Stephen P. Haggerty, MD, FACS

Chair, PD University for Surgeons
Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Division of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of Surgery
NorthShore University Healthsystem, Evanston, IL

Dr. Haggerty is senior attending surgeon, Northshore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois and has an academic affiliation with the University of Chicago with the title of Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery. He has had special interest in laparoscopic PD catheter surgery for 20 years and has given many presentations, published several peer reviewed articles and guidelines and edited one book on the subject. He received his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, completed general surgery residency at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and is in an academic group practice involving clinical research, resident and student education and high volume minimally invasive surgery. Currently, he serves as Vice Chairman of Education for the Department of Surgery and Associate Program director for the general surgery residency. He is an active member of the American College of Surgeons, Association for Surgical Education, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, American Hernia Society, and American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons.

John H. Crabtree, MD

Consultant, ISPD’s PD University for Surgeons-Europe
International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis
Visiting Clinical Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA

Dr. Crabtree is a general surgeon. He completed his medical training and residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Campus in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Crabtree currently serves as Visiting Clinical Faculty at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. His clinical research interest focuses on issues related to peritoneal dialysis access. He pioneered modifications and enhancements to the laparoscopic placement of peritoneal dialysis catheters resulting in greatly improved catheter outcomes for peritoneal dialysis patients. Dr. Crabtree has authored numerous articles covering dialysis catheters, implantation techniques, and resolution of dialysis access complications. Currently, Dr. Crabtree is the Chairperson for PD University for Surgeons in North America, part of a global education effort sponsored by the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis. He is a consultant for ISPD-sponsored surgeon education programs in Europe.

Peter T. Kennealey, MD, FACS

Associate Professor of Surgery
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Surgical Director, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs
Director, Vascular Access Surgery Program
University of Colorado Hospital

Dr. Kennealey is the Surgical Director of the kidney and pancreas transplant programs at the University of Colorado Hospital and he is one of the busiest vascular and peritoneal dialysis access surgeons in Colorado. He obtained his undergraduate degree in mathematics at Boston College and then earned his doctoral degree at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. He completed his surgical residency at Indiana University, a surgical oncology research fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and his transplant surgery fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Kennealey is the Founder and Director of the Vascular Surgery Technique Course at the University of Colorado and he is actively involved in teaching medical students, surgical residents and transplant surgery and nephrology fellows. He is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) kidney committee and numerous subcommittees involved with enhancing equity for deceased donor kidney allocation in the United States. He is on the Scientific Studies committee of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and sits on the Medical Advisory Boards of the National Kidney Foundation, the National Kidney Registry, ESRD Network 15, and Donor Alliance.

Rockson Liu, MD, FACS

First Surgical Consultants, Oakland, CA

Dr. Liu is a minimally invasive general surgeon in private practice with First Surgical Consultants (A Division of BASS Medical Group) in Oakland, CA. He received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and medical degree from The Ohio State University. He completed general surgery residency at Virginia Mason Medical Center and an Advanced Laparoscopic Digestive Fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic, OH. Following training he joined Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek. His success with laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis insertion techniques within Kaiser made him a sought-after mentor and proctor for Kaiser Permanente surgeons in Northern CA, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. He moved to private practice in 2017 and has become the preferred PD surgeon for the 2 largest nephrology groups in the East Bay. He has been on faculty of PDU for more than 10 years. Dr. Liu is a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons.

Zoe Parr, MD, FRCSC, FACS

Clinical Assistant Professor, Urgent Care Surgery
University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), Seattle, WA

Dr. Zoe Parr is a general surgeon at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) in Seattle, WA. She completed her medical and general surgery residency training at the University of Calgary and after working for a year, completed a fellowship in Acute Care Surgery at the University of Edmonton. She subsequently moved to Seattle in 2011 to take a position at the UWMC as the lead of Urgent Care Surgery for five years. She has completed training with Dr. Crabtree and assists in training students and residents as well as her colleagues in laparoscopic PD catheter insertion and trouble-shooting techniques. She is a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) and the American Hernia Society (AHS). She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC).

Todd Penner, MD BSc FACS FRCSC

Minimally Invasive Surgery, Bariatric Surgery
University Health Network
Toronto Western Hospital
University of Toronto

Dr. Todd Penner is a minimally invasive surgeon with a broad surgical practice including bariatric surgery. He is the surgical director for the peritoneal dialysis unit of University Health Network in Toronto. He completed his general surgery residency at the University of Toronto with a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery. He is currently on faculty at University of Toronto and has a busy teaching practice including undergraduate students, residents, fellows and practicing surgeons. Todd mentors surgeons across Canada with regard to surgical techniques for peritoneal dialysis. Todd is American Board Certified with fellowships in the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Sean Armstrong, MD

Activity Director, PD University Program
Manitoba Renal Program, Seven Oaks Hospital
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

Dr. Sean Armstrong is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Nephrology at the University of Manitoba and the Medical Director for the Seven Oaks Renal Program. Dr. Armstrong, with the help of a caring and talented team, have created one of the largest home modalities programs in North America. These home dialysis programs allow patients throughout Manitoba and Nunavut to receive treatments in their homes allowing them to remain with their families and communities. As well, he is the creator and Director of the Interventional Nephrology Program for Manitoba.

Dr. Armstrong has degrees in Internal Medicine and Nephrology from the University of Manitoba, as well as a Masters in Medical Education from the University of Dundee. He is presently the Chair of the North American Peritoneal Dialysis University Program for Interventional Nephrologists and Radiologists. He has trained physicians from Canada, USA, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Dr. Armstrong has also traveled extensively teaching interventional nephrology throughout China.

During the COVID 19 Pandemic there was a rise in kidney failure requiring initiation of dialysis. Dr. Armstrong trained American and Canadian radiologists and surgeons on the insertion of catheters for peritoneal dialysis, a gentler option for renal replacement therapy compared to hemodialysis. Dr. Armstrong also created a Palliative Catheter Program to allow patients and their families to manage malignant ascites in their homes. This has resulted in increased comfort, as well as fewer uncomfortable procedures in emergency departments and medical clinics.