Board Certified Pediatrician

Joined HPA: 2023

Residency: Baystate Children’s Hospital, Springfield MA

Medical School:  Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA

Undergrad: Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley MA

Dr. Awkal was born in New Jersey, but spent most of her childhood growing up overseas, which gave her an appreciation for the beauty of diversity and the collective human spirit. She returned to the United States for undergraduate studies at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she majored in Neuroscience and Behavior. During this
time, she became enamored with the Pioneer Valley, but moved to New York City to work in pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A few years later, she moved further south to Richmond, Virginia to attend medical school at the Medical College of Virginia. She was still fond of Western Massachusetts and was very happy to be able to
move back up north for her residency training at Baystate Children’s Hospital. She has been practicing pediatrics locally since 2011, and is grateful to now be a part of the HPA family!

Dr. Awkal feels honored to be able to contribute to the physical and emotional well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. She believes in a holistic approach to overall health that emphasizes prevention, an awareness of the mind-body connection, and the importance of the ‘village’ concept, where medical providers, caregivers and community
allies work together to empower patients toward their health and wellness goals.

Board-certified with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Awkal is credentialed at Baystate Children’s Hospital, is an adjunct staff member at Boston Children’s Hospital, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Awkal lives in the Pioneer Valley with her husband and three children. She enjoys anything multicultural, including languages, cuisine and travel. She likes to cook, explore
different beaches, watch her son play soccer and spend time at the stables with her equestrian daughters.

Dr. Awkal sees patients 3 days a week in our Holyoke office.  She speaks Spanish and Portuguese and is familiar with Arabic and Urdu.