Dr. Knecht is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics specializing in Neonatology at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. After earning her medical degree from LSU Health Sciences Center in 2012, she completed her pediatric residency at Duke University in 2015. Her dedication to neonatal care led her to pursue a neonatal-perinatal fellowship at LSU Health Sciences Center, culminating in 2018.

Since joining the LSU Health Sciences Center's Department of Pediatrics in 2018, Dr. Knecht has significantly advanced the field of neonatology. She co-developed the NICU Resident Clinical Education Modules, which enhance residents' knowledge of critical neonatal topics. These modules are actively used by LSU and Tulane Pediatric residents and were updated in June 2024 to incorporate the latest advancements in neonatal care.

Dr. Knecht also led the development of the NICU Premature Infant Nutrition Protocol, a standardized approach based on evidence-based medicine designed to improve feeding practices and growth outcomes for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care units served by LSU and Tulane Neonatology.

In addition to her contributions at LSU Health Sciences Center, Dr. Knecht is a dedicated team member in several quality improvement projects. She is actively involved in the project "Improving Surgical Transitions of Care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit" at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. This initiative, part of a multi-center collaborative sponsored by the Vermont Oxford Network (VON), focuses on enhancing the transition of care from the operating room to the NICU to ensure it meets the Institute of Medicine’s standards for safety, timeliness, effectiveness, and patient-centered care.

Dr. Knecht also served as the Co-Lead Investigator for the AAP Value in Pediatrics QI Project—Learning and Implementing Guidelines for Hyperbilirubinemia Treatment (LIGHT) at Touro Infirmary. This project was part of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Value in Pediatrics (VIP) Network, which aimed to implement the 2022 clinical practice guidelines for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in a national quality improvement collaborative.

Additionally, she is a key team member in the Vermont Oxford Network Newborn Improvement Collaborative for Quality Team (NICQ) at Children’s Hospital. This project seeks to understand and improve the management of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, aligning with the broader goals of the VON to enhance neonatal care through multi-center collaboration.

Dr. Knecht’s work reflects her commitment to advancing neonatal care through education, research, and quality improvement initiatives.