I am a Filipino American, raised around Hershey, Pennsylvania. My first job was working at Hershey Park, where I smelled chocolate every day. I also volunteered on the pediatric hospital floor at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where I learned that I enjoyed working with children, which led me to pursue a medical career focusing on pediatrics. I attended medical school in Philadelphia, then completed my pediatric residency at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Fresno. I have practiced as a pediatrician for over 15 years, starting at Kaiser Permanente in the Bay Area. Most recently, I served as a community clinic pediatrician in San Diego. All paths enriched my life. My family and I moved to beautiful Portland in pursuit of a balanced life of family and career.