Family Medicine Woodland Hills Medical Center - Faculty

Medical School

University of Otago, 2010

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, 2014

Clinical Interests

Research, Women's Health, Hospital Medicine, Holistic physician development

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Clinical Associate Professor, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Medicine

I grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, and completed my medical education at the University of Otago. At the end of medical school, my husband and I decided to relocate to his home state of California. Seeking a work environment akin to the rigorous academic and universal healthcare system I was accustomed to, I found the perfect match at Kaiser Permanente. As a non-profit organization, it emphasizes high-quality, patient-centered, evidence-based care, serving a diverse community, including Medi-Cal patients.

After a decade serving as core faculty and resident research director, I’ve now stepped into the role of Program Director. My professional interests span research, advocacy for family medicine, inpatient care, women’s health, and procedural training. Teaching, whether it’s my patients or residents, is a source of immense joy for me. I am privileged to lead our program in cultivating well-rounded, highly competent physicians within a warm, supportive learning environment. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy spending time with my husband and four children. We like outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, canoeing, boating, and fishing.

Medical School

Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine, 2001

Residency Training

Pensacola Navy Hospital Internship 2002, Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, 2010

Fellowship Training

Community Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, 2011

Clinical Interests

Behavioral Sciences, Dermatology, LGBTQ Health

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

I grew up on the East Coast (including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Florida), attending undergraduate at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and then medical school at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. As a US Navy Health Professions Scholarship awardee, I then spent six years in the Navy, primarily as a flight surgeon caring for two different squadrons based in Whidbey Island, WA. Being a Navy flight doc afforded me the opportunity to fly in many different types of aircraft, including experiencing practice dog-fighting maneuvers in an F-18 jet! After my time in the Navy, my husband and I relocated to Southern California where I completed my family medicine residency training at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills. Following my residency training, I was very fortunate to join our community medicine fellowship, mentoring students and residents at the various community clinics that we serve and working with some of our community’s neediest patients. Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills has been the perfect fit for me, so I was very excited to join the faculty full time in 2012. I currently serve as the Assistant Director for the program and local director of our Community Medicine Fellowship. I have a passion for behavioral sciences and LGBTQ health and; outside of work, love spending time with my family, gardening, reading mystery novels, and traveling.

Medical School

Boston University, 2011

Residency Training

Ventura County Medical Center, 2014

Clinical Interests

Hospital Medicine, Procedural Training, Ultrasound

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, where I spent most of my childhood playing in the sun and swimming in the Pacific Ocean. I enjoyed moving out to the East Coast for medical school at Boston University. However, realizing Southern California would always be my home, I moved back to California to complete my residency training at Ventura County Medical Center. It was during residency that I developed my interests for inpatient medicine, procedural training, and bedside ultrasound. After residency, I found my place at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills where I have been able to practice full spectrum family medicine and enjoy working with and teaching residents. I spend much of my time rounding with the residents on the inpatient medicine service, instructing the residents on ultrasound and suturing skills, and mentoring the residency’s procedure clinic. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, traveling, and practicing yoga.

Medical School

Georgetown University School of Medicine, 2018

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente, Woodland Hills, 2021

Clinical Interests

Women’s Health, Adolescent Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Preventive Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Medicine

I am a Southern California native and grew up in Woodland Hills. I completed my undergraduate education at UC Berkeley with B.A. in Psychology and then attended Georgetown University for medical school. My passion for family medicine developed from my desire to practice preventive care and promote lasting, meaningful relationships with my patients. This desire was only deepened during my training as I came to understand the profound impact a family physician may have on a community by serving as an entry point into the health care system. After spending some time on the east coast for medical school, I missed the sunshine and my loved ones and was excited to head back to Los Angeles to complete my residency at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to continue working with our wonderful residency program and serving the community I was raised in. Outside of work, I enjoy making pottery, hiking, traveling, spending time with my loved ones, and being a plant mom.

Medical School

University of California, Los Angeles, 1999

Residency Training

Santa Monica/UCLA, 2002

Clinical Interests

Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

I attended Chatsworth High School, just a few miles away from our medical center. I completed my undergraduate, medical school and residency training at UCLA. I then came back to the San Fernando Valley, with its mix of urban and suburban living, wonderful diversity, and beautiful surrounding mountains to practice full spectrum Family Medicine at Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills. At Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills, I fell in love with teaching, as well as guiding and supporting residents to be well-rounded and happy family physicians. In addition to being faculty for the Family Medicine residency program, I am proud to be the physician lead for Hippocrates Circle. Hippocrates Circle is a pipeline program for junior high students from underserved communities in the San Fernando Valley whose purpose is to inspire these students to pursue medical careers. I am also the physician CME planner for our medical center’s Family Medicine and Internal Medicine departments. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, daughter, dogs and friends.

