Yelena Kolezeva, MD

Dr. Kolezeva has practiced pediatric medicine for 22 years, but knew she wanted to be a pediatrician at age 10. Her priority is taking care of kids at every stage — as she says, “Healthy babies grow into healthy adults!”

Dr. Kolezeva grew up in Ukraine and attended medical school at Kharkiv National Medical University, before coming to Chicago for her medical residency at Ascension St. Joseph Hospital and Saint Anthony Hospital. In April and May of 2022, during the war in Ukraine, she spent two weeks in Poland and Ukraine providing medical care to refugee children.

She believes that the two most important aspects of the medical process are patient/family education and open, efficient communication. These two elements help prevent problems, which is easier than treating them. 

Dr. Kolezeva is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyle choices from a young age. She enjoys working at Kids First because it’s a well-rounded practice offering lactation, nutrition, and psychological services, all on-site. The practice focus on serving the child as part of a whole family unit is key to helping kids thrive. In particular, she points out that childhood and adolescent mental health issues can be significant, and not getting proper treatment for teen depression and anxiety might adversely affect adult life. 

Dr. Kolezeva sees beauty in every stage of life as children grow. She is excited to work with patients from the multicultural population of Skokie and surrounding areas, and especially those from former Soviet Union countries. When not at work, Dr. Kolezeva enjoys spending time with her family, reading mystery novels, traveling, and practicing yoga.