Where are you from?
Texas
What’s your specialty or area of expertise?
I’m an obstetrician/gynecologist with specialty training in family planning.
What first inspired you to become a doctor?
I worked in abortion care at Whole Woman’s Health in Austin after graduating from college. During that time, I also served as a hotline volunteer and as a member of the board of directors for The Lilith Fund—an organization that financially assists women in Texas requesting abortion. Working directly in the provision of abortion care in Texas inspired me to go to medical school and become a family planning specialist.
What story about one of your patients most sticks with you?
Every patient story stays with me and shapes me as a physician. I am especially impacted by the cost of care and how patient’s lives are forever changed by their ability or inability to pay for medical care. Currently, almost all of my patients have medical coverage for abortion care through private insurance or state Medicaid. All, but my patients in the military. I recently could not provide an abortion for a patient with military insurance because she could not afford the cash price despite all efforts to bring the price down. We were both in tears. I was devastated that this woman is serving her country and now we were letting her down through the injustices of the Hyde Amendment.
What current policy issue especially motivates you to be an advocate?
I have recently been doing advocacy work about exposing Crisis Pregnancy Centers/Limited Service Pregnancy Centers. We have successfully passed a law in Hawai’i regulating them and are working on enforcement.
Who is your social justice hero?
I don’t believe in heroes—I was raised not to trust those placed on a pedestal. However, I am currently inspired by the work of Brittany Ferrell, Kayla Reed, and Alexis Templeton.