I am a pediatric psychologist who helps children who have serious medical conditions and chronic pain. These include chronic kidney and liver disease and rheumatic conditions such as lupus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). I also work with children who are having solid organ transplants and patients with chronic pancreatitis undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet auto-transplantation.

I was drawn to my career when I saw the resilience of children while volunteering at summer camps for those with chronic health conditions. I want to support children with behavioral and emotional management for coping with their condition, so they can focus on other important areas of their lives such as school and social relationships.

In my practice, I believe patients and their families should have an active role in determining their personal treatment goals. I want them to feel empowered so they can continue to use their skills after their care with me has ended.

While I use evidence-based treatments, I take a flexible approach to meet the individual needs of each patient. I spend time getting to know them and their families to understand their unique dynamics. I am here to support children and their families at any point in their journey, from diagnosis throughout medical treatment.

In addition to seeing patients, I also conduct research. I am trying to determine what can get in the way of children and families following their prescribed medical regimens. I’m also looking into increasing patient access to evidence-based interventions that promote adherence, by training frontline healthcare providers to deliver these interventions.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing tennis as well as board and card games. I also attend live theater in Cincinnati and travel back home to the East Coast for the beach.