How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have 2 kids. My daughter is 7 years old and my son turns 4 in mid-October.
What do you love about living in the Sarasota area?
We moved from Connecticut almost 6 years ago, and I was nervous for such a big move since I grew up in the Northeast. But, I love that so many families in Sarasota are from all over the country and not all are native Floridians. Everyone is super friendly and helpful. We were here during hurricane Irma, and I was almost 35 weeks pregnant with my second child at that time. Random people at stores would hand me their water gallons from their carts, and neighbors helped us put up our hurricane shutters. That’s what I love about living here – the people and friends we have made.
What’s your favorite restaurant and place to shop in Sarasota?
That’s a tough one since there are so many great restaurants in the area. One of my favorite restaurants would have to be Selva Grill. One of my favorite places to shop is Macy’s at the UTC mall.
Tell us about your career.
I’m a primary care physician, and a board-certified internal medicine physician. I work in the outpatient setting and recently started my own unique direct primary care practice in Bradenton. I see anyone 18 years and older in Sarasota and Manatee counties. I see people for all kinds of chronic and acute medical conditions, and I do focus a good amount of time on lifestyle medicine, nutrition, weight management and hormone balance.
What do you love about your career?
I love that I get so much more time with my patients than in a traditional practice setting, more flexibility to do virtual visits and phone calls for those who can’t leave their jobs to come in, and I get more time with my children and husband. My fees are transparent and affordable, and I can deliver the kind of care I always envisioned as a primary care physician. Having a good work-life balance is very important to me, and my new practice makes this achievable.
What are some of your hobbies?
I love cooking new, healthy recipes. Since I’m a busy mom of 2 with a new medical practice and a husband who works full time, I love coming up with quicker, easier meals for the family that are fresh and healthy. I love dancing, playing tennis, exploring trails in our neighborhood, and trying different exercise routines. I love painting and doing crafts with my kids and exploring new restaurants in the area.
How do you juggle work and motherhood?
I think I can juggle work and motherhood better now than I ever did before. I think it’s partly because I forced myself to prioritize the things that were important to me. The way that my primary care practice is set up, I can enjoy seeing and caring for my patients and can also have devoted time for my family as well. I also prioritize getting at least 30 minutes of exercise time for myself 5 days a week. My husband is my pillar of support as well, and my kids love earning points for doing chores. So, that definitely helps maintain some balance in our busy lives.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received from another mom?
I think the best piece of advice I’ve received is that I need to take care of myself to be a better, more engaged and involved mom for my kids.
