I didn’t always envision a future in medicine. In middle school, I planned to become a legal secretary. That changed in high school when science—and the intricate design of the human body—captivated me. Illness also became personal. My grandmother, who lived with us, struggled with diabetes and later became wheelchair-bound after a stroke. Watching her live with chronic disease sparked questions that ultimately redirected my path toward medicine.

In college, I majored in chemistry, unsure of my next step, until a confident friend pursuing medical school helped me believe I belonged there too—despite growing up in rural western Pennsylvania without female physician role models. Choosing osteopathic medical school felt natural. Osteopathic training shaped my commitment to treating the whole person, listening deeply, and understanding the body as an interconnected system.

For years, I practiced traditional family medicine and valued the work. Yet over time, I felt something was missing. I was managing symptoms but longed to address the root causes behind my patients’ health concerns. That changed when I trained in Functional Medicine. It felt like a light turning on—offering a framework that aligned with my foundation in science and allowed me to look deeper, ask better questions, and pursue lasting restoration rather than “drive-thru medicine.”

My journey is personal as well. After lifelong struggles with weight, osteoarthritis requiring cervical spine surgery, and a diagnosis of prediabetes, I came to understand the deeper role of chronic inflammation. Today, my goal is to restore order and balance—first in my own health and then in the lives of my patients—by removing what harms and intentionally rebuilding with what supports true healing.

This shift is more than a career change; it is a calling. I love solving complex health puzzles and helping people build sustainable, healthier lives.