I am joining St. Luke’s University Health Network after nearly two decades in academic medicine. Although I completed fellowship training in Clinical Neurophysiology, which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord and nervous system, my practice has centered on pediatric neuromuscular medicine. Over the years, I have developed expertise in treating children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I am well versed in exon-skipping therapies, which allow cells to bypass faulty portions of a gene so they can continue producing a functional protein, as well as gene transfer therapies for pediatric neuromuscular disorders.
Working as part of an interdisciplinary team allows me to be the best physician I can be. When a needed program is not available, my answer is not, “We don’t have it,” but rather, “We don’t have it yet.” This is the same approach I take to patient care. Over the years, I have found that when patients, parents and providers work together as a team, it leads to the best possible outcomes. If a solution is not immediately available, we will continue working together, exploring options and striving to find the best path forward.
At St. Luke’s, I look forward to being part of a team that cares for children throughout the region with neuromuscular and other neurological disorders. I hope to help build programs that meet the needs of our patients and provide comprehensive care for children with complex conditions who previously needed to travel farther from home to receive specialized treatment. I am also excited to offer pediatric electromyography (EMG), a diagnostic test that evaluates how well a child’s muscles and nerves are functioning, and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing, which measures the function of peripheral nerves.
On a personal level, my husband and I have two children. My husband is a college lecturer, our daughter is starting college and our son is beginning graduate school. I also serve on the Board of Directors for two nonprofit organizations: Hunter’s Heart Foundation, which focuses on building community and empowering families through education about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and Neurosciences for All, which supports neuroscience education in Cambodia. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, making jewelry and running. While my husband and I are now empty nesters, our home is still full with a dog, two bunnies and two guinea pigs.
St. Luke's Care Network Provider