How I got here
• Grew up in Wenatchee, Washington, as the youngest of twelve children
• Graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in English Literature and completed all pre-medical coursework there
• Graduate of Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska
• Completed residency in General (Adult) Psychiatry and Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
• Began private practice in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and worked at mental health centers in both Cheyenne and Laramie; at that time, I was one of three child psychiatrists in the state
• Moved to Bend in 2005 and have been working as a solo practitioner ever since. I have served as a child psychiatry staff member at Deschutes County Mental Health, New Leaf Academy, The Academy at Sisters, and New Vision Wilderness Therapy
What keeps me current as a psychiatrist
I am board certified and have continuously maintained my certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in General/Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry since 1998 and 2000, respectively. Certification is granted by successfully passing a test covering material considered essential in the field, at least every 10 years, for each specialty—in my case, General/Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. This is important to you because it assures you that as a current board-certified physician, I am in a constant state of learning, engaging with new material, and re-examining past information that can potentially be helpful to you.
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. These organizations offer continuous independent assessments to ensure that the workforce of specialty physicians:
• Is skilled and clinically competent
• Cultivates their expertise throughout their careers
• Meet the standards of practice established by their peers
{Adapted from the website of the American Board of Medical Specialties, ABMS.org}
I hold a medical license from the Oregon Medical Board and the Wyoming Board of Medicine.
Away from the office
Outside of the office I enjoy reading and have been fortunate to be a part of a retired teachers book club for the past 17 years. I play cello in the Bend Pops Orchestra. My husband and I have a small hobby ranch that brings us endless joy and a lot of shoveling of various things, bucket filling, watering, and mowing. We both love birding and traveling to places where we can be, yet again, confounded in identifying another new bird.