I love a natural aesthetic. I want patients to feel happy and comfortable when they come see me. And I believe transparency and communication are the foundation of the patient-surgeon relationship.
Surgery is a big deal — I know patients do a lot of thinking and soul searching before they schedule a consultation, not to mention reading and watching content about surgery on social media. I want to help people make the best decisions they can for themselves. The best part for me is getting to be a part of what’s often a really fun, exciting chapter in people’s lives.
I grew up in Greenville, SC. My mom is a veterinarian, and I spent a ton of time at work with her as a kid. I was a serious violinist and started college at a conservatory in New York City before transferring to Columbia University when I realized there was more out there I wanted to learn.
I worked in DC in health policy for several years — including a stint at the White House and as the youngest-ever study director for a landmark National Academies report on healthcare measurement — before heading to medical school at George Washington University, where I carpooled every day with my father-in-law, an OB/GYN who went to GW himself.
Coming to Philly was a bit of a surprise at first — I honestly wasn’t sure I had a chance to match at Penn. I fell in love not only with my program but also with this city, so my husband and I decided to stay here for good.
I live in Rittenhouse Square with my husband and my cat, Louis. I love trying new restaurants, group fitness classes, baking, reading fiction, and tending to my houseplants. I love a spontaneous after-work drink with a friend or a weekend trip to a museum — a getaway to Savannah or Maine, or a quick Amtrak to NYC. I’m a nerd deep down in my soul and could easily spend a whole day working a jigsaw puzzle and listening to a podcast.
I have degrees from Columbia University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University, and I completed my plastic surgery residency training at the University of Pennsylvania. I’ve published extensively in the academic and lay press about plastic surgery, medical education, and health policy.
I’m a high-performance professional, and I always have been. I started as a conservatory-trained violinist in NYC before transferring to Columbia for neuroscience. Before med school, I worked at the White House and became the youngest-ever study director for a landmark National Academies report on healthcare measurement. I graduated at the top of my medical school class, was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society (reserved for top students nationwide), and completed my training in plastic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the top programs in the country. A year after I started posting educational content on Instagram, I won the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ Best Social Media Award. When I set my mind to something, I make it happen. There. Bragging over.