BA, UC Berkeley
MA, Physician Assistant, Samuel Merritt University
Licensed Midwife (LM, CPM)

Growing up in Los Angeles, I knew as early as four years old that I wanted to “catch babies.” I was amazed and inspired by the natural process of normal childbirth, with a woman giving birth surrounded by supportive friends and family.

For college I moved to the Bay Area and graduated from UC Berkeley in Woman’s Studies and Creative Writing, with honors, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. At the same time I followed my dream and was introduced into the world of midwifery. At my very first birth, I knew I had found my path. I attended the National Midwifery Institute and became a Licensed Midwife (LM) and received national certification (CPM) in 2000. I completed my training at Casa de Nacimiento, a high-volume midwifery clinic on the Mexico/Texas border.

I then combined midwifery practice in the Bay Area with extensive volunteer work as a midwife. First, I traveled to the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu where I provided prenatal, post partum, and general home health services, and delivered hundreds of babies at home, in hospitals and birth centers. I then traveled to the Peruvian highlands where I volunteered in rural clinics. These were terrific opportunities where I gave services that were needed, and repeatedly shared the experience of women meeting their biggest challenge and triumph, empowered at the beginning of motherhood.

Then I returned home to Berkeley, my home for the last 17 years, where I had my own two children, delivered at home. I continued to practice midwifery and built a successful homebirth practice. At the same time I continued to study, with interests in multicultural views of the body, medicinal herbs, acupressure, and diverse aspects of healing. While learning about the differences of various cultural settings, I have also come to understand the essential universal element of health – we all desire to be well and to thrive, and we all can use the help of skilled professionals to attain that goal. No matter our differences, we all want the same thing. I still love midwifery, but with time my interests have broadened. I have found that I want to care for a wider range of patients, of both sexes, and with a broader range of conditions. To achieve this goal, I became a Physician Assistant in family practice, studying here at Bayside under Dr. Jim Eichel in the Berkeley office. I graduated from Samuel Merritt University in the Masters PA program in 2010, winning the award for academic achievement for highest grade point average in my class and became a Certified Physician Assistant.

As engrossing as my work and studies have been, I have also enjoyed myself. When not at Bayside, I can often be found trail running in the Oakland hills, or enjoying good food and music with my family and friends.

I am very gratified to be joining Bayside and continuing to work with my mentor, Jim Eichel. I look forward to the opportunity to care for you and your family.