About Me

I continue to enjoy practicing at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, where I have worked for about two decades. My wife is also a physician, and we have three children with whom we camp, hike, ski, read, and watch movies, among many other activities. I have always enjoyed talking with people who have different views of the world, and my practice provides me with an opportunity to meet many individuals with all sorts of life stories. Some of my more memorable experiences include the year I spent as an exchange student in Greece; time spent in West Africa; bringing my family to live with a family in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, for a month; and the time I still spend every year seeing patients in a small town in the Sacred Valley of Peru.

About my practice

I chose to specialize in otolaryngology because it gives me the chance to see a wide variety of patients, from newborns to centenarians, and gives me the chance to operate on all areas of the head and neck. I completed a fellowship in laryngology/voice disorders at the University of Tennessee. I spend about half of my time working in this subspecialty and enjoy the challenges it provides. It is very gratifying to be able to give back someone's ability to communicate, sometimes after years of vocal disability.

How I thrive

I get great pleasure from helping and watching my children as they develop their own interests and sensibilities. I try to exercise as much as possible, and I am happiest when I am outdoors in the mountains with my family. I feel fortunate to have chosen a profession that is rewarding in so many ways. One of the extra benefits of being a physician is that I can use my skills in overseas medical work, which has been a wonderful experience. For the last seven years I have taken my skills to Coya, Peru, where over the course of a week my partner and I see about 200 patients and operate on their ears, noses, and throats. It is a great pleasure to work in that very different environment and know we are helping people who otherwise would not receive medical care.