamdi enjoys quality time with her family, long walks, reading, and actively engages in volunteering and community advocacy.
Ethics committee members
Mohamed Abdi, Chaplain
Spiritual Care, Children’s Minnesota
Tessa Billman
Patient-family centered care coordinator, Children’s Minnesota
Kris Catrine, MD
Pain and palliative care, Children’s Minnesota
Greg Coon
Community member
Rev. Abby Davis, M.Div.
Chaplain, spiritual care, Children’s Minnesota
Anna Erickson, RN
NICU, Children’s Minnesota
Bryan Fate, MD, MPH
Primary care, Children’s Minnesota
Kendra Gram, MD
Children’s Heart Clinic, Minneapolis
Elisabeth Groutwells, MSW, LICSW
Ethics committee chair and clinical social worker, Children’s Minnesota
Sally Hagen, RN
Cardiovascular Care Center, Children’s Minnesota
Nikki Helland, MSW, LICSW
Clinical social worker, Children’s Minnesota
Theresa Huntley, MSW, LICSW
Social worker, Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children’s Minnesota
Stacey Jenkins
Parent, community advocate
Beth Johnson, PNP
Transplant department, Cardiac Care Center, Children’s Minnesota
Shika Kalevor
Clinical ethicist, Children’s Minnesota
Heidi Kamrath, MD
Neonatologist, Children’s Minnesota
Stevie Lien, MSW, LICSW
Social worker, Children’s Minnesota
Lynn Liberman, Rabbi
Community chaplain, Jewish Family Services of St. Paul
Siman Nuurali
Case management, Children’s Minnesota
Andrew Redmann, MD
ENT, Children’s Minnesota
Hamdi Sahal
Senior admin, clinical ethics, Children’s Minnesota
Adam Sterman, MD
Pain and palliative care, Children’s Minnesota
Alice Swanson, MD
Child abuse pediatrician, Children’s Minnesota
Samreen Vora, MD
Medical director of simulation, Children’s Minnesota
Ian Wolfe PhD
Ethicist, Children’s Minnesota