About Me

I grew up in Illinois and Oregon and attended college in California and graduate school in Midwifery at Yale University in Connecticut. In college I studied anthropology and linguistics and went on to work in the United States Senate for four years in Washington, DC and San Francisco, California doing mostly immigration, refuge and political asylum casework and writing. I married, had my first child in 1992, second in 1996, and graduated from Yale in '97 before starting my work here at Kaiser Permanente the same year. My third child was born in 1999. I always intended to work in health care but originally thought it would be in an international setting doing public health. I realized after the birth of my first child that I wanted to work in obstetrics and women's health care and I became passionate about the holistic approach of midwifery. I bring my prior experiences with me to this wonderfully rewarding field and enjoy working in partnership with my diverse clients to care for and improve their health and quality of life.

About my practice

I have served women across the lifespan here at Kaiser Permanente in the OB GYN department since 1997, providing prenatal/postpartum care and intrapartum care at the hospital for women in labor, in addition to well woman gynecology care in the clinic. In this latter capacity, I perform pap smear/physical exams and provide care for intermittent gynocological issues such as contraception (including IUD placement), family planning/fertility awareness and preconception counseling, STI education/testing/treatment, GYN infections, menopause, menstrual problems/PMS, sexual health, weight loss and nutrition support and parenting support. I enjoy caring for teens. I strive to approach each woman as the most important person I will meet and I seek to understand her needs in the context of her culture, family, lifestyle and individuality, believing that respect and careful listening are keys to a successful working relationship. I hope to foster confidence and self respect in my clients as they achieve their maximum potential in their own health and set goals for their future wellness.

How I thrive

My life is full of family time, children/teen activities, meals with friends and family, outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and backpacking, good books, music, singing, travel, and long term freindships all across the globe. I find that if I am always learning something, always finding creative expressions, finding time in nature, and always seeking to be of service to those in my life, I remain very happy and fulfilled. I also love to cook and eat healthy whole foods and avoid processed foods of all kinds. Yoga and mindfulness practice have served me well for many years as I seek to create peace in my life and the life of those around me.