About Me

Fun fact: Skin is the largest and most important organ of the body and, as your dermatologist, your skin is the most important organ to me! It might be expected that caring for people’s health is in my blood as the child of parents who were both nurses. Indeed, I derive the most joy from making people feel better and giving patients the confidence in their outward appearance to live their best life. The trust you place in me is an honor; I strive to make sure every individual is informed of their condition, and we create customized treatment plans that work for you.

I was drawn to dermatology due to a fascination with how skin is able to heal and repair itself, such as from a wound. Babies and children possess remarkable healing (super)powers that recede with time and, therefore, my interests lie in understanding the biology of skin aging, particularly hair follicles, which regrow every several months or years and hold clues to our biological clocks.

To this end, after college at Duke I pursued extensive research experience at Harvard Medical School, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve, and University of Chicago in molecular biology, genetics, and stem cell regeneration resulting in numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and presentations. I then trained at the perennially top-ranked New York University dermatology residency program with a focus on hair and scalp disorders. These academic programs were wonderful, but I most enjoyed caring for our servicemen and women at the Veterans Affairs Hospital Bay Pines (St. Petersburg, FL) for 5 years prior to Kaiser Permanente.

As a native Floridian and former Sunshine State-dermatologist in an area with high skin cancer rates, I take particular interest in the impact of sun damage and promote ways to enjoy the sun responsibly. I hope that one day we have better capabilities to restore the function and aesthetics of youthful skin for the benefit of all people.

My career has taken me to almost every part of the country and I am beyond excited to now reside in beautiful Northern California. I spend my weekends sulking over the Cleveland Browns losing football games but reinvigorate myself with outdoor activities followed by foodie expeditions for great pizza, Asian cuisine, and desserts. As a Tampa Bay transplant, I enjoy kayak fishing and welcome learning angler tips and honey hole locations from my patients!

Awards

• Veterans Affairs Bay Pines Director’s Challenge Coin
• AAD Sulzberger Education Institute Seed Award
• NYU George Lipkin Research Award
• UChicago Resident Teaching Award
• CWRU Max Miller Award for Humanism and Scientific Inquiry

Professional Affiliations

• American Academy of Dermatology

Personal Interests

Fishing, biking, running, building things, eating out

Medical Education and Training

Medical Education

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH

Internship

• University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Residency

• New York University Medical Center, New York, NY

Board Certification

• Dermatology, American Board of Dermatolog