Medical School

University of California, Los Angeles, 1997

Residency Training

Kaiser Woodland Hills, 2000

Clinical Interests

Headache, Quality Management

Academic Appointments:

Clinical Instructor, UCLA School of Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

While I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, my parents moved to Los Angeles, California when I was close to a year old. However, in recent years, I’ve been able to return to Kansas City every year for the annual AAFP Conference where I enjoy KC’s jazz culture and KC style BBQ! After growing up near East LA, I graduated from Cal State Los Angeles and then attended UCLA for medical school. I completed my residency at KP Woodland Hills in 2000 and have worked at KP Woodland Hills ever since. In fact, my faculty office is just one door away from my resident office! I have been fortunate in many ways, including having the opportunity to serve a large Spanish-speaking population here in the “Valley” in Woodland Hills. My interests in medicine are many and I have been able to re-invent myself over the years. My roles have evolved from seeing headache consults for our Spanish-speaking patients, being the physician champion for MRIs in back pain patients, and now serving as the Physician Leader for Peer Review and Quality Improvement here at our medical center. However, the highlight of my career has definitely been working with our residents. I enjoy rounding in the hospital and seeing patients in the family medicine clinic, adult urgent care, and pediatric urgent care. My spare time goes to my wife and two daughters. I also enjoy travelling, gardening, doing home improvement projects, polishing my cars, getting a workout hitting speed and heavy bags, and making mojitos.

Medical School

Midwestern University, 2013

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, 2016

Fellowship Training

Sports Medicine, Kaiser Permanente LA Medical Center, 2017

Clinical Interests

Sports Medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

I have been in Southern California for the majority of my life. I was raised in Pasadena, California and completed my undergraduate education at the University of Southern California, where my passion for sports medicine was ignited. I went to college when USC/UCLA represented the closest thing to professional football in Los Angeles. During my undergraduate education, I had the unique privilege of working as a student athletic trainer for the USC football team. It was a lot of work, but yes, I have a National Championship ring. #FightOn!
The only time I have lived outside of Southern California was during my medical school training at Midwestern University in Arizona. I then completed my family medicine residency at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills and my Sports Medicine Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles. After fellowship, I “returned home” to Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills. I am fortunate to have a blended practice that consists of urgent care, primary care sports medicine (including diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound), and teaching residents and fellows at the Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills and Los Angeles medical centers. I am very grateful for my supportive colleagues, who facilitate an environment that allows continued growth as a physician and mentor. Outside of work, I am usually running with (or more like after) my two young sons, watching Netflix/Hulu/Disney+/ NFL network/Dodger baseball/college football (my hubby is a sports producer), online shopping (Amazon/Instacart/food delivery app), or trying to take a nap!

Medical School

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California , 2018

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente, Woodland Hills, 2021

Clinical Interests

Procedures, Women’s Health

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

While I was born in New Jersey I’ve fully adopted Los Angeles as home. I made a stop in Chicago for my undergraduate studies at Northwestern University but then landed in Los Angeles where I worked in marketing for entertainment before deciding to follow my true passion for medicine and helping others. I continued my post-baccalaureate studies and then medical school at the University of Southern California and went on to complete residency training here at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills. I loved my experience in residency and wanted to continue to serve the Woodland Hills community as well as continue to help educate future residents. I have a particular passion for procedures and Women’s Health which I bring to my role overseeing our resident Obstetrics Continuity clinic. Outside of work I enjoy cooking, travel and getting outside with my family and dog.

Clinical Interests

Developmental Neuroscience, Mother-Infant Attachment, Couples Therapy

Academic Appointments:

Assistant Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine

I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a music performance family. My musical career began very early (age 6) and continued – on and off – until about age 26. Though I lived a charmed life working in show business, riding horses, and flying airplanes, I felt utterly lost. Ultimately, I went back to school to study psychology and never looked back. It’s been a marvelous journey. My professional interests include infant and adult attachment, object relations, personality disorders, psychobiology, neuroscience, and couples. I have had the pleasure of teaching college, having a private practice, doing clinical research, writing multiple books, and lecturing worldwide on couple therapy. In 2003, I developed a psychobiological approach to couple therapy and co-founded the PACT Institute with my wife, Tracey. In 1997, I was fortunate to land my current faculty position at Kaiser Woodland Hills Behavioral Science Clinic where I have enjoyed many years of teaching, mentoring, and supervising family medicine residents.

Medical School

David Geffen at UC Los Angeles

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills

Medical School

University of Oklahoma, 1993

Residency Training

Kaiser Permanente, 1996

Fellowship Training

Harbor-UCLA Sports Medicine Fellowship, 2003

Clinical Interests

Sports Medicine and disaster medicine

Board Certifications:

American Board of Family Practice

I was born in Chicago where father was completing his residency in General Surgery, but I moved to Oklahoma City at a very young age. I attended the University of Oklahoma for undergraduate, graduate, and medical school. However, while I enjoyed growing up and living in the Mid-West, I had known since high school that I ultimately wanted to move out west and experience what California had to offer. Therefore, I was thrilled when I applied and was accepted into the inaugural class of the Kaiser Permanente Family Medicine Residency Program in Woodland Hills. Upon completion of residency training, I practiced in the family medicine clinic for Kaiser Permanente; but after a few years of practice, I decided to return to training and complete a fellowship in sports medicine. I have since migrated to full-time sports medicine practicing in the department of Orthopedics where I focus on general sports medicine as well as ultrasound-based evaluation and procedures. I have been involved with teaching residents since I graduated and find this part of my work as the most rewarding. Outside of medicine, I am a long-time member of the Malibu Search and Rescue Team (Malibusar.org) and enjoy outdoor activities, barbequing and travelling.