Three things have had the most influence on my choice to become a Naturopathic Doctor: growing up vegetarian, my grandmother, and my love for music & dancing

• Growing up vegetarian gave me an understanding from an early age on what it feels like to be healthy. My parents showed us the importance of a balanced meal and what nutrients were important for our bodies to function at their best. I was taught to listen to my body, and although I now eat some chicken and red meat, I can't stray too far without getting an inner cue that it's time to eat a salad.

• She has now passed on, but I was very close with my grandmother. She was very involved in the arts and nature, and would take me on walks to show me intricacies of the natural world around us. Showing me things like flower pollination, or the difference between a weed and an herb gave me an intimate relationship with plants early on, and I love the idea that we can plant & grow our own medicine.

• I have also loved music & dancing for as long as I can remember. The two go hand-in-hand for me, I literally must dance whenever I hear music. I gained an interest in ballet, but soon grew to appreciate the other forms (jazz, modern, African, etc). Once I started learning about biology it was an easy leap to medicine - dance brought the initial interest of muscles, tendons, and bones, then grasping onto knowledge like cellular structure, metabolism, and biochemistry followed shortly after.

These all coalesced into an understanding that the body isn't just a jumble of separate structures, but one integral system - with each part independent and interdependent of the other. It's an essential part of my current practice to take the time to assess a patient's signs or symptoms (like a rash or bloating) as a possible indication of an underlying cause or imbalance (possible sensitivity to a food).

I find that the most important factor for an effective medical practitioner is Listening. Listening to what is being said, but also to what is not.  Yes, I have a specialized medical degree and over 16 years of clinical practice, but these mean nothing without taking the time and effort to discover the true cause for each patient's discomfort and unease.

Each person I see has a story. They've come from a family. While they are under my care, and often for long afterwards, I treat them as a member of mine.

Speaking of family, I'm originally from Oakland, California, and currently reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to healing, I enjoy being Momma to two amazing children who constantly inspire me to find new ways to make them smile.

• Undergraduate Degree: Physiological Psychology from California State University, East Bay

• Graduate Degree: Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Sonoran University of  Health Sciences

• Residency and Post-Doctorate Training: Family & Botanical Medicine

• Member of the Minnesota Association of Naturopathic Physicians

• Personal experience coaching over 3,000 participants in the areas of weight loss, diabetes, and high cholesterol   

Recent Career Highlights

• Published Author, Regular Health Columnist, Educator, and Public Speaker

• Featured Honoree of Inaugural Printing Fearless Commerce Magazine, 2018

• Active member of multiple nonprofit organizations, including University of Minnesota Program in Health Disparities Research and Minnesota Holistic Medicine Group

• Past board member of MNANP (Director of Public Outreach), Marnita’s Table, and Minnesota Urban Area Health Education Center