MUSC Children's Health - Summerville

Dr. Shanika Rutledge is a board-certified pediatrician at MUSC Children's Health in Summerville. She earned her medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in 2014 and completed her pediatric residency at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital in 2017. Following her training, Dr. Rutledge practiced in Snellville, Georgia, for six years before returning to her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, to serve the community that shaped her. She is passionate about preventive medicine and mental health and values the opportunity to care for children from infancy through adolescence. Dr. Rutledge believes that building strong relationships with families is essential to providing comprehensive and compassionate care. Outside of medicine, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and two dogs, traveling, and participating in her church community.

Originally from Brazil, Maria Valente moved to Bristol, Tennessee in 1981 where she attended King College and received her degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner from East Tennessee State University in 2004. She has a special medical interest in pediatric urgent care and has experience in pediatric urology and pediatric urgent care. Mrs. Valente has three children, and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Chelsea is a board-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner proudly serving children and families in Summerville, South Carolina, and the surrounding Lowcountry. With a warm, down-to-earth approach and over a decade of experience, she is committed to providing personalized, compassionate care from a child's very first days through adolescence. Chelsea began her nursing career in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where she developed a strong foundation in caring for newborns and medically complex infants. Today, she continues to care for children of all ages in the clinic and hospital settings. She also practices as a hospitalist, seeing newborns shortly after delivery and helping new families get off to a healthy and confident start. In addition to her pediatric training, Chelsea brings years of experience as a lactation specialist, supporting breastfeeding mothers and their babies through the early, important stages of feeding and bonding. She's known for her thorough, thoughtful assessments and for taking time with families-making sure patients and parents feel heard, informed, and empowered to make the best decisions for their child. Chelsea also values the importance of connection-she strives to spend time building trusting relationships with her patients and their families, creating a sense of comfort, continuity, and shared decision-making that lasts through the years. A proud native of rural South Carolina, Chelsea now lives on her homestead just outside of Summerville. When she's not caring for patients, you'll likely find her on the water, completing DIY projects, taking care of her animals, traveling, being involved at her local church, spending time with her dogs, and enjoying good company with friends and family.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Michelle Crowe obtained her Bachelor's degree in Health Science before completing her Master's in Physician Assistant Science from Gannon University in Erie, PA. She started her career in the Emergency Department in Pittsburgh, PA before relocating to Greenville, SC where she was fortunate to practice in a pediatric office. She and her husband, and their two children live in Summerville. She enjoys hiking, the beach, and spending time with her family and friends.

Dr. Loob was raised in Colorado before moving to South Carolina in 2018. Dr. Loob completed her Bachelor's degree in Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder and then obtained her Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She received her medical degree at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado. She then moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to complete her residency in Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Dr. Loob is board-certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is especially passionate about preventive medicine, mental health, and obesity management. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Loob enjoys birding, visiting the local county parks, and going to RiverDogs games and oyster roasts.

As the son of a pediatrician, his interest in pediatrics developed at an early age. Dr. Stripling received his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). After residency, he spent an additional year at the MUSC Children's Hospital as Chief Resident of Pediatrics where he worked as both an educator and resident advocate. Dr. Stripling returned to Texas for a brief period of time and joined a full-service pediatric hospital practice. He held the position of Chief Medical Officer at Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas over a four year period. The constant lure of Charleston's intimate community, charm and landscapes brought Dr. Stripling and his family back to the Lowcountry. He joined the CPA team in 2011 as a general practice Pediatrician and has also established himself as an active principal investigator in Pediatric clinical research trials. Dr. Stripling is board certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Outside of his medical practice, Dr. Stripling enjoys spending time with his wife and son playing tennis, fishing, boating and participating in coastal conservation.

Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Lindsey Harris obtained her Bachelor's degree in Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Then, Lindsey moved to Charleston to work at The Medical University of South Carolina in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Lindsey later became a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in primary care after obtaining her Master's degree in Science in Nursing from the University of South Alabama. As a nurse practitioner, she has been practicing in private primary care. Lindsey is certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, and the Lowcountry Advanced Practice Nurses Association. She is a member of the MUSC College of Nursing adjunct faculty precepting nurse practitioner students. Lindsey her husband Daniel, and two sons, Cooper and Luke, live in Summerville. She enjoys traveling, the beach, running, and spending time with her family and friends.

A native of the Lowcountry, Richard Larson obtained his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and practiced at the bedside before completing his Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Medical University of South Carolina. Richard started his career as a nurse at Roper Saint Francis Healthcare, working in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Operating Room, and Clinical Informatics. Richard was then commissioned in the United States Air Force, where he practiced as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Scott Air Force Base Pediatric Clinic. During his time with the USAF, he served in leadership roles, including Flight Commander during the COVID-19 vaccine crisis response and as Medical Advisor to the Child Development Center. He resides in the Lowcountry with his wife, and their two children live in Moncks Corner. He enjoys the outdoors, spending time with his family, and playing the guitar.

Dr. Milliron grew up in Virginia Beach, VA, and completed her undergraduate education at James Madison University. She then attended VCU's School of Medicine and completed her residency at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, OH. She continued there as a community pediatrician and as an attending in the newborn nursery before moving to Charleston in 2012. Dr. Milliron is board certified in pediatrics, a Fellow of The American Academy of Pediatrics, and a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist. Her medical interests include newborn care, breastfeeding, and child advocacy and she has completed medical missions in Kenya and Ecuador. Dr. Milliron lives in Mount Pleasant with her husband Matt and their sons Mason, Nicholas, Blake, Caleb, their dog Zoe, and cat Louis. She enjoys time at home with her boys, traveling, and being at the beach.

Mary Kay is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with 21-plus years of experience. The majority of her career has been in the intensive care unit and in the last few years, she has enjoyed getting back to caring for healthy babies and families. She is the newly appointed Director of the Mother's Milk Bank of SC. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son, reading and going to the beach.