My clinical specialty is general pediatric gastroenterology, with a special interest in allergic/eosinophilic disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. As a collaborative member of a patient-centered medical home, I hope to build longstanding connections by getting to know patients/families beyond their medical concerns. I hope to have the answers to their questions and work tirelessly to find answers if I don't.

I’d envisioned myself going into a career in medicine based on how captivated I was with my high school hands-on anatomy class. I found it fascinating to explore how different parts of the human body work together in everyday life. After coaching middle school cross country and track, I was inspired to pursue a career in pediatrics. Coaching helped me see the impact nutrition has on our daily lives and the importance of building good habits early in life.

I am proud to have won the Outstanding Community Engagement Award and the Kentucky Chapter of the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) Award during my residency (2019). I was president of a child advocacy group called Pediatricians Urging Safety and Health (PUSH). This resident-run advocacy group organized community events/volunteer opportunities, including car seat safety education, nutrition education, safe sex education, community garden, book drive, clothes drive and canned food drive. I also organized and ran monthly educational meetings for residents and community pediatricians about advocacy, wellness and topical social issues.

My research focuses on allergic and eosinophilic GI disorders. These disorders are incredibly burdensome, with prominent symptoms seeping into all areas of a patient’s life (physical, mental, emotional, social, developmental and economic). The goal of my research is to define these disorders better so we can facilitate earlier detection and identify treatment options. We also hope to identify less invasive methods of disease detection and monitoring to minimize patients’ need for endoscopy.

When I’m not working, I love to run. I have completed one 39.3-mile race, five full-marathons and 20+ half-marathons. I also play recreational league kickball and sand volleyball with friends. I enjoy traveling and have been through parts of Europe, Africa, Central America and South America. I like to hike, and some of my favorite places include Crater Lake National Park, Zion National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.