About Me

Welcome to my Web page. I am happy to have the opportunity to tell you about myself and the work I do at Kaiser Permanente. I am an anesthesiologist by training. I feel privileged to work with a wonderful group of physicians who consistently strive to provide high-quality care to our members.

Biography

I originally hail from the center of the country, “the land of aws,” also known as Kansas. I knew from the age of 9 that I wanted to be a physician and, except for brief sidetracks in the arts, kept to that goal throughout my education. I left Kansas to go to college in Dallas, Texas, but returned to Kansas for medical school and residency. After completing a residency in anesthesiology, I stayed on as a faculty member and assistant professor of anesthesia at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. I moved to California and joined Kaiser Permanente more than 28 years ago.

About my practice

As an anesthesiologist, I travel to multiple locations in Orange County to provide anesthesia care to members who require surgery. Presently, my home base is the Irvine Medical Center. I am also the physician leader of quality. I chair the Performance Improvement Committee and the Focused Peer Review Committee. I also sit on the Executive Committee of Orange County. In these roles, I am heavily involved in the oversight of the quality of care provided in the Orange County area.

How I thrive

I love animals and travel. I’ve seen polar bears at Hudson Bay three times and have taken two photographic safaris in Kenya; both locations are inspirational and were life-changing experiences. I love gardening and growing tropical blooming varieties of plants. Much of the exercise I get is from digging and planting in my garden, hauling dirt in a wheelbarrow, and weeding the flowerbeds. This is also a way for me to regenerate mentally from the stress of work. I have a home in the mountains, which provides me with a quiet haven to recharge. Walking among the mountains and snow-fed lakes, looking at the beauty nature provides, helps me stay balanced spiritually. The mountains also provide additional exercise when I shovel 5 to 10 feet of snow off the decks of my mountain home.