About Me

I was born and raised in Roanoke, AL. My earliest childhood memories are of Alabama football games at Legion Field in Birmingham. I attended the University of Alabama for my undergraduate education and then the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham. I am the fifth generation of Hamners to practice medicine, but the first "official" obstetrician. All but my uncle, a surgeon, were "country doctors" that delivered babies, mostly at home. I have my grandfather's porcelain scales that he used to weigh newborns, something I will always treasure. My residency was in New Orleans at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital, which included 18 months in the bayous of South Louisiana. During this time, I learned that everything is better with Tabasco sauce! My maternal-fetal medicine fellowship was in Washington, D.C, at the George Washington University Hospital. I moved to Atlanta in 1988 and was an assistant professor of Ob/Gyn, Division of Maternal - Fetal Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. I left Emory to come to Kaiser Permanente in 1993.

About my practice

I practice maternal and fetal medicine (perinatology) at Kaiser Permanente. I see members that deliver at all of our core hospitals. I provide consultative services for members with high-risk pregnancies and help to coordinate their care. My special interest is prenatal diagnosis and ultrasound. Every pregnancy is special, but not every pregnancy goes as planned. I see part of my job as helping families through difficult times and trying to achieve the best outcomes for all. After all these years, there is still no greater joy for me than helping a mom bring new life into the world. I am forever humbled by this experience.

How I thrive

I think everyone I work with would tell you I am a great source for new restaurants. Dining out is definitely a hobby for me. I also enjoy spending time with my family, friends and two dogs in the mountains of North Georgia. I like hiking and whitewater rafting, but mostly just sitting on my screen porch during a summer rain. It is the best time to check your blood pressure!I am most proud of my association with Joining Hearts, which raises money for housing for homeless women with HIV/AIDS and their children. As December 2010, we have raised and donated over $1.15 million to support these women and children.