I was born and raised in Lima, Ohio, and have studied and worked across the country. Following massive earthquakes and tsunamis in the Southeast Asia, I participated in a malaria emergency disaster relief program to prevent the spread of disease, which I found exhilarating and extremely rewarding. After extensive travel, I moved to Hawaii with my family to take a position with the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. My wife and I think that Oahu is a wonderful place to raise our children.
Working with a vast number of health care organizations specializing in different aspects of relief work after the natural disasters in Asia piqued my curiosity and interest in medicine. I was offered a permanent job with the organization that brought me to Indonesia, but I decided to return to the U.S. to attend Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio. Early in medical school, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in otolaryngology – the study of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat – and joined a lab doing basic science research in that area. There I developed an interest in head, neck, and microvascular reconstruction following cancer treatment, and I was fortunate to train at an institution that afforded me extensive experience with these cases. Following medical school, I did an internship in general surgery and an otolaryngology residency at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. After completing my residency, I became the Caridad Bolivar Bacardi fellow in head and neck surgery at Vanderbilt University, a position that allowed me to hone my skills in my chosen sub-specialty and gain experience training residents. I’ve authored and co-authored several research and textbook articles on various head and neck cancers and their treatments. To stay current in medicine, I read medical journals and maintain close professional relationships with mentors and colleagues back in Cleveland and Nashville. I also belong to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, which keeps members up-to-date in our field. I joined the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group because of the excellent reputation of its coordinated health care delivery system. I’ve found this reputation to be well-deserved, and I continue to be grateful to be a part of this organization. I believe that listening to patients, developing bonds with them, and understanding their goals and concerns are critical in creating personalized treatment plans.
Outside of work I swim, hike, and spend time with my family. When time allows, I still love to travel to far-off places.
