My Story

As a cardiologist for over 27 years, I worked to heal, educate, and empower thousands of individuals to achieve optimal health and well-being.  After working through the first 2 years of the global pandemic, I retired from medical practice in 2022 with the intention of pursuing my other life passions.

When I started medical school at Vanderbilt in 1988, the sea changes that would rock the medical profession were just a blip on the horizon. Having worked through the advent of managed care, RVUs, EMRs, and the current era of internet-driven disinformation and scientific skepticism, I have experienced and been a part of the profound shifts in healthcare. I have also been extremely fortunate to practice in an age of revolutionary progress.

As a first-year medical student, I believed that Psychiatry would be my path. I had studied Psychology and the liberal arts in college, and this seemed to be a natural fit. But I quickly came to understand that my passion and personality were more aligned with Cardiology. I loved the idea of helping patients through complex and fast-moving diagnoses, getting them to the other side and back to health, and empowering them to live a healthier and more independent life.

As a practicing cardiologist, I was fortunate to be a member of a diverse and highly skilled team of physicians. Over the years I held leadership positions, including Chief of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology, at busy hospitals in my community. I was also a Physician Partner of a nationally recognized Heart Hospital.

Inspired by the questions and curiosity of my patients, I realized that there was a compelling need for sound, well-researched, and accessible information about diet and heart health. During my years in practice, I authored four critically acclaimed books on heart health, starting with The Smart Woman’s Guide to Heart Health which won Foreword Magazine’s Bronze Award in 2009 for Women’s Issues. In 2012, I wrote Best Practices for a Healthy Heart: How to Stop Heart Disease Before and After it Starts, published by The Experiment. Recognized as an authority in the field of heart health and prevention, in 2014 I was asked to coauthor DASH Diet for Dummies with dietitians Rosanne Rust and Cindy Kleckner. A second edition of the book was published in 2020.

I have been quoted in a number of national magazines and online resources including Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports, Shape, Fitness Magazine, and Forbes, among others.

Continuing with my commitment to providing sound, accessible, and evidence-based healthcare information, I currently serve as a medical writer for GoodRx.com, which keeps me tuned in to the latest in health care and heart disease prevention.

Complementary to my work in the medical profession, I am a Registered Yoga Teacher with additional credentials in Yin Yoga.

In keeping with my goals to pursue my life passions, I am enrolled in a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program for Fine Art Photography, with plans to ultimately pursue a Master’s degree.

I also compete with my horses in the equestrian sport of Dressage and have earned the United States Dressage Federation’s Bronze and Silver Medals.

I strongly believe in the power of a balanced life, and the importance of seeking and achieving your highest purpose. As a Physician Coach, it is my goal to help you find the structure, support, and motivation to live your life to its fullest.