Dr. Kristen Woodard

Her path to medicine started at an early age. While going through boxes at her parents’ house as an adult, Dr. Woodard came across an eighth-grade yearbook in which she had written that she wanted to become a pediatrician. Looking back, she remembers her siblings dreaded going to the doctor while she loved it. Her curiosity was piqued by the tools and instruments her pediatrician used, and she always loved asking questions and investigating their answers.

She studied biochemistry at Lafayette College, where she graduated magna cum laude. While earning her Doctor of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University’s Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Woodard explored many specialties, but kept returning to pediatrics. She was drawn to the fact that the field combined preventive education with meaningful relationships and the opportunity to start early, keeping her patients healthy over time. She completed her residency in pediatrics at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.

After residency, Dr. Woodard joined a private practice in Rye Brook, New York, which later became part of Northeast Medical Group Pediatrics within the Yale New Haven Health System. She worked alongside the practice’s founding physicians who mentored her through the early years of a busy practice. “I received a very strong foundation of working in a busy private practice with some incredibly experienced pediatricians,” Dr. Woodard says. She gained experience treating both healthy and acutely ill children, as well as chronic conditions such as asthma, obesity, eating disorders, developmental delays, ADD/ADHD, and autism. Over 14 years there, her patient panel grew to more than 1,500 children, and she was recognized for achieving and maintaining the highest level of patient satisfaction scores noted.

In 2022 she made a shift to a concierge practice in Greenwich, Connecticut, where a smaller panel size allowed her more time for the kind of discussions she valued with patients and their families. “I’m focused on listening to patients and their families while asking about their concerns, their priorities, their goals,” she says. “I want patients and families to know we’re a team. I’m here to support the children, but also the parents and caregivers so we can help their child grow healthy, strong, and confidently reach their fullest potential.”

She wants her patients to know they can bring any questions to her. “With pediatrics, so much that comes up is addressed through conversations. There’s a lot of information out there in the world that families want your opinion on,” she says. “To be able to sit down with them and talk questions through without being rushed is crucial.”

Dr. Woodard especially enjoys encouraging children’s independence as they grow, gaining adolescents’ trust and eventually empowering them to manage their own care. “I love to talk with kids and hear about the little things in their lives. Maybe it’s their birthday party, maybe it’s their pet at home, maybe it’s something about their day. And then when they turn into a teenager who’s comfortable reaching out to you directly, that brings me a lot of joy,” Dr. Woodard says.

Dr. Woodard employs a preventive approach, focusing on actions and habits starting at a young age. She notes that markers like blood pressure, cholesterol, and family genetic history are tracked closely in adults but often overlooked in children, and she is intently interested in what earlier attention to this type of information, paired with anticipatory guidance, can mean for a child’s health over their lifetime. “Prevention has always been a priority for pediatricians, and there’s so much we can do before a child turns 18,” Dr. Woodard says. “At Atria, it’s amazing to be in a place that really embraces prevention so we can provide each family a complete picture of their child’s health as they grow.”

Dr. Woodard lives in Westchester with her husband and their three daughters. Weekends are largely built around her children’s sports schedules, and when the family finds free time, they like to hike the trails near their home.