"I use what I know about medicine to meet people where they are. Patients inspire me, I am honored to be included in their lives."
Family Medicine
Patients age 5 and over
I am the first PA to serve on our medical group's board of directors. Working here over several years has offered incredibly rewarding relationships. Patients inspire me, make me laugh, and I am honored to be included in their lives. I use what I know around disease management and preventive medicine to meet people where they are. Everyone knows that smoking is bad for them, but still continue smoking. Instead telling them to quit, I ask: What do you like about it? I think this approach allows providers to be more helpful in the long run. I am interested in women's health, LGBTQ care, including hormone therapy for gender health and HIV PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) consultations.
I grew up in Massachusetts. Four days after graduating Physician Assistant school, I flew to Seattle on a one-way ticket and it's been my home since 2006. In the past four-to-five years, however, my brother and sister have also moved to Seattle to join my spouse and I. I studied chemistry in high school and my plan was to pursue a career as a chemical engineer, but my Girl Scout leader told me I was too much of an extrovert. Instead, she suggested I consider a career as a PA. I remember thinking: What a great blend of science and service.
At Kaiser Permanente we believe that managing health isn’t a solo job — it’s a shared responsibility of everyone, and that includes doctors, nurses, our health care team, and you. Each member of our integrated team plays an important role in helping to keep you healthy — and nothing’s more important than that. Our coordinated and connected model allows us to help you manage your care as a team, delivering safe, high quality care.
