Bloomfield Pediatric Care

Ryan D. Forster MD

Dr. Forster is a board certified pediatrician. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Arizona and graduated medical school from Michigan State University. He has been in practice since 2012. He is on the medical staff of Royal Oak Beaumont. Prior to joining our practice, Dr. Forster lived and worked in Sulphur Springs Texas. His experience includes outpatient pediatrics, inpatient pediatrics and stabilization of high risk newborns. He is a Michigander at heart, and decided to move back home to raise his children in Michigan, close to home. He and his wife have 3 children. Professional interests for Dr. Forster are general pediatrics and is comfortable with the wide range of ages seen in pediatric care. Personally, he enjoys time with his family which includes movies, bike riding, soccer and baseball – and more to come, so always ask about the latest adventure. As a teenager, he was active in Hockey and Lacrosse, and has coaching experience in Hockey, Lacrosse and Soccer.

Val Alef, DNP, FNP-C

Val has been a nurse for over 20 years and a nurse practitioner working in primary care pediatrics for the past 15 years. She has 3 kids ages 4-10. Val enjoys working out, reading a good book, and spending time with her family. She loves her job because she gets to interact with kids, parents, and teenagers. She helps them, along with their parents, to promote health and prevent illness. Additionally, she says that the relationships she forms are the best reward.

Kathleen Kochanowicz, DNP, CPNP

Kathleen is a pediatric nurse practitioner certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Kathleen studied nursing at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana. She has been a registered nurse since 2005. She has worked in postpartum care, newborn nursery and general pediatrics in Phoenix, Arizona. Then she spent six years at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in the Emergency Department. During which time, she went back to school through The University of Arizona College of Nursing. At U of A, Kathleen was awarded her Masters Degree in Nursing with a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Specialty and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice. As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Kathleen has worked with the rural underserved in White Cloud and Baldwin, Michigan. Most recently, she comes to Bloomfield Pediatric Care after spending nearly four years at a private pediatric practice in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Kathleen loves working with children and their families, having the privilege of watching children grow and thrive, which is especially exciting when little ones greet her with a hug and address her by name for the first time!