I’ve known I wanted to be a doctor (or “docter” as I spelled it on a first-grade assignment) since I was 5 years old—just like my dad. And my mom is a nurse, so I’ve always felt inclined to serve my community. During medical school, I found my calling in pediatrics. Being a mom myself, I enjoy meeting families where they are and providing individualized care to patients and their families.

Watching children learn and grow is a true privilege and the best part of my job! I love understanding a patient’s social history and talking with them about their school, personal interests and goals for the future. By learning as much as I can about the patient and family, I can ensure they feel supported in their care.

Before medical school, I studied public health and ways to improve a community’s overall health through prevention. Pediatrics allows me to provide preventive care at each well-check appointment, from anticipatory guidance to vaccines. I enjoy kids’ honesty, resiliency and spirit, and I never walk out of a patient’s room without a smile on my face.

I enjoy all aspects of pediatric care—from newborn to adolescent—and have been honored with several awards for leadership and providing excellent care to my patients. I’m a certified lactation consultant and like working with newborns and moms to achieve their breastfeeding goals. During my medical residency, I travelled to work in under-resourced areas, and these clinical experiences broadened my world view. I learned how to advocate for vulnerable pediatric patients.

I’m also passionate about quality improvement. I’ve studied to learn more and enhance my skills in that area, which includes improving HPV immunization rates among my adolescent patients.

I volunteer for a local branch of the American Academy of Pediatrics to help other pediatricians stay focused on education, networking and advocacy.

I enjoy spending free time with my husband and son. I love to dance and danced from age 3 until college at Wake Forest University. My favorite way to exercise is to take a barre class! As an avid reader, I love to promote literacy to all my patients at each visit. We can learn so much about ourselves through books. My favorite book is The Giver. I love to travel! My favorite way to travel is through food—I love to try local cuisine. One of my favorite places is Angkor Wat, Cambodia, at sunrise.