When seeking good medical care for myself or my family, I want two essential components of that care: compassion and competence. As a provider, my goal is to deliver those same things to every patient. Among many aspects required to accomplish this are speaking in familiar terms to make a medical problem and treatment understandable, using my knowledge and skill to thoroughly evaluate a problem, and together with the patient, formulate a plan of action. I grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and spent many years in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, prior to moving to Colorado in 2010. I am married to my husband, Hermen, who hails from the Netherlands (and is therefore a World Cup Soccer freak!). We have one four-legged kid, a rescue lab named Mo. Following a ten-year career as a primary care physician at Duke University, I decided to “go back to school” to become an interventional cardiologist. Some called it a mid-life crisis – I called it pursuing a passion, an interest sparked by my own family’s health history which has been riddled with cardiovascular problems: high blood pressure, heart attacks, and heart valve problems. I have never looked back and have found this career to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I enjoy just about anything that gets me outdoors, elevates my heart rate, and makes me sweat – running, biking, and hiking. I like to cook, I enjoy a good book, and I like to discover new travel destinations. If I am being totally honest, I also love a good poker game.
