North Oaks Medical Center Providers Elect 2025 Medical Executive Committee

Ten area providers have been elected to serve on the North Oaks Medical Center Medical Executive Committee for 2025. They were selected by their peers to serve as liaisons between
the hospital’s medical staff, senior leadership and the North Oaks Health System Board of Commissioners.

Emergency Medicine Physician John Krieg, MD, is chief of staff. From 2021 to 2023, he served as chair of the emergency department. Before that, he was vice chair of the department from 2018 to 2020. Certified through the American Board of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Krieg also participated on the hospital’s bylaws and credentials committee in 2020. He earned his medical degree through the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in New Orleans and joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2015. Dr. Krieg completed both an internship and residency through the Louisiana State University (LSU) Emergency Medicine Program at Charity Hospital in New Orleans.

Ear, Nose and Throat Physician Jacques Peltier, MD, is chief of staff-elect. Certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, Dr. Peltier joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2007 and was honored as the health system’s Physician of the Year in 2015. He earned his medical degree through LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. He completed an internship and residency in otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) through the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Previous medical executive committee leadership roles include service as surgery department chairman from 2020 to 2021 and member-at-large from 2013 to 2014. Dr. Peltier also participated on the hospital’s professional practice evaluation committee from 2010 to 2011 and the surgery steering committee from 2008 to 2009.

Beginning two-year terms as members-at-large are Anesthesiologist Kathryn Dorhauer, MD, and Hospitalist Casey Steen, MD.

Dr. Dorhauer joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2012. She graduated from LSUHSC in New Orleans with her medical degree. Dr. Dorhauer completed her internship and residency in anesthesiology through the Tulane University School of Medicine – also in New Orleans. Dr. Dorhauer also serves as the hospital’s anesthesiology department medical director and the anesthesiology delegate to its trauma multidisciplinary committee.

Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Steen joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2018. After Dr. Steen earned his medical degree from the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, he completed his internship and residency through LSU’s internal medicine program at Ochsner University Hospital and Clinics in Lafayette. He also serves on the medical staff’s bylaws and credentials committee and the hospital’s committees for antimicrobial stewardship and performance improvement.

Family Medicine Physician Hugo A. “Rowdy” Valdes, MD, returns as family practice chairman. Dr. Valdes also continues to represent his peers as a member-at-large on North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital’s medical executive committee. Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, he is a graduate of the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Valdes completed both an internship and residency at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and joined the North Oaks medical staff in 1999.

Hematologist and Oncologist Georges Tanios, MD, returns as chairman of the medicine department. Dr. Tanios is certified by the American Board of Hematology, American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Oncology. He joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2022. Dr. Tanios earned his medical degree and completed both a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology and oncology through Lebanese University Faculty of Medical Sciences School of Medicine in Beirut. He completed a second residency in internal medicine through East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City. He also completed a second fellowship in hematology and oncology through Tulane University in New Orleans.

Jaime Edwards, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist, returns as chairman of the department of obstetrics/gynecology and pediatrics. Board certified through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Edwards earned her medical degree from the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport. She then completed both an internship and residency through the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Austin.

General Surgeon Daniel Linarello, MD, returns as chairman of the surgery department. A fellow of the American College of Surgeons and board certified through the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Linarello is the 2024 North Oaks Health System Physician of the Year and has served on the North Oaks medical staff for 22 years. His previous medical staff leadership roles include membership on the bylaws and credentials committee in 2023, the pharmacy and therapeutics committee in 2008, and the surgery steering committee in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Dr. Linarello earned his medical degree from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. He then completed both an internship and residency in general surgery through Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans.

Emergency Medicine Physician Brandon Cambre, MD, returns as emergency department chairman, having served in this capacity in 2019, 2020 and 2024. Dr. Cambre earned his medical degree from LSUHSC in Shreveport and completed an internship and residency through the LSU Emergency Medicine Program at the former Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital in Baton Rouge. Dr. Cambre is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2005. Previous leadership roles also include chief of staff in 2022, chief of staff-elect in 2021, vice chairman of the emergency department in 2017, emergency medicine steering committee member in 2009, bylaws and credentials committee vice chairman in 2014 and member in 2015 and 2016.

Nurse Anesthetist Brigette Pennington begins a two-year term as advanced practitioner appointee. She joined the North Oaks medical staff in 2023. After graduating with an associate degree in nursing from the St. Mary’s School of Nursing at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, Pennington earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. She received her doctorate in nurse anesthesia from Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana.

North Oaks Medical Center is a level II trauma center and primary stroke center with 330 beds. The hospital is located at 15790 Paul Vega, MD, Drive in Hammond. For provider referrals, visit the “Find a Provider” link at northoaks.org.