I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where the summers feel like living in a pizza oven. At 18, I moved to Tucson, which was cooler in every possible way. There, I attended the University of Arizona for undergrad and medical school, then completed my pediatric residency training at the University of Virginia. Following residency, I spent five years in academic medicine, first at the University of Texas and then back at my alma mater, the U of A. As an academic pediatrician, I cared for young patients and taught medical students and resident physicians. I learned a lot caring for children in many different settings including the newborn and transitional nurseries, hospital pediatric wards, pediatric ICU, general pediatric clinics, a multidisciplinary clinic for children with complex conditions, and a home for medically fragile children.

In 2010 I switched gears and moved to a public health clinic for marginalized and underserved people. There, I helped create a program for medical care of LGBTQ+ youth. I’m excited to start the next chapter of my career here in North Vancouver, where I will continue to work with the LGBTQ+ community. My other special interests include medical genetics, congenital heart disease, and care of children with complex medical conditions.

I’ve been happily married for more than thirty years. My spouse and I raised our two children in Tucson Arizona, surrounded by the uniquely beautiful Sonoran Desert with its majestic saguaros (think of the cactus emoji) and breathtaking sunsets. Our kids are now “grown and flown,” one living in Chicago and the other in Amsterdam. Fortunately, we love to travel. I also enjoy bicycling, music, storytelling, live theatre, and cooking.