Barbara Doherty, MSN, CRNP diagnoses and treats pediatric patients with GERD, eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease, gluten intolerance, gastrointestinal (GI) allergies, growth concerns, and gastrostomy tube feeds. She particularly enjoys caring for patients with disorders of the brain-gut axis (functional GI disease) including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, cyclic vomiting syndrome, and abdominal migraines. 

Barbie enjoys building relationships with the children she treats and their families, and empowering them through all stages of growth and development. Barbie explains, “I love children and families. The impermanence of childhood makes each day spent with a child precious. The love and dedication parents have for their children is awe inspiring. I am lucky and blessed to work hand in hand with parents, and to be a part of their child’s healing journey.”

Barbie earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Boise State University. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester abroad in the Middle East working with children, an experience that inspired her to become a nurse practitioner. She earned her master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from Idaho State University. Prior to joining St. Luke's Children's Gastroenterology, she worked as an NP in pediatric primary care.

In her free time, she enjoys yoga, baking, gardening and playing outdoors with her husband and sons.

Rachel Elledge, MSN, PNP-C is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in pediatric urology with interests in voiding dysfunction, dysfunctional voiding, neurogenic bladder, vesicoureteral reflux, and spina bifida. She manages the bowel and bladder clinic at the St. Luke’s Children’s Pavilion.

Rachel is passionate about providing evidence-based practice and ensuring that both the child and their parents feel supported and heard.

Rachel earner her master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and completed her undergraduate studies at Jacksonville University and Goldfarb School of Nursing. Prior to her work as a nurse practitioner, she has worked as a pediatric registered nurse (RN) in the ambulatory pediatric urology clinic as well as several other areas of pediatrics over the past 16 years.

In her free time, Rachel enjoys cycling, hiking, and spending time with husband and their four children.

Joan Rigg, MS, PT specializes in orthopedics and pelvic health for men, women, and children. She has training and experience in the care and management of bowel and bladder dysfunction, including constipation, incontinence, pelvic pain, pregnancy, postpartum musculoskeletal issues, and gynecological issues such as pelvic organ prolapse. 

In her free time, Joan enjoys outdoor recreation and spending time with her family.

Kara Saperston, MD is a board certified, fellowship trained pediatric urologist with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery and the management of complex congenital anomalies and pediatric cancers of the kidneys, bladder, and external genitalia. She helped start the St. Luke's Children's Bowel and Bladder Clinic and will be helping initiate a multispecialty clinic to treat children born with complex genital anatomy. Her interests include treatment of hypospadias, urogenital sinus, posterior urethral valves, vesicoureteral reflux, undescended testicles, neurogenic bladder, bladder exstrophy, repair of a urogenital sinus, and urinary incontinence.

Dr. Saperston has a passion for patient care and initially worked in Boise as a general urologist with an interest in pediatric urology. She recently extended her training by completing a fellowship in pediatric urology at the University of California, San Francisco, so that she could care for pediatric patients exclusively.

SURGICAL SPECIALTIES

• Robotic partial nephrectomy
• Robotic nephrectomy
• Robotic uretero-ureterostomy
• Robotic pyeloplasty
• Robotic ureteral reimplantation
• Ureteral reimplantation
• Deflux
• Hypospadias repair
• Vaginoplasty/clitoroplasty
• Bladder augmentation
• MACE
• Laparoscopic MACE

Cass R. Smith, MD is a pediatric gastroenterologist who sees a wide variety of pediatric patients. His areas of special interest include inflammatory bowel disease, diseases of the pancreas and liver, eosinophilic esophagitis, neurogenic bowel due to spina bifida, functional abdominal pain and constipation. He performs upper and lower endoscopy, including removal of polyps and control of bleeding, liver biopsies, removal of foreign bodies and care and maintenance of gastrostomy tubes. Dr. Smith asks for and respects input and decisions from children and their parents, supporting them in maintaining an active role in medical care.

At St. Luke's, Dr. Smith has helped lead numerous quality improvement initiatives, working to standardize pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) care. He is also committed to advancing the quality of care throughout Idaho. He travels to Idaho Falls regularly to offer clinic visits and endoscopy to patients in eastern Idaho.   

Dr. Smith completed his bachelor's degree in zoology at Brigham Young University. During medical school at the University of Nevada, Reno, he achieved special qualifications in nutrition and conducted research in natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer cell activity and antioxidants. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the combined University of Nebraska/Creighton University program and his fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.  

Benjamin Taylor, MS, NP-C is a certified family nurse practitioner who specializes in pediatric urology, with interests in vesicoureteral reflux, kidney disorders, dysfunctional voiding, and urological surgery. He assists pediatric urologists in the operating room during surgery and manages the complex circumcision clinic at St. Luke's Children's Urology.

Ben is passionate about responding to concerns directly and ensuring that both children and their parents feel heard and supported.

Ben earned his master’s degree as a nurse practitioner from Idaho State University and completed his undergraduate studies at Boise State University. Prior to his work as a nurse practitioner, he worked as a registered nurse (RN) at St. Luke's Children's Hospital.

In his free time, Ben enjoys baking, gardening, and reading (especially about baking and gardening!). He also loves cheering on his four sons as they participate in bowling, chess, basketball, and football.