Give us your ‘elevator pitch’ biography.

I became interested in pulmonary medicine in medical school and had the privilege of training with some amazing leaders in respiratory medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health, including Dr. Mary Ellen Wohl and Dr. Stephanie Shore. I came back to Vanderbilt when our division was small, and I have been thrilled to see the growth of our clinical, educational, and research missions.  My interest in asthma and in bronchopulmonary dysplasia  has evolved from more basic studies of airway smooth muscle to translational studies using longitudinal birth cohorts.

What would you tell yourself as an Early Career Professional?

Medicine will continue to change in ways you can’t anticipate. There are always new opportunities around the corner, so say yes to challenges!

If you weren’t in medicine, and were in a different industry altogether, what would you be?

I might be a teacher.  In my dual role as a pediatrician and as a mentor, I am grateful for the opportunities to make an impact on the lives of younger patients and trainees early in their careers. If I were teaching, I would teach high school math.

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?

I enjoy spending time with my family outdoors, whether on a hike or at a sporting event.

What areas of medicine are you most excited to see develop?

Focus on the early origins of lung disease has brought a lot of focus to pediatrics. It’s an exciting time to be in pediatrics.  Recent genetic discoveries have given us insights into the basic mechanisms of disease and brought the potential for new therapies.

What is one advancement in your field you’d like to see in your career?

We have not fully delivered on the promise of personalized medicine, and I hope that we’re better able to apply scientific advances in pulmonary disease to the individual patient.

Ok. Which statement did you make up?

I don’t like the Yankees.