I was born in the Midwest but consider myself a California native as I moved to the Bay Area in childhood. My interest in medicine, public health, and education started at the University of California, Berkeley, where I volunteered in free clinics and taught a class on social issues in health care. Psychiatry was a natural fit as I enjoy learning people's stories and building relationships to foster recovery. After initially focusing on medical education and serving on the faculty at Yale University and University of California, San Francisco, I chose to return to my clinical interests and joined Kaiser Permanente. Outside of medicine, I enjoy exploring the outdoors, traveling to new countries, and curling up with a good book.