Overview
I grew up in the Army, but I call Leavenworth, Kansas home. I graduated high school in 1978. I graduated from 萝莉社 in 1984, with a Bachelor鈥檚 of Science in Nursing. I worked for three years at St. John鈥檚 Hospital in Leavenworth, KS, while completing further pre-requisities for medical school at St. Mary鈥檚 College (now University of Saint Mary鈥檚) in Leavenworth, and at the University of Kansas. I was accepted into University of Kansas Medical School and completed my Medical Doctorate in 1991.
I completed my surgical internship at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in 1992, then was assigned to Fort Ord, CA as the Officer in Charge of the Aviation Medical Clinic for the Aviation Brigade of the 7th Infantry Division. Other posts I held was Officer in Charge of the General Outpatient Clinic at Silas B. Hayes Hospital, then I became the Assistant Chief of the Emergency Department, before leaving to complete a residency in Emergency Medicine at Madigan Army Medical Center (1994-1997). My final tour of duty was at Fort Campbell, KY working the Emergency Department while in garrison. I was deployed to Kuwait in 1998, and returned to complete my active duty time in Fort Campbell. I left active duty in 1999 and resigned my commission in May 2000.
I moved to Salinas in 1999, where I am presently board-certified emergency medicine physician at a medium-sized community hospital, part of a local healthcare network (Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System). I have worked here for 22 years. While in Salinas, I have held various administrative posts including Chief of Staff (2017-2019), Vice Chief of Staff (2015-2017), Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine (2011-2015), Vice Chair of same department (2007-2011), and have been its Assistant Director of Quality Assurance/Risk Management (1999-2008). I was CEO of Salinas Valley Emergency Medical Group from 2011-2015, and have been on its Executive Board since the group formed in 1999. I was the Medical Director of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) for both Monterey County (2000-2018) and Santa Cruz County (2013-2018).